September 2005 Minutes

SEPTEMBER 12, 2005

The meeting was called to order at 7:20 p.m.

Copies of the August 2005 minutes were distributed to all present. Jeff Erwin made a motion to accept the minutes. Rick Matthews seconded.

Those present were:
Eula Tirey
Rick Matthews
Delores Wallace
Katie Kaiser
Joe Glessner
Todd Anderson
Jeff Erwin
Diane O’Rea


OLD BUSINESS
J.P. Michalik and Katie Kaiser attended the September 2005 SAND meeting. The following is a report on the proceedings: In order to pinpoint problem areas or crime trend areas a map of the neighborhood can be made and mark where an incident has occurred as a visual for neighborhood meetings. This map can also be used to mark the addresses of new neighbors.

There are no crime trends in our neighborhood or Ormewood Park, just random crimes, e.g. Petty theft, car breakins.

There is a wine store in the new Glenwood Complex. The store has a license and is now operational.

Hands on Atlanta now has a link on its website for “helping victims of Hurricane Katrina”.

A Cell Tower has been approved for erection across from the Drive-In on Moreland Avenue.

(SAND meetings are the first Thursday of each month.)


NEW BUSINESS
Joseph Glessner proposed we take the five neighborhood problems/issues, work on them and, after resolution, move to other problems. His proposal is to help us organize neighborhood efforts to improve our environment.

The five top problems we will deal with are as follows:

Police patrols and police response.

Garbage and debris pickup.

A phone tree will be implemented for calling in complaints for one another. Katie Kaiser volunteered to do a Benteen Park phone list of critical city offical contact numbers for distribution.

Zoning issues. Getting zone enforcement to our neighborhood to walk the streets with us to spot problem houses and cite them, e.g. Illegal businesses in a residential neighborhood, illegal renovations (additions and/or renovations without proper work permits). Stopping people from repairing numerous cars parked on the street.

Code enforcement. e.g. Tall grass, several cars parked in yards.

Speed bumps for Federal Terrace and down the entire street of Benteen Avenue. A stop sign at Benteen Avenue and Casanova Street. Jeff Erwin volunteered to pursue this and also find out how we can arrange police presence to ticket those who run stop signs. A proposal was made that we formalize a letter to the police department concerning these issues.

It was suggested that we invite Carla Smith to our next meeting to discuss our neighborhood and how she will help us.

J.P. Michalik and Katie Kaiser will be working on a large map of Benteen Park to use as a visual at our neighborhood meetings. Katie Kaiser is currently working on our new logo examples.

The meeting was adjorned at 8:30 P.M.


Respectfully,
Diane O’Rea, Secretary