College Hill

The monthly meeting occurred last night, the 27th. From my observation it was fairly crowded and almost half the time spent discussing crime issues on Marlowe around EZ Mart with the Police responding. The original agenda was to actually highlight voting issues that will be decided next week. I found the discusion with residents and the Police important. One problem, loitering as defined by the Police can only be addressed "if" there is criminal intent on the part of those loitering. Frustration seemed to be present from the Police and residents regarding the number of incidents occurring around the EZ Mart. Without going into all that was discussed, the results were that "ALLOT" is going on in College Hill; more people are speaking out, and more people want answers as to what is being done. They want to see results and ideas as to how to help our community. This is a sign of a community getting involved.

I was unable to stay around for the presentation and discussion of the "voting issues" and opposition, but felt that the College Hill Forum is gaining strength in numbers. This is certainly a challenge for Amy, our president. Too much to cover on the agenda within the 2 hours / 1 1/2 hours allocated. However, two important informational updates were given out. FIRST, next months meeting, November 24, will be held at Aiken High School at 7:00 pm............... A N D ................ a notice was handed out regarding " Nightly Curfew in Effect for Children under 18". It reads....... Anyone under the age of 16 must be home between the hours of 10 PM and 5 AM. Those 16 & 17 years of age must be home between the hours of midnight and 5 AM unless accompanied by a parent. PARENTS can be held responsible for their children's actions. Curfew violation should be reported to the Police at 765-1212.

WE may not have much success with loitering as defined earlier, but Curfew rules can be inforced..............

The following is strictly my opinion - and in no way reflects on what Tom may be thinking, what I will or won't do as a moderator on this board, etc.

Just want to have that understood.

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The Forum meeting was NOT the appropriate place to go into a half hour discussion of Easy Mart or to call "out" the police.

The proper place to work these issues is a CPOP meeting. And the College Hill CPOP group currently IS working this issue.

From the CPOP website: http://cagisperm.hamilton-co.org/cpop/
Community Problem Oriented Policing (CPOP) — A philosophy and methodology designed to tackle community problems through a partnership between the employees of the City and the residents of Cincinnati.
City employees and the community work together, under the direction of the Cincinnati Police utilizing a consistent process of Scanning, Analysis, Response and Assessment (SARA) to resolve problems.
Problems are defined as two or more incidents that are similar in nature, that cause or are capable of causing harm, and the community wants the police to do something to resolve them.

For some residence, the ONLY outcome they will support is a total shut down of Easy Mart. Unfortunately that's not a legal option if there has been no illegal activity. Instead, by using the SARA process, a workable plan should be done with the owners to help lesson the loitering and other issues residents have detailed.

I completely understand the frustration. I am in no way lessening the impact that living near this place may be having on Quality of Life.

But "the public" cannot be privy to every move the police make, especially undercover, or their effect will be lessened. As the Captain stated last night - arrests ARE being made.

How many of those at last night's meeting voted for Issue 27? If you voted against it - WHERE do you propose we put those convicted?

Also, as the Captain stated - how many have gotten out and walked the area? Bishop O'Neal does a walk up and down the Avenue every Monday. Citizens on Patrol walk Wed, Fri, and Saturdays (and occasionally other times). But the BEST way to deter loitering is to be a visible presence on the street. Walk your dog. Don't have one? Walk your neighbor's dog (I'll loan you our two). Walk with your kids. Walk and pick up trash. Walk during the day. Walk in the evening. If there are people out there, there won't be criminals.



But again - a half hour of Forum time was NOT the proper place to vent these issues. An item on the agenda stating the CPOP is working the issue and that those wanting more information can come to an open CPOP meeting would have been.

And again - this is just MY opinion, so take if for what it is worth.

I really don't have much to add to what Missy has said other than my objective for the outcome of the CPOP agenda on the complaints and crime surrounding the Marlowe/Hamilton area of College Hill is unchanged. The immediate objective is to work cooperatively with EZ Market, the owner of the building where EZ Market is located, District 5, and the residents along Marlowe to reduce loitering and to bring to improve the safety and quality of life for this area. The objective of CPOP is not to close any businesses that are operating within their constitutional rights. That would be counter-productive to the overall goal of promoting College Hill for legitimate businesses. There are already too many vacancies along Hamilton in College Hill. Loitering around EZ Market is not acceptable any more than it was before EZ Market opened their doors.

CPOP meetings are open to the public. I would love to hear suggestions and discussions here. I will take those to the meeting but I will not conduct CPOP meetings either here or in private email exchanges.

I agree with Missy. It seems disrespectful of Tom's commitment to head up the current C-POP meetings & then usurp that process by dedicating so much time to Marlowe. Did the Forum leadership ask you, Tom, as our C-POP facilitator, to make an update of our last meeting??? Perhaps you were asked but weren't able to do so???

It is my understanding that Forum leadership asked Tom to take up the Marlowe/Hamilton issue as a C-POP matter. Is that true, Tom???

If that is this case, again, it seems disrespectful if Tom was not asked to make the standard 5 to 10 minute update report (like other community groups/committees do). Like those other groups/committees, Tom could have then ended his report with a reminder re: our next meeting & encouraged interested parties to attend.

