28 replies to this topic

[supermom]

ggrrrrr. Seems like someone is just itching for some legal action.

Yeah,!!

Someone take the bank to court--118 hopfield should have its water kept on and the exterior of the house should be maintained. Whether its a person or a bank the house owner should take care of it---especially if it is in a ccr / hoa area.

Afterall, the bank knew it was financing a home in a ccr/hoa area: they know the risks. They should take care of the property.


Sue the bank!!

Sue the bank!!

[cw68]

It's a HUGE mistake to combine Neighborhood Watch with Big Brother. The CC&R business is going to detract from what Neighborhood Watch is all about. If certain people want to get CC&R enforcement off the ground (not saying I advocate it), they should be coordinating a separate meeting towards that effort.

Excellent post, Resume Lady. I would actively participate in a neighborhood watch program, but have decided to stay far, far away from this because of the CC&R enforcement bent.

[folsom500]

Excellent post, Resume Lady. I would actively participate in a neighborhood watch program, but have decided to stay far, far away from this because of the CC&R enforcement bent.

I agree as well -
Letter first came through email from Barbara recently about the complaints and the CCR "bent' as you properly call it- I did a drive through of the entire Natomas Station ( our area not the bungalos and cresleigh and others as I was not sure if they were in NS or not) and found only a very few issues and said so in my response back to Barbara and the others on the email list.

Now Neighborhood Watch - I can support ---
I like the idea of keeping them totally separate !!!!!

BTW did you get the lilacs ?

Cheers
F500

[cw68]

BTW did you get the lilacs ?

Cheers
F500

I did!! Thanks so much! I love lilacs and my bushes haven't bloomed yet, they are only a year or so old.

[tessieca]

It's a HUGE mistake to combine Neighborhood Watch with Big Brother. The CC&R business is going to detract from what Neighborhood Watch is all about. If certain people want to get CC&R enforcement off the ground (not saying I advocate it), they should be coordinating a separate meeting towards that effort.

Excellent post, Resume Lady. I would actively participate in a neighborhood watch program, but have decided to stay far, far away from this because of the CC&R enforcement bent.

Okay, you guys, Barbara did a survey to see what things people were interested in. The watch program and CC&R violations were the main things that her respondents expressed. The meeting was simply a response to what residents said they wanted to discuss. She set up ONE meeting because she has a life outside of NSCO and was not interested in setting up multiple meetings.

There isn't a CC&R "bent" but it is something that is raised with NSCO over and over again on a consistent basis; i.e. the house on the bottom of OBC and the downed fence on Boxcar.

If any of you naysayers are interested in taking over leadership and running the organization in the way you would like to, I am sure Barbara would be more than willing to let others take over what she has handled for years.

Don't complain about how things are done if you have no interest in taking on some of the work.

[tessieca]

For those requesting outcome, here are the minutes (I wasn't able to attend):

> >Thanks to everyone who took time to come by for the meeting Saturday.
> >1) Neighborhood watch
> > a) Materials were provided by Neighborhood Watch volunteer
> > Mrs. Jacobi. Information about how to have your house monitored by
> > the Folsom police department, tips on home security and a list of
> > recent crimes in Natoma Station were distributed.
> > b) Recommendations to have each block or at least each circle
> > in Natoma Station to set up a program to cover the entire area were
> > discussed. Block captains who are willing to host small groups of
> > neighbors for Neighborhood watch orientations and maintaining
> > e-mail or phone lists to notify their area when suspicious or
> > criminal activity takes place are needed.
> > c) Two Folsom police officers came by to answer questions and
> > make suggestions. They strongly recommended the use of home burglar
> > alarms with signs on the home noting the presence of an alarm as
> > the best deterrent from break ins during the day when no one is
> > home. A barking dog is also a deterrent
> > d) Car theft/theft from cars parked outdoors is a very common
> > problem in the area as most folks don't put cars in the garage.
> > e) The home break ins in the neighborhood have not been
> > solved. There is no documented vehicle associated with the crimes
> > (i.e. no one has been arrested in an i.d.ed vehicle)
> >
> >2) Re-organizing NSCO was discussed. A newsletter is planned for
> >late April to poll the neighborhood re: interest in having the
> >organization be active again, what folks want to see happen in the
> >neighborhood. Muriel Brounstein volunteered to set up the
> >distribution and several people volunteered to deliver it door to door.
> >
> >3) CC&R's were discussed. NSCO can provide a sample letter and copy
> >of the CC&R's to serious offenders. No one is willing to pursue
> >legal action on behalf of the group, so if those who received
> >notices do not comply it will still be up to anyone interested to go
> >on to court..... The City Code enforcement can be contacted and
> >will send notices to those whose violations that also violate City
> >code such as overgrown lawns, trash cans left in front of homes,
> >basketball hoops or other structures on sidewalks, etc. They can be
> >located via www.folsom.ca.gov
> >
> >4) I'd like to propose that NSCO funds could be used to help anyone
> >interested in being a Neighborhood watch block captain to fund
> >fliers to set up Neighborhood Watch programs. Right now only
> >Bayline and Hopfield have the program. Each circle should have at
> >least one group; signs will be posted by the program in each area
> >that sets one up and those also serve as a deterrent.
> >Is there any feedback on this proposal? We have enough money to do
> >this as well as send out several newsletters should we continue to
> >do newsletters beyond the currently planned one.
> >Thanks, Barbara Leary

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

Don't complain about how things are done if you have no interest in taking on some of the work.

