Submitted by Susan Morehouse
Next Meeting November 24th

We hosted several representatives from Dept. of Environmental Services including Commissioner Norman Jones and Director of Operations, Karen St. Aubin and two representatives from the Mayor's office, Brianna Chamberlain and Brittany (last name I did not get). Also, a young man who is wheel chair bound representing those who are handicapped in our community. They presented the plans for the upcoming winter snow removal including maps showing routes for the area which have been revised to make them more efficient, both residential and arterial routes. They are also publishing a list of streets that will allow no on street parking in the event of snow emergencies and alternate parking lots (churches, libraries, parking garages) that will be open for parking during those emergencies.

Snow emergencies will be announced between 2-5 pm the afternoon before as the snow will be cleared on those streets during the night. There are about 60 streets that will be affected. Typically there are 12 -15 snow emergencies declared in a winter.

Most importantly, the city is going to be enforcing a law on the books, which it has not enforced before, involving residents clearing the snow on sidewalks in front of their homes. For rental property it will involve the first floor tenant. The sidewalk plows clear snow when it is beyond 3 inches. Residents are required to clear snow to the pavement before it reaches 3 inches and to clean up after the sidewalk plow down to pavement in front of their homes. This is to facilitate handicapped people and all of us to be able to get places during the winter. More information will follow but for questions you can call the DES 428-6012.

Where there is no alternate parking (ie on Arnett from Rugby to Wellington) cars are only allowed to park for 12 hours with out being moved (that may be 24 hours but you get the idea). We talked about the problems of snow removal in the diagonal parking area on Arnett between Rugby and Warwick and they will be working on that including enforcing the parking signs that allow for snow removal there. People who park there illegally at night can expect to be ticketed.

We talked about the issues that were brought up at our last meeting. Since then we have met with our Neighborhood Service Center, CPOs and David Hawkes. The city will be removing the pavers in the block between Rugby and Warwick and replacing them with a permeable pavement before winter. Potholes were filled in the area.

We are seeing a lot more police support, including a portable camera that was on the street for 2 weeks and some foot patrols. This seems to be helping somewhat. Trouble spots are being monitored more frequently and the two properties the youth are breaking into are being checked and closed back up regularly.

The duplex at 295/297 Rugby seems to be quiet for now with the troublesome tenant moved out. 301 Wellington is now empty (or soon to be) as the new manager is doing repairs and getting new tenants that he will be screening. Carl Justice seems to want to work with Officers Carl and Andy to improve this location and house better tenants. Lets pray that he is successful.

Susan Deeb and others from Warwick remain concerned about speeders. They are being referred to DES and alternate ideas than speed bumps.

Our Bird and Butterfly Garden received the city award for Community Enhancement for the West side at an awards ceremony last week. New Life is displaying it for a couple months and then we will be displaying it in the window at 342 Arnett. Congrats to all who have helped with that garden! Work Day for that garden will be November 7th at 9 am. Please join us as we put the beds to sleep for winter. Jasper and crew will be there to help us out. BTW some of the trees were pruned by the city for us in that garden this week.

There is a community meeting at Danforth Community Center on Ames St. November 30th from 6-7:30 pm about the RPD body cameras that are coming.

We will be putting up the Community Christmas Tree in the garden on December 5th-let Susan know if you would like to help out. Dates for having the children from School #29 come and decorate it and for a caroling event will be announced soon.

Arnett Block Association will be providing some jackets to the school for kids that need them.

We closed our meeting in prayer for our community.

Dates:

November 7th-Work Day in Garden at 9 am - raindate Nov. 14th
November 24th-next meeting
December 5th-Christmas Tree put up in park