HAPPY 2011!

This will be the first full year for CBNA....let's make it a fruitful one by working together to make our neighborhood safer, more attractive and a great place in which to live.

News update:

There has been some planning regarding a Clean-up Day in May.  If you have questions or comments about this event, please contact Sharon Roualet.  We would like to make this as fun and "friendly" as possible.



Drivers continue to ignore the "one way" sign on Lindbergh.  I saw a trash truck pulling onto W. 17th going North/the wrong way, recently.  Don Smith, who lives on the corner of Lindbergh and W. 17th, saw a woman pull into Dawn Hewitt's driveway and then proceeded to back onto Lindbergh and then onto W. 17th.  Talk about dangerous!!!!!  Guess she thought as long as she was going backwards.....her car was at least "pointing" in the correct direction.....durrrrrrrrrr!!!!

The removal of the "concrete posts" in the median on Crescent, in my opinion, is a good thing.  Replacing them with more reflective signs which will be less destructive to a vehicle if hit, is also advantageous.  Thank you City of Bloomington, for hearing our opinions and requests, and for responding.


Street lights for W. 17th, from Lindbergh to Monroe, have been addressed with Public Works and Christine Smith.  Chris is looking into getting us 2, and possibly more street lights.  If you feel strongly that you do not want street lights, please let your opinion be known.  It is my understanding that if just one person is against street lights, the entire project will be canceled.


The needed land to complete the improved intersection at Vernal and Crescent has been purchased.  The City engineers have designed and proposed the plans for this project.  Funds  for actual construction will likely be coming from grants and the appropriation should be finalized by this summer.

WHO TO CALL TO REQUEST ROAD TRASH REMOVAL

Community Corrections is in charge of the road crews that pick up the road/highway trash.  The gentleman's name who is in charge of the road crews is Tom Rhodes and his phone number is 349-2005.  Vernal Pike, from Hwy 37 East to Crescent and especially around the intersection  of Crescent and Vernal, was reported today 12/15/10.  This section of roadway, in my opinion, is disgusting.  I actually enjoy some snow because at least it covers the worst of it.  Because of the below freezing temperatures, the crews will not be removing trash until there is a significant increase in temperatures....which is understandable.  However, if you don't see that that area has been picked-up by the end of March....please call him again.

Most of you that will read this blog are responsible enough to pickup trash from your own yard/property.  However, those of us who are "responsible citizens" often have to share in upholding the responsibilities of the "irresponsible, unavailable or unable citizens" that live near us.  Now that we have a neighborhood association, and are striving to better our neighborhood, lets take pride in our surroundings by keeping our yards free of litter.....and that of our neighbor's, if needed.  We will have a clean-up day in the spring when we can work together to remove trash from our properties and from the surrounding area.

Blue bags are available at HAND in the Shower's Building and Sue Tuohy and I have some, as well.  These bags can be placed with your own trash, and will be picked-up by the City, on the regular trash removal day, but these bags do not require a sticker.

A final thought on this subject:  Just seems sort of futile, at least to me, to put time and effort into transforming a large piece of limestone into a thing of beauty, creating such a unique sign(see the pictures of it on this blog), to define our neighborhood, and then placing it in a trash heap.


Carrie Winkel

Shannon Simpson - Crescent Pointe Manager

Here's Shannon's contact info:

            Property Manager

           Cell (317)362-6688

        Office (812)339-8018

ssimpson@crestlinecommunities.com

Shannon is willing to work with and help the association in numerous ways.  She also says we can use her office, which is a unit/house in Crescent Pointe for quarterly meetings.  Thank you, Shannon, for offering us a much needed place to meet and for being willing to help us as we work toward community enhancing goals in the future.  Remember our next meeting will be in February.  We need to talk about STREET LIGHTS and the Neighborhood Watch Program.

PINNACLE SCHOOL GETS FEDERAL STIMULUS BOND

According to Saturday, December 4th, 2010's Herald Times, Pinnacle School will be receiving $2.1 million to help fulfill it's campus master plan.  Bloomington City Council Members unanimously signed off on the bond for this project.  The Monroe County commissioners have also green-lighted the bond.  Even though the city and county signed off, the two governments' bond ratings are not affected and neither is on the hook if payments can't be made.  The local governments simply act as a pass-through for the money according to the article by Michael Malik 331-4370/mmalik@heraldt.com. 

What are your committee members and neighbors working on to improve your neighborhood?

If you missed our last meeting at the Roualet's you missed a great time.  We had a rousing discussion about several issues and were able to make some goals.  The following are issues we are working on:

 1) The posts on the median on Crescent, which is to reduce traffic speed, need to be more visible.  Again, Charlie Smith has taken some pictures of other median posts which have appropriate reflective signs which are very visible.  It make sense too, that instead of being constructed of concrete, they should be constructed of a less dense material, like rubber, or the base should be more pliable....as in a large spring,if possible.  It seems that the goal of the median is to visibly cause traffic to slow down enough to safely go around the median, in the middle of the road, as opposed to destroy vehicles whose drivers do not see the posts or median in time to stop.  More and or wider reflective tape has repeatedly been requested from the City.  There have been at least 5 accidents, a few of them serious, at this one particular median.

