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

We wish the Snowbirds well on their migration.

Apr 10, 2002

CONA NEWSLETTER MARCH 2002


Deborah Clark, Supervisor of Election, is bringing the new touch screen voting machines to the CONA meeting to introduce the new technology to the community. She and her office staff will be available for demonstrations to different neighborhood meetings, plan now so that everyone will be familiar with the equipment before the September and November elections.

March 20, 2002 at 7:00 PM

Michael Connors, Director of Engineering, Stormwater & Transportation for the City of St. Petersburg is coming to discuss neighborhood plans, traffic calming and stormwater issues and how they have changed over the past two or three years. There will be discussion in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season, and how to help your neighbors and the city be ready.


2002 CONA OFFICERS

President
Brent Fisher
Greater Pinellas Point
867-2026
Fax: 867-6665
Cell:504-5180
abf@gte.net

First Vice President
Skip Brooks
Woodlawn Oaks
823-3670
B109Pro@aol.com

Second Vice President
Theresa McEachern
Harbordale
823-6390
terre66@aol.com

Secretary
Conrad Weiser
Edgemoor
522-5008
MAOA1999@aol.com

Treasurer
Libby Steele
Lakewood Estates
867-6916
MPH56@aol.com


FREQUENTLY CALLED NUMBERS

City's Neighborhood Office: 892-5141
Mayor's Action Linc: 893-7111
Code's Office: 893-7373
Sanitation Brush Collection: 893-7351


2002 COMMITTEES

Budget-
Theresa McEachern - 823-6390
Ingrid Comberg - 821-2192
Newsletter-
Open
Storm Water Issues-
Rosemary Grasso - 321-7299
Internet Webmaster-
Conrad Weiser - 522-5008
Citizens Police Council-
David McEachern - 823-6390
Council Liaison-
Brent Fisher - 867-2026
Membership-
Jim Biggerstaff- 327-7355
Skip Brooks - 823-3670
Mayor / Police Chief Committee-
Jim Biggerstaff- Dission Heights
Ann Drakeford - Lakewood Terrace
Jerry Wooldridge - Fossil Park
Johnnie Mack - Fruitland Heights
Steve Plice - Jungle Terrace
Dorothy Gilliam - 13th St. Neigh.
lngrid Comberg - Uptown
Mattie Wright - Central Oak Park
Suzanne LaBerge - Grand Central
Iveta Berry - Campbell Park
Sharon Russ - Bartlett Park
Rosemary Grasso - Ponce deLeon
Earl McGhee - Greater Pinelias Point
Codes / Rental Issues-
Karl Nurse - Old Southeast
Charles Payne - Bartlett Park
Cathy Wilson - Greater Woodlawn
Theresa McEachern - Harbordale
Kai Warren - Roser Park
lngrid Comberg - Uptown
Wayne Agee - Tropical Shores
Court Watch-
Ingrod Comberg - Uptown



THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear Neighbors,

There are so many exciting things happening in our city right now. CONA is invited to many different functions and meetings. The information from these meetings will be shared with you at our general meetings. The next step is for you to take it back to your neighborhood. Possible speakers on specific issues will be identified for you to contact. If CONA needs to take a position on an issue, we will need as much information as possible. I hope that when the neighborhood representatives vote, they are confident that the vote represents the feeling in their neighborhood. Not all issues that CONA takes a position on pertain to the entire City, but we must support each other for the betterment of the entire community.

CONA is made up of all different types of neighborhoods. Some have just formed or are reforming. Others have incorporated. Others have gone the 501 C (3) route. Our goal is to help every neighborhood to succeed. To some extent, this can be helped by the CONA Leadership program. In other ways, we can be aware of what's going on in the surrounding neighborhoods. We can offer to have joint meetings with another neighborhood to try to garner more interest in issues that affect us both. We can attend other neighborhood meetings to offer support or encouragement. Some neighborhoods want to be more social. Others want to be more political. And others want to be more informational. Whatever you want to do is fine with CONA, what I want to encourage you to do is to keep meeting - whatever the schedule. If something changes in your community it's harder to get started again if your organization has gone dark.

CONA is working with the Devil Rays to have a Neighborhood Block Party at Tropicana Field and adjoining Campbell Park. It will be an afternoon of meeting others in our City but more importantly it will also involve Clearwater, Tampa, Hillsborough, Pasco, Sarasota, Polk and Manatee County neighborhoods. Come to the meeting on the 20th to hear the highlights.

I could use a volunteer to help with the coordinating of this newsletter. I hope you like the changes. We can use any suggestions for improvement.

