C.O.N.A. of South Pinellas County

Late News: Tropicana Owner Issue

Oct 10, 2002

C.O.N.A. Members Input Needed on this Important Issue:
The Sale of Tropicana Field to Pinellas County

The Board of County Commissioners conducted a workshop and solicited public comments on the City?•s request for the Board to approve the sale of Tropicana Field. This workshop was held on Tuesday, October 8 at 10:30 a.m. on the 5th floor of the County Administration Building, 315 Court Street in Clearwater. A final decision by the Board of County Commissioners is scheduled for October 15, 2002 at their 3 p.m. meeting.

I am asking that you contact members of the County Commission and encourage them to approve the City's request. A summary of this issue is provided in this newsletter in a letter from Mayor Rick Baker and a Q & A format.

Thank you for your support.

Brent Fisher, President
C.O.N.A.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Contact Information:
Barbara Sheen Todd
btodd@co.pinellas.fl.us 464-3365

Calvin Harris
charris@co.pinellas.fl.us 464-3360

Robert Stewart
rstewart@co.pinellas.fl.us 464-3363

Susan Latvala
slatvala@co.pinellas.fl.us 464-3276

Karen Seel
kseel@co.pinellas.fl.us 464-3278

John Morroni
jmorroni@co.pinellas.fl.us 464-3568

Kenneth T. Welch
ktwelch@co.pinellas.fl.us 464-3614

Mailing Address:
Commissioner,
County Courthouse & Administrative Bldg.,
315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756



Memo from City Hall

To: St. Petersburg Neighborhood and Business Associations

From: Mayor Rick Baker

I would like to update you on the City's ongoing efforts to request that Pinellas County assume ownership of Tropicana Field. As you may know, the City would enter into a lease agreement with the County simultaneously with the sale of the facility to the County. This would allow the City to maintain management control of the facility and retain our agreement with the Devil Rays. But perhaps more importantly, the sale and leaseback of Tropicana Field with the County would relieve the City of the need to pay property taxes on the facility and would make available $1.4 million in the future to help fund City programs and projects.

The Board of County Commissioners is conducting a workshop and soliciting public comments on the City's request next Tuesday (October 8, 2002) at 10:30 a.m. on the 5th floor of the County Administration Building, 315 Court Street in Clearwater. A final decision by the Board of County Commissioners is scheduled for October 15, 2002 at their 3 p.m. meeting.

Obviously, this decision by the County will impact the financial future of the City and our ability to fund local projects and programs, including operating costs, neighborhood projects and other capital improvements. It is important that the Board of County Commissioners hear from St. Petersburg residents and businesses on this issue. Citizens of St. Petersburg are also County tax payers, and if the City's request is not approved all St. Petersburg tax payers will be negatively affected. If the City's request is not approved, City tax dollars would be used to pay County taxes, which, in effect, is double taxation.

I am requesting that you contact members of the County Commission and encourage them to approve the City's request. A summary of this issue is provided in the attached Q & A format, along with information on how to contact your County Commissioners. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Rick Baker, Mayor



Editor's Note: This letter was sent and received via E-Mail on October 4, 2002. `

SALE OF TROPICANA FIELD TO PINELLAS COUNTY

Q: Why is the City interested in selling Tropicana Field to Pinellas County?
A: Under State law, stadiums owned by counties are not required to pay property taxes; however, due to a recent Court decision stadiums owned by cities are now required to pay property taxes. A tax liability of this nature was not envisioned when the City and the County partnered to build Tropicana Field and pursue Major League Baseball.

Q: Why shouldn't the City pay property taxes on Tropicana Field?
A: If Tropicana Field is subject to taxation, the City of St. Petersburg, as owner of the facility, would be required to pay approximately $3.1 million annually. A portion of this payment (i.e., approximately $1.7 million) would be returned to the City since Tropicana Field is located in a designated redevelopment area; however, the City would suffer a net cost of approximately $1.4 million. This would reduce the amount of money available for City operations such as the police and fire departments and for public improvement projects, including projects that benefit neighborhoods and business districts.