I do the work in my neighborhood, serving as Block Captain for Neighborhood Watch. But, if some of our neighbors had issues related to CC&Rs I'd set up a separate meeting out of concern that it would keep some people away from the critical info NW programs offer. If I wanted to combine the two out of convenience, I'd advertise that a separate meeting related to CC&Rs would follow for those interested. But to promote the two together as if they go hand in hand would most likely raise concerns amongst some, as has been witnessed here.

[tessieca]

I'd set up a separate meeting

And yet you didn't. She offered her house and her time to take up issues of concern expressed to her by others. Kudos to Barbara. For those of you who can't disconnect your brains and talk about one issue and then excuse yourself from others, you should probably set up your own meetings.

[cw68]

And yet you didn't. She offered her house and her time to take up issues of concern expressed to her by others. Kudos to Barbara. For those of you who can't disconnect your brains and talk about one issue and then excuse yourself from others, you should probably set up your own meetings.

Resume Lady doesn't live in this neighborhood.

I am perfectly capable of disconnecting my brain in the manner of which you speak and have already been put on the list to help with the neighborhood watch. However, I didn't attend the meeting because of the CC&R bent to the whole thing and I know a number of other people who did the same thing.

Personally, I am completely against reviving the NSCO because of specific CC&R violators. It smells of a witch hunt to me. How about an community organization that starts out building the feeling of community? You know, trying to get a neighborhood garage sale day, participation in National Night Out, giving people information on how to host block parties? Positives instead of specifically calling out two houses and talks of "nanny" letters that will simply irritate people, especially because there is no power behind them?

[tessieca]

Ding, ding, ding! Want to be an officer? The NSCO used to spend a lot of time doing those sorts of things, like we had a wetlands clean-up day once a year, had one or two parties (the last was in Big Foot Park), and put out quarterly newsletters with bunches of information about the goings on in and around NS. The problem is that all of the work started to fall in the laps of one or two people, so it got tiring. I don't think the intent would be to revive it for the purpose of going after violations. I just think Barbara was being responsive to the second-highest interest area when she surveyed folks. If it is reconstituted at all, its role would be subject to the desires of those who care to involve themselves.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

And yet you didn't. She offered her house and her time to take up issues of concern expressed to her by others. Kudos to Barbara. For those of you who can't disconnect your brains and talk about one issue and then excuse yourself from others, you should probably set up your own meetings.

As CW pointed out, this isn't even my neighborhood. I was offering a suggestion to maximize attendance and participation. It appears that your philosophy is that unless someone is willing/able to host/chair an event, that person isn't entitled to an opinion that could contribute to the event's success. I've chaired my fair share of activities, events, committees, and Boards, and not once have I ever responded to a suggestion with, "Don't complain about how things are done if you have no interest in taking on some of the work." That's choice. Really choice. Way to garner support.

Clearly there was a problem with how the two issues were being promoted, as it alienated some people from the meeting. But I'm sure they appreciate your insult about not being able to disconnect their brains. Sheesh.

[tessieca]

Sorry to be so defensive, Resumelady. I do realize you're not an NSE person. You were giving a fairly strong opinion, seemingly not on how to get more support but being critical of the way the president of the organization chose to handle it. She was trying to cater to the desires of those people who did want to attend, and I just don't think she should be criticized for that.

[cw68]

Sorry to be so defensive, Resumelady. I do realize you're not an NSE person. You were giving a fairly strong opinion, seemingly not on how to get more support but being critical of the way the president of the organization chose to handle it. She was trying to cater to the desires of those people who did want to attend, and I just don't think she should be criticized for that.

I think Res Lady's suggestions were there to get more support. She correctly stated that by combining the two and not addressing them separately, she lost support. The people who attended weren't the ones who were against CC&R letters and lawsuits. I and others I know stayed away because of that, so the crowd was too skewed to get a fair poll of interest.

Generally, I don't have a hard time volunteering my time and like organizing things. That said, I'm not jumping into the yard police pond, which is what I feel this is.

I think Res Lady's suggestions should be acted upon and then one could see the results.

[tessieca]

To be clear, this was an NSCO meeting, NOT a neighborhood watch meeting.

One would assume that a strictly NW meeting would not have other items on the agenda. When an NSCO meeting is scheduled, it always has issues of current interest to residents on the agenda. One of those items of interest happened to be NW, so in her typical responsive fashion the Pres of the NSCO arranged to have information on NW provided to those in attendance.

I actually think it's an odd thing to say that you wouldn't attend a neighborhood meeting to get information on items that interest you, just because another agenda item didn't suit you as well.