Thank you to everyone who attended our December 12th meeting!

Meeting Agenda December 12, 2006


7:00-7:05 Welcome (Show of hands came to last meeting/what neighbood) and Introduce Cub Scout Troop 499.

7:05-7:10 Troop 499 Lead Pledge and Colors

7:10-7:25 Jeff Jensen 4th Precinct jjensen@vbgov.com: Neighborhood Watch Program/Review Crime Stats for Neighborhoods in our league.(Use back of Volunteer form to write down questions.)
-If you are interested in participating in the Neighborhood Watch Program or would like to be a Coordinator or Block Capitan please click the contact us link to the right and enter Neighborhood Watch in the subject line. Let us know your interest, what neighborhood you are from and your contact information.

7:25-7:35 Q and A
-How many police on force? Force is down by 28% no specific #. Reason...pay vs risk.
Should we leave lights on? Not on consistently because it provides light for criminals to work from. Recommended a motion sensor to startle possible offenders away. Install timers for vacations to turn light/TV on in living room at dinner time , turn off at bed and have bedroom light come on at that time to show movement throughout the house.
Free Senior Dead Bolt and Key Hole Program: There is a program for seniors who do not have a dead bolt or key hole that they will come out and install these items for free. Call: 385-2800
When do most burglaries take place? Between 9am and 3pm so if you see your neighbors children who should be at school wandering the neighborhood call the police and report him there is a good possibility he is the one robbing homes in the neighborhood.
How do I deter crimes in my neighborhood? One of the most effective ways is to wave at everyone who enters. Someone coming into your neighborhood to do crime knows if you wave at them they have been seen. This single gesture of kindness could be the most powerful deterrent because they know there is someone who saw them and could ID them. Most likely they do not want to take the chance and they will leave. Another call the police on suspicious activities. People who are innocent and doing nothing will appreciate the fact that they live in a neighborhood where someone cares enough to call and those doing crime will realize every time I come into this neighborhood someone calls the police they will most likely move their business elsewhere. Get to know your neighbors.
What is Citizen's Academy? A training for citizens on the police department and how it works including ride alongs. If you are interested contact Jeff Heiden of the 4th Precinct.

7:35-7:45 Mrs. Garrett Arrowhead Principal: History of New School
Arrowhead 1st established in 1962-1964 had 952 students. There were 32 classes with 42 students per class. There was music and art on a cart. The school was 5536 square feet. The school cost 1.5 million to build.
By 1965-66 there were 1136 students in 40 classrooms and Arrowhead became the first K-5.
2006-07 there are 563 students and the school is full because they realized along the way students learn better in smaller classrooms. Currently, there is a ratio of 20 to 1 per classroom. The new building cost 10 million to build.

7:45-7:50 Q and A
Having such a wonderful school and an active civic league both play a key role raising property value.
Please feel free to report any suspicious activity you see at the school. There are some issues that result in bordering the Elizabeth River Inlet.

(Requested everyone stand for a moment and meet a new neighbor someone they had not met before.)

7:50-8:05 Virginia P, Teacher at the Juvenile Detention Center and Civic League Safety Chair: Gangs
Report graffiti and wait until it is investigated before you remove the graffiti.
There is a Graffiti Abatement Program and they will remove graffiti on private property free of charge provided you sign a release. For more information and to contact see the REPORT GRAFFITI link to the right under maintenance.

8:05-8:15 Q and A
What is a gang? By definition it is a group of individuals who commit crime together. The authorities have the option of placing the "gang" label on any group of individuals who commit an crime together they don't have to identify themselves as a Blood, Cript or any other gang. In placing this label on individuals who have committed a crime as a group the offense has more weight to it and stronger punishment. That being said all parents should have this conversation with their children. Your child having grown up with Billy-Bob and Little Johnny since they were in diapers hangs out with these two who decide it would be a good idea to break into Old-Man-Joe's home.....they know he's out for his morning walk as he has done every day since they were in diapers. Your child is there because you child is afraid they will think he's not cool. He takes nothing but, Billy-Bob and little Johnny do. Your child becomes guilty by association and because they were committing the crime in a group they may now receive the label of "gang" and receive stronger punishment. This is serious stuff and kids should know this.....have those talks with your children.
Do the sneakers hanging from the telephone line mean anything? Yes that is a gang marking their territory.
Are there gangs in Virginia Beach? Yes primarily Bloods and crypts
How do I know a gang is in my neighborhood? graffiti, packs of youth or adults wearing red with white as an accent are Bloods and they use tags such as CK which stands for Cript Killer. Cripts wear blue and use tags like BK for Blood Killer. Often leader will run in the center leading the pack and wear beads.
Why would they be moving to these areas? Often moving out into outlying area's from a territory that has been renovated to eliminate the problem. We are also, in very close proximity to Norfolk.

