Westown Block Watch

OUR NEIGHBOORHOOD BLOCK WATCH

Nov 16, 2007

Westown has come along way over the years. Our neighborhood is
approaching its 50th birthday. Things aren?’t the same as they were 50 years ago.
There were less people and less crime. Over the years and as the population
grew also did the crime. We found ourselves wanting to keep our property values
high and crime low so we organized as a group of concerned neighbors and
founded Westown Watch Neighborhood Association.
Westown Watch has been in existence for 11 years and was started by Jack
Pesnell and JoAnn Negrelli. Marty Cowie was also one of the founding members.
To this day Jack and Marty are very involved.
My name is Bob Beletz and I have been doing the newsletter for over 8 years
and have been President for just about as long. We have accomplished much
including a great partnership between Sahuaro School and local businesses.
We have acquired speed humps for high traffic streets, started a youth and
senior center that is now staffed by City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Dept.
and have been responsible for many funded projects at the local Sahuaro
School..
Every year for the past 9 years we have put on a Used Book Sale at the
School. For the last 6 years we have put on a neighborhood party that is now the
largest and most well known in the city. We have also been in the APS Fiesta of
Lights Parade for the last 6 years and have one 4 awards for spirit and
presentation.
Westown has made our neighborhood well known for being organized
against crime and blight and it has been proven that our crime is actually lower
than crime in other neighborhoods close to us that are not organized.
Westown Watch is a volunteer organization that thrives on volunteers and
cannot exist without them. There is much to do to create awareness and the
newsletter you are reading takes time and energy to get done. We also have a
hotline that needs to be monitored so neighbors can communicate problems or
other things through that medium.
Westown Watch was never formed with the intention on fighting the crime
ourselves. That is the Police?’s job. We merely have partnered with the police to
make them more aware of situations. We also have been successful in forming
partnerships with other city departments for the betterment of our neighborhood.
What will not continue is our newsletter.
I am sad to say that the pink newsletter we are so used to seeing will be going
away and in its place will be our website with awareness of issues. If you would
like to be on our e-mail list please go to www.neighborhoodlink.com/phoenix/
westown and email us to let us know. Our last issue will be at the end of this
year.
Westown Watch will still remain active. It is just the newsletter that will be
going away.
Make a difference and get involved!
Be a part of the solution