Paquin Tower Community Garden coming revovation

Well not much is going on with the Community Garden behind Paquin Tower except planning for it's coming renovation that has been on the 5 year plan of Columbia P & R.

The coming renovation includes:

All new build raised assessable Garden beds. The old beds are wore out and falling a part rather badly.

A new area for Perennial only Garden spot. ( this is so the raised beds can be for vegetables and non Perennials )

New concrete to be poured around all of the new raised Garden beds.( we have gravel now that when wet wheel chairs sink down into and users have had to call for help in getting unstuck from. )

Old trees to be removed that are not in line with future development and new trees to be planted.

Extensive tree trimming of other trees.

Removal of current stairs that can be a slip or fall hazard. This will result in users having to use the walk way that is in place for wheel chair access.

Installation of chain link fence and a locked gate at the top of the accessible walk way so that all non gardeners can be kept out of the garden area.

Possible installation of a second hose bib at the back end of the garden area so users do not have to drag so much hose the entire length of the garden area.

There will be more but that is the primary list for the coming renovation of this small community garden area that was put in place for the disabled residents of Paquin Tower. That is just for the garden as the Park itself is due some much needed cosmetics to.

Attack at Walmart was racially motivated, police say

First off we know these two from them living here at Paquin Tower. James is the young guy with the small White fuzzy puppy named Molly. On with the story.

Source and More:
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2009/11/02/chaotic-attack-walmart-racially-motivated-police-say/

Two brothers were arrested Thursday afternoon after an attack in which Columbia police say one brother, motivated by race, tried to run over three adults and four children in the Walmart parking lot at 3001 W. Broadway.

James Robert Pezold, 25, and his younger brother, Michael Garrett Pezold, 20, face a string of charges for crimes police say were committed before, during and after the incident at Walmart. Both men are from O'Fallon, but police say they were living in Paquin Tower recently.

You can read the rest of the story at the Source Link provided.

Now is my time here to play Devil's Advocate and ask some rather pointed questions:

1: If these two really were or are racists by nature how come they were hanging around with,partying with,running gang banging with African American's in our building?

What made him and his brother so racist on that occasion to prompt them doing what they are accused of. What brought it on and so violently?

2: James came out of a Rehab Center here in Columbia straight up into Paquin Tower and was basically left to his own devices once again by the Agency that was supposed to be helping him. Subsequently he relapsed back into Drugs and or Alcohol,tried to commit suicide at least once and was not in a daily treatment program that I am aware of.

Why was there almost if no follow up by the Agency that was supposed to help James in all of his issues? Why no daily intervention? Why no daily recovery classes,work shops nor groups mandated that he attend?

3: The last information I had was that James's mom was his legal Guardian/Conservator over all of his financial needs and such.

If the above is still correct why didn't his parents do what they needed to do and put him into a Group Home environment until he could get his major issues worked through?

4: I had heard James's brother was up here in Columbia with him to help him take his meds and basically help him over all.

If this is and was the case obviously somebody's experiment failed miserably by what we now see here.

5: Where was CHA's Resident Services in all of this working side by side with the Agency that was supposed to be helping James with his many issues?

I ask all of these questions of not only you the readership of this blog but of those of you involved with the Agency(s) that helped put James into Paquin Tower and was supposed to or should have been supervising his Recovery Process alot closer than you obviously were.

I am also asking this of all concerned and involved CHA Management Staff as well.

Somebody dropped the ball somewhere and I think the residents of Paquin Tower and this entire community deserve some honest answers since now Paquin Tower has caught another bad looking case reputation in the local news outlets.

As a resident of Paquin Tower I am disgusted at how Paquin Tower has been allowed to become a "Dumping Ground" for the local Mental Health Agencies who often times leave their clients to their own devices with little to no daily intervention after they come out of group homes or drug and alcohol treatment centers or even fresh off the streets from being homeless with Mental Issues that need daily intervention.

As a standing member of the Columbia Housing Resident Advisory Board (R.A.B.) I am appalled this is allowed by the Columbia Housing Authority Board of Directors to continue and Policies have not been looked into to change current standing policy.