8:15-8:20 Wayne Troester: Treasury Report/Membership
Currently have 52 paid members.
I will get the treasury info and post shortly.

8:20-8:25 Scott W and Debbie B: Luminaries
Continuing to take orders up to the 17th.
Remember to Light the Night at 6:30 on December 17th. Come walk through the neighborhood with your family and enjoy the beautiful new tradition of unity in our wonderful neighborhood. Make sure you meet at least one new neighbor that night.
$5 for 10 bags with lights
$7.50 for corner lots with 20 bags and lights.

8:25-8:35 Cherese J: Request that our league not operate as a squeaky wheel. That we address our concerns followed by a possible solution that may help resolve the issue. We want to be productive and we want to remain positive.

Blog www.cafcivicleague.blogspot.com- Pay Membership Dues and vote for 2007 membership on blog by clicking CAST YOUR VOTE link to the right. Current online vote reflects a desire for $20 membership with voting rights inclusive per family. Vote at the meeting by a strong majority was in favor. The deadline to cast your vote online will be 12/18/06.
-Classified Ads: Are free and open to all residents within the league boundaries for non-commercial use. Business ads will be immediately removed. Post items for sale, free, yard sales and more. To post your ad or view items for sale click the CLASSIFIED link to the right.
- Report Neighborhood Issues
-Updates: Will be posted regularly.
-Links to Services (ie:Street Light Outages/Report Crimes)
-Bylaws: Once new Board of Directors is established Bylaws will be reviewed, revised and posted on the blog for individuals to access and print.
-Secret Helpers: Youth 10+ and adults to volunteer once a month to help clean up yards for seniors, persons with disabilities, families in crisis and single parents in need. Families in need of this assistance will be nominated by self, family members, friends and neighbors. Based on our volunteer base for the month we will choose one to a few families to secretly help. Secret Helpers will have black tops with a white SH in the back for SHHHHH! Secret Helper! They will work as a team to help the families with yard work. We are currently looking for a volunteer to head this program. Those interested in heading the program, volunteering to be a Secret Helper or nominatiing a family in need of assistance please use the CONTACT US link to the right and type Secret Helper into the subject line. Let us know who you are, your contact info and your interest. Hope to have everything in place to role this program out February 1st. A vote was taken and the majority were in favor of the program.

Elections: January Meeting
-Call those Acting in the Capacity of Up
- Nominations due by 12/18/06. We are looking for more nominations in all categories.
These individuals have been nominated and have been acting in the capacity of
Chair: Cherese J
Arrowhead Co-Chair: Jo I
Carolanne Farm/Point Co-Chair: Brenda A
Huntington/H.Estates Co-Chair: Open
Treasurer: Wayne T
Recording Secretary: Carole B
Coresponding Secretary:Irvine L
Auditor: Open
Historian: Open
If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else please use the CONTACT US link to the right and type Nomination into the subject line. Give us the Name, contact information for the person you are nominating, office they are being nominated for and a brief summary of why they would be a good choice for that office.

Open Offices
Chair
Co-Chair Arrowhead
Co-Chair Carolanne Farm/Point
Co-Chair Huntington/H.Estates
Treasurer
Recording Secretary
Corresponding Secretary
Auditor
Historian

Sub-Committees: Currently looking for a volunteers and chairperson for the following sub-committees:
Publicity: Open
Activity/Community Service: Open
Safety and Security: Ginny P
Maintenance: Open
Communication: Open
Development and Restoration: Open (This would be great for anyone interested in the Park Development of the Elizabeth River.)
Membership/Fundraising: Open
If you are interested in any of the sub-committees please let us know by clicking the CONTACT US link to the right and typing Sub-Committee in the subject line. Let us know your name, contact info, sub-committee of interest and if you wish to volunteer only or would like to lead as the chair.

8:35-8:40 Brenda A:Thank You to Volunteers
Will update shortly with names of volunteers for November/December.

8:40-8:45 Q and A
-Would like to see signs posted a few days before the meeting. Signs did remind those interested in coming and where well located.
-When will the development of the park come to fruition? Will post information once I make contact and receive feedback. Signs have gone up and the process is underway. Sometimes these projects take years from budget to planning to fruition.
I heard money had already been allotted? Yes
Do you have bi-laws because under the bi-laws you would have to vote on many things? Yes there are outdated bi-laws. Revitalization committee has been using them as a guide through the process and we have been voting at meetings. They are in need of revission which should be done by the Board of Directors once voted into office in January of 2007. Once they are revised they will be posted for all to access and print.

8:45 Thank you/Refreshments/Meet New Neighbor - Close

Next Meeting Date: January 9 at Arrowhead
Topic: Elections and 400th Year Celebration

April, May and June meetings will be held at Point of View Elementary School

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