| Author |
Message |
    
frannyfree
Citizen
Username: Frannyfree
Post Number: 207
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 3:04 pm: | 
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I live on Baker Street and must vent.
Every year the Morrow Church has this big sale in July.
The MPD must be aware of this fact, yet, they are nowhere to be seen.
The extra traffic and noise created by this sale in the evening hours is horrific.
Neighborhood kids are awakened and we can not get our cars out of our own driveways. This could all be alleviated with ONE traffic facilitator...ONE.
I do not want want to keep Morrow Church from their annual fundraiser and so have not complained for the 17 years that I have lived there...but it is getting worse and someone will be hurt.
I am toying with the idea of a formal complaint against the town for not controlling this situation. All of my neighbors would applaud. |
Soparents
Supporter
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 2400
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 3:28 pm: |
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Oh I feel for you...
I had to go down that way today, BOTH sides of Ridgewood were parked on, I had to stop with loads of cars behind me while more and more cars streamed past on the other side, not one wanting to give way, and to top it all, a moron in one of the parked cars, obviously just dropped people off, began to reverse and turn the wheel so that she was reversing into traffic (my car being the target..) I could see that she was still talking to the people outside of the car as she is reversing back with no regard to what she was doing!
This Church sale is obviously a huge success, but there should be some form of traffic control.
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mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 6524
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 4:13 pm: |
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Sop - I drove by and saw that action too - around 12:45? What a schmoe! Almost made me late for my interview... |
frannyfree
Citizen
Username: Frannyfree
Post Number: 208
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 4:17 pm: |
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I was actually stuck in my driveway this morning and had to ask 2 trucks to move.
I fell that if they are bringing in trucks, they should open their own parking lot. |
Camnol
Citizen
Username: Camnol
Post Number: 428
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 4:20 pm: |
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It really has been bad this year. Last year, I noticed that every day of the sale, the police would put emergency no parking signs on one side of each street near the sale. This year it seems like they did it for the first day, and that was it.
I did notice someone, who was obviously coming from the sale, pulling a ticket off her windshield on Baker. So someone was around writing tickets, but traffic was particularly bad today. Last day of the sale, perhaps?
I feel for you Frannyfree! |
frannyfree
Citizen
Username: Frannyfree
Post Number: 209
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 4:22 pm: |
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Thanks
I made a complaint to MPD. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5774
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 8:28 pm: |
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Has anyone tried talking to someone at the church about the situation? That might be a start before spmeone calls the police... |
frannyfree
Citizen
Username: Frannyfree
Post Number: 213
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 2:53 pm: |
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The police only need to have someone directing traffic.
I do not think the church should have to give up their sale.
When told of this, a church spokesman called me names. So much for the church. |
Cougar86
Citizen
Username: Cougar86
Post Number: 30
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 3:29 pm: |
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"Thanks
I made a complaint to MPD."
It is likely the church will have to pay for the police to direct traffic probably to the tune of $50/hour.
Its a couple days its for a good cause were you really so damaged that a formal complaint was warranted?} |
BGS
Supporter
Username: Bgs
Post Number: 1177
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 3:38 pm: |
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frannyfree....I am the Co-President of the United Methodist Women at Morrow Church.
It is our organization that has successfully run the sale for 73 years. I cannot believe that you called someone at Morrow who answered the phone there and called you names. The church office closes at 1PM in the summer and if you called yesterday morning during the last hours of the sale it was so busy that calls were going in to voice mail. If someone answered the phone in the morning other than the church secretary I can assure you that they were not connected to the church. We do have extension phones throughout the church that are not necessarily manned.
Please contact me and let me know who you spoke with.
FYI- if people have problems with the traffic nothing can be done about it unless someone let us know about it.
Feel free to PL me and I will take the proper steps to see that your complaints are heard.
Barbara Savino |
BGS
Supporter
Username: Bgs
Post Number: 1178
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 3:42 pm: |
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A PS here...the sale is only opened for three Tuesday evenings and end at 9PM. That is one night a week for three weeks. We are opened for 4 Thursdays from 9:30 to 12:30. The last day of the sale Goodwill and the
VietNam Vets come to pick up left overs and so their trucks are on the street or in our parking spots...
I am sorry that the evening hours are horrific for your children. No one has ever complained to me before about children not being able to sleep.
