Weinland Park Community Civic Association

Safety Committee
Summary of Meeting of October 16, 2014
Ahmed Ebady called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. in the citys Northside Neighborhood
Pride Center.
A neighborhood resident expressed concern with children and teenagers on the roofs of the
Veliko Ventures property at the corner of Hamlet Street and East Eighth Avenue. They are
jumping from roof to roof. The resident has talked with Officer Steve Smith regarding the
problem.
The committee discussed the residents concern with the Veliko Ventures property, which has
been an ongoing source of problems in the neighborhood for several years. The resident will
provide a written account of the situation and photographs to Steve Sterrett, who will follow up
with Veliko Ventures, Barcus Property Management, assistant city attorney Steve Dunbar, David
Campbell of Community Properties of Ohio, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Developments hotline. Mr. Campbell will share the information with Community Properties of
Ohios special-duty officers working with the Neighborhood Options for Youth program.
Steve Sterrett reviewed the Weinland Park crime reports for September 2014 and the first 13
days of October. He noted that reports for theft from auto spiked in September, although
burglaries were down. He also said that Officer Steve Smith reported that alleged gang activities
appear to be at an all-time low this month. Mr. Sterrett expressed the hope that a resident could
be recruited to monitor the crime reports for Weinland Park on a monthly basis to help track
crime trends.
Isom Nivins said there will be Crime Awareness and Prevention Day at Mt. Carmel West on
October 17.
Mr. Ebady said that a man appears to be staying at148 E. Eighth Avenue, a property owned by
Community Properties of Ohio. The man and the woman who lives there frequently are fighting,
and police have responded to at least one incident at the building involving the man. Mr.
Campbell will follow up on the situation.
Nathan Staggs of the Community Crime Patrol reported that the patrollers have been on North
Sixth Street often lately and are trying to build a rapport with the residents. He said Officer
Smith had contacted him regarding the youths on the roofs of the Veliko Ventures property.

Jennifer Mankin shared information from a presentation at the recent Neighborhood Best
Practices Conference on Taking Action on Problem Properties. The presentation came from
civic leaders from Youngstown. She also shared a resource list on planning for the annual
National Night Out event.
Mr. Nivins said a city office has 12 bicycles that could be distributed without charge at the next
Weinland Park Neighborhood Festival. He asked for suggestions on where the bicycles might be
stored. Mr. Sterrett said he will contact Campus Partners about possible storage space.
The business of the Safety Committee being concluded, Mr. Ebady adjourned the meeting at 6:55
p.m.

Summary of meeting prepared by Steve Sterrett.