ROOF RATS... ICK

ROOF RATS... ICK! Yep it's that time of year again, the roof rats are back! Keeping roof rats out of your home and yard is very important and much easier to prevent them from coming in than to get them to move out!
Here are some warning signs:

• Hollowed out citrus, especially still on the tree
• gnaw marks around roof eaves
• unsettled pets
• droppings (elongated 1/4 inch long)
• sounds in attics and walls
• damage to plastics and electrical wires

What to do, guidelines to secure your home:

• seal any access into your house
• thin and manicure lush landscape
• eliminate food and water sources
• set out and maintain traps and /or poison bait stations
• inform your immediate neighbors of the problem

Bait stations are available at Tempe Tack & Feed located on University just west of Hardy. Use these in landscape with the "just one bite" poison.

For more information go to :

www.tempe.gov/neighborhoods/roofratsinfo

www.roofrat.net

for more information call (602) 273-0435

Block Delgates Wanted

Happy New Year Neighbors!
2008 will offer many exciting plans for our neighborhood and our community in central Tempe!
We have a number of active individuals who have given their time and efforts to improve our neighborhood, BUT we need more!
After speaking with other neighborhood chairs, i would like to try some of their ideas to get more of our neighbors involved! One idea is to have "Block Delegates".
What is a "Block Delegate"? A block delegate would be someone who would welcome new members of our community when they move in with a "Newcomer Newletter" and to start the conversation as to what a good neighbor is. Would'nt it be easier to let newcomers know that recylce day is Thursday curbside and garbage day is Monday in the alleys? and what about parties! Having a conversation before the party COULD (maybe) save our police department time and energy from having to come out. I know this will not always be the case, but why not try?
A Block Delegate could would keep in contact and let others know when things happen. For instance, when a house is for sale or for rent, how about letting me (Lisa) know so that i can send a broadcast email to everyone in our neighborhood, and ask other neighborhood chairs to share the information on their email lists as well.
A Block Delegate would help to pass out flyers for neighborhood events. We are given 4 mailings per year from the city of Tempe. To help remind neighbors of events and to encourage more particiaption flyers are a great way to "Spread the Word". There are 269 homes in the Clark Park Neighborhood and 158 in the Marilyn Ann Neighborhood. This takes alot of time if only 1 or 2 people are handing them out. It takes MUCH less time if one person on each block could.
Who better than YOU knows what is happening on your block! Can you find an hour an month?
Thank about it, Let's give this a try!
Look for more upcoming community meetings about the Clark Park & Pool master plan! The first formal meeting will be Saturday Feb 23, at 10:00 am at the West Side Community Center, 715 W. 5th Street. (Take the FREE orbit).

THANK YOU BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS!

As always you can reach me at clarkparkna@cox.net