May 11, 2010 Security Meeting Recap

With over 20 people in attendance, the organizing meeting was a great beginning for the Security committee of Hiddenbrooke Community Association. The major inputs were from Richard Matthews on Neighborhood Watch, and Bob Sampayan on Watch and speeding issues, and Eli Cronbach on getting funding thru shifts of Hiddenbrooke Improvement District (HID) reductions, transferred to Hiddenbrooke Maintenance District (HMD) Welcome Center budget.

1. Speeding survey done by City last month; this is required on city streets every 4 years, to adjust speed limits to 85% of average speeds observed, plus factoring in street width, residences, driveways, curves, lines of sight, traffic density, pedestrians, etc.  The upper Parkway limit was raised to 40mph, and the inside Parkway increased to 30mph, to Songwood, where there are no houses, as was Bennington to the left of the entrance. All other residential streets are presumed to be 25mph, but are not posted.  The survey allows for radar enforcement, if it were ever instituted.  The CHP is building a substation at the Hunters Rest stop just down the road, and might welcome doing speed enforcement training for its new officer, in Hiddenbrooke.

2. Neighborhood Watch: The Watch program needs to be revitalized, through emails, mention and sign-up at annual meeting June 23rd, and on HiddenbrookeOnline.  Bob Sampayan will do organizing meeting to small local groups, there is a Vallejo PD community officer, and Fighting Back in Vallejo has over 150 Watch groups now in Vallejo. The web site blockwatch.com has the most complete info and forms.  Richard Matthews will order 11 signs identifying neighborhoods with Watch programs, with the Security center phone number on it (558-9697). These will be paid for with Welcome Center HMD funds.

3. Security Issues: Eli Cronbach discussed the crucial factor in improving security: MONEY.  He is working with the HMD advisory committee and HPOA, with the City admitting years of overcharges in the HID bond assesments, to the point of a $4.6 million surplus fund.  The city offered a 20-25% reduction in the tax assessment; average assessment of $1500, so each household could see a $300-350 drop next year.  If only $100 of this were directed to the HMD assessment, we could start a Police substation in the commercial center, staffed by Vallejo Police Cadets, in uniform, with VPD marked police cars and radios, for daytimne patrols at $18.00/hr. for 40 hrs. a week (three 20 hr. shift per cadet), during the week when we are having the daylight break-ins.  The cadets would be unarmed, but as an arm of the VPD would get rapid response.  They can issue citations, write tickets, and be a highly visible presence in Hiddenbrooke; a win-win situation if <25% of homeowners volte to increase HMD assessment, while getting a $300-350 reduction in their HID taxes.  The commercial center has been contacted, and they are interested in the substation, since they can't rent the empty space or sell the Center, and could get a tax write-off if they donate the space and "We" pay the utilities (via HMD).  There was 100% support by those attending to support this effort; a presentation of the Cadet Program will be made to the community at the June 23rd annual meetings of HCA and HPOA.  All Phase would continue to staff the Welcome Center full time, and do evening and night patrols.  Our video surveillance cameras may come under the new City Camera ordinance rule 7.9.  Permission is needed from the city manager and Chief of Police to conduct surveillance on city streets, as is the Welcome Center and the entrance street.  Volunteers may attend the Vallejo volunteer Police academy training course to monitor the cameras. Bob Sampayan will look into this.

I want to thank all who attended; only half of those are members of HCA. and we need your support of HCA to continue the committee and its work.  Please pick up membership form from J&O's or online atwww.hiddenbrookeonline.org.  The next meeting or assignments will be posted on HBNews.  
RETirrell M.D. Chairman.