Tonight! EastPAC featuring SPD Parking Enforcement staff, meeting at Garfield CC

Tonight! The EastPAC Community Meeting, 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM will be held at the Garfield Community Center in the childcare room. We appreciate the Garfield Campus Advisory Board for providing this space for our use!

Featured will be a Supervisor from SPD’s parking enforcement, who will address your concerns about parking issues, including resident zoned parking enforcement.

We will have information on hand regarding SDOT’s parking policies and zoning.

Hope to see several citizens tonight:

  • EastPAC Community Meeting
  • Thursday, April 25th, 6:30 to 8:00 PM
  • Garfield Community Center, childcare room
  • 2323 E Cherry St, 23rd and Cherry

Come One, Come All! Celebrate Community 12/6!

A few months ago, we gathered at Garfield Community Center to “Continue the Conversation” around the violence that has been plaguing our neighborhoods. At that meeting, you all decided that we needed to get to know one another better. What is missing is familiarity between the long-time residents and the newcomers. Several folks spoke about walking down the street where they grew up, where their parents, grandparents and other relatives lived, and how everyone knew one another. Now they feel like strangers. So it was decided, at that meeting, that a community potluck was in order! A time and place where we could gather, celebrate and eat together. Our next EastPAC meeting will be that celebration! So please mark your calendars:

EastPAC Holiday Gathering and Potluck- Thursday, December 6th, 6:30 PM Garfield Community Center, 2323 East Cherry St, 98122.

Please invite your neighbors, and bring your favorite food to share. Plates and utensils will be provided by Seattle University, who’s generosity, as well as the Garfield Community Center’s, is greatly appreciated!

Please also note that we greatly need expanded representation on our Board. More diversity, precinct -wide representation and students are invited also. You will need to commit to one board meeting a month and the regular community meeting on the fourth Thursday (except for November and December). Other commitments are voluntary. Please email me directly, or speak to me at the next meeting.

Stephanie Tschida, EastPAC Chair


Concerned about shots fired? Come to EastPAC’s 10/25 meeting…

Many neighbors are frustrated about ongoing, regular shots fired incidents in and around the CD, as well as open air drug dealing and other nuisance activities that disrupt our quality of life.

We will allow plenty of time on EastPAC’s agenda next Thursday for you to ask questions, state your concerns and express your issues. Our meeting is a neutral, safe place to discuss neighborhood concerns. As always, East Precinct

Police Command staff will be present to address your issues and give updates on what is being done.

Also in attendance will be Francisco Tello, SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator, who will have information about starting your own neighborhood Blockwatch.

EastPAC Community Meeting
Thursday, October 25th, 6:30 to 8:00 PM
Chardin Hall, Seattle University
1020 East Jefferson
(Enter at 11th and Jefferson, park free in front of building)

See you all next Thursday!

After the discussions: Moving Forward: EastPAC wants your Input.

The East Precinct Advisory Council (EastPAC) is organized exclusively with a focus on creating and sustaining safe neighborhoods in Seattle’s East Precinct. Facilitated by a volunteer Chairperson and Board of Directors, we sponsor monthly open public meetings as well as community events.

 Our mission:

“The East Precinct Advisory Council (EastPAC) provides a forum to resolve public safety priorities; evaluates, advocates and facilitates strategies that reduce crime and improve the quality of life for the East Precinct Community; and actively partners with law enforcement and other entities to address barriers to these outcomes.”

There have been several comments recently about your expectations and ideas of who and what we are. Our September meeting has historically been a time to consider those ideas, so we have some questions for you:

  1. What do you want to see from EastPAC?
  2. What do you want to hear about at our meetings?
  3. Who do you want to be our guest speaker?
  4. How can we get more representation from the entire East Precinct community?
  5. What are your expectations of city government? Elected officials? The Seattle Police Department?

You can send me an email, post a comment on the CD News, or-

Come to our September Community Meeting!  We will be discussing these and other items.

 EastPAC Community Meeting

Thursday, September 27th, 6:30 to 8:00 PM

Seattle University Chardin Hall Room 142

As always, there is free parking in front of the building

 See you on the 27th!

 

Stephanie Tschida, Chair

East Precinct Advisory Council

[email protected]

Continuing the Conversation – Tuesday 9/11

On May 30th, after a tragic few weeks of gun violence and homicides, the East Precinct Advisory Council and the Garfield Community Center sponsored a community gathering that drew over 300 people. Many were angry, frustrated, afraid and distressed.  Most attendees were neighbors who were very concerned about the increase in shootings.  The conversations evolved from anger about gentrification, racial inequity, disproportionate criminalization of minorities and other social injustices to the sharing of difficult circumstances and unfamiliar neighborhoods to the possibilities of healing. 