As a Disabled with a Mental Illness since birth citizen of this nation I am in shock that the Columbia Housing Authority allows this type of thing to continue to go on month after month and year after year with no talk of looking deeper at this main issue of Paquin Tower being used as a literal dumping ground by local Mental Health Agencies with no Master Plan of Mandated Daily Recovery Plans/Treatment Policies in place to ensure that these Agency's Clients are working on a Honest Recovery Plan.

In not doing any of the above IMHO not only are these local Mental Health Agencies failing their Mission Statements but they are if we can go so far as knowingly putting other Disabled Citizens in possible instances of danger or hardships they do not deserve as a whole with in the Paquin Tower Community.

I can also say in all honesty that CHA as a whole is failing it's own Mission Statement in not protecting all of the rights of it's residents in making sure that these residents being dumped or warehoused if you will at Paquin Tower by these local Mental Health Agencies are not in some form of Mandated Treatment Program and that accountability is not being enforced nor even thought about.

What is Paquin Tower and what has it become from long ago? Is it a community development for Independent Living as it should be or has it become a convenient facility for all of the local Mental Heath Agencies to warehouse and to dump their clients into and leave them to their own devices all the while expecting great results in the obvious process of their recovery needs.

We have clients of these local Mental Health Agencies that are chronically relapsing back into Drugs and or Alcohol and or refuse to stay on their medications they are prescribed. We have residents that are involved with these Agencies that cannot hardly take care of themselves day to day. Is this the way these local Mental Health Agencies look after the Health and Welfare of their clients? If it is I am one disgusted Disabled individual!!

I have alot of love,sympathy and empathy for my fellow Disabled citizen but I do have lines I do not go past nor things I do not tolerate and this is one of those subjects that crosses those personal and ethical boundaries in my life that I will not tolerate for very long with out speaking up about it.

I was once told if I do not like it then I could move but that is not how issues and policies get worked out for the betterment of all potentially involved. You stand your ground and you fight for what you know is right and you stand your ground until your final dying breath if need be to get other concerned residents, citizens, community leaders,politicians and others involved to create that change that is needed so our home here at Paquin Tower can be the best it can be and deserves to be.

If you are a resident or citizen in this community have any problems at all with current CHA Policies you can write formal letters of concern and address them to the Columbia Housing Authority's Board of Directors at Switzler Street so your concerns will be known or you can take go to any meeting (if you are a resident of CHA) of the Columbia Housing Resident Advisory Board Meeting held each month in the Paquin Tower dining room and you can call the CHA Switzler Office for the date and time of these meetings and you can also bring up your concerns at your CHA Resident association Meetings held at the respective CHA Housing Developments once a month. Once again call the Switzler main office for date,time and details.

Only working together can we get policies and issues changed for the better but you must be willing to stand up and push for those changes.

If you do not speak up how will anybody know of your concerns involving CHA Policies and how they effect each and every one of us who live at Paquin Tower and under CHA Management.

CHA Support of Proposal to Ban Alcohol in Paquin Park

This proposal right along with the proposal going to the PTRA Monday night should help get this Ordinance passed through City Council.

To: Board of Commissioners

From: Phil Steinhaus, CEO

Date: October 20, 2009

RE: Proposal to Ban Alcohol Consumption in Paquin Park


Paquin Park is a small “pocket park located just north of Paquin Tower that includes raised gardening beds for ease of access by persons with disabilities, a picnic shelter, small basketball court, and community green space. It is owned by the city of Columbia and adjacent to Lee Elementary School classrooms and playground to the North.

For a number of years, the use of alcohol and illegal drugs has been a problem in Paquin Park. Paquin Tower residents have complained about this on-going activity in the park that often includes non-residents of Paquin Towers and homeless persons without a permanent address. The park is often littered with empty alcohol containers and other trash left by these visitors.

