Summer break’s over,
it’s civic meeting time

Now that summer vacations are over, it’s time for local civic associations to begin meeting again.
The Burholme Community Town Watch and Civic Association will meet on Thursday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m., at United Methodist Church of the Redeemer, at Cottman and Lawndale avenues.
The guest will be Ronald George, of the city’s Department of Human Services, who will discuss the proposed curfew center in the 2nd Police District. The group will also discuss possible exterior changes at the Pilgrim Gardens retirement community, at 7023 Rising Sun Ave.
The Lawncrest Community Association will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m., at St. William parish hall, at Argyle and Benner streets.
That same date and time, the Northwood Civic Association will meet at St. James Lutheran Church, at Castor Avenue and Pratt Street. Both Joe Menkevich and Gina Panchella claim to be the president.
Panchella plans to hold a formal meeting and hopes that impeached board of directors member Len Williams resigns ahead of time. Over the summer, the board accepted the verbal resignation of Menkevich, who insists he never gave one.
The board majority wanted Menkevich gone for a variety of reasons and is seeking to oust his ally, Williams. If Williams does not resign, the board will hold a hearing, and a vote of the full membership will follow on whether to keep or dump him.
Menkevich has indicated he will resign if the board returns donations to the civic association from him, Realtor Mike Galdi and three of the embattled president’s allies — Debbie Klak, attorney Flora Becker and Brien Gardiner, head of Northwood Academy Charter School.
In that case, Menkevich would formally resign at the Sept. 18 meeting and turn all files over to Panchella.
The Dungan Civic Association will not formally meet this month, but members and other neighbors will gather on Thursday, Sept. 20, to discuss the possibility of forming a Town Watch. Representatives from the 7th Police District will be in attendance. ••