Some considered the meeting to be a failure.  I don’t agree, believing that this is a growing process toward some element of collaboration and support and understanding among neighbors and community.  Some of you signed up for a committee to do something about the violence.  Others met new neighbors and police staff. 

So where are we now? The Garfield Community Center has set aside the auspicious date of Tuesday, September 11th, 2012 to “Continue the Conversation”. 

I am encouraging you to come and let’s start to work together to support one another.  We don’t need another tragedy to build community in the Central District!  

 We need sharing, understanding, empathy and support of one another, and a cohesive effort to positively empower and provide alternatives to those engaged in violence and negative activities. 

We have a long road to travel, let’s begin the journey now!

Continuing the Conversation

Tuesday, September 11th, 6:30 to 8:00 PM

Garfield Community Center

2323 E Cherry St

Event sponsors:

  • Garfield Community Center Advisory Council
  • EASTPAC
  • Garfield High School PTSA
  • Central Seattle Drug Free Communities Coalition

Stephanie, Chair, EastPAC

August 23 EastPAC Meeting and Results…

The East Precinct Advisory Council (EastPAC) is organized exclusively with a focus on creating and sustaining safe neighborhoods in Seattle’s East Precinct. Managed by a Chairperson and Board of Directors, we sponsor monthly open public meetings as well as community events.

 Our mission is as follows:

“The East Precinct Advisory Council (EastPAC) provides a forum to resolve public safety priorities; evaluates, advocates and facilitates strategies that reduce crime and improve the quality of life for the East Precinct Community; and actively partners with law enforcement and other entities to address barriers to these outcomes.”

 There has been a perceived lack of action and comments suggesting that nothing gets accomplished and there are no results fromour meetings. Our goal, as the mission states, is to provide a forum– our monthly meetings – to address your concerns.  We evaluate and advocate for effective public safety policy that eliminates barriers to safe neighborhoods. We facilitatestrategiesthat reduce crime by providing you with access to and face-time with the Seattle Police Department’s command staff as well as city officials and representatives of community-based organizations that impact community safety and quality of life issues. We advocatefor our stakeholders on behalf of public safety. We can write a letter of support on your behalf, join you in meeting with an elected official or voice our opposition or request at a public hearing. If there is a particularly urgent issue, we can form a task force with you to focus on your particular situation.

What we don’t do is take up your issue and attempt to fix it without your active participation. We will absolutely stand behind you, but we need your direct involvement in helping us to resolve your neighborhood’s public safety issues.

Please note that the key component of a successful Precinct Advisory Board is diversity in culture, race, ethnicity, age, and socio-economic status.  Our board is not as diverse as it needs to be. We are looking for energetic and active board membersto provide an enlightened view on the issues we face- from racial inequity to youth violence, to adequate services for the East Precinct residents. We have a significant capacity to make a difference on many levels, but we need more people to help.

 With that said, I encourage you to come our Thursday meeting:

EastPAC Community Meeting

Thursday, August 23,  6:30 to 8:00 PM

Seattle University Chardin Hall room 142

1020 East Jefferson

Seattle, 98122

As always, there is free parking in front of the building

As our problems with gun violence persist, we will have Jamila Taylor from the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative and members of SPD’s Gang Unit as our guests. 

There will be time on the agenda for you to voice your concerns and announce your community events.

 Let’s come together as a diverse and collaborative community and together, make sure things get done and changes are made for the better! And please let me know if you’d like to be on the Board, we need you!!!

Stephanie Tschida, Chair

East Precinct Advisory Council

[email protected]

Much Larger Venue for 7/26 EastPAC Meeting!

As we learned from the CD News comments, many folks requested a larger room for our EastPAC meetings.

So we listened, and booked the Garfield  Community Center’s Community Room for THIS Thursday’s July 26th Community Meeting, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM.

We will be discussing recent events and incidents impacting our neighborhoods as well as the arrest of the suspect in the Justin Ferrarri homicide. Please, let’s also not forget to push toward finding the person/s responsible for the shooting of Tyrone Love and the countless others who have been victims of gun violence.  

 SPD East Precinct Command staff will be present to answer your questions and address your concerns.