Paquin Tower has 200 housings units for persons with disabilities that have very little access to personal gardening or green space. For many, this park serves as their backyard. Due to complicating health issues or personal choice, a majority of residents of Paquin Tower choose not to drink alcohol or use illegal drugs. Other residents are in recovery from previous alcohol or drug abuse and wish to maintain their sobriety and avoid situations where alcohol and illegal drugs are being used. Many residents are also in poor health and are afraid to use the park because they feel threatened by those abusing alcohol in the park.

The Paquin Tower Resident Association will be considering a proposal requesting that the city of Columbia ban alcohol use in Paquin Park on Monday, October 26, 2009.

Lee Elementary School has also been negatively affected by alcohol abuse in Paquin Park. Inappropriate behavior, vulgar language, and multiple incidents involving persons incapacitated by alcohol lying in the park have been reported. The police and ambulances have been required to remove and transport extremely intoxicated persons from the park. Last year, Lee Elementary School erected a fence on the Eastern end of the park and created an environmental classroom on property owned by the Columbia Public School District.

I have discussed the possibility of banning alcohol in Paquin Park with city staff and they have stated that they would be supportive of the proposal based on the wishes of residents of Paquin Towers. It was recommended that the CHA Board of Commissioners submit a recommendation on this issue to the Columbia City Council for consideration.

I have consulted with CHA Public Housing and Safety Department staff and they unanimously support this recommendation. I am recommending that the CHA Board of Commissioners propose to the Columbia City Council that the use of alcohol be banned in Paquin Park and that violators be subject to arrest and a significant penalty designed to deter this behavior in the future.

Grandma Orene Henderson 1947-2009

Orene L. Henderson, 62, of Columbia, formerly of Kansas City, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009.

Services will be at noon Saturday, Oct. 10, at Victorious Life Church, 3400 Paseo Blvd. in Kansas City.

Friends may call from 11 a.m. to noon at the church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Lawrence A. Jones and Sons Funeral Chapels in Kansas City.

Rest in peace ole girl you will be greatly missed.

Paquin Tower Resident Association looking to help make Paquin Park Zero Tolerance Zone

At the next meeting of the Paquin Tower Resident Association there will be a draft proposal submitted to the entire PTRA in attendance for discussion and voting on at the following meeting of trying to help push a bigger proposal to City Council to help make Paquin Park and the Community Garden Area a Zero Tolerance Zone.

What does a "Zero Tolerance Zone mean"?

It means that No Alcohol nor any and all Illicit and or Illegal Drugs will be allowed nor tolerated usage of by a revised City Ordinance in Paquin Park.

As it stands now Open Containers (alcohol) are allowed in most all City Parks. We are looking to make our park the exception to that rule.

This means that if you get caught drinking and drugging in Paquin Park you get cited and possibly even go to jail too.

This draft proposal has been in discussion for quite some time amongst officials of Columbia Housing Authority,Columbia Parks and Recreation,Columbia Police Department,The Lee School and other concerned citizens who are tired of the continual issues Alcohol and Drugs bring to Paquin Park and the Community Garden Area.

As some residents have proclaimed to me "It is time to take back our park!!"

The draft proposal will be read at the next Paquin Tower Resident Association meeting the fourth Monday of October at the regular 6:30 pm meeting and then voted upon at the regular fourth Monday of the month meeting in November.

Dumpster Fire In Paquin Tower Garage

This morning we had a dumpster fire in the downstairs garage where the trash chute empties down into.

The smoke from this dumpster fire rose up the elevator shafts and back up the trash chute and caused quite the "stink" on all of the floors. Plus it went up the main ventilation shaft too which helps to circulate air through out the entire building.

It reminded me of that guy in Apocalypse Now "There is nothing like the smell of burnt trash in the morning".

Now what caused this dumpster fire you might ask?

There are two theories to this:

1: Somebody dumped their ash tray into their trash bag then dumped that down the trash chute.

2: Somebody tossed a lit cigarette down the trash chute.

From my angle as I walked out onto the first floor rear viewing deck it looked like the first reason above as there was still smoke coming up out of the dumpster from the bottom corner under other bags of trash as the dumpster in question was pushed outside by the Columbia Fire Department.

