For those of you who have ever served on the board of the Pimmit Hills Citizens Association or any other similar organization, you'll find the following still true whether it is today, 10 years ago or 47 years ago. The perennial frustration of why Pimmit Hills residents don't attend PHCA meetings or participate with events, activities and projects in the community.
From the PHCA "President's Corner" of the November 1965 issue of the Pimmit Hills Dispatch. The President was Carl Carver.
"Something is wrong. What is it? Why, from 1,600 homes in the community and a paid membership last year [1964] of 1,150 persons [2012 Note: WOW! 1,150 paid PHCA Memberships?], can we not get more than 25 person to a meeting of the citizens' association? And why do all the jobs have to be done by the same handful of people time after time after time?
Worse, why do so many people not care about their homes or their neighbors of their community? The police officers who addressed the October [1965] meeting of the Association donated their time to speak to 25 people. This is anything but a source of pride to the Association or to the residents.
We attempt to initiate a program to upgrade the Pimmit Hills public image, but fewer than 20% of the residents take the trouble to respond to to a questionnaire designed to provide a basis for a workable public relations scheme.
These are the warning signs of a creeping complacency. It has happened in other communities. With this situation, the citizens' association will disintegrate. There will be no effective voice against undesirable zoning decisions, no positive force in seeking improvements for the community.
Some associations within shouting distance have not held elections or even a meeting for more than two years.
Where will these people be when the bowling alley is built in their backyards? You know as well as I where there will be--up the creek without a paddle.
I'm told this kind of writing is going to make some people angry. I hope it does! I hope it makes them angry enough to do something about it.
As a start, I suggest they can come out to the meeting and tell me how angry they are. Then they can continue coming on the first Tuesday of each month, taking a part in the meetings and working for Pimmit Hills.
The Association's job is far from completed. The big push is just beginning in commercial construction around this sub-division and there is plenty to be done in other matters. We can do without the Association approximately as well as the County can do without the Board of Supervisors."
Another item in that same issue from the meeting minutes:
". . . Mr. Carver then made the announcement that if a sufficient number of persons indicate their interest, the Association will put its weight into the effort and work for the installation of curbs and gutters."
Hard to imagine now, but at that time, most of the roads in Pimmit Hills were dirt roads and there were hardly any sidewalks. The happy ending is that most people did want curbs and gutters in the road, the Association worked hard for many years on this project and now our cars don't sink in the mud and water when we drive after a rain storm.
