Thanks to everyone who came out to our Neighborhood Watch “Town Hall” meeting tonight!
We had about 30 in attendance tonight – even though it was 15º out! Thanks to Donna for getting the room set up, getting water, cookies and buckeyes for our guests! Oh yeah, coffee and hot chocolate too!
The Agenda for the meeting tonight can be downloaded here if you want to download it or save it for following up with our conversations or to help get involved with finding more out about the questions. Our topics are not for the Watch group only. We need the support of everyone in Sabina, Ohio!
Chief Joe Noland started our meeting out tonight and gave some notes based on the agenda above and notes below. We also had a number of Village Council with us tonight including Mayor Danielle Johnson. You can see who your Sabina Village Councilmen and women are here.
Meeting notes:
- New Chief? – Per agenda item 2a, no new Chief of Police has been selected for Sabina yet, but there are 2 applicants from within the department interested in the position that Chief Joe Noland will soon be vacating.
- The new Chief will be supporting the Neighborhood Watch group!
- Flock Cameras – Questions were raised on the new Flock cameras the Village purchased to monitor licenses for warrants, stolen vehicles, Amber Alerts, or any other tracking that can be done from capturing a vehicle’s license plate.
- The cameras will not register speed, sobriety, or anything to do with the driver or passengers.
- As was noted in the questions asked, they can be used to search additional picked up while photographing the plates, such as paint color, bumper condition, bumper stickers, etc.
- The Chief did note that a big WIN happened last year when a elderly man with Alzheimer’s disease went missing and he happened to drive through Sabina and his plate was captured and he was found and returned home safely by OSP.
- A question was raised about the cost of the cameras vs the cost of better pay for Village officers or hiring more staff.
- Speeding – Per agenda item 4a, we asked attendees tonight if speeders were better or worse? The answer was WORSE, especially on Hulse Street, noted as the drag strip of Sabina.
- Chief Noland noted that the Village has new radar units that can pick up from much further away, allowing them to be out of view for these reckless drivers.
- Parking Ordinance – An item not on the Agenda was regarding Village Parking Ordinance. Joe said the Village did indeed finally pass a parking ordinance and it went into effect on January 11th. Some impacts include:
- Penalties for cars or trucks with invalid registration or license.
- Penalties for where vehicles are parked, especially close to sidewalks, curbs, or intersections.
- Consider a “Civil Offense”.
- Offenders can appeal to the Village Administrator within 10 days.
- Towing destination was uncertain as the Police partner with whoever is available.
- Warning tickets are being issued first.
- Funds collected from breaking these rules will stay in the Village for the Police and Village Administration to use.
- Village Issues – Councilwoman Peggy Sloan noted that the two biggest issues in the Village right now are the water and the concern for the grocery store. The grocery is having a very hard time and could use resident support as much as you can for them to survive.
- Railroad Tracks – Mayor Johnson mentioned the railroad tracks through town and how bad they are. She said there is a link on the Village’s site to reach out to PUCO to complain in hopes of them helping to get the track crossings fixed, as this is not something the Village can do on its own.
- I could not find the link on my own tonight.
- Recouping Water – One of the Neighborhood Watch group asked about reports of Altafiber using water from the Village for their work efforts and did pay for the water after getting permission from the previous Village Administrator. Mayor Johnson said this was noted and has been working with Altafiber to get paid for the water used.
- Social Post vs Calling Police – Councilwoman Amy Howard shared a post from someone in the Village about kids throwing eggs and shooting pellet guns at passing motorists.
- Chief Noland reminded all in attendance that posting things to a social media site as a complaint (as seems to have been the case here) is not what gets the Police involved in getting them involved in the matter and in trying to correct the behavior.
- If you see or hear of issues like this, call the police. Posting is not the answer.
If there is anything I (Roger) missed on the conversations from tonight, please reach out to us here on this site or by Messenger on our Facebook page.