1.  Our Civic meeting was held at Heritage Free Will Baptist Church, 575 Obetz Rd., at 6:00pm. Approximately 50 people were in attendance. After reminding members of the decorum policy, President Curtis Brown called the meeting to order. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Pam Richards opened the meeting with prayer.
2. Curtis recognized November and upcoming December birthdays and anniversaries. Vice President Reba Damron Jones had a birthday on November 2. Bob Small has a birthday on December 3.  The minutes for the October meeting were viewed by the group. A motion was made to accept the minutes as read:

   1^st Motion – Bill Palmer    2^nd Motion – Vickie Dinsdale

• Treasurer Marsha Kessler stated that our current balance stands at $2342.37. A motion was made to approve her report as stated:

   1^st Motion – Diana Nelson        2^nd Motion – Pat Moore

Curtis noted our Civic’s ‘Donation Box’ and encouraged members to contribute. 

• President Curtis Brown introduced representatives of American Electric Power (AEP) to the group. Their spokeswoman Juliette addressed the members. She stated that AEP serves over 11,000 customers on the South Side and has 3 substations. The Marion Rd. substation should be complete by 2027. Since 2021, AEP has invested over $47 million in our area. 

When asked about the power outages we residents endured in 2024, Juliette stated that almost ½ were caused by animals coming into contact with the lines. About 20% of the outages were due to technical issues, and 21% were scheduled due to maintenance. She said AEP always tries to notify customers in advance of necessary outages. Several people stated that they never received advance notice, and Juliette said she could check about the notices from her end. 

The main AEP topic, the Parsons Ave. Transmission Line Removal Project, was introduced. AEP Ohio representatives plan to remove about 5 miles of transmission along Parsons Ave., starting near Rathmell Rd. and working north to Marion Rd. This 5 mile long line will be broken into 19 segments. Originally constructed in the 1920’s, the towers will be removed about 5  at a time. AEP plans to begin next month with field reviews and surveys, and estimate the work may take until 2026 to complete. Workers will be on the job 9:00am – 3:00pm. They plan to be especially sensitive to local schools and businesses located along Parsons Ave.

How will these towers be removed? Each tower will be divided into 4 sections. Each section will be picked up by a crane and cut up into smaller sections. The hole in the ground will be backfilled with dirt. 

AEP will utilize signs and flaggers along Parsons Ave. No road closures are planned, but if needed, AEP will coordinate with COTA about detours. Some outages may be needed for the safety of the work crew. 

One Civic member asked about the 15’ easements, but no clear answer was available. AEP said they do not anticipate higher electric bills. There are no plans to bury individual overhead lines in residential areas.

Another spokesperson for AEP discussed how customers can understand their bill, and the Supply, Transmission and Distribution portions of that bill. She emphasized that customers are free to choose their own energy supplier or can remain with AEP. 

The ”Neighbor To Neighbor” program was explained to the group. This program is offered to those experiencing a hardship. Over 1,000 grants have been given in our area. An individual can receive up to a $350 grant to be applied to their electric bill. Interested people can call the AEP Call Center at 1-800-672-2231, or check on the website, AEP.com for more information.

Several members asked about their electric bills. AEP representatives graciously answered questions and spoke with individuals following the meeting.

• Curtis spoke next about the scam of “spoofing”. Callers will call      an individual’s phone numerous times, from different locations and try to scam the target individual. If you don’t recognize the caller or number, let the call go to voicemail. And NEVER respond to any question with “Yes”. The scammer can record your ”Yes” and use it against you.
• Member Brian Humphrey informed us that he is having neck and back surgery again on Monday, November 25. He asked people to pray for him.
• Members were reminded that the free 3 year Identity Theft protection plan from the City of Columbus ends on November 29.  Call 1-833-918-5161. Two activation codes may be needed when you call. They are     WQHW435TZR     and     B129832.
• Our next Civic Association meeting will be Monday, January 13 at 6:00pm.
• The Christmas Holiday Dinner will be held on Tuesday, December 3 in the gymnasium of Heritage Free Will Baptist Church. Time is 5:00pm. Members are asked to contribute $10.00 each, or volunteer to bring a dessert instead. Sign up on our website or contact Curtis asap. This dinner will take the place of our monthly December meeting.
• A motion was made to adjourn:

    1^st Motion – Bill Palmer        2^nd Motion – Bob Dinsdale

                             Respectfully Submitted,

                             Pam Richards, Secretary