The Northwood Civic Association held elections for board seats during its Nov. 19 meeting.
Mari Carrasquillo, who has organized recent festivals at Northwood Park, was voted in as vice president ahead of longtime board member Tom McAvoy, who will be allowed to remain on the board.
Three new people — Carmen Roman Weldon and Kevin and Darlene Sizer — were also elected to the board.
Joe Krause, who remained as president, said the group has several priorities for the year ahead. They would like to organize a townwatch, become a nonprofit in order to raise additional money and file more conservatorship applications.
Regarding the latter, Krause said he recently contacted Scioli Turco, a nonprofit that helps community organizations with the conservatorship process, about two vacant homes adjacent to each other at 1208 Dyre St. and 5050 Oxford Ave.
Under Pennsylvania Act 135, a nonprofit, civic group or even a neighbor can file a legal request to take control of an abandoned property under certain conditions.
Both houses are owned by the same person. Scioli Turco sent a letter to the owner threatening to file a conservatorship petition if nothing is done to the properties in six months, Krause said.
In other news, Northwood Civic member Terry Heiser has been raising awareness about a lack of crossing guards in the 15th Police District.
He said several busy intersections in the neighborhood, including along Castor Avenue and at Large and Wakeling streets, remained unstaffed by guards.
Crossing guards are employed by the Philadelphia Police Department. Of 107 positions in the 15th District, 21 are unfilled, according to Heiser.
He’s been pushing for more advertising of the jobs.
“It may be a lower priority certainly for the police, but it’s not for parents and children,” Heiser said.
There was talk about potentially printing fliers and distributing them to places around the area.
Interested applicants should check www.phila.gov/personnel for openings.
The Northwood Civic Association’s next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, at Simpson Recreation Center, 1010 Arrott St. ••
