Community groups raise crime profile
East Village Association board minutes for Feb. 13, 2017, by Daniel Navarro
EVA president Dan Johnson will ask for volunteers for a safety committee. Community group leaders are forming a working group following a series of Chicago Police town-hall meetings.
The group will check in with police, aldermen and other leaders to keep tabs on measures to deal with crime. Anne Shaw, who organized a 2011 effort to save the 13th District police station, expressed interest.
The West Town SSA is considering private security for the Chicago Avenue business district. Vice president Michael VanDam asked if EVA would take a position. The concern is that police may redeploy its officers elsewhere. VanDam said private security should not be a long-term solution. The tax district offers rebates for private security cameras.
Public safety issues will be featured in future EVA meetings.
Ald. Ameya Pawar, a candidate for governor, is scheduled to speak at EVA's 7pm April 3 meeting in the Happy Village, 1059 N. Wolcott Ave.
Planning, Preservation & DevelopmentA possible upzoning request is coming on the 900 block of Paulina. Owners have not put a proposal forward. On Augusta, zoning changes would be require to build a 3-flat on a teardown site.
No information was available on on the Augusta dairy, which was to be on the March city Landmark Commission agenda. Work has resumed at the Ace on Ashland development.
Officer nominating committeeBoard members are discussing interest in EVA leadership—speak up.