Community Relations Annual Report
“Third Thursday” is a Community Relations committee joint project for neighbors in Sagamore Hills. Aimed at getting neighbors, old and new, acquainted with each other. Neighbors are invited to join together for coffee on the third Thursday of the month with no set agenda. Oak Grove UM Church pavilion has been the outdoor location for warm season gatherings. Watch the Signal and website for upcoming dates and locations as the season changes.
Membership Report: James Rissler
Membership for 2022 was 308 households at the beginning of September, down a little less than 10% from 2021. As you hear about the ways that SHCA actively works to maintain and improve our neighborhood, please invite your neighbors to continue supporting these efforts with their membership. We’ve been enjoying meeting one another at Third Thursday gatherings at the Oak Grove UMC pavilion – watch the hotline and Signal for details. Look for 2023 membership forms in the Signal.
New Neighbors: Margaret Cone
Welcoming our new residents with a personal visit is a long-standing tradition in Sagamore Hills. Margaret Cone and Helen Frederick are the current “neighbor ambassadors” who make visits, provide information, and deliver a free copy of the directory to newcomers. Names of newcomers are also included (with their permission, of course) in the next issue of the Signal newsletter so others can welcome them.
You can help with reaching out to new neighbors! With many homes being sold without yard sign advertising, it has become more difficult to identify and welcome newcomers. Your assistance is needed and will be greatly appreciated. When you see new folks moving in, just note the street name and house number, and notify Margaret by e-mail or voice mail (margaret8000@earthlink.net) or 404-321-4107. That’s all that’s needed to make sure our new neighbor gets a warm welcome to Sagamore.
Security: Nancy Love
Security has been focused this year on neighborhood safety, as our traffic and the concerns of urban living increase throughout the community. Our off=duty police patrol the neighborhood at random hours and days during the week. Currently, our patrols are done by DeKalb County Police SWAT officers. In the summer months the patrols were increased to provide more visibility while children were out of school. In the up-coming holiday season, patrols may also be increased to help thwart “porch pirates,” but speeding vehicles and break-ins will continue to have our Fall focus.
While crimes of opportunity will still occur, the optics of having the patrols may have deterred some crimes, as Sagamore Hills has less reported crime than other near-by neighborhoods. Your support and donations to the Security Fund allow these services to continue.
Members of the Security Committee for 2022 are Edwin Rhinehart, Don Broussard, Mike Miller and Jim Hutchinson (Jim was involved in beginning the Security Committee eons ago and has faithfully served on many of the Security committees since).
