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Minutes
of Board Meeting: Directors Present: Liz Kearns, Jerry Owens, Bob Messina, Debra Willendorf, Yvonne Zoretic, Bert Bradley, and Ellen Beck. Directors Absent: Wanda Fullner and John Meerscheidt. Board Representatives Present: Wally Fosmore (North Seattle Community College) and Jan Avinger-Jacques (Editor of Licton Springs Currents). Visitors: Captain Dan Oliver (North Precinct), Sonja Ritcher (Seattle Police Department, Crime Prevention Coordinator), Belinda Gigliotti (Seattle Parks Department, Northwest Sector Manager), L. Kenna Heginbottom (HOST), Brenda McDonnell, and Jeanne Muir (Muir Public Relations - representing Security Properties, Inc.). President Liz Kearns called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. and everyone introduced themselves. At this point we were waiting for Jerry to bring up Captain Oliver when he arrived. Minutes: The March 21, 2001 meeting minutes were approved as presented. Treasurer's Report: Debra Willendorf submitted a written Treasurer's report showing LSCC having a balance of $1,173.39 as of April 17, 2001. At this point, Jerry Owens arrived with Captain Dan Oliver and we again went around the table introducing ourselves. NEW BUSINESS: Liz Kearns introduced Captain Oliver and highlighted the concerns of the community, focusing on the area in and around Licton Springs Park and the area around 90th and Aurora. She asked the Captain to tell us something about himself and the North Precinct. Captain Dan Oliver said that he had lived in this area, up near 82nd and Aurora, for 15 to 16 years when he was young. He said that he had gone to Blanchet High School. He said that the focus at the North Precinct was on the criminal activity on Aurora and the one block area east and west of Aurora. He told us that senior (wounded, having served time in prison) members of the Blood and Cryps gangs from California had moved into the area between 78th and 90th on Aurora. He noted that the California "market" was saturated and so it was natural for these individuals to move north on the I-5 corridor in order to expand their market. This area of Aurora is good for them because of the many cheap motels and low-rent apartments. These individuals are hardened gang members who have tried to intimidate police officers and their families. Captain Oliver told us not to confront these gangsters. He said the Precinct had begun a walking beat with officers patrolling both sides of Aurora from 85th to 90th and also Nesbit Place. Captain Oliver said that the Police Department does not have the resources to be everywhere. Because of the criminal activity, the focus now is on Aurora. If we had other concerns, he asked that we make them known. The Captain advised anyone with a Honda or Toyota model car/van not to park it on the street. He said the seats in these types of vehicles are very valuable and if your car is easily accessible, you run the risk of having your car/van stripped. Sonja Richter advised everyone to park their car in their garage and lock it! Sonja Richter next gave some statistics for our area, which has 7,154 residences (and over 14,000 residents) for the 12 months of the year 2000: 11 residential burglaries, 56 auto thefts, one rape, 10 robberies, and one arson. She urged us to be careful where we placed items around our homes. Do not place flammable liquid, combustible materials close to our homes. Arsonists do not carry around the materials to make fires, but take advantage of what's left around by residents. She said that a common crime right now is identity theft. She urged us to be careful with paperwork that we put into our recycling bin and/or garbage. We need to obliterate personal information to guard our identity. She said that two block watches had combined to form the Aurora & 90th Group. These people plan to walk the blocks of Aurora, with their dogs, and "take back the streets" from the gang types. They will be totally non-confrontational. They will be walking on May 3rd and May 15th. Sonja also mentioned that she does free home security checks. People should call her at 684-7717 to schedule an appointment. She said that she gives recommendations in the home security checks on what can be done to make the home more secure. Liz asked if Licton Springs had a Community Service Officer at present. Captain Oliver said that we did. Liz will go to the Precinct tomorrow with information about our April 30 meeting and at the same time get the name of our CSO. Kenna Heginbottom, HOST Project of Downtown Emergency Service Center: Kenna Heginbottom is an Outreach and Engagement Specialist with the HOST Project (Homeless Outreach Stabilization and Transition). Her territory is the North Precinct plus north to the county line. She can provide full-service mental health services, and is trying to reach people who have chosen to live outside the system, i.e., on their own, outside, without medication, rejecting help from the system. These people reject most help, no matter how it is offered. Kenna tries to develop a trusted relationship with these individuals over time and help them (even when people don't have an address or want to give their name). Kenna said that if we noticed homeless or mentally ill, non-functional people in our neighborhood, she is the person to call (as long as they are not doing something illegal). Her contact information is: Phone: 464-1570,
Ext. 3056 Kenna also told us that she can present a training session on homeless people and/or mentally ill people. These sessions last an hour and are educational/informative for members of the community and will help them understand homeless or mentally ill people better. Community Meeting, April 30, 2001: Next, Liz turned the meeting over to Bob Messina. Agendas and purpose statements were distributed. Then a discussion followed about setting up for the April 30 community meeting at Wilson-Pacific. Tasks needing to be done were outlined and volunteers lined up. Jan Avinger-Jacques recommended that we have "talking points" written down containing the items/questions we wanted to have addressed/answered. Bob thought that the premise of the meeting already required the officials who would be present to stay on point, but it was agreed that folks could e-mail Jan (duramater4@yahoo.com) with their "points" and she would compile a list and have it copied for Board/community members. Wally Fosmore said that we should obtain the School Site Strategic Plan, and ask questions based on that document. He said that we should be able to obtain a copy of that plan. Belinda Gigliotti suggested that we be sure and raise the question of "to whom should we direct concerns that come out of this meeting." Bob emphasized that this community meeting is an excellent opportunity to bring all issues we have to the table at one time to the various organizations. Bert Bradley suggested that having written comments sheets available was a good idea and offered to provide them. He said he would also review them after the meeting and compile a report regarding same. Bob said that we would ask for an Advisory Committee to be formed as a result of this meeting. North Seattle Community College. Wally Fosmore said the NSCC had just completed interviews with five applicants interested in serving as President of North Seattle Community College. He said that one of these applicants would be offered the presidency and would start serving on July 1st. Wilson-Pacific Ball Field Improvements: Bob Messina said that he had attended the first steering meeting on the ball fields. He told us that there will be no surprises. They showed different configurations for the playing fields and it will be possible to have two softball fields (one 90' field; one 60' field); or a soccer field with softball field; or football field with softball field. He said that there were plans to have berms with flowers and bench areas where the tennis courts are now. He said there would be no bleachers by the playing fields. There would be restrooms at the northwest end. He said there would be no cement parking spaces and the parking area was located at the north end. He said that they were going to include a walking path around the perimeter. Bob said that there were steering committee did have public meetings scheduled for May 1st, May 8th and May 28th. Our community meeting, which will include a focus on the playing field is not counted as a play field public meeting. Northgate: Jeanne Muir passed out "An Open Letter to the Northgate Area Communities From Security Properties" dated April 2001. She also had flyers for Compost Bin Days (April 28 and 29) at the south parking lot at Northgate. The meeting was adjourned at 9:12 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Ellen M.
Beck Welcome
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