2) The street lights that have been installed within Crescent Pointe, and the one that illuminates the sharp curve/bend, in particular, have increased security and safety in that area.  We will now request street lights along W. 17th to increase safety especially for pedestrians who are required to walk in the road in the dark.

3) The neighborhood feels it's important to show drivers exactly how fast they are traveling on our narrow street that has little berm and no sidewalks..  We are going to request a digital speed monitor like the sign/monitor on High St. which shows drivers their speed as they pass the sign.


4) We will have a work day in the spring, followed by a social event.  This is a great time to partner with the City to rid your attic/garage/yard of things you don't need or trash at no cost.  We hope to also pick up the unsightly trash along the road that seems to accumulate and then remain where it is distributed to make our neighborhood more attractive.

5) When the new round-about is defined and plans nailed-down, we can begin to plan for the placement of our neighborhood sign.  In order to make the letters stand out and very visible, the letters will be stained.  This process may have to wait until spring as well.

6) We feel it's necessary to invite representatives from the City and INDOT, i.e. Susie Johnson from Public Works and also the Chief of Police, to regular neighborhood meetings so they can advise us on what changes are being proposed for the future which will affect our neighborhood and infrastructure and also to educate us as to how to make our neighborhood safer by starting a Neighborhood Watch Program. 

7) The City engineer has been recently notified regarding needed changes to the posts on the median on Crescent.  He also states that the design process for the round-about is only about 50% complete.  An environment impact study is also required as part of this process.   Therefore, the time line for this project will likely be more like 2013 as opposed to 2012.  Neighbors can relax a bit for the near future as the extension of W. 17th through the hill and under Hwy 37 or future I69 is not even in the plans at this time.  There have been no moneys appropriated and this project will not take place as an "extension" when the round-about is actually constructed.  

COME JOIN US IN THE SPRING.....EVERY NEIGHBOR IS WELCOME!!!!

Crescent Bend Neighborhood Sign

Charlie Smith was kind enough to take a picture of our lovely limestone sign.  Thanks so much Charlie.  And thanks to Dave Devitt and David Szatkowski for making this sign a lovely reality. 

EMAIL ADDRESS for Crescent Bend Neighborhood Association

 Crescent Bend Neighbors......the email address for the Crescent Bend Neighborhood Association is:
crescentbend@gmail.com


It's recommended that if you have any security problems or suggestions for a CBNA project or social event, that you CC the above email address when contacting an Executive Committee Member.

CBNA is striving to be proactive regarding crime prevention.  We are keeping records of any crime/break-ins/robberies/property damage that occurs within our stated boundaries.  If you do have any crime incidences, please email Carrie at cgw1018@sbcglobal.com (at least for now) and CC to crescentbend@gmail.com.

What's new in the hood???????

If you're here....it's probably your first time at CBNA's blog.  This blog was composed so that your neighborhood news could be easily posted and accessed.  We hope, if you are a neighbor, that you will come back often to see what we are doing to make your living environment a better place in which to live.

The executive committee will have it's first meeting November 12th at Tim and Sharon Roualet's.  If you will join us, please post RSVP's.

You are invited....Even if you don't want to serve on the board or a committee.  It's a "neighbor thing".......

Fall 2010

  Crescent Bend Neighborhood

Association

Organized June, 2010

 Winkel        cgw1018@sbcglobal.net 

 Roualet         stroualet@gmail.com 

 Devitt           cranedad@gmail.com  

 Tuohy           tuohys@indiana.edu      

Contact CBNA to voice your neighborhood concerns and suggestions.

NEXT QUARTERLY MEETING

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12  7-9 pm.

Location: ROUALET'S

1311 West 17th  

Popcorn, beer and sodas provided by hosts

Please R.S.V.P.

   

MEETING AGENDA:   Chair Carrie Winkel

Communications Committee    Chair Sharon Roualet

• Set date & place for Spring 2011 Clean-up (& Picnic?)
• Set dates and place for next quarterly meetings

Security Committee  CHAIR NEEDED.  Volunteer!

• Talk with police to establish Neighborhood Watch program; coordinate volunteers in our neighborhood.
• Street Light Report: They’re installed at Crescent Pointe.  At last the bend on Crescent & W. 17th is illuminated.

Traffic, Infrastructure & Developments Committee

Co-Chairs Dave & Dustin Devitt

• Reports on Roundabout,  I69, traffic control update, sidewalks, medians

Projects & Grants Committee  Chair Sue Tuohy

• Update on limestone neighborhood sign
• Possible HAND grants & projects

NEWS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

• Neighborhood Sign:  Dave Szatkowski and Dave Devitt joined forces to find and haul a lovely piece of limestone .  Stonecarver Szatowski has worked his magic.  David Devitt will move the piece of art into place when appropriate.
• Are drivers “trashing” your yard?  HAND provided special collection bags that don’t require stickers for trash pickup.  Contact Sue T. or Carrie W. for blue trash bags.
• Lindbergh is now one way.  Many drivers are ignoring, but the accident rate is down! 
• Street lights now illuminate the dangerous W.17th/Crescent bend and increase security within Crescent Pointe and at the bus stop.