Neighborhood Meeting
Westleigh Neighborhood Association
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.
at Vegas Verdes Elementary School
4000 El Parque Ave
Topics:
Neighborhood Watch/Crime Data via "Crime View" at www.lvmpd.com
Neighborhood Partnership Grant Fund Recap
Spring Neighborhood Clean-up Date and Other Dates
Agenda:
Welcome and Introductions. Present were Franklin Simpson, the VP, Secretary, Guest- Denise Stride , and 10 attendees. The normal entrance into the school was locked due to a shooting near the school the night before. It was unrelated to the school, however, shots were fired at a car driving by.
Neighborhood Watch (NW) was presented to us by Denise Stride, Crime Prevention Specialist from Bolden Area Command. The main purpose of NW is to have "neighbors watching neighbors". To educate/teach safe practices by developing precautionary layers and barriers by having us know our neighbors through shared information and to be aware of who belongs. Don't be afraid to question suspicious activity. Denise provided us with a "Neighborhood Watch" handbook and handouts: Block Captain Duties and Communication Methods, Instituting Block maps, Crime Mapping, First Tuesday information, Identity Theft, Personal Safety Checklist and Home Security Checklist. A NW sign-up sheet was passed around but noone expressed an interest in being either a block captain or co-captain at this time. Bolden Area Command's area is: North to Craig Rd, South to DI, West to Jones and East to Hwy15. A question was asked about extra/routine police patrol to enforce speed signs. On a good shift, all 9 on squad would be out on patrol. It was stated that this doesn't always happen due to schedules and the requirement to respond to prioritized 911 calls. Since patrol is always in their car, they could drive by when nothing is pressing. If graffiti is spotted, take a picture, date and location of graffiti, your name and phone number and send it to Denise D5445S@lvmpd.com or Dana Russell D7503R@lvmpd.com. Paint over it yourself or by calling 229-6615. Not all graffiti is gang related. At times it's juveniles and Metro wants pictures for tracking tagging activity and restitution. The cost of clean-up can reach a felony quickly.
The Neighborhood Partnership Grant Fund (NPF) are grant funds Neighborhood Associations can apply for to assist in improving the livability of neighborhoods through matching funds (matching funds are required to be met 1:1 and can be satisfied with labor at $15/hour). Jamie, on Melville, volunteered in January to write up the application and stated in February she planned to attend the March orientation workshop. She asked for ideas the Grant Funds can be used for. Ideas were: paper and stamps for flyers, paint (Frank to bring the 3 standard paint swatches -white, mauve and grey), a new "Westleigh" sign (Frank to provide a list of contractors), 18" x 24" "Neighborhood Watch" signs at $24 each, landscape, etc. She'll have more information at the March meeting.
Spring Neighborhood Clean-up is scheduled for the weekend of May 17th with the"Rapid Response Team" either out that Saturday or the week of May 19th to pick everything up. The "Team" can be called at 229-6615 anytime something needs to be picked up or cleared out of the alleys.
OTHER DATES: (1)The Neighborhood "Porch" (a community RV that provides resources for a neighbor gathering) will be in the neighborhood Saturday, May 3rd from 0900 - 1300 with a possibility of a BBQ.
(2) The City's Planning Commission tabled SUP-26383, VAR-26385 and SDR-26386 (4077 W. Charleston's request for a Pawn Shop and 10,000 sq ft of retail) until March. For more information: www.lasvegasnevada.gov/find/Mar2008.asp
(3) Regional Transportation Commission "Valley View Corridor"study to meet March 26th from 430pm - 630pm at the Springs Preserve. For more information : www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/mpo/documents
(4) Neighborhood Meeting Dates: The Last Tuesday of every month at Vegas Verdes Elementary School's Multi-purpose Room starting at 6:30pm: Mar 25, Apr 29, May 3rd "Porch", (June, July and Aug off), Sept 30, Oct 28 and a Dec "Porch".
Other Business:
Historic Survey information from Courtney Mooney will be presented at the March Meeting. Courtney attended the Las Vegas Centennial Commission in January for approval of funds to be used in projects the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) has earmarked. She presented the list of approved funded projects to the HPC on February 27th, 2008 and was granted approval. The cost of the official survey can be $30K to $40K.
Franklin suggested we take the next step and get involved with our local Businesses. Start developing "business partnerships" (ex: Larry's Meats for hotdogs to be used in May, etc.) Ideas can be developed in March's meeting.
Handouts:
"Neighborhood Watch" handouts (see Agenda)
"20 commonly asked Questions of Code Enforcement" handouts in English and Spanish