It is a real good thing that there is a fire suppression system installed in the garage and a sprinkler head right next to that location.

This is not the first time of a dumpster fire that has occurred in the dumpster nor in the trash chute itself. I guess we can all be totally thankful that it was not and did not turn into something bigger.

You might ask what can we do as citizens of Paquin Tower to prevent this in the future:

1: Tell your neighbors of your concerns on this issue.

2: Be pro active and push for more tenant education on this issue.

3: Be aware yourself if you are a smoker of how you dump your ash trays.

4: Ask CHA to post notices by your trash chute asking all residents to be more aware.

5: If all else fails push for a total "No Smoking Ban" in the building (We all know that is not going to happen but it has been implemented in other H.U.D. run Public Housing Developments so do not cough or laugh to hard) which could be a reality if this issue were to persist.

Link to info about the proposals for H.U.D. to go No Smoking with it's Public Housing Units:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=public+housing+goes+smoke+free&btnG=Google+Search

This issue is that incidents like this make our home here look bad in the public eye and that is something we all need to work on and to clean up. After all we should take some pride in our home and do everything we can to make it as pleasant as we possibly can and if that means we must become our "brother's and sister's keepers" then so be it.

Section 8 rents rise for many

Columbia recipients of Section 8 vouchers are being hit with a rent hike this month after the Columbia Housing Authority was unable to bridge a budgetary shortfall.

The housing authority had applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in August but did not receive the $110,000 it needed to avoid the rent increases.

Housing Authority CEO Phil Steinhaus called the shortfall a “perfect storm” — fewer people than usual leaving the program combined with higher-than-average voucher costs.

The housing authority took action in May by closing its waiting list and halting the addition of new families to the program, but it was still unable to significantly decrease the number of vouchers it was obliged to cover.

“Probably the biggest issue was the number of folks going off our program dropped dramatically,” Steinhaus said. “So we thought we could get our numbers down just by closing our waiting list and not adding more people to the program, and we thought we could get our numbers down. Basically we needed to drop about 100 folks from the program” this summer, “and we thought we could do that in about three months, but the number of people leaving dropped down to a trickle.”

In August, 963 Columbia families were receiving vouchers through Section 8; that was only about 16 fewer than in May. Steinhaus said the rent increase on average will be $50 to $80 per voucher. Some families, however, will see no increase.

Steinhaus said the only alternative to raising the rent paid by Section 8 families would have been to kick hundreds of people out of the program — an alternative he didn’t consider fair or humane. “We don’t want to kick anybody off undeservedly,” he said.

For some people, a $50 monthly increase might not sound like a lot, but for others it can mean extremely difficult choices.

Source and More:
http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2009/oct/03/section-8-rents-rise-for-many/

Added Note: If you want to see how ignorant citizens in our community can be just read some of the comments from the page source of this article.

Entitlement Or Just Being Lazy, A serious discussion

So much talk these days goes on about the Disabled Citizen and Entitlements but do you as a Disabled Citizen feel Entitled or do you see other Disabled Citizens as just lazy and only want what they can get?

Here is the gist of why this issue comes to my mind.

I have been Disabled for as long as I can remember but I always tried to help others from the time I was very young,not asking much if anything in return but if that they asked my advise to please at least try what I suggested. Due to all of my wanting to help others in this way I have been extremely blessed all of my life with many things and not the greatest of wealths but God has certainly taken care of me far more than and beyond I feel I have ever deserved.

I look around me though at other Disabled Citizens and see they do not want to do much for others and have to ask myself why?

Well as you can guess with my Disabilities of the Mind I have dealt with all of my life I start to look at this issue and disect it and examine it like a skilled Surgeon would disect a body for Autopcy.

First I had too look at my part in the matter and were my own expectations higher than should be for any type of a Disabled Citizen who might be able to do the simplest of work ie: just sitting around taking names on a sheet of paper at a community event as a volunteer or giving directions on which way to go if somebody was asking directions around a hospital.