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Hamandeggs
Citizen
Username: Hamandeggs
Post Number: 350
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 3:43 pm: |
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Hmm...a church spokesman. Unless it was the minister, you can't be sure it was a church spokesman or a random volunteer. There are lots and lots of volunteers there, most of whom aren't connected with the church. You may want to try again with someone formally in charge. (Both sale organizers are women so I don't think you spoke with either of them.)
I am a volunteer and a church member, so I apologize for the problems. I do believe that they can be solved. I understand your frustration as I live very, very close to the site of the SO fireworks and concerts. The problems are the same, but I know it's short, limited, annual...it's okay, in other words.
Please do know that the money earned does not stay in the church, as it is for missions, which means many worthwhile projects in M/SO (buying defibrillators, for one) and in Newark.
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frannyfree
Citizen
Username: Frannyfree
Post Number: 214
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 4:37 pm: |
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I have lived in my home for 17 years and have never had a complaint before. This year seems to be particularly noisy and congested. I would not want to hurt Morrow at all. They have always been a good neighbor.
I do not see why having someone to direct traffic on Baker St. is too much to ask. When I asked someone (probably a volunteer) who I should speak with, they called me a lousy neighbor.
My neighbors called the MPD also, without my knowledge, so I know we were not the only people concerned.
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BGS
Supporter
Username: Bgs
Post Number: 1183
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 28, 2006 - 4:47 pm: |
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frannyfree-I am sorry that this year was tough for you and your neighbors. I will speak with the sale chairpersons and the MPD to see if something can be done for next year. I am sorry that someone called you a lousy neighbor. I am sure that you are not.
Sincerely,
Barbara Savino |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5789
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, July 29, 2006 - 1:50 am: |
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Doesn't Maplewood have a Police auxiliary? I am sure you could get one of them to direct the traffic next year. That way the money raised from the sale can be used to help people, instead of paying a police officer. |
shaun
Citizen
Username: Shaun
Post Number: 60
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, July 29, 2006 - 10:49 am: |
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If the sale is during the week and day, difficult to get Police Reserve officers out since they have full-time jobs.
Given that it's a church-related event, if given proper notice I'm sure the MPD would make every effort to post an available officer there. |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 7882
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, July 29, 2006 - 5:18 pm: |
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JTA:
The Maplewood Police Auxiliary is very much in need of additional volunteers. Anyone interested in becoming a member of the police auxiliary should contact the MPD for further information on qualifications, duties and responsibilities and how to apply. |
Joe R.
Citizen
Username: Ragnatela
Post Number: 503
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 10:39 pm: |
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I'm Franny's neighbor and applaud her call. I did the same. Believe it or not, people LIVE on Baker Street. Personally, in the middle of the mayhem last Tuesday night with horns blaring and tempers flaring, I didn't see the point in trying to find a Church rep. In my mind, its not that the Church or its personnel were doing anything wrong. Rather, the patrons of the event were violating every traffic rule on the Maplewood books. U-Turns in out driveways, street impassible, excessive use of horn, double and triple parking, cars parked on my side of Baker Street (never permitted), some even parked on Baker Street going the wrong way. I called the police at the height of the disturbance between 8:15 and 8:30. The unit didn't respond until after 9. By that time, the place resembled Mayberry again and you could actually hear the crickets. But at it's worse, it was terrible. By the way, if any cop had tried to ride up or down Baker Street between 7:30 and 9:00 he or she would have had no choice but to start handing out summonses. The Church rep who came out to speak with the cop said she was completely unaware that there was a problem (incredible). I haven't lived here as long as Franny, only 7 years, but this year was the busiest and noisiest yet (and by extension, I assume the sale was wildly successful). The cop wanted to know why I had never complained before. There is always a first time. There is always a straw that breaks the camel's back.
I applaud the charitable work of our neighbor, but the event has outgrown its humble beginnings and needs professional traffic control. Just because it's a Church and a charity does not mean they should have to spend on security. Many Churches have carnivals and street fairs. They are required to spend money for security and insurance.
We want our neighbors at Morrow to be sensitive to our needs. That is all we ask and I, for one, am prepared to meet with the Church leadership in advance of next year's event to help work out a reasoable arrangement. |
BGS
Supporter
Username: Bgs
Post Number: 1206
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 4:19 pm: |
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Joe R.
Thank you for a well thought out post.
Please PL me with contact information and I will make sure that that meeting happens.
Barbara Savino |
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