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Sitting in the beauty of my flower garden, I often find myself looking in the rearview mirror of life and

wonder what this part of Texas was like at the time of the Texas Revolution. Who owned the land in

1922? What did this area look like in 1980? There are some who will think, “What difference does it

make?” and others who are willing to take a chance and jump on the train of retrospection.

On fine afternoon in 1983 I was in the mood to investigate a dirt road that was no more than a wide

path made by adventurers before me. The path, located at the end of a two-lane road near the water

tower located at New World and Miller Road went into a green belt where no one lived. At the time, I

was driving a new pickup truck with good tires that provided me a false sense of I can do anything

attitude.

The dirt road wound around the water tower and an after what seemed at least a total of 30 twists and

turns that lead up and down hills, I ended my journey emerging from the green belt on the edge of

Gibbs Sprawl Road next to a cemetery. It was at that moment I discovered I had been holding my

breath in fear that I would get lost in the most disgusting dump zone I had ever see. There were

abandoned appliances, broken TVs, discarded furniture, old tires, and even an abandoned car

scattered among mountains of broken glass and other household trash. I remember thinking, the area

was an odd place for a landfill.

Both relieved and a little proud of myself, I went home to tell Eddie about the short cut I discovered.

He asked me to show him and without hesitation, mostly because I would not be alone, I showed him.

When we arrived at Gibbs Sprawl, he turned to me with a very serious expression and said, “Don’t

come this way again.” Of course, I listened to him, but that did not stop the feeling that I was being

drawn to the area.

Fast forward to a fall evening in 1989. Katie asked if we could give one of her band friends a ride

home after the football game. Following her friend’s directions, we found ourselves driving up to a

beautiful two-story home on Serene Ridge. We were so impressed with the beauty of the

neighborhood! The streets were smooth and clean. A majority of the homes had well kept yards. I

wanted to live in a neighborhood just like this one! Again, I had a strong feeling of being drawn to the

area. One year later, in October 1990, Eddie and I moved our family into our home on Clear Ridge.

Our selection had not been difficult. We had a list of homes to visit and the moment we walked in the

front door of the house; we knew we were home! I was finished looking and we made our final

decision.

The words in the theme from Mahogany, defines the path we traveled to arrive home in 1990. The

“dump” I traveled through was Crownwood before the builder cleared the land and built the homes!

Once the journey was close to the end, we revisited the same area now developed and alive! Once

again, we were drawn to Crownwood. The words of Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser the songwriters

of “Do You Know Where You're Going To,” have helped me define the journey we took to come

home.

Do you know where you're going to?

Do you like the things that life is showin' you?

Where are you going to?

Do you know?

Do you get what you're hopin' for

When you look behind you, there's no open doors

What are you hopin' for?

Do you know?

Once we were standin' still in time

Chasin' the fantasies that filled our minds

You knew how I loved you but my spirit was free

Laughin' at the questions that you once asked of me

Do you know where you're going to?

Do you like the things that life is showing you

Where are you goin' to?

Do you know?

General Meeting Notes 5/16/24

The General Meeting was called to order and welcomed by President Damian Arocho at 7:01PM. We had 14 members, including in that were 4 CHRNA board members, and 4 guests at the meeting for a total of 18 in attendance. 

Secretary Jenny Smith did a recap of the March 2024 minutes. After being read they were presented to those in attendance for any additions or corrections. Board Administrator Beverly Lee made the first motion to accept the minutes, and Raul Luna made the second motion, all in attendance accepted the minutes. 

Board member Beverly Lee stepped in for Treasurer Stella McCoy who was absent and read the treasury report. Those in attendance were asked if there were any questions or concerns. With no questions, Brian Sadovsky made the first motion to accept the Treasury report, Beverly Lee made the second motion, with all in attendance in agreement to accept the treasury report. 

Board member Beverly Lee presented us with the current membership stats. We have 34 homes that are members and able to vote, 1 lifetime membership, and 23 homes that have expired memberships. We have 14 streets with no block ambassador and 8 of those streets have no members on them. President Damian Arocho talked about block ambassadors being the streets communicator, and letting the homes and residents know important news that is going on in the neighborhood. Block ambassadors with have a sign in their yard so people know who they can go to if they have questions. Damian also talked about the Blessing boxes and that we have one on Forest Ridge and one at the Upper Serene entrance by the ARC. Please be kind and considerate when you take or give food. Clean up if there is a mess, don’t make a mess, and only put in unexpired, unopened, non perishable items. Please do not put things that will melt like chocolate, or carbonated drinks. We are getting too hot and these things will make a mess of the Blessing Boxes and cause bugs to invade. Treasurer Stella McCoy and Lead Block Ambassador Ramona Rosales are the ladies that head the Blessing Boxes. Our motto is “if you need it take, if you have it give it.” 

Frank Vitale asked a question and gave a suggestion on the Benevolent Fund. Since it total is around $3,000, would it be possible to stop putting money into the Benevolent Fund when it reaches $3,500 or so dollars and leave it there until someone is in need of some of the funds. Beverly Lee explained that the Benevolent Fund was set up for good standing members to use in a catastrophic situation. Such as your only income being from your spouse and your family needs a little to make bills, or you had a flood and are in need of a little help. There is a detailed application process that you have to fill out. As soon as Damian receives the application he will bring it to the board members in confidentiality to vote on whether that person will receive the funding asked for. The turnaround time is usually 24 hours or less. We have had many people ask for an application, but few have been returned. CHRNA does fundraising, get’s direct donations, uses half of the silent auction money for the Benevolent Fund, and uses 25% of the 50/50 raffle ticket sales. 