I found my expectations were not over bearing in any way as these are the simplest of jobs for even the most Physicaly Challenged Disabled Citizen to do,even myself if I could not move any of my body except my head.

That was the Physical side of the examination I thought deeply about.

I next had to look at the Mental Illness side of the examaination and this is another aspect of this issue I had to examine deeply and see once again if my expectations where over bearing or out of line with the simplest of jobs that could be done.

Jobs such as the two descibed above plus a entire host of others that even if I were less functional than most or confined to a wheel chair or power scooter I myself could do in all reasonabilty. I found that even if I was less functional I could probably manage to get or be able to do something useful for others around me.

Yes there are those cases of the Disabled Citizen who obviously cannot fall into the situations lined out above and these Special Disabled Citizens we all know are put here by God Himself as our examples of how it could have been us too.

The reasons all of this keeps sticking into my mind is that my own father contacted Polio at the age of 15 and his doctors told him he would not walk out of the hospital.

His response to that was “watch me” and that is what he proceded to work on was being able to walk out of that hospital which one year later he did. Later he went to college and took Archetectual and Mechanical Drawing classes and graduated with a Degree in each. It was not easy for him but he did it. My father disected problems in the same way he taught me to by his examples and this helped him to lead some what of a nice life of helping others around him.

He also volunteered a lot of his time asking not much of anything in return but that if you asked his advise to at least just try his suggestions and see if they work.

The point is that both of us have loved to help others and have asked not much in return if anything and we have both been very blessed beyond what either of us have probably deserved. Neither of us have been Saints by far in any reasoning of the word.

The key point here is we have gone out to help others and not asked much if anything in return.

You have to give to receive and first though you have to be willing to give. That is the biggest thing is the willingness to give and not to take.

I see my fellow Disabled Citizens around me daily and they have gotten into this “Entitlement Syndrome” of “I am Disabled so I am Entitled” which I find to be very sad if not pathetic in nature. They will not go out of their way to volunteer their time. They will rarely lift a finger to help anybody. They complain about the pettiest of things. They make everybody around them miserable and it is obvious they have forgotten the God they claim who loves them and His words of “If you do unto the least of these”.

In our economy and society there is so much calling for a lot of the Disabled Community to be literally kicked off the system or “the dole” as some call it and yes I agree there needs to be reform but not to the radicalness some in this country want.

There is a better solution.

I do feel there needs to be “mandatory volunteer time” policies enacted by our Government for those on either Social Security Disability and Social Security Income to the point of sending in valid paper work monthly that they at least completed 40 hours a month of “volunteering” for a community organization,501c3 or other similar type of agency and that only the main official of said agencies can sign off on the time sheet to avoid any and all abuse that might be perpetrated by those trying to cheat the system. The cut off age could be 65 or even 70 for this madatiory program.

40 hours a month is nothing in the world of volunteering and it comes out to one day a week at an 8 hour day or even two days a week at 4 hours per day or an equivilant amount to equal what it takes to get their 40 hours each month. That is not much at all.

Then if these Disabled Citizens refused to do any volunteer time at all they could be put up for a serious case review with qualified doctors,nurses,vocational rehab specialists,mental health care workers,expert lawyers in the Disability Community itself so their cases could be reviewed in a timely and expert manner.

The point is that even the modest functionally Disabled Citizen whether Disabled through a Physical Event or a Mental Event can do some form of volunteer type of work unless it is quite obvious that it really is beyond their capabilities and that is where true and caring professionals as described above come into their expertise for these case reviews.

The Disabled Citizen in the Global Community is the most over looked source of volunteer who can still perform of the simplest of labor needs in this entire nation that is over looked and the fullest potential not truly evaluated and put into motion nor given real opurtunities in our nation as a whole to fill jobs that could be staffed by volunteers from the Disabled Community itself.

This is the over haul we need for some real “Change We Can Believe In” that would be completey fair to all Citizens Disabled or not across this entire nation and would also help to pacify those screaming bloody murder that those “on the dole” be literally kicked out into the streets.

