Introduction by President Clodo

Introduction of Dominic Sarno----thank you to Sixteen Acres for all you help with the library issues and also with the museum issues. Please come to the next meeting and keep helping with the library issues. Also, thank you for helping him with his City Council position. Forest Park, East Spfld, Liberty, Forest Park may have money to combine libraries. Even in our worst years of finances, we did not talk about closing the libraries. There needs to be a good organization formed to keep the libraries open. Ex-Mayor Charlie Ryan could be a good chairman for this issue. The city owns Pine Point and 16 Acres libraries, and 16 Acres Library is on park property (jurisdiction). Could a fee be charged to get into the library? The city gave 7 million to Spfld Museum & Libraries Assoc. How much goes to each library & museum? No one knows yet, looking into it

Homeland Security---many people are worried about Spfld, with the war starting. Do we have enough fire and police? The Fire Dept. needs better hoses and night vision goggles. We need more police on duty in all areas.

GUEST SPEAKERS: Leslie and Leon from CHIP ( Child Identification Program)

There will be a CHIP program at Eastfield Mall on Sat, March 2, 2003, from 10am-4pm. It will be a free clinic to fingerprint and teeth print youngsters. It costs $2.50 to process each child but the price if free. Masonic Lodges helps raise 2 ½ million a year for charities. The statistics for abductions, lost, kidnapped and other issues are unbelievable.

There will be another CHIP child program at Basketball Hall Of Fame on April 26, 2003

There will be a new mouth swab coming out in about 6 months that can swab in the mouth then be stored in a plastic bag and sealed up to 20 years. Indian Orchard School was the first school in 1997 to have tested the kids. Spit, hair samples and urine samples can be traced. Tell children to leave hair, urine, spit samples at any spot that they are taken, to be traced. CHIP and Amber Alert can work together. Children ages to fingerprint are from 1 ½ days old to 18 years old

REGULAR MEETING
Minutes were read by Ruth, secretary. Motion to accept minutes & passed

Treasurer's Report is $1747.65 as of 3/18/03. Motion to accept report & passed

Library & Museum will have another meeting and a letter will be sent to us about the resolution that was developed for the libraries

The Dues Committee meet to talk about the dues going up. The committee voted 2 against dues going up and 1 for dues going up. The last time the dues went up was in 1990. Clodo talked about many current expenses like mail, parties, and gifts for people. Willis made a motion to go up $5.00, it was seconded and then discussion went on. It was said that if we went up $2.00 or $5.00, maybe we could use some of the money for scholarships. Forest Park Civic Assoc. dues are $15.00.

A vote was taken on the above motion and 7 voted for the motion and 16 voted against. The motion was voted down

A second motion was made to raise the dues $2.00 per person per family. It was discussed and voted. The vote was 14--yes and 9 voted no

The Snow Committee people are Richard Greenberg and Willis Schoef. A motion was made to send this item of interest back to committee for further discussion

Bernie's is moving to the old Stop & Shop building on Boston Road. Bernie's should take down the big sign before they move

Burger King---what is happening to it? Clodo will bring it up at the mayor's meeting when they meet

Frank Street--truck in front needs to be moved. The snow is gone. Clodo spoke to the owner

Big Y--will be moving into Walbaum's/Food Mart on Cooley St. The store will be opening on April 14, 2003

Elder Affairs-----There was a meeting held with Comcast and reps and lawyers from their company. They told us not to let anyone into your home without proper ID. There seems to some scams going on. So please take proper precautions before letting anyone into your house.

Comcast did not fulfill their contract with the city of Spfld last year. The city received l million-dollar settlement. Which account did it go into?

There will be a Luau at Camp Wilder in June. All are welcome. More info to follow

Clodo would like to appoint Helen Boyle to the Springfield Museum/Library Assoc. A motion was made by Ed Mack and seconded by all. Helen stood up and spoke to the Assoc. and thanked everyone and said she will work hard, because she has been volunteering at the Sixteen Acres Library for years. Clodo also needs to appoint a sub or alternate.

Officer Jim Gormley from Sixteen Acres, who has been a police officer for 20 years. He spoke to our Assoc. about starting, supporting, joining, Neighborhood Watch.

There have been a lot of things affected by the cuts. Things like pool closings, after school programs, summer programs. Get to know your neighbors and look out for each other. There are a lot of things going on like home break-ins, car break-ins, and vandalism. If you start one of these Neighborhood Watch, in your area you can have a police officer come to your meeting or house, and tell all about how to run the meetings and get started. There are 3 current Neighborhood Watch areas. There is one on Cherokee area, Mallow- hill, and Cannon Circle. ***********Call 750-2237 for more info.

Maybe we should talk to Dr. Caprio from Western New England College to start a Neighborhood Watch in that area

Peter and Jim spoke about how the police dept. will be getting 7.5 million dollars less money for the police. There will be 20-60 more police lay-offs. There used to be 61 community police, now there are 13

Call Dept. of Public Works supervisor to get help with illegally parked cars. The police can only ticket cars. The DPW can tow the cars

Jean donated the money to buy a machine to fold the newsletters. Richard does it with help from family and friends. Thank You to Jean

Senior Center---There is going to be a Senior Center at Saint Catherine's Church. It is moving slowly, more info to follow

Submitted by Ruth Moorhose, Secretary