Q: Wouldn't there be less money available for the School District if property taxes are not paid on Tropicana Field?
A: Until recently, the School District has not received a portion of property taxes paid on Tropicana Field because when the stadium opened in 1990 and when the Devil Rays began play in 1998, Tropicana Field was not required to pay property taxes under the law as it was interpreted at that time. If the City is required to pay property taxes, the school board would receive approximately an additional $382,000 a year in additional revenue, of which less than $125,000 could be used for operations [as a point of reference, the School Board's annual operating budget exceeds $740 million]; given the way the State=s funding program for education works, approximately 95% of the additional tax dollars paid by St. Petersburg residents for school operating taxes would go to school districts outside of Pinellas County. Generally, City property should not be subject to school board taxation, just as school property is not subject to city taxation.

Q: Wouldn't there be less money available for Pinellas County if property taxes are not paid on Tropicana Field?
A: No. As stated previously , Tropicana Field is in a Redevelopment Area and the taxes paid to the County on Tropicana Field would be returned to the City.


Q: Why don't the Devil Rays have to pay property taxes on Tropicana Field?
A: The City relied on the law as it was interpreted at the time the agreement with the Devil Rays was executed. While the law itself has not changed, the judicial interpretation of that law has changed and as a result, the City now faces a very significant cost that was not built into long-term financial projections at the time the City and the County partnered to seek Major League Baseball.

Q: What is the net effect to the City if Tropicana Field is not transferred to the County?
A: As stated in the answer to the second question, the City would suffer a net cost of approximately $1.4 million. This would reduce the amount of money available for City operations such as the police and fire departments and for public improvement projects, including projects that benefit neighborhoods and business districts. 9/19/02



C.O.N.A. MEMBERSHIPS
As of 10/4/02, there are 56 paid 2002 C.O.N.A. members. We welcome our newest member -- the 34th Street Business Association!



October 16th MEETING AGENDA

Pledge

Approval of the Minutes

Treasurer's Report

Committee Reports
Nominating Committee - Steve Plice
CONA Leadership - Ingrid Comberg
Neighborhood Office - Susan Ajoc

Old Business

New Business

Speakers
CASA - Linda Osmundson, Cory Adler-Leidersdorff
Manatee Watch - Tabitha Whalen
Vision 2020 - Bob Jeffrey



PLEASE NOTE! The October 16th C.O.N.A. Meeting will be held at:

ALL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL CONFERENCE CENTER
701 4th St. South

Doors Open at 6:45 p.m. Meeting Starts at 7:00 p.m.



Dear Neighbors,

The November elections are just around the corner. I hope everyone has had an opportunity to invite the candidates out to their respective neighborhood association meetings. These meetings provided an excellent forum for the candidates to hear your concerns, issues, desires and praise. Be sure and VOTE and get your members and neighbors out to vote also. We had a few members work the polls for the primary, and I just heard a report that Pinellas County had no problems. Let's do it again for the General Election.

The Vision 2020 report is in draft form; the Planning Commission has reviewed it and sent it on to City Council. Bob Jeffrey is coming this month to present it in detail. There were many of us that participated in the discussions, and many more that are interested in the results. Come to hear and see our ongoing vision for St. Petersburg.

We are going back to All Children's Hospital Education Conference Center for the balance of the year. It is such a beautiful facility. Thanks go to Clifford Holensworth (Crescent Lake) for making the arrangements. The year has really flown by. We are also going to have more discussions on neighborhood issues and developing task forces to deal with them. If you have problems bring them to the meeting, and let's get them worked out. Also, we should have a traffic and engineering study by November so that everyone knows what to expect.

We need to make a final decision on a Pier Block Party that ties in with the 100/300 Celebration of the St. Petersburg?•s (Russia and Florida). The events for the celebration will be grand, and many Russian dignitaries are expected to attend. Let's show our community spirit. Also in that vein, let's get our neighborhoods to promote their resident's home states by flying their respective home state flags during the Festival of States (April 4-13, 2003) and the 100/300 Celebration.

How can CONA help you? Please let us know.

Looking forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Brent




SEPTEMBER BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S MEETING MINUTES

The September C.O.N.A. meeting was held on September 18, 2002, at the
The Sunshine Center, 330 5th St. North, St. Petersburg, Florida.

President Brent Fisher opened the business meeting at 7:00 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance to Our Flag.

