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

A New Fall Format

Aug 12, 2003

AUGUST 2003

Next CONA Meeting:
Wednesday, August 20th
The Sunshine Center
330 5th Street N.
St. Petersburg
Doors open at 6:00 p.m. - Meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.


PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear Neighbors,

As you will see when you receive your printed newsletter this month, we have changed the format of the CONA newsletter. I would like to thank our Editor, Paula Engel, and Cathy Wilson, President of Greater Woodlawn N/A. Together they were able to use Microsoft?® Publisher to come up with a new format and publish this issue. We plan to continue this format for the remainder of 2003 if our budget permits. Future printing costs and our ability to generate advertising will dictate our format. I welcome any ideas you may have regarding the future of this newsletter.

School has started and neighborhoods that took the summer off are gearing back up for the fall. I hope you are planning to attend the statewide neighborhood conference in early September in Sarasota. I know that some neighborhood representatives are going down and staying for the entire conference; others are commuting. Whatever your choice, you can make plans to share a ride. We have requested a City vehicle
to use, but this has not yet been confirmed. If one is available, we would be responsible for the gas and tolls. We have the "Neighborhood Night at the Trop" coming up on September 20th. Be sure to order your tickets prior to September 16st for the Rays vs. the Yankees. This event will show our neighborhood spirit, and the neighborhood with the most tickets sold will get a block party for their neighborhood.

There was a presentation to City Council regarding Piney Point water being mixed with our reclaimed water in the South Reclaimed Water Treatment Plant. There were many neighborhoods that spoke to the Council about their concerns, and this will be one of the topics at our August CONA Board meeting. A decision on this issue has not been finalized as of this writing, and if we need to take a position, we will need your input.

Come to the meeting for an Open Forum to talk about issues and concerns that affect your neighborhood and our City. I look forward to seeing you on the 20th.

Sincerely,

Brent


AUGUST 20th MEETING AGENDA

Pledge
Approval of Minutes
Treasurer's Report
Committee Reports:
Codes
Neighborhood Partnership Office
Old Business
New Business
Announcements


CONA BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S MEETING MINUTES
The Sunshine Center July 16, 2003

>>President Brent Fisher called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m., leading us in a pledge of allegiance to our flag.

>>Brent offered an apology and an explanation for the tardy delivery of our July CONA Newsletter. He acknowledged continued mailing list problems.
The President called for any additions or corrections to the June Minutes as published in our newsletter. Hearing none, they were approved.
Libby Steele gave her Treasurer's Report of a current balance of $3,102.00.

>>Regenia Wade, (Neighborhood Partnership Office), distributed several flyers and made the following announcements:
- The Florida Neighborhoods Conference will be in Sarasota, September 12th and 13th.
- The "Neighborhoods at The Trop" on September 20th will feature the Devil Rays vs. the Yankees. The neighborhood with the best ticket sales will be awarded a local Block Party entertainment by the Rays.
- September 5th is the deadline for submitting the next series of Neighborhood Partnership Grant Applications. [Applications to be available shortly on-line.]
- There will be two Grants Workshops at City Hall at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on August 13th. Bonus credits awarded if your neighborhood attends.
- Regenia identified the three Public Service Representatives who are available to assist neighborhoods in preparing their grant applications.
- There is a new Playground Grant maximum of $35,000. [35% matching]
- The deadline for Police Forfeiture Grants will be October 3rd.
- There will be a grant workshop in the City Council Chamber on August 26th at 6:00 p.m. It was noted that the police grants do not require matching.
- Regenia also distributed blue cards listing the holiday dates for city trash collection.

>> Barbara Zias and Bill Bilodeau of the St. Petersburg Audubon Society provided a slide presentation describing environmental preservation techniques focusing on neighborhood horticulture and bird life.

>> We heard a brief presentation from Gerry Novak representing "Sunshine State One Call of Florida" promoting the system which protects residents who plan to do any soil excavation to a depth in excess of 10 inches. This system assures that all involved utilities will mark their location near your excavation within 48 hours

>> Dan Khoury of the Venue Ensemble Theatre distributed brochures describing their upcoming production of two one-act plays paying tribute to the tragedy of the 9/11 attack. They will be given at The Sunshine Center Fri. and Sat.: Sept. 12 &13, 19 &20, 26 & 27 at 8:00 p.m. and Sun.: Sept 14, 21, 28.

