Arbor Hills is the most beautiful in the fall. The mosquitoes leave town, football is back, a crispness is in the air, and the leaves turn into a fantastic pallet of colors. This year, summer was busy with many new families moving into Arbor Hills, lots of home remodeling projects, and the arrival of a new administration at Leopold School. Before the good weather escapes us, I want to reflect on what we as a community do so well that improves our quality of life and safety.
We get to know our neighbors on either side of us, across the street and in back. Mike Tuten, block captain and a beloved long-time resident died in August, and what everyone kept coming back to in his widely-attended funeral service was his commitment to and engagement with his neighbors. I encourage you to do the same. You have amazing neighbors from dozens of professions with different backgrounds and experiences, new puppies, and so many new children to meet.
Your neighborhood association has been very busy. I want to call out in particular the block captains—we may have the best team in the city—and we can always use more of them. If you want to get involved we have lots to do: gardening, supporting Leopold School, assisting neighbors… your neighborhood is on a roll!
I also want to share what residents in Arbor Hills have learned about how stay safe. At a recent neighborhood association meeting, we heard from City of Madison South District Police Captain Paige Valenta and Crime Prevention Officer Emily Samson, who shared crime statistics for our neighborhood and advice for staying safe. We have one of the safest neighborhoods in the metropolitan area and our attitude for a number of years has been “and let’s keep it that way.” We are working with the city to improve street lighting not only to dampen crime, but so that you can see icy sidewalks at night when walking your dog.
In this issue, Crystal Daley sticks to the topic of safety and shares some tips about how to get help. You may have noticed moving trucks bustling through the neighborhood this summer, so realtor Janet Johnson shares some updates about the housing market in Arbor Hills. Last but not least - make sure you don’t miss the info about our Halloween get-together. We hope to see you there!
James W. Cortada
President
Arbor Hills Neighborhood Association