[Neighbors] The Journey of Volunteering for NOB HILL

[Suzann Owings]

Thank you so much for your ongoing commitment to public service. 

See you September 30 at the NHNA Annual Meeting.

Onward, S
Suzann Owings
505-867-0567
so at docso.com
Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 18, 2021, at 2:41 PM, Lucille Long via Neighbors_nobhill-nm <neighbors_nobhill-nm at mailman.swcp.com> wrote:
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> 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. 
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> 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!
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> I was nominated to the Nob Hill Board of Directors (NHBOD) as an appointed member then elected at the annual meeting in 2019.
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> 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.
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> 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.
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> *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.
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> 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. 
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> ****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!
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> I hope to see you all at the Annual Meeting on September 30th, 2021; 6:00 P.M.  At Monte Vista Christian Church* 
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> “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.
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> Kind Regards, 
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> Lucille Torres-Long
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