OLD BUSINESS: (None)

NEW BUSINESS:

>> Brent described the negotiations CONA has had with Monarch Publishing who have indicated that a lack of advertisers has resulted in losses for publishing our newsletter. He mentioned some of the alternative responses being considered. We were urged to watch our Listbot for the most current information in solving this problem.

>> Responding to a question from the floor, Brent reaffirmed that CONA will continue our monthly meetings at The Sunshine Center throughout the summer.

>> V.P. Karl Nurse spoke briefly of the impact that he has observed in our periodic CONA meetings with the Mayor. He noted that they have been effective in guiding the development of city plans and procedures.

>> Cathy Wilson, (Greater Woodlawn), echoed Karl's comments on the need for neighborhood representation at various city-planning meetings. She noted that only 32 attended the last LDR meeting but over 200 came to the airport discussion. We were reminded that the next LDR meeting would be in the Sun Pavilion Room of Bayfront Center on August 11th. It will deal with zoning regulation revisions.

>> Phil Whysong, (North Kenwood), urged our members to participate in the drug marches and vigils organized by Andy Garr. Please call 893-4110 to join in.

Our meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Conrad Weiser, Secretary


TALL FENCES = GOOD NEIGHBORS?
by Cathy Wilson, Greater Woodlawn N/A

John Hixenbaugh and staff in Development Services are in the process of crafting a new ordinance governing fences, walls and hedges. According to John, these regulations are not a part of the contract for the LDR rewrite and are in desperate need of revision from the complaints they've received from citizens, the Planning Commission and City Council.

In a significant change from the way ordinances like this are usually created, the DevServ folks want to write a sweeping set of regulatory changes with the input, assistance and agreement of the general public. To do this, they need volunteers from CONA, individual neighborhoods, the business community, the LDR rewrite committees and other members of the public to form a work group. The group will be facilitated by Susie Ajoc of Neighborhood Partnership and will work with DevServ staff to address city-wide concerns. Their goal is two-fold; first is to craft a solid ordinance that will work for all parts of the city; second is to achieve a general consensus on the new regulations so that passage by the Planning Commission and then City Council goes smoothly.

Susie will attend the next CONA meeting to answer questions and will be asking for volunteers. If you can't make the meeting or want to volunteer sooner, please call her at 892-5141.


"DO NOT CALL" List for Floridians
by Jo Waldron, Mobel Americana

Unless you've been living under a rock, you already know about the national "Do Not Call" list that will stop the telemarketer calls. Conrad Weiser, our Mobel Americana
research specialist, has provided me with a few details that I thought were worth passing on to you.

The phone number for Florida residents became
effective on July 7th, The toll free number is 1-888-382-1222. Remember, you must call from the telephone number you want registered. You can register over the Internet at: www.donotcall.gov, you must have an active E-mail address to sign-up online. You will then be sent an E-mail for each telephone number you want to register. To complete the process you must open the E-mail and click on the link in the E-mail. Many of those registering have failed to take this final step and their numbers will not be included in the registry.

If you are already registered with the "Florida Do Not Call" list you will automatically be transferred to the Federal listing.

Register by August 31, 2003 and you will be receiving fewer calls by October 1, 2003. If you register after September 1, 2003, telemarketers will have three months from the date you register to stop calling you.

You should register only your own phone numbers; you are allowed three, including your cell phone. Keep track of the date you register, it is effective for five years but they will not send you a notice.

You will continue to receive calls from charities, surveys and places you have done business with in the past, but other than that, it works great. There is a hefty fine imposed on those who choose to ignore the list. I have been on the Florida "no call" list for a year and on the rare occasion that I do get a sales call, they are very apologetic.

A great step forward for Americans, now we can enjoy our dinner in peace!


