| Meeting Minutes
General Meeting
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
The Neighborhood Association Meeting was called to order at 7:06 pm on Wednesday. October 7th. Treasurer, Curt Davis, gave the financial report. The membership includes 126 households; new neighborhood entry signs, designed by board member, Jeff Kennard, were paid for with some of the dues. The balance after paying for the signs, website fees, and mailings is about $4500.00.
Officer Johnson was supposed to be reporting on criminal activity in South Roanoke. Questions from the members were written down and will be posted on the soroneighbors.com site as soon as he answers them.
Is there anything that can be done to slow down speeders on West Ridge?
Why do so many cars park along the street in front of homes on Peakwood Dr.? It makes the street very congested.
Can cars driving with extremely loud music be controlled?
Is there a way of our neighbors to be informed of criminal activity on a weekly basis concerning events that have taken place in SoRo?
Detective Moore spoke to the membership concerning the importance of Internet safety involving children. He is an officer with the criminal investigation department involving child pornography and enticement. He offered interesting statistics:
12% of students spend more than 8 hours on-line each week.
99% of students have shared their personal information on-line with their “peers.”
1 in 4 have received sexual solicitation in a chat room
1 in 25 have been asked to meet somewhere while in a chat room
43% of students have visited inappropriate web sites.
50% have downloaded music illegally
20% of students have been bullied on-line
All of the numbers give us pause to realize one thing – we must be involved in what our children are doing while on the computer. He said that our children must have their computers in a common room, where everyone is. They should be steered away from visiting chat rooms at all, according to Officer Moore. Predators who stalk our children are not easy to stereotype. He has arrested doctors, lawyers, business men etc. These predators spend time with the children cultivating a friendship. Less than 1% of abductions are through a total stranger. The number attempted by an on-line “friendship” is much greater.
Parents should remind their children never to give out personal information on their ‘facebook” or “my space” account, and they should set these sites to private.
Set rules with your child about the computer: how much time to spend, what sites are appropriate, and most importantly – they should be able to confide in you if something has occurred that that are uncomfortable with.
He offered the following sites as helpful:
Cybertipline.com
Netsmartz411.org
ICAC.org
Concerned citizens can call him at 853-5402 or email him at Jason.Moore@roanokeva.gov
Several members voiced their concern about the traffic calming not appearing to have worked on Avenham Avenue. There seem to be just as many cars and just as many speeders. President Bill Thomasson said that he would ask the city for another traffic study to be done for answers for this.
Submitted by: Stewart Putney
Neighbors In South Roanoke
|