> The President called for approval of our August Minutes as published in the September Newsletter. [Approved]
> Our Treasurer, Libby Steele, reported a bank balance of $3007.27 with the Leadership account standing at $44.92 [Approved}
> Cathy Wilson, (Greater Woodlawn), reporting for our Traffic Committee promised a report of their work with city staff at our October meeting.
> Steve Plice, (Jungle Terrace), Chair of our Nominating Committee, described the process of concluding our nominations at our November Board meeting.
> Mort Sherman, (Crossroads) spoke of the difficulty he has experienced in seeking to arrange a meeting with Patricia Anderson of City Public Utilities.
> Susan Ajoc, (Director-Neighborhood Partnership), expressed concern that unless at least 30 neighborhoods commit to participation in the proposed block party at the Pier, it would not be held. There will not be a Neighborhood Block Party in 2003 due to lack of response.
* Contraband Forfeiture Finds are due by 5:00 p.m., October 11.
* September 27 is the application deadline for Neighborhood Partnership Grants.
* Updates for the Guide to Neighborhoods?“ must be in by October 28th. The City can loan a video that describes how to research a neighborhood?•s history (development of the neighborhood) to assist in preparation of the Guide.
* If you have any comments about the Florida Neighborhoods Conference in Tampa, please send them to Neighborhood Partnership (nghdpart@stpete.org). Also, if anyone has any suggestions for next year?•s Conference Workshops in Sarasota, please send them to same.
* The 2003 Neighborhood Conference will be in Sarasota, Sept. 12 & 13th.
* The 2004 Neighborhood Conference will be held in Pensacola.
> Theresa McEachern, (Harbordale), reported on our monthly meeting with Police Chief Harmon.
* The department is developing plans to improve retention and recruiting for our Police Staff.
* Collaboration with Sheriff Rice for undercover work will be continued.
* Karl Nurse, (Old Southeast), reported learning from his CPO that F.Y. funding for prostitution sweeps is currently exhausted.
* Mort Sherman complained that his Crime Watch Group has not been kept informed about the current rash of auto thefts and burglaries.
> Theresa McEachern spoke of the new Entertainment Coupon Books urging attendees to take them for their neighborhoods. Selling @ $20.00 each, every book sold will bring a $4.00 profit to CONA that can be increased at a higher sales volume. The redemption value of the coupons in each book exceeds $1,000.00
> Theresa also spoke as our CONA representative to the 100th Year Celebration Committee of our city. She urged that CONA develop a plan to become a major participant in the year-long City Program in 2003. Various suggestions were offered from the floor.

