wellborn my hometown

Final Thursday evenings @ 7 PM, each month, the Wellborn Neighborhood Watch meets at the Blake Lowe Building next to Wellborn Community Park. January guest speaker was Sheriff Tony Cameron. It is a tradition! and a good way to start a new year of working together. It is all about law enforcement and our own safety.
L to R Billy Maxwell, Russell Smith, Jane Campbell, Tony Cameron and Ruth Ford. Tim Steichen was busy doing his secretary& treasurer duties. Leaders for WNW '09 were chosen by easy vote. Co-coordinators for 2009 are Russell Smith and Ruth Ford, Tim Steichen, secretary&treasurer, Jane Campbell, publicity & the summer block party and Kelcy McGarrity assumes hostess duties to be sure there are refreshments to enjoy together before the evening programs And business meeting.
Sheriff Cameron gave heartening statistics about diminished crimes in the county. His current main concern is theft and burglaries. Oxycotin is the drug of choice these days. It combines with the lost jobs & alcohol as motivating factors toward theft.. Tightened regulations on the sale of scrap metals should bring down abandoned cars stolen for scrap value.
Billy Maxwell pointed out the postive aspect of high prices for metal now. Our fence rows and empty lots are currently picked clean! :-)
WNW will be notified of local burglaries. Everyone needs to be alert and watchful and willing to report suspicious looking activity with a 911 on a cell phone (even if the phone is defunct). It will get the dispatcher who will direct the call. Sherriff handles about 60,000 calls a year now!
The good working relationship between the County Commission and the Sheriff Department is a blessing that is especially appreciated in the current Budget making process.
Suwannee County Correctional Insititute opens in March '09 with 423 work camp inmates. By summer there will be 1600 with all the necessary support staff. Eventually 4000 inmates will make it the largest facility in Florida..
Jane asked the Sheriff if a tour of the facility might happen for the Wellborn Neighborhood Watch.
He and the commissioners just did a tour and were favoarbley impressed.
NEXT MONTH SPEAKER IS LAMAR JENKINS whose property tax expertise is legend here.