Sincerely,
Brent



ANTI-DRUG MARCHERS TAKE BACK THE STREETS

By: Neighborhood Partnership Office

"Here we go again .... (here we go again); Anti-drug march again ... (anti-drug march again)"
On Tuesday, February 26, 2002, the yellow shirts were () out on the street with chants of "Up with Hope, Down with Dope" in the area of 12th Street South and 12th Avenue South. Approximately 70 residents, community leaders, city staff' and law enforcement officers joined in partnership to take back the streets from drug dealers and illegal activity. The St. Petersburg community wanted to send a message that the illegal
behavior would not be tolerated any longer.
What is it?
Turn Around America-The Wrice Process is about inspiring and empowering people to stop drug trafficking and crime and become a catalyst for community and economic development. It is a partnership between a community and law enforcement.
It starts with putting feet on your faith and on the street relaying one message -"We're not taking the drugs in the neighborhoods anymore". It means putting on the "uniform" - yellow shirts and white hardhats - to show unity with your fellow marchers. It means standing and marching for however long it takes the drug dealers to back down. It means chanting (yes, chanting) to get our message across, to get the attention of the neighbors, to drive the drug dealers away and to keep the focus on the mission - to rid the neighborhoods of drugs. It means going out on the street on a regular basis to any and all neighborhoods that may need help.
Is it Effective?
When citizens and police join together, neighbors can reclaim their streets and take back their neighborhoods. Just ask anyone who marched last week about the euphoria of seeing 12th Avenue and 12th Street South completely clear of drug dealing. You have to see it to believe it. Communities throughout the country have seen a drastic decline in drug activity after residents became active and involved.
Talk to neighborhood representatives, community leaders and City Council members who participated. Several neighborhoods were ill attendance. They included: Bartlett Park, Central Oak Park, Fruitland Heights, Greater Woodlawn, Historic Kenwood, Historic Roser Park, Jungle Terrace, I Jake Maggiore Shores, Melrose-Mercy/ Pine Acres, North Kenwood, Palmetto Park, 13th Street Heights, Uptown, Lakewood Terrace and Yacht Club Estates.
Community leaders from churches and the NAACP participated. Several City departments were also represented: City Council, Codes Assistance (N-Team), Neighborhood Partnership, Police, and Weed & Seed. Five City Council members marched and chanted: City Council members Ernest Williams, James Bennett, John Bryan, Virginia Littrell and Bill Foster.
According to Andy Garr, co-founder of the Wrice Process, City of St. Petersburg neighborhood planner and anti-drug march guru/trainer, "You should not have to move to find a better neighborhood. Together the neighbors and police can make St. Petersburg neighborhoods the most inhospitable in America for drug dealer's."
If you are interesting in the anti-drug marches, please contact Andy Garr with the Neighborhood Partnership Office. He can be reached at 893-4110.


WATER RESTRICTIONS

By Anita Treiser

St. Petersburg Amends Watering Restrictions for Private Well Users:

St. Petersburg has received a ruling from the Southwest Florida Water Management District allowing private well owners, within the city's water service area, to return to two days per week watering restrictions from the current one day restriction.
Mayor Rick Baker requested this variance as part of the city's long term water resources management plan. An important component of the plan is the promotion and encouragement of private well use for outdoor irrigation lessening the dependence on the use of potable water. The city continues to make every effort to minimize the use of potable water and it is hoped that the return to two day per week watering for private wells will help in that effort.
SWFWMD Governing Board Members Chair Ronnie Duncan (Tarpon Springs) and Pinellas Anclote Basin Board Chair Watson Haynes II (St. Petersburg) were very instrumental in obtaining this approval. "Their support of the city's water conservation efforts is greatly appreciated," said Mayor Rick Baker.
The new watering restrictions for private well users in St. Petersburg are: house numbers ending in an even number or the letters A-M may irrigate on Tuesdays and Saturdays; house numbers ending in an odd number, letters N-Z or those with no address may irrigate on Wednesdays and Sundays. Irrigation is allowed between the hours of 5 to 9 a.m. and/or 7 to 11 p.m.
To avoid receiving a violation notice, private well owners should register their well with the city before beginning the two days per week watering schedule. Customers can register their well by calling the automated Water Watch Info Line at 892-5300 or the Public Utilities Department at 893-7261, or by writing the Public Utilities Department, 1635 Third Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL, 33713. On-line registration is available at www. stpete.org/privatewell.htm. Information about water conservation and sensible sprinkling is offered to registered well owners and, in some cases special grant or rebate programs may be available.
Water restrictions for potable water remain the same and are: house numbers ending in an even number or the letters A-M may irrigate on Tuesdays only; house numbers ending in an odd number, letters N-Z or those with no address may irrigate on Sundays only. Irrigation is allowed between the hours of 5 to 9 a.m. and/or 7 to 11 p.m.
There are currently no mandatory water restrictions for users of the city's reclaimed water system. However, customers ~u-c encouraged to follow the voluntary three day per week restriction.
Current water restriction information for the city of St. Petersburg is available on the Water Wise Info Line (892-5300), broadcast on WSPF-TV Channel 35/15, and on the city's web page at www. stpete.org. Updates arc published as needed by the city's marketing department to all local media via standard press releases and Fast Fax when necessary.


LEALMAN SCHOOL SYMPOSIUM

By Steve Plice

CONA sponsored a symposium at the Lealman Intermediate School on February 27th. Approximately 200 people attended the program and everyone seemed to be very impressed. Former students of Lealman spoke passionately about their experiences. They described a process that changed them from "D" students to "B" students. These kids were doing poorly and now they are excelling. By all accounts, this is the normal expectation for children attending the Lealman program.

