Hilton/Parma community members
come together to fight mischief

Eighty concerned Hilton and Parma residents met at the Village Community Center November 21 to share their concerns with juvenile mischief and develop a strategy to deal with such behaviors. The meeting was the result of action taken by a few local residents following an incident at Darrin’s Automotive in which 10 cars were severely damaged and property was stolen, in late October.

Sue Zukowski, a Parma resident for 11 years, said talking to her friend, Karen Custer, following the most recent incident was enough for her to decide to take action. The two, along with the help of a friend, reserved space at the Community Center and spread the word that a public meeting was scheduled.

"I’ve been hearing way too much about this stuff and I thought it was time to do something," said Zukowski. "I hope we will join together as a community and solve everyone’s problems."

The three women facilitated the meeting along with the assistance of Monroe County Sheriff’s Department Captain Michael Nyhan. Nyhan said there have been 144 reported offenses in the village and town through the first half of the year, which is three less than the previous year. However, he said the number might be deceiving as it is dependent on citizens reporting each incident.

Nyhan urged everyone in attendance to focus on what could be done as a community outside of law enforcement. "Enforcement is part of the puzzle, but just part of it," Nyhan said.

With that as an introduction, Karen Musson talked about her plans to open a teen center in the village. Musson has narrowed the future site down to two choices and is working out the details before she announces the center’s new home. She said an effective teen center could target children who are most likely to have destructive behavior.

"These are the kids I want," said Musson. "I want to take these kids off the street."

Many in attendance critiqued the work of the police, the effectiveness of the curfew and the school district’s role in keeping kids out of trouble. Residents voiced their displeasure with these and other issues and gave detailed accounts of mischief including theft, vandalism, and drug abuse.

Deputy Jim Irene was on hand to talk about the benefits of enacting a Neighborhood Watch. Irene said a watch program could go a long way toward steering police officers into sections of the village and town that may need more attention.

"It works as eyes and ears for us," said Irene. "We can’t be everywhere all the time." Irene recently helped start a neighborhood watch at Unionville Station, a senior community on South Avenue. There was a sign up sheet available for those interested in starting a watch in their neighborhood.

Reverend Myke Merrill, of the Parma Christian Fellowship, was in the audience. Merrill, who has lived in Parma for more than 20 years, said he came out to the meeting to hear what types of ideas the community members could come up with. He said his congregation is young and many of the members were previously unchurched, and therefore, the issues residents were concerned about were issues he had dealt with before.

"I think the lack of a plan for this community for what happens from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. needs to be addressed," said Merrill.

Merrill’s counterpart at the Hilton Baptist Church, Reverend Walter Steenson, said he was at the meeting because he was concerned with activity he had witnessed around the perimeter of the church. After listening to residents suggest ideas and discuss issues, Steenson said part of the solution would require learning more about the youth who were causing the problems.

"I think that there are no easy solutions," Steenson said. "This is about building community and building relationships."