a neighborhood meeting

Every year, there is an association meeting for the residents of Wild Harbor, the beautiful area where my mom lives on the Cape.  And every year it falls in late August, when I'm usually there. I like to go.

The trustees lead the meeting and areas of concern are discussed.  The person in charge of the waterfront speaks, as does the person in charge of tennis, of recreation, etc. The biggest issue is usually the reckless driving of golf carts by pre-teens. Or maybe the use of the Wild Harbor private beach by residents of the neighboring New Silver beach.  Other than that, things generally run pretty smoothly.  

But even big cities are made up of small neighborhoods.  Tonight I see this in my lobby and decide to go.

Apparently, these monthly meetings have been going on for 31 years, though this will be the first one I've attended. This neighborhood association — which covers 76th to 82d Streets from the East River to First Avenue, as well as 79th Street west to Lexington Avenue — is probably smaller geographically than Wild Harbor Estates.  

Tonight's meeting is being held a block from where I live (on East 79th Street). I arrive a few minutes before six, and am surprised by the large group attending. Betty, the 78-year old woman who runs the meeting, is a no-nonsense, tough leader.  I later find an article in the New York Times from 1996 that describes her as "the most polite pit bull in local politics." 

Tonight Betty has invited all sorts of community heads, including the local police captain, some of his patrolmen, the NYC Commissioner of Consumer Affairs, and a city council member.

The reports are enlightening.  I hear, for example, that in the past 28 days:

• There has been only one assault in the neighborhood, and that was between roommates.
• Grand larceny is the biggest problem (11 incidents) but most of those involve credit card fraud.
• Phone scams are on the rise; DO NOT GIVE MONEY to anyone emailing you from the IRS saying you owe back taxes; one local resident lost $2,700 doing this.
• There were 397 collisions, but only 21 involving occupancy injury.
• Shockingly there were only 6 bike incidents, and none of these involved pedestrians.
• And, two major shredding events (one for hard drives and one for paper) are scheduled for next month.

One woman gets carried away in her complaint about something. Betty unsuccessfully tries to interrupt, but the woman talks over Betty.  It ends with the woman dramatically walking out of the meeting. Had she not, I am sure Betty would have had her removed. 

If I've learned anything tonight, it's that you don't mess with Betty.