On Monday night, a couple dozen residents of the East Raleigh Neighborhood came out to Lions Park Community Center for the bi-monthly meeting of the East Citizens Advisory Council (CAC).
The meeting was organized and led by East CAC officers Deborah Ford (Chairperson), Kimberly Izuogu, (Co-Vice Chairperson), Jake Levitas (Co-Vice Chairperson), and Michelle Bandklayder (Community Specialist).
Below are a few highlights from the meeting for those who were unable to attend in person.
Presentation Highlights
Officer Mario Lopez, our neighborhood’s community police officer, reported that overall crime in the area has fallen 21% during the past few months.
The table below shows a breakdown of the number of specific incidents that were reported in June and July compared to the previous April and May.
East Raleigh Crime Report: July 2018
| Crime | March 26 – May 20 | May 21 – July 15 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assault | 20 | 12 | -40% |
| Burglary/Commercial | 2 | 4 | 100% |
| Burglary/Residential | 10 | 12 | 20% |
| Larceny | 24 | 24 | 0% |
| Larceny From Motor Vehicle | 19 | 9 | -53% |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 13 | 5 | -62% |
| Robbery | 2 | 5 | 150% |
| Total | 90 | 71 | -21% |
Karen Ray, Assistant Director of Public Utilities, gave a presentation about a new pilot program established by the City of Raleigh called the Utilities Customer Assistance Program (UCAP). The goal of the program is to provide education and other forms of assistance to residents who are struggling economically and need help managing their utility bills.
The following description for UCAP is featured on the City of Raleigh website:
The City of Raleigh has established a new pilot program to help economically distressed water and sewer utility customers manage their utility bills. The Utility Customer Assistance Program (UCAP) will be administered in partnership with the Wake County Human Services Department, which will provide eligibility screening services for the program.
Our customers can call 919-996-3245 to speak with a billing specialist to learn more about the program and the eligibility requirements. In order to qualify for assistance, customers must visit the Wake County Human Services staff at the Swinburne Center, located at:
Swinburne Center
220 Swinburne St.
Raleigh, NC 27610Qualified utility customers are eligible for up to $240 per fiscal year, and the assistance funds will be directly applied to their utility account. The UCAP is only available to utility customers within the City of Raleigh and the Town of Garner until the funds are exhausted.
Rich Woynicz, from Wake County Extension Master Gardeners, gave a presentation about the many benefits of personal and community gardening.
In addition to bringing along a few vegetables from his own garden to share, Mr. Woynicz distributed many useful handouts about starting your own garden. Some of those handouts are shown below.
For anyone just getting started in gardening, the North Carolina Common Crop chart seems especially helpful, as it shows the ideal window of time in our area for planting warm and cool season vegetables.
Other Updates
- The East CAC is currently accepting school supplies for children of all grade levels for the Kemetic Cultural Science and System of Unity’s (KCSSU) “Stuff-A-Backpack” event, which will be held on August 25, 2018 at Lions Park.
- Nominations for the East-RCAC Neighborhood Recognition Award are due by Wednesday September 19, 2018. Anyone who wishes to nominate a fellow East Raleigh resident, business, or non-profit, can email one of the East CAC officers. This year’s recognition ceremony will be held on Wednesday, October 17, 2018.
- The City of Raleigh has provided the East CAC with cameras for live streaming future meetings. Live streaming will begin as soon as the East CAC officers have been properly trained in using this equipment.
- The Lions Park Community Center will be undergoing renovations and will be closed from late Fall 2018 until Spring 2019. Plans for interior renovations include installing a new heating and air conditioning system in the gym; replacing the gym floor; updating restrooms and locker rooms for better wheelchair access; and adding a new family changing room. On the exterior, a new ramp will be added from the parking lot to the front entrance to improve handicap accessibility. For more details and contact information, click here.
- The next East CAC Meeting is scheduled for 7:00pm on Monday September 17, 2018. This will be the last meeting at the Lions Park Community Center until after renovations are complete.