Old Business:
> Brent questioned our interest in continuing a much earlier CONA commitment to Adopt a segment of 22nd Avenue North, (25-28th St.). It was objected that this is now all commercial.....or vacant.
> We were reminded that Ingrid Comberg will Chair this year's CONA Leadership Program, and that volunteer, alumni leaders are needed.
* The Leadership Alumni Picnic will be at Gladden Park, October 19th.
> Phillip Whysong, (North Kenwood), introduced Peter Sharp of the 34th Street Business Association. He described the current difficulties motels are encountering when they seek to evict objectionable renters. He protested that our Police and City legal staff have failed to support their requests for help.
* Richard Stelljes, (SPPD) rose to speak, offering to coordinate the concerns of the motel operators with his department as well as others of the City staff.
* Moved, (Sherman/Heck), CONA supports the efforts of the 34th Street Business Association to apply existing legislation in the resolution of their tenant conflicts. [Approved]
> Brent noted that the 89 ft. replica slave ship Amsted will be moored for visitation at The Pier: Oct. 27 - Nov. 4, and Dec. 15 - 22, 2002.
> Ron Hurst, (Greater Pinellas Point), collaborated with Mario Perry of Internet Support Systems, to describe and display a major new corporate development in our citys Midtown Section. They encouraged neighborhood support to promote this organization which seeks to offer a state-of-the-art Internet communications system, based on broadband cable, which will be available to a pilot test group of 450 homes and to 50 business organizations, within the Midtown target area at no cost for the initial six month trial. Offering free Web training to all interested residents, they hope to expand their hi-tech services to the entire city. This program is called CityNet One (trademarked).
> Jim Martin, a Board Member of the Salvador Dali Museum alerted us to the fact that a 60- year extension of their lease on City land will appear as a proposition on our November election ballots. He urged our approval.
* Moved, (Sherman/Heck), CONA supports a 60-year extension of the Salvador Dali Museum lease. [Approved]
* Moved, (Sherman, Whysong), CONA expresses the hope that the Salvador Dali Museum collection will remain in St. Petersburg for 60 more years. [Approved]
> Richard Stelljes, James Giambruno, and Fred Harryman of the St. Petersburg Police Department solicited volunteers for several of their programs.
* The 54-member Volunteer Road Patrol has openings for additional workers on their driver teams.
* The Citizen's Police Academy will soon begin (9/30/02) their next class cycle that includes two nights each week for a six-week series.
* Handicap Parking Patrol is seeking more workers who may themselves be handicapped, to patrol and ticket in reserved handicapped parking areas.
> Cheryl Lawrence and Bill Leavengood of The Live Arts Peninsula Foundation provided, (complete with colorful brochures), an interesting introduction to a new musical stage production of their group, The Manhattan Casino. They sought neighborhood, sponsor, and individual support for this new production in the hope of matching the success of their earlier show: Webb's City: The Musical. The evening performances, (8 p.m.), will be Feb. 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, and Mar. 1. There will be matinees Feb. 22, 23, and Mar. 1 and 2 at 2 p.m. Group discounts were promised. Singing, promotional visits to neighborhood association meetings were offered to our members.
> Brent announced that our October meeting will again be at the All Children's Hospital Conference Center, 701 Fourth Street South.
> He also encouraged our members to consider two alternative meeting schedules:
(1) To begin our business meetings earlier (to assure timely conclusion); and, (2) To reestablish Town Meetings as a second monthly gathering allowing us to hear and discuss more issues.....without schedule overruns.
> We applauded Ann Drakeford, (Lakewood Terrace), and Theresa McEachern, (Harbordale), for providing our abundant refreshments tonight.

Respectfully submitted,

Conrad Weiser, Secretary



Election of 2003 CONA Officers

CONA elects its officers in December of each year. The five positions are President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Together, these officers form the CONA Executive Board.

This year, Steve Plice is serving as Chair of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee is responsible for insuring that there is at least one candidate for each of the Executive Board positions. In addition, the Nominating Committee conducts the annual election which is held at the December CONA meeting.

CONA Bylaws require that candidates for all Executive Board Positions be announced at the November CONA Meeting. At the November Meeting, additional nominations may be made from the floor. Nominations are then closed. The candidates that have been identified at the November meeting then stand for election at the December meeting. The term for each CONA position is one year.

Anyone interested in serving on the CONA Executive Board should contact Steve Plice at 344-3120.



PARTNERSHIP NOTES:

FLUX Volunteers Needed
FLUX: A new arts in neighborhoods event to be held on November 2, 2002 (7 p.m. - midnight), at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Courts. Volunteers are needed! Please contact Terese Hilliard at 551-3249.

Contraband Forfeiture Fund Application Deadline
Applications are due to the St. Petersburg Police Department by 5:00 p.m., October 11, 2002. Contact Sherman Smith at 893-7984 for more information or see the City's website (www.stpete.org) for an application.

?’Guide to Neighborhoods?“ Update
Update or add your neighborhood information to the City's website. Deadline is October 28, 2002. The City can loan a video that describes how to research a neighborhoods history (development of the neighborhood) to assist in preparation of the Guide. For more information, please contact Bernice Darling at 893-7473.

Take Back Your Neighborhoods from Drugs
Weekly anti-drug marches to put your feet in the street and take back your neighborhood. Meet in the City Hall parking lot (2nd Avenue North & 5th Street) at 6:00 p.m. every Wednesday (rain, sleet or snow...drug dealers gotta go!)

Neighborhood Partnership Awards
Watch your mail for applications for the 2003 Neighborhood Partnership Awards: Neighborhood President of the Year, Neighborhood of the Year, Project of the Year, Neighborly Neighbor, Up and Coming Neighborhood. Awards to be presented at the Neighborhood Summit (social) in the Spring.

Follow-Up On the Florida Neighborhoods Conference
If you have any comments about the Florida Neighborhoods Conference in Tampa, please send them to Neighborhood Partnership (nghdpart@stpete.org). Also, if anyone has any suggestions for next year?•s Conference Workshops in Sarasota, please send them to same.
?¥ The 2003 Neighborhood Conference will be in Sarasota Sept. 12-13.
?¥ The 2004 Neighborhood Conference will be held in Pensacola.