Also, please join me in welcoming Melanie Boehm to our EastPAC Board!  Melanie brings a wealth of experience and commitment to increasing the quality of life in our neighborhoods, and is very involved in community and youth development and support. Melanie has worked with Seattle Parks and Recreation since 2004, and is an East Precinct/Central District resident.  Welcome, Melanie! 

We’ll see everyone on Thursday, and let’s proactively collaborate to make this a safer and healthier community!

Stephanie, Chair

July 26th EastPAC Meeting at Garfield Community Center

Several citizens requested that we hold our next EastPAC Community Meeting in a larger venue, as our numbers of attendees have been increasing. We heard you, and have scheduled the Garfield Community Center’s Community Room for our July 26th meeting. So let’s fill the room!

EastPAC Community Meeting

Thursday July 26, 6:30 to 8:00 PM

Garfield Community Center Community Room

2323 East Cherry Street, Seattle, WA 98122

The July meeting will focus on our community. We have several issues to discuss, and we need to begin making progress toward healing while eliminating gun violence, shots fired, drug dealing and other criminal activity plaguing our neighborhoods. We will not host a special guest this time, providing plenty of time for you to ask questions and express your concerns to your own Seattle Police East Precinct Command Staff and City Attorney Liaison. Invite your friends and neighbors! Please note that Seattle University, in order to admit more members at our August meeting, will re-configure our usual room in Chardin Hall. A big shout out to Seattle University for their generosity! See you all on July 26th, and meanwhile, enjoy the sunny days of summer!

Full House at Wednesday’s “Dog Talk” Town Hall Meeting

The house was full tonight at the Garfield Community Center for the “Dog Talk” Town Hall Meeting!  Held in observance of National Prevention Week, the purpose of this event was to listen to youth and adults talk about alcohol and other drug use.  Steve Freng, the Prevention/Treatment Manager for Northwest HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) gave an interesting analysis of incidences of drug use and abuse both statewide and in King County.

Particularly inspiring was the student panel discussion of perceptions, availability and resistance to drugs and alcohol, as well as sound advice as to what schools, parents and mentors need to do to prevent substance abuse.  The students, from Garfield, Roosevelt, and Middle College High School as well as Washington Middle School, were articulate, enlightened and impressive as they shared their experiences, positions and opinions. 

Sponsors included the Central Seattle Drug Free Communities Coalition, Garfield High School, Teen Health Center and PTSA, Partners in Prevention Center for Human Services, King County Mental Health Chemical Abuse and Dependency Services Division, Seattle Parks and Recreation Garfield Community Center and Teen Life Center, and Puget Sound Educational Service District.   

Way to Go! 

EastPAC 5/24 meeting: Asst. Chief Sanford- SPD’s 20/20 plan

 

EastPAC Community Meeting 

Thursday, May 24, 6:30 TO 8 PM 

Seattle University’s Chardin Hall, Room 142 

1020 East Jefferson-

(enter on 11th and Jefferson, park free in front of building)   

 

In March of 2011, the US Department of Justice began an investigation of the Seattle Police Department, focusing on whether SPD “engaged in a practice of unconstitutional policing through the use of excessive force and/or discriminatory policing”. DOJ’s findings conclude that these deficiencies do in fact exist, particularly within a “subset of officers who use force improperly”.  For the entire report, see:  http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/spl/documents/spd_findletter_12-16-11.pdf

In response to the DOJ findings, the Mayor’s Office and Police Department released it’s own reform plan, “SPD 20/20 –“A VISION FOR THE FUTURE”, identifying 20 changes to be implemented in 20 months.

SPD’s Assistant Chief Mike Sanford will be presenting the 20/20 plan at our May 24th EastPAC meeting. Please review the plan before the meeting- http://www.seattle.gov/spd2020/ -and come prepared with questions, concerns, in support of or opposition to this plan, as well as additional suggestions for better policing.

Also, recently there have been concernsthat not everyone is able to share their issues because some attendees monopolize the community concerns component of our meetings.  I am aware of this, and the Executive Board and I are working on strategies that provide opportunities for everyone to speak including limiting comments and questions to one minute, only one person speaks at a time and everyone speaks once before anyone speaks twice.  Additionally, as we very much appreciate the generosity of Seattle University, who provide us with an accessible meeting space with free parking. In return, we must abide by their standards through respectful participation.

 I’m looking forward to seeing everyone next Thursday!

Stephanie Tschida, Chair

East Precinct Advisory Council