Holme Circle civic group
selects officers and board

By William Kenny
Times Staff Writer

Members of the first Holme Circle Civic Association executive board already have big plans for improving their neighborhood. They want to solve the age-old local problem of underage drinking.
The new civic group, which formed officially last month with the adoption of bylaws, elected five officers and nine at-large board members on May 13 during a general membership meeting at St. Jerome’s School.
Also at the meeting, a representative for Northeast-based Counseling Or Referral Assistance (CORA) Services asked that the civic group partner with her agency to develop local youth outreach programs.
All of the HCCA’s new board members were elected unopposed and unanimously. They are Sean McAleer, president; John Henfey, vice president; Michael Gould, treasurer; Bernadette McCloskey, recording secretary; and Elsie Stevens, corresponding secretary. The at-large members are John Boerner, Brian Czarnik, Ann DiMaio, Matthew Gabor, Mark Geist, Barbara Loughlin, Joe Razler, George Slawter and Harry Sonntag.
According to the group’s bylaws, a maximum of 15 people may sit on the board. All board terms are two years.
One of the group’s first major initiatives will be to come up with strategies for reducing youth drinking and related problems like vandalism. Those issues were primary catalysts to the formation of the civic association.
Neighbors first met informally last summer, in the midst of a spate of youth-related problems that included vandalism, graffiti, drinking, disorderly crowds, curfew violations and burglary. A nun from St. Jerome’s reported that kids had even broken into the parish’s child day-care center.
Residents decided to create a formal civic association for the area.
At last week’s meeting, CORA’s director of community services, Mary Doherty, told residents that their neighborhood is not alone in its youth-related problems. In April, Doherty said, her organization teamed with the city’s Department of Behavioral Health to conduct a town meeting on the topic.
Then, during a follow-up meeting hosted by state House Speaker Dennis O’Brien, several area civics resolved to join forces in a new umbrella group, the Northeast Advisory Council.
"The whole idea of the Northeast Advisory Council is communication between groups with common interests and problems," Doherty said.
One major task for the council, Doherty added, will be to overcome a stereotype that Northeast residents are "traditionally privileged" and don’t need the kind of public funding for youth programs and services that benefit other sections of the city.
On the contrary, Doherty said, much work needs to be done in the Northeast to change attitudes toward alcohol consumption. Many teens consider it normal behavior to drink because they see their parents do it. In some cases, parents even accommodate their kids’ drinking.
For them, "it’s culturally OK and normative to drink," Doherty said.
Some of the Holme Circle residents proposed creating more after-school programs or building more facilities, like a gymnasium, to occupy youths productively.
But more organized activities may reach only a portion of troublesome kids. Others will dismiss those programs as "uncool," Doherty explained.
"We’re not going to get the kids who aren’t going to come in, but we can empower the ones who already have one foot in the door," the CORA official said.
The Rev. Joseph Campellone, president of Father Judge High School, said that any youth outreach efforts should include strong counseling components.
"You can have all of those things and they’re exterior. What we need is to work on the internal structure of the family," said Campellone. " You can have a beautiful gym and all the programs in the world, but you have to change the culture of what a good time is all about."
The good news, Doherty said, is that youths who abuse alcohol and drugs are still a minority.
"Most kids do not drink. Most kids do not use drugs. But they’re increasing," she said. "And most who try it don’t continue it. But the ones who do make up for the rest."
In other Holme Circle Civic Association business:
• The group widened its official geographical boundaries to include a triangular area starting at the intersection of Willits Road and Holme Avenue and spanning westward toward Ashton Road.
• Board member Joe Razler reported that there is a big need for more Town Watch volunteers in the neighborhood. Turnout at a recent Town Watch meeting was underwhelming.
The group is trying to patrol on weekend nights. Residents may drive or walk throughout the community or serve as "Block Watch" members simply by looking out the windows of their homes and reporting any suspicious activity.
The next Town Watch meeting will be on Thursday, June 5, at 7 p.m., at the St. Jerome’s School Fuller Library, Colfax and Stamford streets.
• McAleer, president of the civic group, reported that the community and City Councilman Brian O’Neill presented strong cases to the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment for the removal of a mobile telephone antenna installation atop the Holme Circle Apartments, 2800 Axe Factory Road.
Last year, the zoning board approved the antennas, which carry T-Mobile service. Neighbors then challenged the ruling, claiming that they weren’t given an opportunity to argue against the installation. Residents claim that the antennas and an accessory utility cabinet are unsightly. Some are also concerned about possible health hazards and disruption of local police and fire radio communications.
Even if the civic group wins its appeal, T-Mobile could choose to appeal that ruling to a higher court.
"(The zoning board) will render a decision, probably in two weeks," McAleer said. "Whether we win or lose, we’ve got to prepare for the next step."
• The civic group approved a regular meeting schedule. General meetings will be on the third Thursday in September, November, January, March and May. Additional meetings may be arranged if needed.
The civic group also agreed to open an account at Beneficial Bank and approve Andalusia-based CPA Kevin Hughes as its pro bono accountant and attorney Walt DeTreux to handle the filing of its application for non-profit status. ••
Reporter William Kenny can be reached at 215-354-3031 or bkenny@phillynews.com