When North Tonawanda residents were invited to speak publicly for the third time in September, anger over vice, vandalism, drugs and decay around Oliver Street had given way to talk of solutions.
At a forum held in City Hall Sept. 24, four residents volunteered to help start what’s now being called “North Tonawanda Citizens on Patrol.”
Though it’s not a part of the well known national organization known as Neighborhood Watch, the goal is the same: to report any and all suspicious activity to police, adding eyes and ears when police resources are spread thin.
Chairwoman Amber Penkszyk said she and three other executive officers who’ve volunteered for the group have dropped fliers on 400 doorsteps since then. She said they are hoping turnout will swell at their first meeting, scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 316 Thompson St.
From there the intention is to meet regularly, on the second Tuesday of each month at the church, where the first community crime forum was held Aug. 20 for a crowd unanimously incensed at what many say is a neighborhood east of Oliver Street that’s out of control.
“It’s kind of a loose structure right now until we know what we’re going to do but we have a chairperson, a co-chairperson, a vice-chairperson and a secretary,” Penkszyk said.
On Thursday, the name will officially be decided by those individuals, and members will vote on preliminary boundaries of the neighborhood to be “patrolled.” That is: Robinson Street from Oliver Street to Payne Avenue; Payne from Robinson to Thompson Street; Thompson from Payne to Oliver; Oliver from Thompson to Robinson; Vandervoort Street from Robinson to Christiana Street; all of Lincoln Avenue; all of Ganson Street and all of Geneva Street.
“We’re hoping there’s a good turnout,” she said.
Contact reporter Neale Gulley at 693-1000, ext. 114.
Local News
November 10, 2009
NORTH TONAWANDA: Neighborhood watch group ready to convene
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