February 2009 Archives

For the first time, Waite Park is offering $100 mini-rebates to organized block clubs.  These grants have been used to purchase plantings and gardening materials for public areas, neighborhood trash pick-up projects, and similar projects that get neighbors up and out and working together to improve our neighborhood.  Other examples might be erecting a block club sign, hosting a crime prevention seminar, or paying for materials for your block club event including National Night Out.  Adopt a family at the holidays or participate in Toys for Tots and have a neighborhood gift-wrapping party!  See how creative you can be!  You can combine with other block clubs to do a bigger project.

Waite Park residents who are part of a current block club recognized by the Minneapolis Police Department Second Precinct or a non-CCP Safe block club that hosts at least 1 gathering a year which all block club members are invited, as verified by 2 block club members are eligible for this rebate. Please see the application attached for more details.

WPCC_block_club_grant_form.pdf

The Waite Park Community Council is offering $50 rebates to all Waite Park residents that purchase any security related items after January 1, 2009. While crime numbers in the Second Precinct and Waite Park have gone down this year, we still have a number of burglaries and thefts in our area.

All properties in the Waite Park Neighborhood, both residential and commercial, may receive a rebate without regard to participation in other or previous programs. Simply print out  and complete the application form below and send it in with the original receipt from the item(s) you purchased. Multiple applications may be submitted, but the total of rebates for any property is limited to $50 per property per year.

Eligible Improvements:

• Exterior security/motion lighting including any necessary wiring and electrical work
• Exterior steel security doors, including garage access doors
• Deadbolt locks on exterior doors, including garage access doors
• Smoke detectors and/or carbon monoxide (CO) detectors
• Window or sliding door security locks or security restraints
• Security bars on garage windows or on windows not facing the street
• Initial installation of a home security system/service, but not monthly monitoring fees.

 
NOT Eligible:

• Storm or combination doors not of the all-steel "security" type, even if lockable.
• Tools
• Rental charges
• Personal installation time or "sweat equity"
• Security system monthly monitoring or service fees
• Batteries or other consumables

Spend at least $50 on any security related item for your home or business and get $50 back from your neighborhood.



WPCC_security_rebate_form.pdf

On February 3, the Waite Park Community Council hosted Steve Larson, the Community Coordinator from Restorative Justice Community Action (RJCA). RJCA is an organization that seeks to rehabilitate non-violent offenders of what is termed "livability" crimes. These types of crimes, such as disorderly conduct, public intoxication or public urination, usually only require the offender to appear in court and pay a small fine. The Restorative Justice process seeks to offer an alternative sentence for these offenders by allowing them to participate in uniquely crafted programs within the community they offended.
 
RJCA works in Minneapolis neighborhoods to strengthen offender accountability for livability crimes by empowering local citizens to participate directly in the justice process. The offenders that are allowed to enter the program, based on the recommendation of the City Attorney and Restorative Justice coordinators, meet with neighborhood residents to craft personal restitution plans instead of paying the usual fine for these low-level offenses. Based on the data for these crimes, offenders in the RJCA program are less likely to reoffend compared to other criminals that only pay a standard fine.
 
Restorative Justice has operated in other parts of the city for several years and has recently kicked off their program in Northeast Minneapolis. According to Steve Larson, RJCA works with about 500 offenders throughout the city each year. On February 11, Restorative Justice worked with its first two offenders in the area, one in the Windom Park neighborhood and one in the Marcy-Holmes area.
 
You can find out more information on Restorative Justice at www.rjca-inc.org.