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Neighborhood News
Councilman Perry Urges OPNNA Residents to Engage in 2021 Bond Proposal
Olmos Park Police Department Nears the Top in Traffic Stops
BY RON AARON EISENBERG
With nearly 100 area residents in attendance at a recent Oak Park Northwood Neighborhood Association meeting, San Antonio city councilman Clayton Perry urged folks to speak up about the $1 billion bond issue.
“We want to be sure our district is fairly represented in the bond, especially when it comes to street construction and related repairs,” Perry said.
He promised to work tirelessly to make Northside a priority as council prepares to vote on the new bond.
Perry brought several San Antonio departments and police and fire representatives to the meeting to answer any questions residents may have had. Also in attendance was the new airport director Jesus Saenz, Jr. who talked with concerned residents about plans to expand airport operations.
Perry’s office provided refreshments for all the attendees. Prior to Perry’s talk, residents approved several amendments to the association’s by-laws including moving the annual election of board members and officers to the Fall, rather than the Spring. The change gives the new board and officers time to plan the July 4 annual parade and other OPNNA events. The next OPNNA election will be held in October 2022. OPNNA president Gina Galaviz Eisenberg also briefed attendees on the Sunday, November 14, 2021 NeighborFest, a first for the association. She invited residents to grab the kids, a couple of chairs, and their coolers to join neighbors at Northridge Park, 821 Chevy Chase Drive. There will be food trucks and a band. Plus, Puddin’ the Clown will do face painting and make balloon animals for the youngsters. The event is free and open to the public. It will run from 2pm to 4pm.
A recent survey of 2,500 police department traffic stops in 2020, in the state of Texas, by Hearst Newspapers’ Houston Chronicle found that Olmos Park ranked near the top of all San Antonio area departments.
Alamo Heights was also near the top. While Terrell Hills Police Department was well behind the other two jurisdictions. Olmos Park Police Department’s 20 officers averaged 125 traffic stops per officer, with 2,496 stops last year. Alamo Heights Police averaged 95 stops per officer, with 1,998 stops initiated by its 21 police officers in 2020.
Terrell Hills has 15 officers total, with 12 assigned to patrol. In 2020, they averaged 15.5 stops per officer for a total of 186 stops.
By comparison, the Palmer Police Department in Ellis County, Texas, recorded 13,566 traffic stops with just 12 officers on the force. That equals 1,131 stops per police officer last year.
The Sandra Bland Act requires police departments to submit traffic stop data to the state. Ms. Bland died by suicide after she was arrested and jailed in Waller County, Texas for a minor traffic violation.
Free Home Safety Surveys for Olmos Park Residents KNOW YOURSELF
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The Olmos Park Fire Department is offering a free home safety survey for area home owners.
Using a checklist provided from the National Fire Protection Association website, a member of the fire department will walk through Olmos Park residents’ homes and help to identify commonly found and frequently forgotten fire and life safety hazards. Participation in this program is voluntary and privacy is protected. Any findings identified during a home safety survey are 100% confidential.
In addition to the fire safety survey, Olmos Park will provide free smoke alarms for any homes in the neighborhood. The alarms will be for use in bedrooms and common living areas that currently do not have smoke detectors. The first 9-volt battery is included with every alarm. They should be replaced each year when residents change clocks for daylight savings time.
For more information or to set up an installation appointment, please call 210-832-0506. Wayne Wright Law Offices provides the smoke alarms at no cost to the OPFD.
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