Yes I am a Disabled Citizen in this Disabled Global Community calling for this type of change due to I am sick and tired of my fellow so called Disabled Citizens who refuse to step up as I do daily in volunteering in any little way to help others less fortunate or even more fortunate than they are.

There needs to be change that is fair to us all either Disabled or not as we are all in this together last I checked.

So are you the Disabled Citizen who is willing to go out to volunteer and help others on a daily basis as you can by what your abilities allow you to do or are you the type of Disabled Citizen who wants and believes you are “Entitled” to everything with out giving anything to help others in your community?

There is a huge difference between a Citizen and a Resident.

The Resident sits around with their hand out crying daily about what they do not have and wanting it all done for them.

The Citizen is the one who goes out of his or her way daily to help others in any way they can asking nothing in return,sacrificing their own personal time and receiving the real blessings due to their self sacrificing in their willingness to help others.

Are you a Resident or a Citizen is the real question. Don't lie to others around you either about this as everybody knows already which category you fall into.

We need more Citizens.

Sometimes you just have to wonder

I thought we needed to put some laughter into this site and be able to look at others as well as ourselves and be able to laugh a little bit. Enjoy.

Sometimes while wondering the net and reading others comments and stories you wonder if it is actually possible to just make this stuff up or if it is truly real life occurrences.

This site here just makes you really wonder.
FMLife.com

It would seem some people should never get out of bed.

Housing authority gets Paquin funds

The Columbia Housing Authority was awarded nearly $1.8 million in stimulus funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to make energy-saving improvements to Paquin Tower, allowing it to save nearly 42 percent of its energy and water consumption.

The rehabilitation to the 200-unit, 137,400-square-foot tower will include replacing boilers, modifying the heating and cooling system, replacing certain light fixtures and installing low-flow shower heads, faucet, and toilets.

“These improvements will greatly increase the quality of life for residents of Paquin Tower and greatly extend the life of the building,” said Phil Steinhaus, CEO of the Columbia Housing Authority, which runs the residential complex for people with disabilities. “Our aging boilers and system of pipes and radiators constantly need repair and are not very energy-efficient. Currently, residents are unable to control the heat in their rooms other than opening their windows when it gets too warm.”

Source:
http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2009/sep/24/housing-authority-gets-paquin-funds/

No you are not getting new air conditioners!! Those upgrades are more than likely to the main Central Air System that cools all of the hallways and common areas of the building.

Now fellow residents you are getting upgrades to your units and do not be getting upset when all of this is going on around you. It will be no different then when they did the air conditioners,windows or the refrigerators and stoves.

I am sure they will try to get all projects done in a timely manner with as little disruption to your lives and your homes.

Aaron Perkins, 1974-2009

Aaron Matthew Perkins, 35, of Columbia passed away Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009.

A memorial service, conducted by Dr. John Baker, will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at Nilson Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. at the funeral home.

Aaron was born Sept. 9, 1974, in Boone County, the son of E. Henry and Kathy Jones Perkins.

Aaron had a huge heart and spent a lot of his time giving to others.

He was active at First Baptist Church, Paquin Tower and New Horizons volunteering and spending time bringing joy to others.

He valued his friends and family and was always ready to lend a helping hand or listening ear.

He was loved and will be missed by all who knew him.

Survivors include his father, E. Henry Perkins and wife Jeannine; mother Kathy Jones Sherman and husband Roger; brother Brian Perkins and wife Janice; stepbrothers Chad Knowles and wife Lori, Chance Knowles and wife Norma, Chase Knowles and wife Mary, and Tim Sherman and wife Tracy; sister Kristen Perkins and fiance Charles Simco; stepsisters Courtney Redelfs, Annette Bennett and husband Mark, and April Kerr and husband Grant; 29 nieces and nephews; and several aunts and uncles.

Memorial contributions may be made to New Horizons, NYRA House, 1408 Hathman Place, Columbia, Mo., 65201.

Rest In Peace our Brother and our Friend whom we all shall miss.

Another story of Aaron's life: