Flowers of Marengo

Mtg Minutes 10/24/99

October 24, 1999

Attending: Robert Wittry, Margaret Baxter, Sarah Bixler, Ron Crockett, C?©sar Morea, Kathryn Morea, Barbara King, Inez Yslas, Jeffry Fields, Shirley Wright, Stephen Lipira, Lieutenant Rich Sandoval

I.? ? ?  Introductions
II.? ? ?  Minutes (explained that Aug meeting was party prep. and Sept was party, thus no printed minutes).

III.? ? ?  Old Business:
? ? ?  A.? ? ?  School cleanup
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  1.? ? ?  GrandView did cleanup on Friday before from Grandview to Howard; 3 people from F. of M. did cleanup on remainder of Marengo & Penn.?  60 gallons picked up.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  2.? ? ?  This next month, Nov. 6, Pasadena Beautiful Foundation will join us to clean up inside school as well as around school.?  Meet on Raymond side in grass "quad area" south of Howard.?  Sign up.?  (Robert Wittry, Shirley Wright & Ron Crockett signed up).
? ? ?  B.? ? ?  We were successful at the council meeting getting our area approved for revitalization.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  1.? ? ?  We will have Kick-off meeting on November 9; 7:30pm at the school.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  a.? ? ?  Inez & Clara will distribute Montana north.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  b.? ? ?  Ron will distribute Marengo from Flower north as well as Tremont & Dearborn
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  c.? ? ?  Steve will distribute all of Raymond
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  d.? ? ?  Margaret will distribute Penn in addition to her normal route.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  e.? ? ?  Sarah will distribute all of Atchison in addition to Garfield from Penn to Flower.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  f.? ? ?  C?©sar will distribute all of Summit.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  g.? ? ?  Robert will distribute Garfield from Flower to Montana, Dearborn from Garfield to Los Robles, Juanita, and Highland.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  h.? ? ?  Herman will distribute Flower
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  i.? ? ?  We still need distributors for Lundy & Fair Oaks.
? ? ?  C.? ? ?  County took traffic counts on Woodbury last month;?  They promise to have the signals re-timed on Marengo/Woodbury & Los Robles/Woodbury next month.?  Robert to follow-up and report.

IV.? ? ?  New Business
? ? ?  A.? ? ?  Robert & Margaret reported on party.?  Very successful.?  All had a good time.?  83 attended.?  33 were children.?  Approximately 10 were "guests".?  There were 53 people that have previously come to meetings that did not make the party;?  we intend to send "we missed you" cards.

? ? ?  B.? ? ?  Treasury Report - After party expenses, still have over $300 in budget.

? ? ?  C.? ? ?  Fund raiser will be put off till January or later due to the Holiday busy schedules.

? ? ?  D.? ? ?  Traffic/Crime Enforcement Problems:
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  1.? ? ?  1759 Summit had a very loud party last night that went till 3:00 am.?  Ron Crocket had a party there for 11 to 14 year olds that ended at 11:00, but another tenant had another party at the same address.?  Gun shots were fired.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  a.? ? ?  For loud parties, on the second or third call to the same address, the police will "bill" the offenders for the additional responses.?  (administrative, not criminal).
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  b.? ? ?  The police like to have a signed complaint, but it is not necessary.?  A complaint would be the equivalent of a "citizens arrest"; the police can then impound the stereo equipment in addition to making the arrests.?  Actually, stating you are "willing" to sign a complaint is usually the best choice as it gives the police officers flexibility in how to deal with the problem.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  c.? ? ?  If the music is coming from a car on the street, they will ticket the vehicle - which shows up on the DMV records and prevents re-registration until the ticket is paid.

? ? ? ? ? ? ?  2.? ? ?  Loitering Statute only affects "private property" (unless it is "unlawful assembly").?  An owner would have to sign a complaint - the equivalent of citizens arrest.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

a.? ? ?  Drinking/Drunk in public, Littering/Blocking Traffic are exceptions as there are specific laws for these; however the police officer must directly witness the offence (cannot accept someone else's word).
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

b.? ? ?  Exception to police witnessing for misdemeanors is Juveniles with weapons that don't have weapon when stopped by police (assuming weapon can be found in near vicinity and there are witnesses).

? ? ? ? ? ? ?  3.? ? ?  Police cannot stop criminal activity, they generally just Discourage, Disrupt, or Displace the Criminal activity.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  4.? ? ?  We must call consistently if we expect to resolve the problems and get the police enforcement.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  5.? ? ?  In September, there has only been one collision in the entire area.?  31 officers have been assigned to North West Pasadena, but typically only have 5 to 6 cars available on a Saturday night.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  6.? ? ?  Citizens on Patrol can do surveys of an area, but they don't do any enforcement.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  7.? ? ?  R&D violation (speeders) is low on the priority list; but should call anyway as the helicopter can usually track the car so that it can be intercepted elsewhere.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  8.? ? ?  We still have speeding and stop sign violations on Summit, Marengo, Flower and Garfield.?  Probably can't get to much more enforcement as traffic enforcement is placed based on number of collisions in area due to under-staffing.?  The police department wants to double the traffic enforcement division.?  In the meantime, the patrol cars are trying to fill in; but if they receive another call of higher priority, they must respond to that.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  9.? ? ?  Suggestions of the neighbors included:
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

a.? ? ?  Trim trees for increased visibility and lighting
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

b.? ? ?  improve lighting
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

c.? ? ?  Have street numbers repainted for better visibility and Police response.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

d.? ? ?  Use a Blow dryer to point at speeding cars to "simulate" a radar gun; the car will at least slow.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

e.? ? ?  park a marked police car without officers.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

f.? ? ?  Use the Speed monitoring sign.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

g.? ? ?  Simulate a police beacon?
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  10.? ? ?  Gun shots will probably occur at new-years in addition to fireworks.?  Use judgement in calling as cannot respond to all calls.?  Definitely call if it might be a problem.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  11.? ? ?  Recently the Police confiscated hundreds of guns and so far there has been no gang related homicides this year.?  There was one homicide in the North West area this past week due to abuse.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  12.? ? ?  Most of the gang activity in this area is the Bloods, however some of the Mexican gangs have been around, and the El Salvador gang "Mata Salba Tusha" has been trying to move in.?  (There initials are M.S. on the graffiti)
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  13.? ? ?  The city now conducts the actions of non-claimed stolen property rather than the police department.

? ? ?  E.? ? ?  Announcements:
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  1.? ? ?  Free flu shots for those over 60.?  Flu is more severe this year.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  2.? ? ?  Nov 19 is Fair Oaks/Orange Grove Specific Plan meeting
? ? ? ? ? ? ?  3.? ? ?  Don't forget Pasadena Beautiful Day or the Revitalization Kick-off meeting.