CCW FINANCES -

The 2008 contributions of $320.00 was received from Northside, Old Brook Farms, and Northwest Passage Associations and from members M. Husar, J. McKay, and G. Bickel. There was $229.81 donated in office supplies, and $170.94 in meeting supplies were contributed by the members attending the meetings. We sold some aluminum cans for $181.00. All contributions are greatly appreciated and very beneficial to our operations. Any of the contributors that need a receipt for tax purposes should contact the treasurer, 483-6990. The $954.49 total income was not enough to cover the total expenses of $1304.96 so overall we had a net worth decrease. Newsletter postage, postal permits, and P.O. Box rental was the main expense at $813.25. Office supplies expense was second with $280.48, and the $204.09 in meeting supplies took third place. The good news is that by alternating the newsletter distribution to every other month for Neighborhood Presidents, we saved about $152.00. Our newsletter expense should decrease this year after the post office returns newsletters that can’t be delivered as addressed. I know that our distribution will shrink. As I stated last month, we will be having returned mail costing first class postage because of new postal requirements for bulk mailing. This may or may not be a major expense for us. Any expense is more than we need. As the mail returns, I will be given sixty days to either correct or eliminate the incorrect address in the distribution. Whatever I do to correct the mailing problems, the returned mail should be reduced to ZERO. Small amounts of mail will surely continue to be returned monthly.

A second major expense that we will have this year (probably shortly) is replacing the copier. The old copier is just hanging on. I have gotten some copier replacement quotes for the Board to discuss but no decision has been made at present. I told you that the year 2009 is going to be eventful.

CHANGING CRIME STATS -

Have you looked at the crime stats listed in the Sunday newspapers lately? Up through December of last year, there were mostly "theft from vehicle" crimes listed. Now, most of the crimes are burglaries and robberies. With the cold weather, it appears that the criminals don’t want to spend the extra time outside walking around looking in cars for items worth taking. In theory at least, the snow on the ground can be a deterrent or a benefit to the criminals. Undisturbed snow around a vehicle would show unfamiliar tracks of the criminal that would make an auto owner aware of a potential criminal action that warrants higher security measures while that same undisturbed snow around a house possibly means that no one is there allowing the criminal to enter with very little risk of being caught. If you park your car in a parking lot where the snow is packed or unpacked, chances are that there are many footprints around your car so you wouldn’t suspect that you were close to becoming a victim. As Spring approaches, practice a little "crime prevention" with your car and the its contents.

As for burglaries, neighbors can be extremely helpful to other neighbors by making tracks in the snow if someone is away when the snow falls. Make if appear that the house is presently occupied. Communicate your plans with your neighbors. Let you neighbor know when you are going to be away for an extended period of time. Inform them of any expected activities for your property and let them know who and where to call for help. A burglar doesn’t like to be seen so WATCH!!!