Central Oak Park Neighborhood Association

"News In A Nutshell" by Linda Phillips

May 18, 2000

Your Board of Directors have been working very hard to enhance your neighborhood. At our last meeting there was a lot of discussions and decisions made.
First, we heard from the Codes Compliance asistance Department, Sally Eichler, Codes Compliance Director and our new Investigator, Thomas (Tom) Holthusen, explained the nuts and bolts of how their department works to gain
compliance with code violations and how we can help them. If you have a complaint about a code violation then please call the compliant line at 727-893-7373. You will speak to a real person and give them the address and the complaint. This person can then start a new case for the investigator or update you on the status of an existing case.
Second, the fountain (2000 Neighborhood Partnership Grant Project) is scheduled to be installed behind the Main Library in the center of Lake Jorgensen in two months. You may have seen the pavilion which is completed with landscaping, park benches, and water sealer for this year. The second half of our grant match is a lookout deck to be installed after the fountain is complete. We will be looking to you for assistance at that time.
Third, 2001 Neighborhood Partnership Grant application will be mailed out this month. As mentioned at a previous general meeting we would like to write a grant to develop a Neighborhood Plan. In the past we have brought in consultants from the private and public sectors to get ideas from you on what you would like to see happen in your neighborhood. We have tried and failed to
develop this plan and it is time to move on. We hope you will support this effort.
Fourth, soon you will see the new road stripping taking place on First Avenue South and First Avenue North. The finished product will include parallel parking with three traffic lanes, and a bike lane to calm traffic.
Fifth, maybe you have seen Citizen Patrol in your area. We have sign for the volunteers car and also our volunteers have started delivering Citizen Patrol/Crime Watch door hangers. We are looking for a few good people to assist with preventing crime in our neighborhood.
Other items are:
Membership Drive has starting calling past members who have not renewed their membership. We want to know how we can better serve you. You can help this committee by talking to them about what the association is doing the improve the neighborhood. Show them your newsletter and invite them to join you at the next meeting. Also this newsletter will be the last newsletter delivered to you if you have not renewed your membership.
The Computer Lab was painted last month and two additional computers will be added. We have a target date to "Train the Trainer" and hope to start classes next month.
Toree Jones was elected in as your new board member.
We have re-schedule the neighborhood clean-up for July 15th. Please mark your calendars today.
As you can see, you have a grand Board of Directors working as a team to improve your environment. When we change the environment we change the quality of life. Please come to the next general meeting and thank your Board of Directors for their hard work. They truly deserve it.
Police Chief Goliath Davis will be our speaker at the next meeting. I look forward to seeing you then.
Your Neighbor
Linda