[Timtheman]

RogMar,

Has there been a spike lately? If so, what kinds of crimes?

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by Timtheman

RogMar,

Has there been a spike lately? If so, what kinds of crimes?

No, just the usual list of arrests in the paper/radio stations.

Compared to Ash Flat, Hardy, Highland, or Horseshoe Bend, CV has been leading the pack for a long time.

[Timtheman]

RogMar

If you had to offer an opinion why, what would you say?

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by Timtheman

RogMar

If you had to offer an opinion why, what would you say?

That's not able to be summed up simply, Tim.

There are numerous socio-economic factors at play.

There is also a tendencyfor citizens to ignore, or be ignorants of, the danger signs in favor of the more overt, "My neighbor's dog is running loose, they're building an unauthorized tool shed, they've got junk piled in their carport, they're not mowing their grass...".

I'm not saying it's a hotbed of crime. It's not Detroit or Philadelphia, but when the arrest lists are read, it's generally leading the pack.

Other than the meth stuff, a lot of the stuff is not being pulled *in*the Village. Burglaries to area businesses, homes, vandalisms, taking place outside the Village lead back into it.

The police dept. there has a tough road to hoe. I"m sure they are drilled on "Don't irritate the citizens", but at the same time thye are expected to seek out and solve criminal activities.

On the discussion of non-resident houses, you know a lot of them are rented out. A 2 bedroom one bath house is not going to rent for much. Who do you think this attracts?

Imagine....a single mother..working waiting tables at a local restaurant, busting boody to make it work, comes and applies to rent.

There's probably not a scrooge among us that is going to send her away, especially when she's been saving for months to get the first & last month's rent for someplace that her "runs-once-in-a-while" car can get her to work from.

She gets in, and then a month down the road, boyfriend comes in with promises to pay all the rent, occasionally take her out, and all he needs is a little time to mix together a few chemicals.

That's just life, and there's nowherethat doesn't happen. Look at the size of CV, the availability of cheap rental properties, the in & out of people that are only there maybe once a year for a week or two, and it's not exactly a formula for the successful neighborhood watch program.

I recall years ago, in another part of the U.S. that was working, the arrest of a *very* large cocaine ring. The head honcho lived in a very exclusive gated community, Almost a 2 million dollar house, imported sports cars, Scarab boat, and nobody wondered why he never went to work.

If I had 125 keys of pure cocaine in my rec room, I might take the day off too!

Some of the smaller towns are not as easy to hide in, but they certainly have their share of problems also.

With size, in & out traffic, and a non-cohesive social base, things fall through the cracks.

That's certainly not inferring that I would not reccommend the Village to the right people.

That's just saying that, "Be realistic", and realize your dream car is going to gather bird droppings as well as any junker.

[Timtheman]

Hi RogMar,

Given the size of the Village, it seems to me a modest level of mischief from a few areas which could be watched more closely. Missing the crime picture for quality of life issues is foolish, of course. But often the two are connected. Lack of regard for one's neighbors is often tied to lack of regard for the law. I think where I would push back a little on what you've said is that there are lots of fixed income upstanding citizens in the "modest" parts of CV. There are only a couple of troubled areas. What is curious is why CV would seem to have more than the other Quad City towns.

[joni51]

I agree maybe they need to enforce the Code Enforcement laws more or have some basic ones put on the books. The main problem seems to stem from the rental's in the area that are not kept up and there are a lot of them! All you have to do is check out the rental agency's web-sites to find out which ones are rentals. As for the person who responded about the Townhomes not being all in one area, news to me. There all in one section of CV just up the hill from the post office, and that general area. That's the area I'm talking about. Yes there are a few nice streets in there, but there are 2 main streets up there that have more rentals on them than home owners and are mostly section 8. Not a FUN place to live. CV does have it's nice spots, like around the lakes, golf course area, but you really have to watch out where you live around here.

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by Timtheman

Hi RogMar,

Given the size of the Village, it seems to me a modest level of mischief from a few areas which could be watched more closely. Missing the crime picture for quality of life issues is foolish, of course. But often the two are connected. Lack of regard for one's neighbors is often tied to lack of regard for the law. I think where I would push back a little on what you've said is that there are lots of fixed income upstanding citizens in the "modest" parts of CV. There are only a couple of troubled areas. What is curious is why CV would seem to have more than the other Quad City towns.

Meth labs and burglaries are not "mischief".

There's a large amount of denial/blinders going one.

An overwhelming belief that "we are a quaint, small enclave of retirees and vacationers, and the "real" problems do no exist here.

Much, much more concern about the Mayor, city government, and who's violating local laws than whos' got that something special in the oven.

[ChristyinVAtoCV]

This is really an eye opener and I think we're starting to see behind the lines a little. That is good. For those of us moving there, the constant talk of how awesome everything is, while we read the crime lists in the paper, gives a false note. I think more hesitation comes, at least on my part, by the discontinuity of what people say and what the crime blotter says.

No one expects some ideal place, but I don't think anyone wants to walk in with blinders and immediately start dealing with a mad meth head whose got a problem with a new neighbor who might notice the clouds of noxious gas coming out of the windows either.

A real neighborhood layout...you know, one that says "this area has a big row of dumps and really creepy people hanging around" and "this area has people who only wear lime green and pink shirts and wear their collars up" would be super helpful!

[Timtheman]

ChristyVAtoCV,

You post is excellent and thoughtful in all the right ways. The only mistake for anyone reading these posts would be to think that the picture of a few places in CV defines the tone and quality of life of the place. It really isn't the case. It is not that only the lake and golf course houses define good areas. The overwhelming picture is positive. You hardly need to get in areas with houses in the 50,000 range to find no problems at all. I have read the crime blotters often. It is about the same twenty people who are up to anything serious. RogMar is right that the rental situation needs much more oversight. This is a political issue in town. There needs to be a better balance between rental interests and owner interests. I have frequently posted that the blind spot of the Village is to think that one can promote its core vision without dealing with lifting up a few areas. As the old saying goes, "It is penny wise and dollar foolish."

As for code enforcement, it has been fantastic in recent years. Anyone with eyes can see the huge difference. I think that the Village can now shift more toward a balance of focus on crime in some few parts. Again, CV is huge. Tons of it aren't even developed much beyond roads and water/electric. You can live in fantastic areas with homes in the 50,000+ range. It is important not to exaggerate this problem.

[ChristyinVAtoCV]

Thanks Tim - As always, you bring a sense of calm to the situation.

The area I'm moving to has almost no one else there. There is one house a few hundred feet down the road and another 2 at the very end of the road. Nothing at all else. So, pretty remote. I viewed those houses in google...great stuff there!...and they are modest but neat and kept up. Those are good signs as far as I can see.