Sgt. Kevin Noonan Named
Drug fighting Police Officer of the Month

As part of a 9/11 Memorial Program at Police Headquarters, Turn Around Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg-The Wrice Process presented Sgt. Kevin Noonan the first Drugfighting Police Officer of the Month Award. Drugfighters, Council Member Earnest Williams, and Jeanne and Christina Shearer, made the presentation to Sgt. Noonan. The award is a statue of police and firefighters raising the American flag, memorializing their heroism. Sgt. Noonan has been a great supporter of the anti-drug marches and has consistently demonstrated leadership and heart. He is a true neighborhood hero. For more information on the anti-drug marches, call 893-4110.



Good Neighbors
(In Honor of the 6th Annual Florida Neighborhoods Conference 2002)
- by James E. Tokley, Sr.
Poet Laureate, City of Tampa

For, Community is kinship we can see. . .
A covenant not drawn by kindred blood
But made, no less, by a promise, clear and free
To stand as one for the cause of neighborhood!

More durable than mortar, brick or steel. . .
Stretching farther than the farthest road
More numerous than lilies of the field. . .
Ten million outstretched hands to share the load!

For, Community is kinship we can feel. . .
A sense that tells us we are not alone
Beyond our eyes, a vision that is real. . .
of a thousand neighborhoods, each one
called "home!"

Though civilizations rise and fall with time,
What truth they leave behind is understood
For, as long as Earth is home to humankind,
somewhere will be a sense of neighborhood!

Unshakable in hours of despair
It rises to rebuild the common good
For, that which makes us strong is what we share
And what we share is the love of neighborhood!
9-6-02


QUOTES OF THE MONTH

Someone once said Life begins when you begin to serve. -- Ronald Reagan

The greatest leader is not necessarily the greatest leader, he?•s the one who gets the people to do the greatest things. -- Ronald Reagan



Road Patrol Volunteers Needed by SPPD

The St. Petersburg Police Department is looking for volunteers to help tag and impound abandoned vehicles, to assist in traffic control at accident sites and to direct traffic around fire scenes.

They are also looking for disabled volunteers to patrol in their own vehicles, citing motorists who violate disabled parking regulations. A mileage reimbursement will be provided to these volunteers for fuel usage.

This program began as an experimental program in 1996 and has developed into a very essential element of the police department. Road Patrol volunteers handle non-criminal duties of the police officers, making available more time for the officers to investigate serious criminal activity and respond to dispatched calls.

Applicants will be subjected to a background check and must complete forty (40) hours of training, be at least 19 years old and be able to volunteer 8 to 12 hours a month. Brochures about this very important volunteer organization are available for distribution at neighborhood association meetings.

For more information, call Officer Jim Giambruno at 893-7141 or log onto www.stpete.org/police/road_patrol.htm.



Neighborhood Briefs

North Kenwood Neighborhood Association is having their Annual Yard Sale October 19, 2002 from 8:00 a.m. - ?? Maps can be picked up at the Sylvia Boring Park (13th Ave N and 29th St N) the day of the sale. These maps will show the house locations and the addresses. Also, look for the advertisement in the St. Petersburg Times.

Our October 14th association meeting featured a representative from the Pinellas County Health Department. The main topic was lead poisoning in paint and the effects on children and pregnant women. Our neighborhood zip code is targeted as a high-risk area for lead poisoning since many of the homes were built before 1978 when lead paint was widely used.

If you have any questions on the above information, contact Phil Whysong @ janetsong99@aol.com.

Causeway Isles Neighborhood Association is holding their 4th Annual Garage Sale on Friday and Saturday, December 6th and 7th from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. In the past more than thirty homes have participated.

Entertainment 2003 Books To Be Sold as C.O.N.A Fundraiser
Once again, C.O.N.A. is selling the local St. Petersburg version of the Entertainment books as a fundraising effort. The books are available from Theresa McEachern at 823-6390 or E-Mail her at terre66@aol.com. Books are sold at $20.00 each and contain hundreds of dollars of entertainment values for local and national events and services.

