There was an air of optimism among the new MID board, which consists of Marion Wagner, Kevin Rack, Toby Megaw, Karen Hultzer and Heidi Goodman; all active community volunteers who have engaged in various activities on the Muizenberg Improvement District (MID) and within the community for several years. They are eager to get down to business and build on the solid groundwork set down by previous MID boards.
“We are under no illusion here, we understand that we are committing to a company that is fraught with challenges when it comes to the expectations from the community, in particular around public safety and social development,” said the newly elected Muizenberg Improvement District (MID) Chair, Marion Wagner. This after the very recent AGM saw the membership vote in favour of a resolution presented by a MID member, Jan Heerkens, to change the maximum number of board members from 12 to seven. The belief is that the focus of the MID should be one of strategic collaboration with stakeholders and strengthening community relations in the best interests of Muizenberg.
Identifying public safety as the most critical issue, one of the first decisions taken by this new board was to double up on Public Safety Patrollers during the festive season, from 15 December to 8 January 2017, when there is an influx of visitors to Muizenberg.
Another was to set up a meeting with the Muizenberg Community Safety Initiative to facilitate engagement with relevant service providers to assist the neighbourhood watch with setting up their CCTV camera system. Discussions will include the establishment of a maintenance and support network within the community to ensure that these efforts are sustainable in the long term.
At the AGM, MID member, Peter Dugmore also thanked the board members who put in a significant effort to obtain the necessary consent required to submit the Wherry Road Triangle Boundary Extension. “It was an exceptional effort by the property owners in Wherry Road, and special thanks must go to David Bellamy, a resident of Wherry Road, who gave it a final push to secure the 12 consents needed to meet the 60% application requirement,” said Marion Wagner.
This boundary extension proposal is currently undergoing a public participation process and all property owners living in the Wherry Road Triangle are invited to attend the next public meeting on 8 December at 18h30 at Planet Kids, Muizenberg for an update.
The new board believes that everyone has a role to play in the upliftment and improvement of Muizenberg and have extended their thanks to the previous Board of Directors, who volunteered an enormous amount of time to the MID. The board confirmed with regreat that Steven Frankal resigned at their first meeting, but the incoming board applauded his commitment to continuing his good work in beach front public safety.
The Muizenberg Community is encouraged to keep an eye on the MID Facebook page and website for details of how they can act as Positive Change Agents in the MID and to find more information about the board members and their portfolios.
The Muizenberg Improvement District [MID] is a geographic area where property owners have contracted to pay a levy to facilitate a joint effort by the City of Cape Town and the local community to ensure more effective management of public areas and to promote business confidence.
The MID supplements normal municipal services provided by the City, using its funds to deal with public safety, enhance the environment and address social issues like vagrancy and finding workable solutions for the homeless. The Muizenberg Improvement District is a legal entity established under the City’s Special Rating Areas by-law and also governed by the South African Companies Act 2008.
Enquiries:
Chevone Petersen
manager@mid.org.za
021 788 1196
082 463 1525