SENIORS Vs CRIME: THE NEW "SENIOR SLEUTH" PROGRAM

By Carol Santure, Fossil Park Neighborhood Association

I have a friend who paid a pool company to put in a pool, pool deck and screen cage. That was in April of 2002 and it still is not finished. They said they were a family-operated company and would have it done in 30 days. Do you think they may have meant 30 MONTHS? This case is already being worked on through the newly opened Senior Sleuth office.
On the Senior Sleuths' opening day, July 1st, Mr. and Mrs. Sutton walked into one of the Pinellas Park's recreation buildings, with papers in hand. Lo and behold, there was Channel 10. They interviewed them, followed them home to take pictures of the unfinished pool with dirty water standing in it and put it on TV that same afternoon.
Seniors vs. Crime is the heading on the brochure for the Senior Sleuths a special project of the Florida Attorney General's Office in the interest of senior citizens.
(http://www.senior-sleuths.org/)
You may have heard of the Senior Sleuths by now, if not, please write down these numbers: 541-0892 or 541-0894 - they are telephone numbers for anyone to use in Pinellas County. The Senior Sleuth Office in Pinellas Park is located at 7780 60th Street N behind the Police Department. There will be someone there to take your complaints on fraudulent cases on Mondays and Wednesdays between the hours of 9 am and 1 pm.
While seniors are the most vulnerable to crimes or scams because of their age and because they were taught to be polite, saying thank you, excuse me and to trust others, the service is for everyone in the community. Today, you can trust NO ONE. This program is to provide education and crime prevention to senior citizen groups and provide investigative agencies with senior volunteers to assist them with specific investigations.
No taxpayer money is involved in supporting the Project. All operational costs are paid for from settlements reached with companies who had set out to defraud. Most of the desks and office furniture has been donated by various businesses in the area.
Senior Sleuths are recruited from all walks of life ranging from homemakers to rocket scientists and are senior citizens who volunteer to assist in the project of identifying new scams or conducting covert operations at the request of the Project. They also act as a resource for a multitude of local, state, and federal law enforcement or regulatory agencies that may need specific volunteer services.
A St.Petersburg office opened August 4th and the telephone numbers there are 552-1808 or 552-1807. The office is located in the Sunshine Center at 330 5th Street N.

Bob Ortiz is the Senior Sleuth Director for the Pinellas County and Leland Quinn is the manager at the Pinellas Park Office. The manager for St. Pete is unknown at this writing. For other offices throughout the state you can call 1-800-203-3099, ext. 226 or check the above web site. Any organization who would like to have someone come out and speak with your group to explain more about it please call any of the above numbers. They also are looking for more volunteers.


PARTNERSHIP NOTES
Neighborhood Partnership Office

Tampa Bay Devil Rays vs. New York Yankees
Send in your ticket reservations and payments to the Neighborhood Partnership Department by September 1, 2003. This will allow sufficient time to get the tickets back to the neighborhoods before the September 20th game. Tickets are $5.00 each and are located in the upper deck behind home plate.

7th Annual Florida Neighborhoods Conference
Full registration fee for the conference (2 days with one tour) is $90. Contact the Neighborhood
Partnership Department for a booklet or visit www.fnc.sarasotagov.com.

Neighborhood Partnership Grant Deadline: No later than Friday, September 5, 2003, 5:00 p.m., City Hall. Application is available as a pdf file online at www.stpete.org under the neighborhoods category or from nghdpart@stpete.org. Two one hour workshops will held on Wednesday, August 13, 2003, @ 1:00 and 6:00 p.m., Sunshine Center. For more information, please contact Neighborhood Partnership at 892-5141.

Forfeiture Fund Program Deadline:
No later than Friday, October 3, 2003 @ 5:00 p.m.; St. Petersburg Police Department (1300 1st Avenue N). Workshop will be held on August 26, 2003, @ 6:00 p.m., City Council Chambers. For more information, please contact Sherman Smith at 893-7984.

Susan P. Ajoc, AICP, Director
Neighborhood Partnership Program
City of St. Petersburg
Post Office Box 2842
St.. Petersburg, FL 33731-2842
Phone: (727) 892-5141
Fax: (727) 893-5323
Email: Susan.Ajoc@stpete.org


NKNA CRIME WATCH UPDATE

by Phillip Whysong and Casimiro Rael, Sr.,
North Kenwood N/A

We are fortunate to have such a fine officer as Wes Callahan on the City of St. Petersburg's Police Force and to also have him as a Community Police Officer for our neighborhood. We have had the personal pleasure to work with Officer Callahan on many occasions. His support over the years and dedication to the City of St. Petersburg has been endless. Our annual picnic has been in part, a success due to his willingness to be such a strong force in supporting this cause. His calm demeanor and great personality has always been there for our neighborhood residents and is a true reflection to the citizens, old and young alike as to what an officer should be in the eyes of the citizens. The commitment he has shown for the drug marches, vigils and countless other activities has been greatly appreciated and highly recognized by the
citizens of the neighborhood for which he is the Community Police Officer.