Mayor Baker gave a very supportive and challenging Keynote Address. The Mayor described the importance of schools to neighborhoods. "The very first question people ask when looking at homes in a neighborhood is about the schools."
The School Board wants to demolish the Lealman School and does not have a plan for where to move the Lealman program. According to faculty, parents and students, none of the proposals put forth so far are viable.

The Lealman program is amazingly successful and working to insure that its future success is a worthy cause. Without this program, many successful children would be in serious trouble.
Many of the parents and faculty members believe the school should be preserved as an historical landmark. The historic preservation issue is on the agenda for the March CONA meeting. Another suggestion that has been mentioned is the idea of making Lealman a Charter School. This too is an avenue to explore.



CODES AND WHERE TO PARK

By Linda Y. Phillips, Codes Investigator

There are city codes that govern where you can park in a residential district. Depending on the orientation of your lot, other roles may apply, but in general;
Passenger vehicles and motorcycles can be parked in the front of the house or in the street side yard provided they are located on an approved, legally recognized parking area or driveway. Legally recognized parking areas and driveways arc approved by the Development Review Services Department of the City. The construction, location and size of the parking area must be reviewed. Call 893-7471 for more information.
Parking is never allowed on the right-of-way (R.O.W.) area between the paved street and the private property line unless the vehicle is parked on a driveway apron that has been installed with the required profit and the vehicle does not block the sidewalk.
Your Community Police Officer will be notified of any and all R.O.W. parking and you could receive an illegal parking ticket.
Both recreational vehicle and boats are considered domestic equipment and up to (2) two pieces of domestic equipment may be parked on certain areas of a residential lot. To be considered domestic equipment (which includes motor homes, trailers and utility trailers); the items cannot be designed or intended to be used for commercial purposes. Commercial equipment cannot be parked in residential districts except within completely enclosed and legally permitted structure.
1) Parking or storage of domestic equipment is not permitted in a front yard, on a corner lot, within a street side yard or in a waterfront yard.
2) You may legally park domestic equipment in the rear or interior side yard of a lot. Up to (2) two pieces of domestic equipment may be parked in the front and/or street side yard, for weekend use, between the hours of 4:00 pm Thursday and 8:00 am Monday only.
3) Each piece of domestic equipment may be up to 35 feet long, up to 8 feet wide and up to 12 feet high. Anything larger is not allowed.
The parking codes were designed for several reasons;
1) When cars are improperly parked, grass and plants are unable to grow. Soil erosion begins to wash into the storm water drainage system and impairs their effectiveness.
2) Improperly parked vehicles and domestic equipment can cause visibility and safety problems for motorists on streets and driveways.
3) Well maintained parking areas make the entire neighborhood look better which has a positive effect on property values in the neighborhood.
4) Underground utilities, curbs, and sidewalks are often damaged by the weight of the vehicles parking and driving over them.
The Codes Compliance Assistance Department office has free brochures titled, "Where to Park" and "Parking Commercial Equipment." The Compliant Line phone number for reporting a violation is 727-893-7373.
Working together, the grass will be greener!




WOMEN'S SYMPOSIUM
By Suzanne Fisher

The Women's Council of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Andrea Mitchell as the keynote speaker for its 2002 Women's Symposium celebrating Women's History Month. The Women's Symposium will be held on Thursday, March 28, 2002 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort in downtown St. Petersburg. Andrea Mitchell is the chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News, reporting on "Nightly News with Tom Brokaw,' .... Today and MSNBC. News Channel 8 Anchor Stacie Schaible will be the emcee for the program~. Ms. Schaible anchors the "5:30 Report" weeknights with Keith Cate, and is part of the "8 On Your Side" consumer reporting team.
For the fourth year, the Women's Council will present their Women of Distinction Awards, honoring a Business Woman of the Year and a Community Service Woman of the Year. These awards will recognize two outstanding women in business and volunteerism who have demonstrated a lasting and positive contribution in Pinellas County.
The Women's Council of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce is the largest Council of the Chamber with approximately 200 members. Monthly meetings are held at women owned or operated businesses in the St. Petersburg area, giving the hostess an opportunity to showcase her business to other business women. Members of the Women's Council do not have to be a Chamber member. Chamber membership is required to host one of the monthly meetings.
For more information about the Symposium or the Women's Council, contact Dianne Caton at the Chamber at 821-4069.





CURRENT PAID MEMBERSHIPS
1. United Central 10. Old Southeast
2. lsla del Sol Owners 11. Lake Maggiore Shores
3. Eagle Crest 12. Meadowlawn
4. Greater Pinellas Pt. 13. Fossil Park
5. Barclay Estates 14. Causeway Isles
6. North Downtown 15. Euclid Heights
7. Bayway Isles 16. Shore Acres
8. Disston Heights 17. MeI-Tan Heights
9. Jungle Prada 18. Bayou Highlands
19. Childs Park 20. Historic Roser Park
21. North Kenwood
22. North Shore
23. Lakewood Civic
24. Winston Park
25. Woodlawn Oaks
26. Grand Central