President Damian Arocho presented us with the CHRNA community updates. The road project has not advanced any, and we are still on hold for starting. He is hopeful that we will start seeing something done in December. He is in contact with the county, and the project manager continually asking what the progress of when our street updates will happen. Damian talked about the lower Serene entrance that it is a right hand turn out of the neighborhood only, and the right hand lane on Crestway is a right turn only. There is a sign, rumble strips, and painted road stating it, but we don’t feel it’s enough. We see too many people racing down in the right turn only lane and going straight. There is a letter out to the project manager about the safety of that are of road. COP member Stanley Smith mentioned that the safety of that area and ideas such as the plastic blinking in road warning light “things” have been taken to the project manager and further up the chain of command. He is hopeful that if COP steps in as well, we will get something done quicker, since it is a huge safety concern. 

COP member Stanley Smith gave us some insight on the Cellular On Patrol (COP) standings. He informed us that they will be coming through and doing a CAP patrol sometime. That’s the COP members, and Bexar County Sheriff’s Office patrolling the neighborhood and reporting any crime or unusual things, illegal things on the streets, such as cars with expired tags, up on blocks and can see it hasn’t been moved in a long time, high weeds, etc. Stan also suggested we download the app SPOTCRIME and look at the crime in our neighborhood compared to the crime in a one to two mile radius. Crownwood has 75% less crime than other neighborhoods in a one mile radius. That is a lot to do with the COP members we have, but Crownwood needs more, to keep our neighborhood safe, and keep crime even lower. We’ve had an increase in vehicle break-ins again lately. We do have signs at all 4 entrances into Crownwood stating we have a COP team here. Stan gave a small summary of what a COP member does. Drive around the neighborhood and watch for things that don’t look normal, or off. Do you see a garage open with no cars around that normally is closed or has cars, call it in and report a safety check. There are no set hours, you don’t confront anyone, you see something, you call it in to BCSO non emergency number 210-335-6000 Option 2. This number can be called by anyone for a non emergency. There are training classes offered frequently. There was one this past weekend May 18that the substation off 1604 and Rocket Lane area. When you become a COP member and you call something in, you will get a faster response than if you aren’t. Everyone is encouraged to call in things they see that are not “normal”. “If you see something, Say something” Call it in!!! 

Stan also spoke some on things that Crownwood has, that other neighborhoods don’t, and some of those things are used in trainings for COP. We are the only neighborhood in Unincorporated Bexar County that has 20MPH speed limit AND speed bumps. It started out with getting approval from Bexar County and signed petition from residents on Serene Ridge to get the speed bumps installed. Then came the lower speed of 20 MPH. We have other streets that are main streets, such as Forest Ridge and Ridge Mile that do not have speed bumps to help slow people down. There have been requests put in more speed limit signs in Crownwood as well as out on Crestway. It takes a lot of push and calling to get things done. As they say “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Stan let us know that we have an average of 2 actual Sheriff Officers on duty per shift. We do have more cadets coming on, but that still will not be enough to cover our area of Bexar County. COP members have been pushing hard to get more speed patrolling done on Crestway and in our neighborhood. BCSO is going to start patrolling more frequently at different times when they can, to try and curb the speeding in Crownwood and on Crestway. A new resident mentioned a white Dodge speeding by their house and they yelled to slow down, after that they would slow down some by said home. Stan told us a story that ended up involving that white Doge car. There was a Dodge Challenger and Black Chrysler 300 racing up Gibb sprawl Rd, BCSO and Converse PD worked together to stop the two. They were arrested, taken to jail and cars impounded. 

George Wood asked what the HOA, or what can be done about the house falling apart on Gallant Ridge and Serene Ridge? The siding has fallen off and has torn blue tarps up to the side of the home. Frank Vitale commented that a few years ago he got the paperwork together, filled it out and gave it to the owners to get free funding to help fix the house. The owners refused the help and free funding. Frank and others have tried a few times to help the owners fix the house, and they get denied. Dixie Joy had mentioned that a home on Forest Ridge and Maple Ridge had no power or water for quite some time, and the people were recently evicted. At the time of our meeting nothing had been done about cleaning up the area, and she asked what could be done and who to call. Frank had mentioned that because we are not a mandated, strict ridicules rule making, following HOA, doesn’t mean things can’t get done. It just takes more of us calling and reporting to get them done. It’s a good thing to not be a mandated HOA and have all the extra rules and fees. Just keep calling code compliance and sending them your pictures, or calling BCSO non emergency when needed. It took a very long time for something to get done with a home on Clear Ridge, but that house is now getting a complete makeover. It took many neighbors and COP members calling in that eye sore of a home.

Damian opened the floor up for questions or concerns. There were non that hadn’t already been addressed in the appropriate time. Frank Vitale let us know that there is a Bocce Ball league starting at Bella on the Vine, next to Papa Dante’s Restaurant, but it is only open to CHRNA members at this time. If you are interested, please contact Frank or email CHRNA and they will get you his information or forward your information on to him. 

Vice President Walt Ledbetter read the calendar of events

* GENERAL MEETINGS at The American Legion Post 593 in Converse, Texas from 6:30-8PM

      July 18th, September 19th, November 21st

* SENIOR LADIES COFFEE for 50+. Location will be announced via CHRNA E-News

     June 20th, August 15th, October 17th, December 19th 

* 50/50 RAFFLE SALES. The 3 Saturdays prior to the General Meeting (upper Serene Ridge entrance).       

     June 29th, July 6th, July 13th

* JUNE YARD OF THE MONTH CONTEST

     Entry deadline: May 31st@ 5:00 PM

A motion to adjourn the meeting was brought by Damian Arocho. First to approve was Brian Sadovsky, and second to approve was Frank Vitale. All in attendance approved to adjourn the meeting at 8:02 PM.