Previous to the Forum meeting, I sent Forum leadership an e-mail requesting that I be allowed to make a motion re: the strategic plans/business plans of both CHURC and the College Hill Business Association. I deliberately sent my request to Forum leadership, prior to the public meeting, to ensure professional courtesy (i.e., I don't believe in ambushing or surprising people.) I even had a private conversation with a Forum leader before the official start of the meeting, and she did not mention my motion or how she planned on reacting to my motion.... (Perhaps professional courtesy is some idealist notion of mine.)

For those interested, please see below for my original note re: my motion to Forum leadership and subsequent reply to the Forum. Please know that out of professional courtesy, I also copied CHURC and the Business Association's leadership in my e-mail request... because, I don't believe that partners should ever be ambushed or surprised at a public meeting.

For those in attendance at the last Forum meeting, please recall when I did make my motion, I was told that the reason the EZ Mart was given 30 minutes is because it is a "community concern." Does anyone beside me consider it a "community concern" that we have had an underdeveloped business district since 2002, and that we hear about a "plan" but we never see/hear a plan???

Finally, how do all of us get to decide what a "community concern" is so we can have 30 minutes at the next Forum meeting??? (Please see below for my e-mail notes to Forum leadership, etc.)

Thank you for your time!
Donna Leigh King
1515 Marlowe Avenue

**** My Monday 26 October 2009 e-mail note to Forum, CHURC, and CHBA leadership***

I applaud the community's efforts re: EZ Mart and the Avenue in general. Thank you for your part in this.

But, please know I believe the issues are much larger than the EZ Mart. I believe my neighbors in southeast College Hill would agree.

Thus, please be advised that I will be making a motion at the Forum meeting re: CHURC & the Business Association. Specifically, I will be asking for a vote that seeks a Forum presentation by 1) CHURC and 2) the Business Association.

The purpose of these *special* presentations (and my motion) is to have both organizations present their 2009-20112 Strategic/Business Plans, which, of course, should include budgetary and other financial/funding projections.

Also, I would like to know how much, if any, Forum funding goes to both of these organizations??? And what *qualitative* outcomes have been accomplished by both organizations in the last 24 months?

Thank you so much. As always, if you or other community members need my assistance w/the particulars of Strategic Planning, please do not hesitate to contact. me. (I have had several conversations w/CHURC since the Spring of 2008 re: my pro-bono assistance to them. As of my last visit w/CHURC this past Feb/Mar, they still didn't have a Strategic Plan.)

Best wishes,
Donna

***My reply to leadership's response to my original note. (For privacy reasons, I do not include Forum leader's private e-mail text to me.)***

I will still be making my motion, and need to receive the Forum's by-laws.

If we can have other partners (D5 in this instance) speak to special issues at Forum meetings... despite D5's current participation in separate C-POP meetings re: this same *special topic*

...Well, I certainly believe we can get the votes to have CHBA & CHURC present at a Forum meeting on *special topics* too. (Or, perhaps interested parties could attend the next C-POP meeting on 11 November.)

CPOP was not consulted on the Forum agenda regarding Marlowe and Hamilton. CPOP was asked by the Forum president to take up the Marlowe & Hamilton crime issue. This is the purpose of CPOP.

The Forum apparently has it own agenda. I had asked to speak to the Forum to promote College Hill Speaks. The President of the Forum agreed but then the Forum Board asked that I first speak to them about the relationship of College Hill Speaks to the Forum. Let me say here and publicly that College Hill Speaks has no relationship to the Forum board. This bulletin board is intended to be a neutral voice of the people of College Hill. I would love for the Forum to endorse this board but there is no way in hell that this board will be subservient to anyone. The Forum is supposed to represent the people of College Hill. This is our relationship. Period.

Donna wrote:
Thus, please be advised that I will be making a motion at the Forum meeting re: CHURC & the Business Association. Specifically, I will be asking for a vote that seeks a Forum presentation by 1) CHURC and 2) the Business Association.

The purpose of these *special* presentations (and my motion) is to have both organizations present their 2009-20112 Strategic/Business Plans, which, of course, should include budgetary and other financial/funding projections.

Also, I would like to know how much, if any, Forum funding goes to both of these organizations??? And what *qualitative* outcomes have been accomplished by both organizations in the last 24 months?

Donna -

Sorry we didn't stay until the end of the Forum meeting that night. After the 30 minute "presentation" I went out in the hallway to cool off (both literally and figuratively). The representative from COAST was out there and when asked what he was there to speak to, he stated "I'm against everything". I was about at my breaking limit to begin with, and figured for all concerned it was best if I just left.

But, I too, would be extremely interested in the points I quoted from your request above. Especially the financial/funding parts. I seem to recall quite a lot of money has come the way of College Hill for development - we've had quite a lot of "ataboy" speeches at the Forum on grants, etc. I am also not naive, I know plans cost money. But what do we have to show in concrete results? Need I take a photo of the corners of Hamilton and North Bend and post them on here?

We hold our elected officials accountable - that's what yesterday was all about. The people that are the "movers and shakers" in College Hill aren't elected, and consequently aren't really accountable that I can see. I give them kudos for their volunteering efforts. But I still would like results.

And, yes, unfortunately I don't have the time to go to Summit and CHURC and all the other meetings, so perhaps MY opinions don't count. I have to work for a living, as do probably a majority of our neighbors, and my job doesn't allow me the luxury of attending numerous meetings. I've had to scale back my volunteering the way it is because of job responsibilities. But I'd still like to be informed and have some type of avenue to voice my opinions.