The new Holme Circle Civic Association is taking shape.
Organized last year in the midst of the community’s fight against an installation of mobile telephone antennas, as well as its efforts to quell disorderly local youths, the civic group on April 9 approved its first set of bylaws and began the process of electing its executive board.
About 40 residents attended the organization’s general meeting at St. Jerome’s School, its first such meeting since last September.
According to members of the group’s temporary executive board, writing the bylaws was a long, painstaking process, but a necessary one for the organization to apply for state certification as a corporation, as well as federal non-profit status.
Temporary board member Michael Gould said that the neighboring Winchester Park Neighborhood Association and Ashton Square Civic Association provided helpful models.
The new bylaws were approved unanimously by Holme Circle area residents in attendance.
The document includes sections dictating policies and procedures for all aspects of the organization’s activities.
There are sections on its purpose and geographical boundaries, its membership requirements including a non-discrimination clause, its executive board composition and duties, its meeting protocols and its restrictions on political affiliation and member compensation.
There are guidelines covering legal liability issues, bylaw amendment protocol and the organization’s dissolution, if necessary.
Membership in the organization is generally open to U.S. citizens and non-citizens with legal resident status living within an area roughly bordered by Dewees Street and Willits Road to the north, a freight railroad to the east and Pennypack Creek to the south and west.
The civic group plans to conduct elections of officers and executive board members at its next general meeting on Tuesday, May 13, at St. Jerome’s.
Ten people were nominated last week for 15 total vacancies, including five executive officers, five permanent committee chairs and five general board members.
The nominees included Sean McAleer (president), John Henfey (vice president), Gould (treasurer), Bernadette McCloskey (recording secretary) and Elsie Stevens (corresponding secretary), along with John Boerner, Ann DiMaio, Joe Razler, George Slaughter and Harry Sonntag for general board membership.
Nominations for all positions will reopen at the May 13 meeting with elections to follow for any contested positions.
In other business, McAleer notified residents that a zoning hearing on the mobile phone antenna issue is scheduled for May 13 at the Municipal Services Building, 1515 Arch St.
Mobile network carrier T-mobile erected about six antennas atop the Axe Factory Apartments on the 2800 block of Axe Factory Road in January 2007. City permits were issued to the company as a matter of right and without public input.
Seeing the devices, McAleer and other circulated a petition in the neighborhood protesting the antennas as an eyesore and potential health hazard.
In September, T-mobile representatives attended a community meeting to present a series of alternative configurations in an effort to appease neighbors. But they were unable to satisfy local residents, who voted to challenge the city permits previously granted to T-mobile.
McAleer reported that City Councilman Brian O’Neill has offered his support to residents and will sponsor a bus for them to attend the May 13 zoning appeal hearing. O’Neill’s office may be reached at 215-686-3422.
Razler, who also is a temporary board member, reported that about 20 neighbors had signed up to join a new Town Watch that the civic association is trying to create. Interested volunteers plan to meet on May 8 at the Torresdale Branch Library, 3079 Holme Ave.
For more information, contact Razler at 215-464-6964 or Henfey at jhenfeyholmecivic@comcast.net Joe Hansbury, community relations officer for the 8th Police District, reported to neighbors that police are looking for volunteers to serve on the District Attorney’s Youth Aid Panel, a court-affiliated program designed to deal with first-time non-violent juvenile offenders on a community level.
Offending juveniles must admit guilt to be considered for the program, which allows them to keep their records clean if they complete community service obligations. Panel volunteers oversee the community service projects.
Hansbury invited residents to attend monthly open meetings at the district to learn about and report any crime-related issues.
Capt. Deborah Kelly, commander of the district, hosts the meetings at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month in the police station at Academy and Red Lion roads.
Also, Hansbury said, the district will host a series of basketball games for youths and police at local recreation centers in the coming weeks, as well as a Community Day and Flea Market at Cannstatter’s, 9130 Academy Road, at noon on Saturday, April 26. ••
Reporter William Kenny can be reached at 215-354-3031 or bkenny@phillynews.com