Join your Peers at the C.O.N.A. Leadership Program Alumni Picnic
If you are graduate of a past C.O.N.A. Leadership Program, you and your family are invited to attend the annual Alumni Leadership Picnic at Gladden Park Recreation Center (indoors), on Saturday, October 19th from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

CONA is providing the beverages and meats. Those attending are asked to bring one of their special homemade dishes. If you have any questions, please call Tom Killian, Recruitment Chair at 343-2041.

AMISTAD FREEDOM TOUR: A Celebration of Freedom, Perseverance and Cultural Harmony
The Amistad Ship visits The Pier October 27th to November 4th AND December 15th to 22th. The Samaritan Corp. Freedom Schooner serves
as an ambassador of friendship and goodwill, presents historic lessons, and provides educational and cultural activities. Tours are open to the public with afternoon and evening tours offered daily starting Oct. 28; Tickets, $5 adults and $3 children. Private sails and charters also available. Call Class Act Downtown at 388-1045.



MAYOR'S MENTORING & MORE:
The Great American Teach-In to Be Held on November 20
(3rd Article in a Series)
by Gail Eggeman, Manager, Grants Administration, City of St. Petersburg

The 9th Annual Great American Teach-In will be held in Pinellas County's public schools on November 20. Members of the community are invited into the schools for an hour, a few class periods, or a day. Participants may tell students about a career, hobby or personal experience; organize an activity; read a story, or teach a class. Based on the input from participants during the past eight years, the event is as much fun for the volunteers as it is for students. Mayor Baker is participating and encouraging everyone to take a break in your day, step out to a school on November 20th, and make a difference.

Brochures with registration forms are available:
-in all schools;
-from information services at the administration building in Largo; or
-by E-Mailing mastersk@pinellas.k12.fl.us.

The forms may be returned to any Pinellas County public school or mailed to Kay Masters, Information Services, Pinellas County Schools, P.O. Box 2942, Largo, FL 33779-2942.

The deadline for registration is November 13. Please join us for a very educational day and inspire a student.



THE TIME TO CHOOSE IS HERE!
Parents need to choose a school for the 2003-04 school year by Dec. 13, 2002. If you don't make a choice, the school district will assign your child to a school with available seats after all other students have been placed. Even if you want your child to stay in the school he or she now attends, you must indicate your choice.

Parents can make school choices by using the following forms:

Declaration of Intent - This letter was mailed Sept. 10, 2002, to parents of students in kindergarten through grade 11 and can be returned to the district in the preaddressed, postage-paid envelope. Some families may need more time to make a decision and may return their form any time prior to the Dec. 13, 2002, deadline. Please call one of the Family Education and Information Centers if you did not get a declaration form, lost your form or the information on the form was not correct.

Choice Application - This form must be used by students who will be new to the district next year (2003). This includes incoming kindergartners and former private or home-schooled students. Parents of currently enrolled students also may use this form. Choice applications are available at all schools and the Family Education and Information Centers. Choice applications must be returned to a Family Education and Information Center by Dec. 13, 2002.

Countywide Magnet, Fundamental and High School Academy Applications - These applications are available at the individual schools, at the Family Education and Information Centers and on the website (www.pinellas.k12.fl.us). Applications must be returned to the individual school program offices by Oct. 15, 2002.

Parents may get school information on the website, at the Family Education and Information Centers, or by attending a Discovery Night or school tour. A list of dates and times can be found on the website (www.pinellas.k12.fl.us) or in the "Choice Information Guide" (copies are available in Schools and at the Centers).

Questions about school choice? Call the Family Education and Information Center nearest you:
PTEC-St. Petersburg Robinson-Challenge
3420 Eighth Ave. S St. Petersburg 1101 Marshall St.
Clearwater
(727) 552-1595 (727) 298-2858



NEIGHBORHOOD SPOTLIGHT:

HISTORY OF MOBEL AMERICANA
by Russ Steele*
A retirement community for persons 55 years of age and older in northeast St. Petersburg, Mobel Americana has a history dating back to 1961 when the first mobile or manufactured homes were erected on the site at 7201 North First street. Today some 758 lots are occupied or available, with some one fourth of them located on canals or small lakes that lead to Riviera Bay and then to Tampa Bay in the northeast section of the city. The original homes were placed at an angle on the lots to avoid the 'bowling alley' look of many mobile home parks.

