Community Watch Frustrating
 

Just off of Buerna Vista and Old Camp Road (next to entrance to Bridgeport at Lake Sumpter) there is an empty field with with a small hill on top of which sits a magnificent oak tree. Logistically it is across from the field where the buffalo roamed in Lake Sumpter Landing. My husband and I like to sit on the hill under the oak and watch the alligators in the lake since it is a peaceful setting. Evidentially there are other visitors after dark who have left behind approximately two dozen empty chewing tobacco cans as well as empty beer cans. Yesterday we noticed that someone was hacking a large gouge out of the oak tree causing a large wound so I called the Community Watch. The lady who answered the phone actually laughed when I told her about the vagrants hanging out after dark and trying to destroy a tree that is at least a 100 years old. She brushed me off and told me to call maintenance.:cus: They are completely useless. :shrug:

OR....We could tie a yellow ribbon round that old oak tree.
 

This brings to mind several issues. Maybe there is another person who will answer the phone if one of us calls again. (Or many of us call. Could you post the number?) The other issue is ...who is the tobacco chewing chopper? If I were there I would be tempted to form a posse. Then....maybe if you did call maintainance and presented it in such a way....he would call the powers that be...which is probably NOT the village watch.

You have a whole buncha folks who would try to help I am sure.

A neighborhood watch guy told me one time, "our job is to help find people who wander off."

Chief Tucker, our TV Fire Chief and also the head of Community Watch, once told his Community Watch people that if someone called with a problem, they (Community Watch) owned that problem until they found the correct person to solve it. Chief Tucker is trying to make CW a viable and useful organization but he apparently still has a few rotten apples in the barrel. I would suggest you take you complaint right up the chain of command, starting with the Dispatch Supervisor and moving all the way up to Chief Tucker if necessary. The problem you describe sounds to me exactly like something that CW should address - well, maybe they get a Tree Surgeon for the tree wound but the vagrants is definitely in their ballpark. Remember, if management of an organization does not know there is a problem within that organization, they can not fix it.

Bryan,

You are right on with your response. I had first hand experience with this type organization. If I didn't know of a problem, I couldn't fix it. Give a call back and start going up the chain of command.

Here's an update
 

Thanks for the feedback. I called Community Watch back to see if they had recorded my message and they had no knowledge of it. The person I spoke to this time said that they would patrol at night and that she would inform the Director that no action was taken after my initial call. I also called maintenance and they will take care of the wound on the tree.

GracieGirl, you are a hoot. I can visualize the posse charging down buena vista in golf carts waving golf clubs searching for the tobacco chewing choppers. :1rotfl:

community watch
 

This is truly sad. Why are they being paid a salary if they are this unco-operative? We saw an 18 wheeler parked on our street since the motor was running and loud. The car came 1/2 hour later, drove around it, didn't stop to investigate and then drove off. The tractor trailer stayed there the entire night, enjoying the airconditioning in the cab probably asleep. Noise kept us up all night. By the way, he was parked in front of an empty lot that had a portable potty...so he had all the comforts of home.
By morning, he drove off. I think the commmunity watch people should be responsible and help us when we need it.

The community watch really doesn't have any authority to control who or what parks on our public streets in TV.

How did the CW folks know the truck had been parked for hours...???

community watch
 

How? When the 18 wheeler is 2 doors down on the same side of the street you live on...hear loud sounds in your house from the truck running in the street...you look and it is night...and morning it is still there. Sorry if I didn't make myself clear the first time.

community watch
 

WHoops...forgot to say. We called CW...they were informed...just didn't do anything. Read my first comment for details.

Question
 

I have heard a lot of what the Community Watch does not do..What is it that they do? What are their performance criterias? Given the extraordinary expense to support this group there should be a justification for their expenses. It is fair to ask what they are...

Now I know why the large RV is in the driveway a few blocks away... all the time.

community watch
 

Observations reflect that the community watch is a front to let the residents think they are safe. I would rather have police watch and pay them (could be overtime for them) thus the nonsense would be addressed as well as homes really protected. My two cents worth.

There will never be a regular police presence in The Villages. My Opinion.

A little defense for Community Watch. Has everyone noticed the increased patrols since Tucker took over the organization. I see the watch vehicles every time I'm out in my golf cart. We had a issue with a neighbor that had high weeds. Community watch was contacted, weeds are gone. Just a thought.

community watch
 

Low expectations yield low results.
RV parking is a no-no. Where is CW?

Large boat and trailer parked on street is a no-no. Where is CW?

Either they can affect change, improve the neighborhood or get rid of them (which I would do).

community watch
 

I have no problem with CW. seems they are doing a good job.

Community Watch
 

I have found CW will continually ignore some obvious violations, like repeated overnight parking on streets or tv dishes installed in the wrong places. However, a call to Deed Compliance about the issue and it will be addressed quickly. Deed Compliance is anonymous, they will not ask for a name, just the address of the violation.

Charlie

Anonymous? What ever happened to "bring my accuser before me?" I know from personal experience that deed compliance acts solely on the calls of an anonymous complainant. It is absolutely the perfect way to harass somebody without having to be held accountable for the accusation.

I seem to remember something I learned in history class about a time when people were expected to call the authorities and report activities of their neighbors? What country was that?........oh, I forget.

Now, I'm not saying that we should turn a blind eye to deed violations. I am saying that if you are going to call and make a report, you should be willing to go on the record as having made the complaint.

I don't know what CW does but I do know they have no police powers. If the street in question is a public street then it is a police issue. I am not sure there is any law against parking a RV on the street.. Not nice though.

That is exactly the same issue as with "door to door" campaigning or peddling. Villages "deed restrictions" do not apply to outsiders. Community Watch can't stop them. The police (sheriff's department) is not going to enforce "deed restrictions". If a senatorial candidate knocks on your door to ask for your vote, he is violating "deed restrictions." I ask you, what action can be taken and by whom?

(Please, please, please, I am not endorsing door to door campaigning, I'm just discussing enforcement of the prohibition, because its gonna come up some day.)

JLK

RV's are allowed to park in the street to load or unload for 3 days. Semi tractor I don't know. I wonder what was its load, maybe they were delivering building materials if they were near a vacant lot, or was it a moving van? On a public street for one night, I doubt the police could move it. To say CW did nothing may not be true.

Community Watch at Bonnybrook Gate
 

Good for gate control, absolutely useless for anything else.... Called with a problem of noise and kids ggetting out of the car on our street..car parked there with lights on, partying going on for almost an hour..finally called Village WAtch and reported suspicious activity, and was told to call 911.