Bellevue Civic Association
General Meeting
April 17, 2007
Holton Elementary School

 

About 30 people attended.

1. Pizza and sodas at 6:30.

2. Meeting called to order at 7:00 p.m.

3. Carol Wolfe, our representative to the Richmond School Board, spoke
about a public hearing to be held this Thursday night (April 19) at 6:00 p.m.
in the library at Holton School. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss
bringing Norell School back to northside. (It is not an option to have Norrell
return to the building it vacated after the flooding of Battery Park.) Carol
mentioned 4 possibilities that will be discussed, indicating her approval for
option #4: Close Chandler Middle School and reopen as an elementary (K-8)
school, accommodating both the children from Norrell and the students of
Thirteen Acres and the Real School. This option would not require any school
boundaries to be changed.

4. Treasurer's Report

Roy reported that an envelope for BCA dues will be in the next newsletter,
which is scheduled to be delivered in the next week.

5. Neighborhood Watch report: Irene Jennings. Irene reported on blocks
where there is no Neighborhood Watch coverage: 3900 and 4000 blocks
of Hermitage Road; 1200, 1300, and 1500 blocks of Laburnum Avenue; 1200,
1300, and 1400 blocks of Avondale Avenue; 3900 and 4300 blocks of Fauquier;
1600 block of Claremont; MacArthur Avenue, parts of Windsor Avenue; 3800,
3900, 4600 blocks of Brook.

6. Bill Dennis gave a report on the Security Patrol. Larry Jones is now
co-chairman of this committee. A future report will detail a meeting
with Richmond Police. Ongoing teams will be formed to address speeding
issues, and the MacArthur Avenue businesses.

7. Sergeant Allan Miles spoke for the Richmond police department. There
were 2 robberies--both at CVS--and arrests have been made in both of
those cases. Burglaries are down 50%. Commercial burglaries, down 100%;
Outbuilding breaking and enterings, down 100%. Theft from buildings,
down 100%; from vehicles, down 33%. Theft of motor vehicle parts were
up...from 0 incidents to 1. In all, there was a 79% drop in 'serious crime'
in the precinct. Sgt. Miles responded to a question about the annual 'gypsy'
crimes by urging citizens to be alert and to make sure they keep doors locked.

8. Lisa Townes, assistant to Chris Hilbert, suggested that citizens concerned
about speeding or other traffic issues get a petition signed by close to 100%
of affected residents, and send this under signatures of the various block
captains to the BCA, who would forward it to the Department of Public Works.

9. A new preschool has been formed from the ashes of the Newberry School
at Union Theological. It is called the Ginter Park Community School and will
be located at Ginter Park Baptist Church.

10. A resident of Westbrook Ave. presented Roy with letters detailing concerns
about traffic congestion and noise along Westbrook Avenue.

11. Lisa Townes (direct number: 646-6055) explained her role as a community
liaison for Chris Hilbert. She does research on issues and constituent concerns
and provides this information to Chris. She is attempting to compile a more
accurate email list to keep citizens informed.

12. Janet DeVoss reported that there is a committee at work on the problems
of Westbrook Avenue, and that a portable police trailer will be installed shortly.

13. Our speaker for the evening was introduced: Mr. Hugh Rooney, of Hanover
County extension service and the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. After an
informative presentation, Mr. Rooney took gardening questions, and provided a
wealth of literature on the Garden and gardening issues.

Meeting adjourned at 8:45.

Respectfully submitted: Joy Payne