The resident-owned community is well located. Seventy two blocks north of downtown St. Petersburg, it is 12 miles from Tampa International Airport or the Clearwater-St. Petersburg airport, 15 or 20 miles to the gulf beaches, 25 miles to Busch Gardens, and 85 miles to Disney World. Most areas of the park are relatively quiet, as it is located four or eight blocks from busy Fourth and Ninth streets. Regular homes, apartments, and the Mangrove Bay Golf Course are on the perimeter of Mobel Americana.

The park has a 24-hour guarded entrance. Located nearby is a clubhouse used daily by 27 activity groups and a heated swimming pool. Expanded in 1986 and again in 1993, the clubhouse has a fitness center, billiards room, and a modern kitchen. Activities include regular luncheons and dinners, bingo, and a Sunday evening church service for all denominations. A courtesy van makes weekday trips to a local shopping center and public buses stop on First Street just outside the main entrance. Shuffleboard courts are located between the clubhouse and the park business office. The clubhouse is also available for city and other elections.

Activities and Services
A variety of organized and other recreational and social activities are available to residents. Betty Chase is chairperson of MAA, Mobile Americana Association, the parent and coordinating group for the park. She is also in charge of the kitchen and most catering, as well as trips by bus to various attractions.
The Shuffleboard Club competes regularly with other park groups, and The Par Seekers, a golf group, plays a full winter season at the Mainlands Golf Course in Pinellas Park and other locations. The two groups, as well as the Cue Club, billiards and pool group, end the season in March with a banquet and awards program in the clubhouse.
The Garden Club, the Old Timers Social Club, and many other smaller groups are active, and Vespers, the Sunday evening church service, is led by Don Delzel and features a regular choir and visits by ministers from various denominations. John Hill, long time director for Vespers, is still active in the choir and as a home and hospital visitor for the group. Barbara Magada directs the activities of the Crime Watch group. A Hobby Shop, with shared power tools, is a popular feature. The Forecaster, monthly newsletter first edited by Harrison Bullard and Harold Stasch, was preceded by duplicated weekly issues. Today it is edited by John Bassett. The MAA sponsors a bazaar and a 'White Elephant' sale annually to assist the activity fund for many of the groups.
Mobile Americana was managed by Nick Ferraro from 1993 through 2001. The current manager is Dawn Simmons. Virginia Curtis served as president of the Board of Directors for the governing association (MAROA) from 1994 to 2000. Edward M. Kelly recently completed a term as president and Robert Larsen is the current president. Other board members are Ralph Phillips, Bertram Zanaglio, Richard Nemi, Wilma Jones, William Hart, Jerome Spetz and Pat Ruedy.

Brief History
The park was opened in 1961 by Knutson Corporation and International Tilsen.
The MAA was formed in 1962 with John King as the first president. International Tilsen withdrew from the corporation in a few years. The park became an adult community in 1967, and in 1969 was purchased by MOAMCO of Minnesota. The same company continued to manage the park after selling it to Multi-Vest Real Estate of Michigan in 1972.
A group of residents tried to buy the park from Multi-Vest in 1976, but were unable to do so. It was purchased shortly after that by the DeAnza Corporation of California, and owned and operated by them until 1993 when Mobel Americana Resident Owned Association (MAROA) bought the property for $18 million. Dick Linville was active in leading the effort to sign up 412 shareholders in 1993 and served as first president of MAROA. A celebration, featuring local and city officials, was held in March 1993 to mark the purchase of the park by residents and is observed annually on the last Saturday in March.
The Renters Association (RAMA) represents residents who lease space for their homes rather than become shareholders. It is currently directed by Cleveland Ballentine.
Today singlewide homes in the park since the 1960s are gradually being replaced (mostly by 24 foot wide doubles with carports for two vehicles) and Mobel Americana is taking on a more modern look. A new channel to Riviera Bay has made boating more popular, and boat slips are also available to rent near the clubhouse. There is also an RV and van storage area in the park. A plaque with the names of the first (1993) members of the MAROA Board of Directors is on display.

*with help from the History of Mobel Americana: 1961-1984 by Harrison Bullard, from Dick Linville and other current residents.