Pascha Procession in New York City

When was the last time you attended your neighborhood association's meeting? You probably complained about problems, but unless you get out and do something, you are actually a part of the problem. Drug dealers love it when law abiding citizens do not care enough to get involved.

In Seton Hill we have a bunch of concerned citizens who do all the work to keep our neighborhood as safe as possible. Yes, we have some extremely serious problems, but we are dealing with them. I am not afraid to walk the streets in my neighborhood at night, but I am afraid to go to the grocery store in the adjacent neighborhood to the west, even during the day.

Our first meeting of the year was on Tuesday 8 January 2008. Following are my notes. At 19:32 Kevin called the meeting to order.

The police is at almost every meeting to listen to our concerns and to offer solutions. They want to work with us. Somebodoy raised the issue of a recent shooting and we all thought that it was a murder, but Major Bailey, the district commander, said that it was not a murder on Friday night.  One of the residents who live in the 500 block was approached by two masked men.  He is 19 years old.  He was shot in the lower leg.

Major Bailey introduced Sgt. Martinez, our new drug sergeant.  All but one of our six drug detectives are brand new to the unit.  Many area experienced in the drug trade.  The Orchid Mews Apartments is one of his projects.

Katherline Hutchins is the assistant special agent for HUD.  Her sole idea is to do search and seizure warrants.  Management can evict just by the mere presence of the police going in with a warrant.  They can also do knock and talk and anybody living there who does not belong there can be evicted.    Katherline is on board to deal with the owners.  The City will be setting up a meeting with HUD and the police.  They don't need a conviction to evict a atenant.  HUD has a one-strike policy.  A board membr said that since the shooting drug activities started up within 12 hours of the shooting.  There are extra police there.  Two neighbors at 1:00 saw three persons going in and buying.  One board member said that there should be a curfew.  Major Bailey agrees but the law does not allow making a curfew in the area.

Any time we can get more lighting, it will help.  We also asked if we can get the blue light cameras.  It will be pushing the dealers out of site.  The cameras are not monitored.  We also said that now the drug dealers are bothering people.  It is getting totally out of control.  The biggest problem is that mot of them are residents of the apartments. The other problem with the iPOD cameras is that the major does not know when one is available.  They also have an annoying blue light.  Some people request them out as soon as they are in. 

A kid in the apartments has a[n illegal] bike.  He can't keep that bike here [in the City].  The police can't pursue the dirt bike.  If the kid is on the bike, it is too late.

Another major problem is lighting. BGE has a self imposed 72-our street light repair. [2477]

Getting the apartment complex to monitor their own people is harder than getting the drug dealers out. If a person gets evicted from a HUD program, he can't get into a HUD program any place in the country.  If HUD puts them out, they are trespassing.  IF they are visiting relatives, they are not trespassing.

Sgt. Hess will have his next meeting 23 January at MICA.  The Federal Government is trying to force Baltimore City to accept residential treatment centers in the City.  The commissioner wants COP in the neighborhoods.  The COP groups are meant to supplement the police.  This really cuts down on the drug activities. As we walk, we can point out things that need to be done. 

When the police have to go to Orchard Street, they either have to go all way up to Madison Street or go the wrong way on Tessier Street. We are considering having Orchard Street open up to Pennsylvania Avenue. More than 50% of the cars on Tessier Street go the wrong way and nobody ever gets tickets.  We still would like some traffic enforcement at St. Mary Street .

Update on the Park.  It is major wiring.  We have $20,000 up into the capital improvement fund for the park.  The new lights require new trenches.  They will be the kind we can plug in for electricity.  We are getting new benches.  The wooden benches all over the City will be replaced.  They are coming up with suggestions to improve the southern part of St. Mary Park.  We have an application for $150,000 implementation money for the park.  The new lighting will be the Fells Point lighting fixture.  Two meter boxes are being put against the wall so that hedges can grow against them.  All the big culvert lights are leaving the park.

Mico updated us on the reassessment of property.  We want to get somebody who does the assessment to come and explain it.  There are two things that you should d right off the bat.  One is to apply for the homestead tax credit.  This limits what your tax can be.  This is only for your primary residence.  Mico requested the property work sheet for his property.  You can call them and they will send it to you within two days.

There are three main factors.  The first is the grade of the house.  There are nine different grades with 1 being the lowest.   The new houses are over $100,000 more than they can sell them.  Houses on Saint Mary and Tessier streets are three times more now. 

The second factor is depreciation and the third is market value index which is based on resale value in the area. 

Many of the houses were built around 1815 and it was around 1890-90 before the houses have plumbing.  These houses don't even equal the servants' quarters there.  This is according to Ann McKenzie.

Milton Branson from BGE from BTGE informed us that by the end of January he should have a construction time line.  At 10:00 this morning he rode by the property and everything looked clean.  At 127:00 there was trash there already.  They have a contractor which cleans every Friday.  Every morning somebody cleans the entire street.

Another resident asked why were they working on the lights in the park at night.  Karen has the same of the managers.  He will get them to change a few things in the park. 

Many cars have been broken into in front of St. Mary Street .  One man said that he parks there because no parking is available near his house.  If we raise the time frame for residential parking, the price of the permit also goes up. For the parking extension, you need 70% of all the residents to sign.

Karen and Mico moved the approve the minutes.

Meeting adjourned at 20:43.

Board Members Mico Milanaovic, Karen French, and Kevin Maccartney	Catalina Rodriguez (President of the City Council office), Major Baily, and two board members
	Milton Branson(?) of BGE

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