2009 Q1

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03f8dfc3.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0408dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <B>2009 Q1</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0408dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B>President’s Column by Mike Dolinsk</B></div> <bR> <div> Greetings, and best wishes for a great year to all of my fellow Triangle residents. I am pleased to serve as Triangle Federation President for 2009. Although some things have changed since I last held this post in 2002, much remains constant. Among these things are our seemingly endless home improvement projects, our marvelous trees with their attendant leaf raking, and our positive can-do spirit.</div> <bR> <div> We are planning a very full calendar of events this year. We'll keep the traditional Spring Egg Hunt, Halloween party, and family-oriented summer social as well as other happenings in the final planning stages. If you have an interest in participating, please contact your neighborhood trustee or call me at 277-8174. A potential social event in March, the Home Tour in June and other important functions cannot happen without you.</div> <bR> <div> College Hill would like to schedule a 3- mile walk-jog-run event that would pass through our neighborhood, tentatively scheduled for May 9. Our input and assistance with this event has been requested. This would be a great way to start building bridges to our adjacent neighborhood associations. And, as soon as this snow melts, this may be an ideal excuse to shake off these winter doldrums and get in shape for a vigorous summer. Maybe neighbors can partner with each other in this effort and all shape up a bit?</div> <bR> <div> Cynthia Spearman reports that our Christmas project called Adopt-A-Family rendered four hundred dollars of assistance to five families, three within the Triangle and two outside. Given the state of the economy and the fact that donations come in for several months, I am going to ask the trustees to vote that we continue the program and if the measure passes we may be able to make additional efforts in the summer. Please keep the donations coming in.</div> <bR> <div> Weed and Seed, a Department of Justice program focused on neighborhood issues, crime, and economic development, is located in the New Canaan Center on Salem Avenue. Our interest is matters related to housing and yard conditions in this area. W&S encompasses seven neighborhoods. We need volunteers who could attend one or two of their meetings over the year as well as. Contact me at 277-8174 if you are interested.</div> <bR> <div> Well that’s all I have for the moment, but we do have some more tricks up our sleeve. Please peruse the rest of the newsletter and flyers as they are distributed. We have quite an ambitious schedule, yes we do !</div> <bR> <div> <B>NOVEMBER 2008 DVT QUARTERLY MEETING</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>By Ellen Rice</B></div> <bR> <div> The November quarterly meeting was unusually lively, thanks to a recruiter for the Dayton police and fire departments and a speaker from the city's Department of Housing.</div> <bR> <div> Both the police and fire departments are recruiting to fill positions that will come open due to retirement of senior staffers, according to Officer Savage. Starting salaries for the police dept are at least $48,000 per year, and the fire dept. offers $44,000. The process begins with a civil service test and moves through a number of steps and interviews. Those who make it to the Police Academy are paid $14 per hour during their studies.</div> <bR> <div>  Did you know that Dayton has a truancy ordinance? No one under 18 is permitted in a public place between 7AM and 3 PM without an adult. Parents get the ticket for this minor misdemeanor if the child is in grade 4 or below, but it goes on a child's record for grad 5 and above. Officer Savage encourages people who see truant children to call the Truancy Hotline, 452-3228</div> <bR> <div>  Nathan Zebrowski from the city's Department of Housing gave details about the nusiance structure removal program, and about the process of foreclosure.</div> <bR> <div>  From the inspection that determines if a house is a nuisance to the contractor's beginning demolition is a minimum of 52 days, down from 163. Demolishing a house costs about $11,000, and is done only if the house is a health or safety problem or cannot be rehabbed. A lien for the cost of the demolition is placed on the lot where the house once stood. The city is not in the business of destroying houses, Mr. Zebrowski pointed out.</div> <bR> <div> Foreclosure costs a bank about $20,000, so many banks abandon the properties. The city usually tries to preserve abandoned houses. While they try to chase down the owner they also board up the first floor and cut the grass periodically. They try to move vacant but salvageable houses toward the foreclosure process, since that is necessary to listing them at a sheriff’s sale and making them available to interested buyers.</div> <bR> <div> Mr. Zebrowski also thanked Ted Scheidt, chairman of our Distressed Housing Committee for the "The Triangle’s 10 Worst" booklet that the committee prepared for the mayor. He said they are moving through our list one by one, and have already classified several of them as nuisances and begun the process that will lead to demolition. They are also following up with banks in the case of bank-owned properties. Mr. Zebrowski also noted that the city has begun a survey program in some neighborhoods that will classify the condition of each house on a scale of 1 to 5, and write citations to owners for houses rated 3 or worse. It is hoped that this will prod some owners to maintain their properties better, especially those they do not occupy themselves.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Problem Dogs</B></div> <bR> <div>    1. Talk to the owner of the dogs. They may be willing to take steps to deal with the problem. (2) Call the Dayton Police (333-2677) and Animal Control (898-4455). Barking dogs are a low priority for the police and there is only one county animal officer for the entire county, so several calls will need to be made. (3) Enlist the help of your neighbors to also make calls. Most of all, be persistent!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Book Club</B></div> <bR> <div> Interested in getting together with neighbors to talk about books? Forming a neighborhood book club is a mechanism that would not only be fun, but may involve and create a space for meeting neighbors who have different interests.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Egg Hunt</B></div> <bR> <div> Egg Hunt is April 11, and the Easter Bunny will be there for photos. Search areas are set up by age group. To volunteer to help set up the search areas, contact Cindy Farrow at 277-6125. Rain date is May 2.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Garage Sale May 8</B></div> <bR> <div> Lori Mayo has agreed to coordinate. To get your name on the list, call her at 278-2836.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Home Tour</B></div> <bR> <div> The Dayton View Triangle Home Tour is June 14. To suggest a home for the tour or to volunteer to help during the tour, contact Charlene Molnar at 567-9356.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Quarterly Meeting</B> </div> <bR> <div> Feb. 22 at 7:30 pm: Nicole Steele and her boss George Snyder from Citywide Development Corporation have committed to speak at the quarterly meeting. Refreshments will be served. Please come!</div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> </td> </tr></table></body>