President's Letter: January 2014

2014 -- Happy New Year! 

The start of a fresh new year should excite us all. It's an opportunity for resolutions, change, and getting a clean slate for a brand new 12 months ahead of us. For Clairemont Town Council, this year marks our 60th anniversary of our founding.

It's been 60 years since the merger of the former Clairemont Booster Club and Clairemont Civic Association. Our CTC Historian, Simone Henriques, has been collecting and gathering news clippings, photos, and memorabilia about the history of our organization, and the accomplishments we've racked up over 6 decades worth of dedication to this community.

None of these accomplishments would've been successful over the last 60 years if it weren't for our loyal, consistent, and ever-growing membership. Yes, we are a membership-oriented organization, and your humble dues greatly fund much of the community grants, projects, and activism we commit to every year for Clairemont.

CTC Membership Update!

To all Clairemont residents who are interested in becoming a member of the Clairemont Town Council:

For the past several months I have been promoting membership for our local Town Council. Major changes have been made regarding the payment of membership fees. The membership fees will become due on the first of January (each year) and will be adjusted in quarterly increments.

EXAMPLE - A full years fee will be from January 1, to December 31 of the same year. If a new member enrolls between April 1 to June 30, the fee will be 75% of the annual fee. from July 1 to September 30, the fee will be 50% of the annual fee, and from October 1 to December 31, the fee will be 25% of the annual. All Fees will again become due on the first of January of the following year. This revised method will make record keeping much easier to work with.

The annual Fees are as follows:

• Senior 55 years and older, and Veterans ($10/year)
• General membership, below age 55, includes immediate family members ($20/year)
• Non Profit business fees ($30/year)
• Profit type business ($50/year)

If you pay your fee at the door, each member will be given a written receipt. You can also mail in a check or pay on line, go to the CTC website www.clairemontonline.com and you can enroll using PayPal. Or mail your check to the address on the CTC Website.

Auto Theft Prevention Made Easy

Since December 1st, there have been over 30 vehicle thefts in the greater Clairemont area according to the CrimeMapping.com website. Many of these thefts were preventable if the car owner had bothered to take just one additional precaution.

It may come as a surprise to many that car alarms are not the first line of defense when it comes to stopping a car thief. The fact is that a car alarm is only activated after somebody decides to steal your car and breaks into it! It is important to realize that most car alarm horns can be deactivated by a skilled thief in under 30 seconds from the time it first sounds. Preventing someone from wanting to steal your car in the first place is much more effective than having only a car alarm which goes to work after a thief breaks into your car. In tandem having a car alarm and an inexpensive antitheft device are highly effective in preventing your car from ever being stolen.

The most common anti-theft device is the steering wheel lock. These brightly colored hardened steel locking devices attach to the steering wheel in plain sight for all to see. The locked bar blocks the steering wheel from being turned and prevents the car from being driven away. It also is easy for a thief to see for himself before he breaks into your car! If a thief can’t drive your car away he is much less likely to try to steal it!

Titans of Industry

For the 5th consecutive year CHS had the 1st place team in Junior Achievement's district business competition "Titans of Industry". Alan Walter, Clairemont Academy of Business teacher, uses the virtual business simulation in his Entrepreneurship course to educate students about the rigors of running a global business. "I had a similar business simulation my capstone year in college. It was such a great way to learn about running a company in a fun, hands-on way that I vowed if I had the opportunity I would give the same opportunity to my students. In many ways I think this is better than a textbook." Walter said.

The competition took place Dec 5th at University of Phoenix. Teams competed against each other in a virtual business simulation where they are the CEO of a media company. Based on market data and analysis teams made business decisions such as price, marketing, R&D, charitable giving and capital improvement.

Not only is this the 5th year an Academy of Business team has scored the top overall spot, but they took home 2nd, 4th and 5th places as well in the district.

Alan Walter Teacher, Academy of Business Clairemont High School

Way to go CHS! We are so proud of our young shinning stars in the community!

Janett Lewis

Director North

Chair, Communications Committee

CTC Highlight: Nirvana Ortanez

Tammy Wilson Photography

As previously mentioned, Nirvana Ortanez is one of Clairemont Town Council's recipients of our Fall Grant. Nirvana, one of the top-ranked snowboarders in the world, is training and competing to become the first female Olympic athlete to represent the Philippines at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

 

If you'd like to learn more about Nirvana, please visit her website at http://makeachamp.com/nirvanao

Update: Public Safety Awareness Committee (December 2013)

Safety Santa (image), click to enlarge.

Happy Holidays Clairemont,

Although we have said goodbye to summer, the holiday season started last Thursday with Thanksgiving and retailers have started to show the spirit by putting up lights, plugging in trees, and displaying garland and ornaments. As commercial businesses are regulated by local, state, and Federal safety regulations, it is up to home owners and neighborhoods to take care and pay attention to safety!

The Clairemont Town Council’s Public Safety Awareness Committee would like to remind you to review the following safety concerns…

President's Letter: December 2013

Can you believe it's Christmas time, already? Could've sworn I just put my Santa hat away from last year! That being said, it's that time of year again, and every December we bring our favorite drinks, dishes, desserts (and utensils!) to our annual Holiday Potluck Dinner.

This month we will be honoring our retiring CTC Boardmembers and their steadfast commitment to our community and Clairemont Town Council. We will also present checks to our Fall Grant recipients: Hawthorne Elementary for improvements to their school gardens, and Holmes Elementary to help send their 5th graders to a Junior Achievement-hosted event at BizTown.

Our final Fall Grant recipient, Nirvana Ortanez, was introduced at our Mayoral Forum last month. Nirvana, one of the top-ranked snowboarders in the world, is training and competing to become the first female Olympic athlete to represent the Philippines at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. If you'd like to learn more about Nirvana, please visit her website at http://makeachamp.com/nirvanao