Madison Park

  Does it bother anyone else that this community organizing group is using and emergency number to announce events they are having.? I think it's great you are having fun family things to do..but it's just wrong to use this feature for such a non emergency. I had someone come to my door with a fly er....I have seen the sign on Seneca..and it is plastered all over this web site. So why scare people with a call from char meck emergency..! Does anyone know who I can call to stop this.? If need be maybe I should go to one of the news stations. This has been going on for years and now that I have a answering machine I know now who it is.  Sure did scare me when I would first see it. And why do you call yourself a HOA..Your A Community watch group at best. Just saying..why scare people!

We are an HOA and registered with the state as an HOA and have bylaws.  We are also recognized by the city as an HOA.   In 2008 we were the Neighborhood of the Year entire City of Charlotte. 

  Thanks for sharing your comments. 

Community Watch groups are not allowed to Apply for Matching Grants with the City of Charlotte and our new Madison Park signs going up all over the community this week were made possible in part with a matching Grant from  the City.   Community Watch groups do not do such projects.  In 2008 we did a Matching Grant to pay for NNO for our community.

  As for this service it is offered by CMPD and we use it.  Sorry if it frightens you.  It is not just used by us but communities across the city.   Not really sure what is frightening about the call because they immediately explain the call when you pick it up or hear it on your answering machine.  Plus since you say we have been doing it for years which is true you should know exactly what it is when you see it on your phone.   You said you saw the flier and signs and knew the event was coming up.  

We actually helped CMPD communications work bugs out the system and your are correct we have used it for years.  Why?  the City offered it to us.  There use to be issues with answering machines and multiple call problems when the calls went out. 

Several neighborhoods use the service.  Some for their monthly meetings every month.  Example Camp Green neighborhood and Clanton Park.     We use it for just our special events.  All of our events by the way which CMPD  participates in and like this one  tonight partnered with us in.  This one event such as NNO attracts hundreds of neighbors.  Only pointing this out because you don't say if you attended or not our event tonight.    Many of our great officers from Westover were present tonight along with city leaders.

Part of the reason for the message such as the one today which I assume you listened to gave detours around the street closure and cautioned drivers to be aware of increased pedestrian traffic.  So it certainly serves a useful purpose.    City of Charlotte does the same thing for road races and other events held all over Charlotte.  It is a safety service! 

We actually had someone contact us just today and said they lived in the neighborhood for 3 years on Mockingbird and did not know there was an HOA or National Night Out.  They encouraged us to do more promotion and communicate even more.     

We use a variety of sources to try and get the word out and make great events for the community working hard to try to make this neighborhood a nice place to live.  I am glad you think it is great we do fun family events.   We want our neighbors to know each other and the police so they can watch out for each other.   Getting people out at our event meeting and knowing each other might prevent the need for a 911 call in the future.  People feel more comfortable communicating with the officers.

Sometimes there can be a ton of info distributed by many sources Example City of Charlotte and the Green Cans.  We still have people that can't get that right.

We have talked about the calls and didn't realize some people such as you didn't know the source.  It is probably even documented in our minutes several times over the last many years.   We have it documented in the history of our minutes. 

It might be better if it reflected GEO notification system on caller ID since that really is what it is called by the city.   I thought it did say that at least once or twice in past years, but someone else posted it had not...so not 100% sure. 

 I don't care what Grants you get. The very definition of a HOA and a watch group are on this very website. Perhaps you pulled some strings.  Why so defensive? You must admit only a fraction of this neighborhood are members. You have no guidelines I have to follow except what is already Law.  Doesn't sound like my sisters HOA.

   As for the phone calls. Are you telling me that someone coming home from work whom does not have an answering machine may not get alarmed at seeing the calls on the caller ID??? I sure use to! Or get startled at seeing it at first glance?  Those are the people I am talking about as for myself I think it is wrong to use such a feature for a non emergency. Like I said your a watch group with a Grant! Not sure how your getting recognized as a HOA! I think the neighborhood needs you..Just not your phone calls.

I signed up for the no call list. Can I do the same with you and your aka HOA!? It has gotten to where now I no longer view the calls as anything more than getting harassing calls from your watch group! So I no longer pick up! It's a shame..Wonder how many others are doing the same!?

Just to answer

CMPD and City of Charlotte obviously don't agree with you that it is wrong or they would not allow it.  Again they offered the service (years ago and many use it throughout the city). 

As far as opting out we don't have any control over the calls other than making the request for the call.  My understanding is if your published and using a land line the call goes to you within our boundaries.  I know one time someone that use to live in Madison Park was getting the call.  She no longer lived on this side of town.  She asked to opt out and I was told they could not remove her.   I think it was a case where she carried her phone number with her but somehow it was still associated with a street in our community.

On July 1st 2009 you signed up to be part of this group by visiting the Madison Park HOA web site and requesting to be a member.  I don't know if your a paid member or not.  Your membership through this site I can delete for you if you like by you sending an e-mail to our MadisonParkhoa@hotmail.com requesting to be removed.   Hope that will not be your choice!

Anyone living in our boundaries or owning property in our boundaries are considered a member of the Madison Park HOA.  That would be 2350 homes.   Paid memberships are appreciated and help with projects and events.   Projects that improve our property values and events that make our community a better place to live.   Thousands visit this site every month.   Hundreds request our minutes each month with hundreds more reading them online.  

And NO it sounds like your sisters HOA might be one with it's own rules that residents must follow.  We operate pretty much like a Neighborhood Association but we are registered with the state as an HOA.  Only difference to serve on board or be an officer you must be a homeowner living in our boundaries.  We welcome rental tenants to participate and have some as paid members.  We are not going to tell you what color to paint your house, what size flag you can have in your yard, or what kind of car you can park in your driveway. 

Sorry the calls bother you.