Columbus PD Community Liaison Officer

One way or another I discovered that the Columbus PD provided everyone with a community liaison officer.  I didn't know the PD had such a position, let alone who our officer might be, so I sent them some email explaining as much.  This morning I got a visit from officer David Laroche, our official community liaison officer.

Here's his card and contact information:

David Laroche #1034
Police Officer
Community Liaison Section | 14 Precinct
120 Marconi Boulevard | Columbus, OH 43215
T 614-645-1414 | F 614-645-4111
dlaroche@columbuspolice.org

Business Card

Porch Pirates

The remains of a cardboard box addressed to 1823 Misty Way and left on their front porch.  In a crime of opportunity, thieves cutting through Misty Way stole the package then left the (now empty) package on someone's front lawn close by.

This isn't the first time something like this has happened, although it's still fairly rare compared to the rest of Columbus.  Please keep your garage door closed and instruct delivery services to hide your package in the bushes.

Please be aware of non-residents walking or driving through Misty Way, and be sure to pick up your packages when they're delivered.

Keep Our Neighborhood Looking Nice

McNaughten Village is a nice place to live.  We have a fair amount of green space, the buildings are kept in good repair, and when it comes to crime we are literally the hole in the doughnut.  We have no crime in McNaughten Village.

Flowering Shrubs

I think, however, that last statement may be changing.  As I was walking the other day, I saw a few things that I find disturbing.

Change in our Board of Directors

Board member Sandra Matthews has resigned for personal reasons.  We thank her for her service and wish her all the best.

Taking her place is Terry Hogan (1857 Misty Way).

Security Alert

On my way out yesterday I saw a car on Misty Way that I didn't recognize.  A fire engine red Mustang GT convertible was stopped and idling at the curb; driver was a white male, late 20s, sandy hair and sparse facial hair.  His passenger was female, long dark hair, thin build.

I followed him out - he was scrupulously obeying the 5 MPH speed limit - and he stopped a few hundred feet from McNaughten Rd.  I pulled alongside to say hello and asked if I could help him find anything.  I gather he used to work security for the neighborhood next door to us.  He said he was looking for a condo to buy and asked for some general pricing.

This couple may have been just what they said they were, but perhaps not.  If we'll all just take note of cars and people we don't recognize, we might prevent a burglary.

U.S. Mail Theft

From Board of Directors President Joanne Kitchen:

A resident who wishes to remain anonymous called to tell me that her mail has been tampered with:  envelopes opened and items missing.  Please be aware that it is a Federal offense to open and tamper with someone’s incoming and/or outgoing mail.  The resident has told the postal service of the situation.

Do not put outgoing mail in the box that might contain money and/or checks.  Even though it is a federal offense to tamper with anyone’s mail be on the safe side and mail your items with valuable content in a blue mail box or at the post office.

If you see anyone at someone’s mail box that you know does not belong to them note the car and other identification and contact the postal service.

For all intents and purposes, we have no crime in McNaughten Village.  This is the first incident of any sort of serious crime in years, and we're hoping that this isn't a harbinger of a changing neighborhood.  Please be extra vigilant and remember to observe common sense precautions, such as keeping your garage door closed and reporting any suspicious activity to the police.

Thanks to everyone for their help and cooperation.

Annual Residents Meeting Results

Our McNaughten Village Annual Residents meeting was held on January 29th, 2019 at 6:00 PM in the back room of Donatos Pizza (1815 Brice Rd, Reynoldsburg).  Although no one took a census, the meeting was very poorly attended in spite of the free pizza (or maybe because of it).

Insurance

The McNaughten Village Condominium Association (MVCA) is currently insured by State Farm.  Our State Farm insurance agent is Tom Murray.  Tom's assistant Kathleen Murchison provided us with a short lecture on insurance and answered a few questions.  We were given their contact information, but were told to submit any claims to the property manager, Tom Jones, as MVCA may not want to submit the claim to State Farm.

The contact data for State Farm is:

State Farm Insurance
Tom Murray CLU, Agent
3050 Delta Marine Drive
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-3986
(614) 866-0441 Bus
(614) 329-0866 Cell
tom.murray.b00w@statefarm.com

Kathleen S. Murchison
Licensed Staff Agent – All Lines
Tom Murray State Farm Insurance
3050 Delta Marine Drive
Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068
614-866-0441 (Office)
614-8662169 (FAX)
kathleen.murchison.fpbq@statefarm.com


In particular, two items were covered:

The property covered by State Farm insurance is described in the official MVCA Rules and Regulations - not by the insurance policy.  While it's generally assumed that the State Farm policy purchase by MVCA covers everything outside the paint (no contents are covered), that's not always the case.

Make sure that your own homeowner's insurance policy will cover the deductible amount as specified in the State Farm policy.

The three items that every homeowner in McNaughten Village will want to have are:

1. Unit owner's certificate off the master insurance policy from State Farm
2. The amount of the maximum loss assessment
3. A copy of the insurance policy from State Farm

If your home is mortgaged, the mortgage company will have a unit owner's certificate and will likely be aware of the maximum loss assessment.

Projects Completed in 2018

We had several projects completed last year.  In particular we finished:

1. Concrete work on curbs
2. Roof repairs
3. Dead tree removal
4. Resolved several legal issues
5. Resurfaced Misty Way

We also wish to recognize and thank the following people:

• Sandy Matthews, for moving the empty trash cans out of the street.
• Nancy West, for her service as our landscape chairperson.
• All of the residents who cooperated during the street resurfacing project by respecting the temporary traffic barriers.

The Board of Directors is in need of a few volunteers.  We are in need of an official secretary, a building chairperson, people to serve on the buildings committee, and people to serve on the grounds committee.

Annual Board of Directors Elections

Two positions on the Board are available as the terms expire.  Board members Nancy West and Joey Ashbrook were unopposed and reelected in an absolute landslide.  Both members will be up for reelection in three years.

Closing Remarks

The Board of Directors would like to thank everyone who attended and encourage all residents to become involved in the McNaughten Village Condominium Association.  Everyone is welcome to attend the monthly Board of Directors meetings, to serve on committees, and to offer help as they are able to do so.