[Neighbors] The Journey of Volunteering for NOB HILL

[Lucille Long]

*Although* it has been a privilege to serve as a board member of the Nob
Hill Neighborhood Association, I have decided to not run for re-election.
I pursued becoming a leader in Nob Hill after experiencing the trauma of
being broken into shortly after moving into our new home. Being burglarized
is very violating and creates a concern for life and safety. I was saddened
to hear from fellow neighbors about their frustrations with APD in
responding to their safety needs.  *Like so many of us, the idea of
volunteering seemed daunting on top of running a business and tending to
our family and home life.*  But I reached out to Laura Kuehn, CABQ Crime
Specialist, thus officially formalizing our Neighborhood Watch in S.E.
Solano in the winter of 2019.


*Previously,* I had served on the New Mexico Board of Massage Therapy and
the National Board of Directors for the American Massage Therapy
Association.  I spearheaded legislation that would standardize the practice
of Massage Therapy in New Mexico and throughout the United States. I
graduated from UNM with degrees in Political Science and Psychology and
realized that it was time to *come out of my dormancy* and contribute my
skills of bringing people together to champion safety in Nob Hill.  Without
safety, there is no economic viability!

I was nominated to the Nob Hill Board of Directors (NHBOD) as an appointed
member then elected at the annual meeting in 2019.

I became a member of the Public Safety Committee (PSC) chaired at that time
by Curtis Bayer, a retired police officer from California.  Curtis
advocated along with his neighbors from his Condo complex to address the
problem of drug use and discarded needles in neighboring Morningside Park.
They succeeded in getting a fence around the pumping facility in the park
which discouraged drug users from congregating around that building. After
Curtis resigned, by default, I became your Public Safety Chair.


*As your Chair*, I was blessed to serve with an awesome *NHBOD* and PSC
members: *Tully Alford, Mark Nelson, Rahim Kassam, Flora Silva, Jeff Hoehn,
Sam Mehri and Great Neighbors all of whom have contributed greatly.
Together, we built a strong relationship with Laura Kuehn, Commander Yara,
and Jose Brionez. *Earlier this year, *Mark Nelson *replaced me as chair
and is doing an excellent job. The committee is involved in the *ECHO
program ( A safety analysis of NH and University area)* along with
continued efforts to make Nob Hill the safest and best place to live, work
and play. During my tenure, we were fortunate to get two Bicycle Cops
assigned to our area; we dealt with the 7-11 nuisance; worked with Block by
Block with the help of our *Councilor, Pat Davis, our Mayor and our NHBOD.
Thanks to you All!  *We continue to explore the solutions to homelessness
through the leadership of *Jeff Hoehn,* director for *Cuidando Los Ninos*.
More recently, we provided research to the NHBOD, our Mayor and City
Council on Recreational Marijuana use and continue to stress concern *for
increased safety measures*, *especially for children. *We finally succeeded
in shutting down a *Flop House operation*, through the diligence of APD,
NHBOD, and an informal Neighborhood Watch group on a block that faced
constant nuisance from tenants in a rental property. *Kudos to those
neighbors and APD! *We are now examining the role landlords play in how
their tenants engage with the neighborhood, particularly when lives of
neighbors are negatively impacted by nuisance and illegal criminal
behavior. We hope to find a solution to this problem with the help of our
city and state elected officials. We also hope to get quicker response
times from 911 and 242 cops calls. Calls continue to be extremely delayed
and frustrating for Neighbors in Nob Hill.


**Being on the Board is no Magic Carpet Ride.*  It has victories and at
times disappointments, but as Nob Hill residents we are strong and can
persevere through all of our challenges by staying focused and not giving
up on our dreams and vision for Nob Hill.

*Today, like geese that migrate by a synchronized exchange of leadership
when the flight gets hard, I thank all of you for the privilege and the
trust you have put in me to lead. I will still be engaged in mild committee
work and will continue to be part of the flock to enhance public safety and
the quality of our lives in Nob Hill. *

****If you have talents or skills and have a desire to make a difference or
enhance our experience in Nob Hill*, PLEASE VOLUNTEER* by seeking election
to the NHBOD or by simply contributing to one of the committees. *NOB HILL
NEEDS YOU IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN OUR VISION OF A SAFE AND
ECONOMICALLY VIABLE NEIGHBORHOOD*. Like Cesar Chavez said, “ *Si Se
Puede''* with
all of us together, IT CAN BE DONE!

*I hope to see you all at the Annual Meeting on September 30th, 2021; 6:00
P.M.  At Monte Vista Christian Church**

*“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know; the only
ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and
found how to serve.  The purpose of human life is to serve and to show
compassion and the will to help others” written by Albert Schweitzer.*



*Kind Regards,*

Lucille Torres-Long
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