Recap from NOAH Meeting March 11, 2008

To all that attended last Tuesday's NOAH meeting with Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr., NOAH would like to say "thank you!"

We had over 50 people in attendance, and there was no shortage of good questions, and lots of discussion.

Councilman Jones arrrived about thirty minutes after the meeting began. During this initial half hour of the meeting, the audience heard from a representative of the Philadelphia Streets Department. He was there to inform the audience about the citywide cleanup day on April 5th that Mayor Nutter has organized.

Additionally, 19th District Lieutenant Kamchuk was in attendance. He spoke with the audience about the Commissioner Charles Ramsey's new crime fighting plan for the city. He also took questions from the audience about various quality of life issues with which the police department has a role in combating.

Upon the arrival of Councilman Jones, the floor was immediately turned over to him. The councilman began by greeting the audience and greeting a few audience members whom he knew from past meetings and discussions.

Councilman Jones's first topic of discussion was how his first 65 days in office had gone. He went through each of the largest initiatives on which he and his staff are currently working. Among these initiatives are the following items:
1. A major streetscape improvement program along N. 63rd Street
-This program would extend along 63rd from Market to City Line Avenue.
-Sidewalks will be rebuilt.
-Landscaping will be improved along the street.
-New, and more lighting will be provided. Lights will be more decorative, like the kinds of street lamps found in Center City, for example.
-All major cross streets (Lansdowne, Haverford, etc.) will receive the same improvements in the immediate area of 63rd Street.
-As more federal and other funds become available, this program will be carried out on Haverford Avenue, Lansdowne Avenue, and other major east-west arteries, as well.

2. Cleaner neighborhoods in the 4th District
-Jones discussed the creation of a "Block Captain's Boot Camp" which will undertake educating block captains about the city services available that will be able to assist them in maintaining neater, more attractive blocks.
-Jones mentioned he intends to divide the district into 21 different cleaning zones, and have volunteers (with the help of city services) clean each district on designated dates. The hope is to have blocks that are more regularly cleaned.

3. Post Market-Frankford El Reconstruction
-The lower part of the 4th District straddles the Market Street branch of the Market-Frankford El. As people know, the El has been under reconstruction for the better part of a decade.
-Jones says he wants to foster sustainable and environmentally resposible redevelopment of property along the El after it is finally completed in 2009.

4. Restoration/Reconstruction of Robin Hood Dell East
-Citing its importance as a concert venue in summer for working and middle class Philadelphians, Councilman Jones is working to find ways to keep Robin Hood Dell open this summer, rather than closing it for months (potentially a few years) to address the serious structural issues that face this long-time Philadelphia institution.

5. Gas Commission
-Councilman Jones sits on the Philadelphia Gas Commission, and thus, will be working to make the Philadelphia Gas Works a more financially successful venture.

6. Halting Sherriff's Sales Temporarily
-Councilman Jones is an advocate of stopping Philadelphia's sheriff sales until a deeper understanding of mortgage foreclosure issues in the city are understood. Because so many properties end up in sheriff's sale after a foreclosure, the Councilman believes more investigation must be done to help property owner's lose their homes less often.

7. Addressing driveways, alleys, and retaining walls
-Citing the high cost of getting driveway or alley paving work done, Jones discussed his intention to have the City look into subsidizing such work in the future. Additionally, Councilman Jones is interested in helping with the persistent issue of homeowners having little assistance toward replacing very expensive, eroding or collapsed retaining walls in driveways or along property lines.

8. 63rd and Lansdowne Avenue Constituent Services Office
-Councilman Jones said that in the next 30 days, he will reopen his office on the southeast corner of 63rd and Lansdowne Avenue. This office was formerly the headquarters for his campaign while he sought the office of councilman. Now, it will serve as a neighborhood office at which constituents can seek help or services, and have questions answered. This will hopefully reduce the burden of having to travel to City Hall for some constituents in order to speak with the Councilman's staff.

Ryan Caviglia
Secretary
Neighbors of Overbrook Association (NOAH)