On our most recent outing on July 21st, he displayed calm and quick resolve in dealing with the youth at hand that have been plaguing our neighborhood area for months. It is a sad situation for neighbors, community activists and officers alike that have been working for months to address the drug situation in our neighborhood. We're working to make sure that drugs do not take another life in our neighborhood and city. We are sure that Officer Callahan and his co-workers will continue to help us fight to keep drugs and crime out of our community.

Thanks to Officer Wes Callahan for our neighborhood vigils, drug marches and the show of professionalism in dealing with the parents, grandparents and other relatives of the out of control young teens in our neighborhood.

It is very important for all neighborhoods to assist their Community Police Officers and recognize them when situations arise that demand their "above and beyond" the call of duty that they often face in their everyday job as a St. Petersburg Police Officer. Our neighborhood will continue to conduct drug marches, vigils and whatever it takes to rid our community of drugs and other illegal activities.


EDITOR'S NOTE: The following information was taken from a handout that Jungle Terrace Civic Association placed in their newsletter this month when vagrants became a problem, and the SPPD were, at first, delayed in responding. This information was provided by Ron Russell; compliments of the Jungle Terrace Civic Association.

You might like to keep this information near your phone for reference in case it should become necessary to call the St. Petersburg police.

GUIDELINES ON CONTACTING THE S.P.P.D.
By Ron Russell, Jungle Terrace Civic Association

It is imperative that the following procedures be followed and the appropriate information obtained to allow us to follow up with police department administration, so as to maintain their most efficient operation under the current circumstances of low manpower.

Procedure for reporting non-emergency incidents to the SPPD:

1. Call 893-7780.

2. Your call will be answered by a "call-taker". This person will ask you questions such as: "Do you know the person, describe this person, what is this person wearing, is he armed, has he committed a crime, etc." Be sure to answer the questions as completely and as accurately as possible. Be advised that while you are giving the call-taker this information, the call-taker is electronically entering the data onto the computer. BE SURE TO GET THE CALL-TAKER'S NAME and NOTE THE TIME AND DATE OF THE CALL.

If the call-taker attempts to "talk you out of having a problem", ask that an officer be dispatched and your call information be referred to Mr. McDonald, SPPD Dispatch Director.

3. The information from the call-taker is immediately forwarded to a dispatcher. This dispatcher assigns the call a control/incident number and then dispatches an officer*. Wait for the officer to arrive. Get the responding officer's name and the control/incident number. There is a control number assigned to every call, even if the officer takes no action. If the officer takes action, then a report number will also be issued to him by the dispatcher. This report will record the details of the actions taken.

*It must be kept in mind that vagrants who are not in the act of doing anything, teens with boom boxes, and unobvious teenage drinking are of a low priority as compared to rapes, murders, and forcible felonies in general, thus it may take a while for an officer to respond. If a police officer does not respond in a timely manor, it would not be out of order to place another call to the dispatch person requesting the status (at that time you can obtain the control/incident number) -- OR -- if the status of the incident changes (gang fighting, vagrant with a weapon or attempting to harm someone), this should be called in on an emergency basis. The emergency phone number is 911.


AMBER ALERT?…?…
HELP Governor Bush and the next abducted child. Help us create and support a real, working Amber Alert System in the Tampa Bay area. For more info, or to volunteer, call Capt. Ron Russell at 345-7000 or E-Mail him at rrmediates@aol.com. We need your support!


CONA MAILING LIST UPDATE! Please Help Us!
Due to some recent computer problems with our CONA
Mailing list, we once again need your additions and corrections to our mailing list. Please E-Mail any changes you may have to Conrad Weiser, CONA Secretary at MAOA1999@aol.com.


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

If you have comments, ideas or articles for the CONA newsletter, please call Paula Engel at 347-6889 or 642-3134; email her at pkengel1@aol.com; or fax her at 345-2804.


2003 CONA OFFICERS

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

First Vice President
Karl Nurse
Old Southeast
572-9311 Ext. 24
karl@baytechlabel.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:
Neighborhood Partnership Office: 892-5141
Mayor's Action Line: 893-7111
Codes Office: 893-7373


CONA NEWSLETTER DEADLINES
Copy Deadline: 30th of each month.
Publication: 2nd Wednesday of month.
Mailing: The 2nd Friday of month.