NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH BECOMING LYNDA WASHINGON'S POLITICAL PAWN?

LYNDA WASHINGTON-HOUSE

SAUK VILLAGER | Village Trustee Lynda Washington, who announced last year she is running for Mayor, is having many problems with the members of her Neighborhood Watch Committee who do not agree with her.  Some members of her committee are calling the Neighborhood Watch Committee a "political pawn" of Washington to further her campaign for Mayor in 2017. 

One member of Washington’s committee helped volunteer for the recent Easter Egg Hunt, which was sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Committee, a committee that Washington herself co-chairs with Trustee Kelvin Jones.  Washington, who showed up late for the event last Saturday didn’t even bother to help out during the event yet one of her Neighborhood Watch members did and now is off the Neighborhood Watch Committee as a result.

In a phone interview with Rachel Eastman, who has served as the Secretary for the Neighborhood Watch Committee finds herself at odds with Washington.  “The Neighborhood Watch Committee has become way too political, and not at all what it was originally about” Eastman said.  The catalyst for this drama was the recent Easter Egg Hunt according to Eastman.  “All this because I helped Parks and Recs.  I should still be able to do what I want no matter who’s running for mayor.  I don’t have to waste my time with Neighborhood Watch, I can start helping Parks and Rec and the Beautification Committees, maybe they will value me” Eastman said.

“She (Washington) takes zero responsibility for what she does.  Mayoral material I think not” Eastman said.  “I was kicked off the committee because I actually helped the Parks and Rec Committee with the Easter Egg Hunt, a committee that she (Washington) is suppose to be co-chair, and yet she did nothing for” Eastman said.

Eastman also said that tickets for the "live play" being put on by Washington and the Neighborhood Watch Committee are suppose to be selling for $10 each and she was not having any luck selling them, while Washington has been giving them away according to Eastman.  “I have put a lot of time and energy into the Neighborhood Watch program for Sauk Village, the back to school book bag giveaways and to be treated so badly because I was helping out Parks and Rec.  Lynda is suppose to be co-chair for Parks and Rec and yet she didn’t do a thing to help with the Easter Egg Hunt” Eastman said.

“I’m not going to be a part of her (Washington’s) campaign and not used like that” Eastman said.  “There are other members who feel the same way”.

Eastman still plans to stay involved and will continue to volunteer despite Washington’s actions to remove her.  “How do you fire a volunteer” Eastman wondered.  "So if someone wants to be a part of Neighborhood Watch but happens to volunteer for things Lynda (Washington) doesn't like then too bad, it's her way or you're out" Eastman said.

Attempts were made to reach Washington for response went unanswered.

WALK SOFTLY NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

Opinion Editorial

By Joseph Wiszowaty

First of all, I want to commend Village Trustee Lynda Washington-House on her tenacity to move forward with the Neighborhood Watch Program.  She has dived full-force into her efforts of trying to implement a new program village-wide.  Raising funds to purchase signs without a cost to the taxpayers, well done Lynda!

While her enthusiasm is applauded, the effects felt by some have left a lot to be desired.  Trustee Washington-House needs to walk a little softly when dealing with other areas who have established their own Neighborhood Watch programs or those who do not have neighborhoods who have anyone participating in the program altogether.  These would be those imaginary protestors who did not show up at a Village Board meeting Tuesday night and did not have any intention of protesting anything.  This was nothing more than journalist and political sensationalism run amuck!  I felt sorry for the reporter who got caught up in this.

Additionally, the logo selected by the Village’s Neighborhood Watch Committee is not the National Organization’s official “Boris the Burglar” logo (see photo below)  Instead some claim that the Village adopted the “Kanye the Crook” which depicts a criminal black man in prison garb.   Now Kanye the Crook is not the National recognized logo, it is now the Village’s official logo for the Neighborhood Crime Watch.

BORIS THE BURGLAR "OFFICIAL LOGO"

or the Watchful Eye logo (see photo).

THE WATCHFUL EYE "OFFICIAL LOGO"

 HERE is the Village's "Official Logo" Kanye the Crook:

Sauk Village's Logo "Kanye the Crook"

I think it was a poor choice for a logo, why not just simply use the tried and true one of the two national logos instead of trying to reinvent the wheel and using an alarm company logo?

While it is nice to have a Neighborhood Crime Watch program, you have to have the support of the neighbors in the hood, not just a handful of volunteers to force a program onto residents who do not want to participate in the program and force them to have signs.  Signs do not deter crime a strong pro-active police department does!   Many successful Neighborhood Watch Programs are managed and work closely with their local police departments and do not have a “political flavor” such as Sauk Village’s program.

I prefer to take the politics out and once again reiterate, I applaud Trustee Washington-House’s efforts.