Reminder: Beautification Day around the corner

Thanks to Pastor Rick for the reminder...

If you're not signed up for next Saturday's Beautification Day (May 1, 8:00AM-12 PM), call 909.624.1281. Participants will gather for lunch, entertainment, and a health fair at the Fairplex from 12:30-2:30 PM.

Scam Alert

Carlos Hernandez from the PD's Crime Prevention Office sent around this e-mail alert earlier today. In case you're not on his distribution list, I'm reposting here to help get the word out.

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Fraud Letter

Hello Everyone,

Be aware that a well-worn scam is appearing in SoCal mailboxes again.

Please mention this to the rest of the NW group and any elderly relatives who are homeowners, since they seem to be the main target.

The scam is an official-looking letter from the "Title Compliance Office," saying you need a copy of your grant deed for all sorts of ominous-sounding reasons. The letter commands you to write a check for $159.00 IMMEDIATELY and send it in.

This is a TOTAL SCAM AND FRAUD. If you need a copy of your grant deed, the L.A. County Recorder's Office will send you one for $6. If you are selling your house, your real estate agent will take care of getting it.

Just a word to the wise.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Thank you,

Carlos Hernandez

Crime Prevention

Pomona Police Department

(909)802-7449

Our safety. Our police.

Pomona City Council voted last night to move forward with a Phase I study to evaluate some of the costs associated with outsourcing Pomona's police work to the LA County Sheriff.

I'm a fan of data. Good data can help make good decisions. However, after listening to nearly 40 speakers from the community and to the Q&A between Council and city staff, I have strong reservations about the quality, and hence the usefulness, of the data this Phase I study will provide.

First, the Sheriff's department will be playing the dual role of evaluator and evaluated. They are conducting the study on themselves. As speakers pointed out last night, this is a conflict of interest. We are taught to be suspicious of drug trials payed for by pharmaceutical companies for a reason. This "study" is a basic sales job. A pitch for a product/service.

Second, the Phase I study will offer insufficient data. The city will get to see broad-stroke estimates of, for instance, salary costs. The nitty-gritty costs -- for facilities, buying out pensions, cop cars, etc -- wouldn't become available until the Phase II study, which would cost our financially strapped city $25K to obtain. [I heard citizens say after the meeting that the Phase I study is only free IF we subsequently pursue the Phase II study -- does anyone know if this is true?]

Thus, we won't get access to sufficient data to make even purely financial decisions. And, counter to what Councilmember Atchley asserted in his comments concerning rationality, I see no reason why this should be a purely financial issue.

Third, the Phase I study, the Phase II study, and evidently many members of the Council are focused on just one type of cost: financial costs. Although the nearly 40 speakers at last night's meeting presented a multitude of angles from which to consider this issue, the vast majority of the council members' comments focused on fiscal concerns (I know money matters, but it certainly isn't all that matters -- even in city government). Frankly, they didn't seem to hear our concerns about the value of a stable and accessible police force that knows the streets, the issues, and people of the city.

I agree 100% with Councilmember Saunders, "Even though [the Phase I study] is free, it isn't worth the price."

Google Calendar for Pomona Events?

I recently started using Google Calendar. So far I'm loving it. I can see and integrate the calendars of friends and family (with their permission, of course). This tool is making shared childcare responsibilities easier to manage.

Now, I'd like to see a couple city calendars.

Perhaps one calendar for public meetings (e.g., City Council meetings). Another calendar for fun events (e.g., Pomona Beautification Day, the camp out thingy for kids at the Fairplex, Second Saturdays).

"We the people" could easily manage the calendars. We'd just need to start them, make them public, and take a stone soup approach to adding content.

If I know about a Cal Poly pony show, I'd add it to the special events calendar for all to see. The kind folks at Metro Pomona could list all the Second Saturdays, antique festivals, and such. The Goddess could post yoga and hooping to the calendar. Staff at the Crime Prevention Office could add info about National Night Out. Ms. Lois could add info about story times and homework help available at the library.

The many Pomona blogs could link to the shared calendar so anyone who knows about the blogs would have ready access to an integrated list of happenings (happenings, I might add, that are often difficult to locate on -- or absent from -- the city's official webpage).

I'd love to know what others think about this idea -- especially those of you who already use Google Calendars and/or those of you who could imagine yourselves contributing content every now and then.

Reminder: City Council Meeting this Monday

As a reminder, the City Council plans -- though can't promise -- to discuss outsourcing Pomona's police work this Monday at 7PM. Arrive early if you'd like a seat.

A resource of resources

Looking for community resource information that is accurate, up-to-date, local, and Spanish translated? Here is a "resource of resources" for anyone looking for youth or family services in our community:

pomonafamilyresources.org

Service categories include education, counseling, medical, transportation, housing, recreation, and volunteer opportunities.

The form at the top of the page asks for a lot of demographic information. But, it looks like you can just skip that information if you're not comfortable providing it. That said, providing the requested information will result in more pointed resource recommendations (including distance from a particular address to each service returned in the search).

I'm really impressed by the number of resources collected here. My next step is to e-mail this web address to a friend who is looking for mental health counseling for a young man in his neighborhood.

Southwest Area Commander Meeting: April 18

The next Area Commander meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 18th at the Ralph Welch Park Community Center (1251 W 11th) from 7:00 - 8:30 PM.

The meeting will focus on the Southwest area of the city (South of Holt, West of Garey), however all residents are encouraged to attend.

Lt. Paul Hitt will facilitate the meeting. If you have concerns or questions for Lt. Hitt, consider contacting him before the meeting so he can, if needed, research the issue in time for the meeting. His contact info appears in the top right corner of the blog.