Association Minutes - August 9, 2001

Marlborough Pride Neighborhood Association - Minutes August 9, 2001

Draft

President Tonya Hood called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M.

1. Attendance:

Twenty-four neighborhood residents were present. The KCPD had three representatives present. The Neighborhood Community Services Department had two representative present. The Housing and Community Development Department had one representative present.

2. Public Safety Update:

Maj. Kevin Masters, Sgt. James Pearce and P.O. John Straubel of the Kansas City Police Department attended. The Community Action Team (CAT) is being reorganized. At one time, CAT was federally funded. Now, it is not. Rather than having the two officers who had been assigned to our area, all officers assigned to Sgt. Pearce's unit will be expected to be more community oriented. Maj. Masters assured residents that nothing has been lost, but there would be times when there would not be officers at Association meetings.

A resident expressed concern over the number of drug houses in the neighborhood. The drug dealers are fairly blatant in their conduct and many residents are concerned for their safety or fear retaliation if the drug dealers knew who had reported them. To report a drug house, residents should call the Drug Abatement Response Team (DART) at 881-3811.

3. Neighborhood Community Services Department:

Carolyn Franklin-Prim, Neighborhood Specialist, with the Neighborhood Assistance Center acts as a liaison between neighborhoods and the City. If residents have a problem and don't know who to contact to resolve it, call her. She will know who to contact. Her email is carolyn_franklin@kcmo.org.

Renea Nash advised that due to out-of-town travel, she had been unable to obtain the crime prevention devices that had been requested at the last meeting. Someone from her office would be contacting residents to provide the items.

4. Housing and Community Development Department:

Clarence Reed, MHR/BRP Program Manager, discussed the Housing and Community Development Department. The Department deals with housing code regulations. The Department has several programs to promote and assist single-family residences, such as Urban Homeownership Program (472-3000), First-Time Buyers Program (472-3000), Minor Home Repair Program (513-3000), Home Weatherization Program (513-3000), and Rehab Loan Program (472-3000). The programs have income guidelines. Eligibility is determined by household size. The City itself does not lend any of the money directly. Free paint for the exterior of homes can be obtained at the first of the year by calling 513-3246. The paint itself is free. The resident will have to find someone to actually paint the home or paint it him or herself.

5. Other:

A resident expressed concern that Marlborough Park is showing signs of neglect.

6. President's Report:

Tonya Hood made this report:

There will be an airshow downtown August 18-19.
Free school supplies will be given out at Grace Baptist, 7203 Paseo, this Saturday, August 11 from 10:00-1:00.
The next meeting will be September 13.