Inter-Neighborhood Council
Minutes of Meeting of October 22, 2002
Making Better Neighborhoods
Http://www.rtpnet.org/durhaminc
MEMBERS PRESENT
Fred Mowry Colony Park NA
Robert Larson Grove Park HOA
Bill Anderson Duke Park NA
Mike Shiflett Housing Appeals Board
Pat Carstensen Cross Country NA
Carrie Mowry Old North Durham NA
Caleb Southern West Village
Johnea Kelley Duke Park NA
Lynwood D. Best City of Durham
Dave DeVito SEEDS
Melvin Whitley W. E. Smith
Daniel Bowling Morehead Hills
David McCary Solid Waste Management
Marcia Owen Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham
Barry Ragin Duke Park NA
Matt Yarborough Durham Businesses Against Crime
Welcome and Introductions
President Melvin Whitley opened the meeting and members were asked to introduce themselves.
Programs
Matt Yarborough gave an overview of what Durham Businesses Against Crime is doing. They started about 2 years ago, recognizing that businesses may not want to get involved in PACs or Neighborhood Watch. Their meetings feature speakers such as someone from Secret Service talking about counterfeiting, are open to public, and are held 8-9AM of first Thursday of month, in business area downstairs at Northgate Mall. Some of their activities:
§ Training private-sector employees (such as taxi drivers, postal workers, and gas company employees) as Ears & Eyes that is, to notice and report suspicious activity.
§ Doing workshops on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) for example, why Blockbuster is one of least-robbed stores.
§ Making recommendations on where to buy video cameras, window bars, etc.
§ Starting a court-watch program, emulating what MADD has done to make drunk driving unacceptable. The two specific issues are people for whom arrests are just a cost of doing their business of targeting businesses (such as professional shop-lifters) and crimes that make people in Durham uncomfortable (e.g. rapists). They are looking for volunteers to watch what goes on in court (train sessions are third Thursdays). One of the ideas is to make 5 misdemeanors into a felony, to address problem that even the 28th offense is bargained down to a misdemeanor so the punishment is time served or a fine. They are also trying to get more uniformity in bail-setting.
Updates and Business
Caleb Southern gave an update on the long-range transportation plan. The Transportation Advisory Committee will vote at least 2 more times. Eno Drive is currently off the list, East End Connector is first on the list, there is a proposal to make Highway 70 into a faster trip to Raleigh, and there are lots of bicycle and bus routes in the plan. Neighborhoods should check the list (available at www.dchc-mpo.org) for items in the plan that might affect them.
Durham Voter Coalition Melvin Whitley presented the Good Neighborhood Crime Prevention and Appearance Issues Wish List for actions by Durhams leaders. The list includes getting nuisance houses closed down faster, moving vacant and boarded-up houses to productive purposes faster, getting rid of visible non-functioning vehicles, and adding beds for drug and alcohol detoxification programs. INC voted to endorse the Wish List.
Marcia Owen of the Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham spoke about their work and Project Safe Neighborhoods. The Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham has been working to create peace in Durham for the last 10 years by, for example, doing prayer vigils for every homicide in Durham. On Project Safe Neighborhoods, Interim Chief Steve Chalmers has proposed to spend about half of the Community Block Grant funds on some best practices for saving lives and reducing gun violence. A first step would be collecting and analyzing data (such as stolen guns, non-fatal gunshot injuries, etc.), sharing the information and analysis with the community, and building action teams. The funds would be used for a case worker and a coordinator. They were looking for an endorsement from INC at our next meeting.
The Neighborhood Summit was October 19 and dealt with housing issues. Thanks to Mike Shiflett for all his efforts on this.
INC has been meeting at police headquarters for years, so it may be time to check on whether this is still the best place to be meeting (as opposed to library, church, etc.)
David McCary, talking trash as usual, said that in many ways Durham has made great progress, for example, having the 7th best waste reduction in the state. However, we still have carts being left out on the street all week, which is dangerous (kids darting from behind them into the street and stolen goods being moved in them). There is an ordinance on this, but enforcement would have to be done with a law enforcement officer. It would be better to turn leaving the carts out into a civil offense, with $25 fine, so certified line supervisors can issue tickets. The membership voted to let Executive Board decide whether to endorse the change.
INC discussed goals for INC for 2002-03 how to use talents to accomplish something, and make it fun. Members were asked to bring 3 goals to talk about to November.
Announcements
§ Dues are due.
§ November meeting is 3rd Tuesday.
§ Good Neighbor Breakfast, 8AM, October 26, and the Ark
§ Campaign for Decent Housing Annual Celebration, 10 AM, October 26, Eastway School
§ Application of CPTED to Duke Park, October 26 at Lowes on Roxboro Road
The meeting was adjourned.
INC Members and Board are asked to e-mail Melvin
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for issue to be placed on Board Agenda. The Board meeting will be held on Nov.11, 2002.
