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

From our new publisher- Monarch Publishing

Mar 27, 2002

February 2002

What do you want to Happen
To Our Waterfront?

Ron Barton, Director of Economic Development & Property Management for the City is the featured speaker. He is bringing a slide and chart presentation with a variety of proposals for the waterfront from Florida Power Park (aka: Al Lang Field) to the Port and everything in between. The Airport, Bayfront Arena and USF all could be impacted. No decisions have been made and nothing will happen quickly but get in on the ground floor discussions and let your opinions be heard.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH

Florida Power Forester - Last month at our monthly meeting when Florida Power made their presentation, there were many questions about underground utilities and the cutting of trees. Florida Power is sending their areas leading tech to explain what and how it's done and answer your questions.

C. O. N. A . IS MOVING

Starting with the February 20th Board
meeting, the location has been changed.
Our new meeting location is
St. Petersburg's Main Library
3745 - 9th Avenue North
7:00 PM
C.O.N.A. 's REPORT CARD
Inside this issue is a report card. We have passed them out before and we have gotten few responses. The only way that this organization can grow and help any citizens, neighborhood and business concerns is by staying in touch and being responsive to your issues. That is the reason we have asked you to once again, review the questions and give us your feedback. Your topics will help us set the agenda for future meetings both with the C.O.N.A. Board and other organizations. We will also include the responses in the future newsletters. Mail them back or better yet bring them in when you renew your membership to C.O.N.A.


PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear Neighbors,

This year I plan to follow Jimmy Biggerstaff's lead in starting the meeting on time and ending by 9:00 PM. I promise not to keep you late if possible. For the next two months we will be meeting at the Main Library. Starting in April, we move to the All Children's Hospital Conference Center. I recognize that family, work, friends and the commitments that you have made to the organizations that you represent, time is important. We have all felt the constraints of time at one time or the other. There will be meetings, committees or problems of interest that will require volunteers to help figure out solutions for the betterment of the entire City. Everyone will have an opportunity to be represented at the table.

The website and e-mail chat sight offer everyone a chance to have a voice in current affairs. I want to add all the neighborhoods that want a forum on specific issues, to talk and ask questions. I also encourage each and every neighborhood to get involved. This is an opportunity for your voice to be heard. The CONA newsletter will offer the neighborhoods places to go to get answers to pertinent questions. Your input is very important. Please give us success stories from your neighborhood to include in the newsletter. We can all benefit from each other's experiences.

I look forward to seeing you at the meetings to discuss our future. Feel free to contact me at anytime about issues that you are facing in your neighborhood or business organization.

Thanks for being involved.

Brent Fisher, President


CONA Board Meeting Agenda February 20th

?· Pledge
?· Approval of minutes
?· Treasurer report
?· Committee Reports
?· Bed & Breakfast- Skip Brooks
?· Mayor / Police Chief- Jimmy Biggerstaff
?· Susan Ajoc, Neighborhood Office
?· Old Business
?· Lealman School - Steve Plice
?· New Business
?· Rental Property / Codes - Karl Nurse
?· Speakers
?· Florida Power Forester
?· Ron Barton, Director of the City's
Economic Development
?· Wrap- up



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 Line 893-7111
Code's Office 893-7373
Sanitation Brush Collect 893-7351



Lealman School Symposium
By Steve Plice

CONA will host a public symposium in Lealman?’s auditorium, starting at 6:00 PM on February 27th. Florida Power is donating up to $1,000 to mail fliers about the event.
Mayor Rick Baker will speak about the value of mentoring in our public school system.

The Pinellas County School Board is currently considering options to move the Lealman School to another location; they are also considering demolishing the Lealman building. This symposium is designed to provide information about tile school, and the building, so that opinions and decisions can be based on actual knowledge of the school and its programs.

The Lealman Intermediate School is not a disciplinary school. It is a voluntary program for grades 5 through 8. Students with academic achievement difficulties arc eligible to apply. The program offers students a 19/I student/teacher ratio and daily communications with parents. Students receive small group and individual instruction and their parents receive support. The school boasts that 94 percent of its students graduated from high school.

Please plan to attend this symposium. Community awareness, involvement and support are very important if we are to meet our goals for the Pinellas County School.


CONA dues are now Due

In order to get this newsletter out each month,
there are three things that have to happen;

1. We need articles from you.
2. We need help in putting it together.
3. And most important, we need the
membership dues from your Association to
pay for it all.

Send us your name, address and e-mail so that we
can get you better connected. Do you know
someone who could benefit from our newsletter?
Please submit their information. They will be
placed on our mailing list.



Bed & Breakfast Meeting By Skip Brooks
On Wednesday, January 30th 2002, a "Round Robin" discussion was held at the Sunshine Center, attended by six representatives from
the Bed & Breakfast community and six
representatives from our various neighborhood communities. The purpose of our meeting was
to discuss the current and proposed ordinances and codes governing Bed & Breakfast establishments within St. Petersburg. With the help of Susie Ajoc and Julie Weston, we feel that we have reached a balance that is amicable for all parties. The main topics of the discussion were parking, noise disturbance, and the types of
functions that are currently being held at these establishments.
All in all, everyone present at the meeting seemed to walk away with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. Those present that made up the panel for the B & B's were as
follows: David Kelly - Bayboro House, Bob Brace - Sunset Bay Inn, Ed Caldwell - Dickens House, Rob Ray - Mansion House, Michael Roberts -Vinoy House, and Dennis Youschak - Inn at the Bay.
Representing CONA were: Tim Baker- North Downtown, Chris Eaton - North Shore, David McEachen - Harbordale, Karl Nurse-Old Southeast, Kai Warren - Historic Roser Park, and
Skip Brooks -Woodlawn Oaks.
The outcome of the discussion was surprising, since the B & B representatives made a few suggestions that are in place in other
B & B's up and down the eastern seaboard and are more stringent than the ones we anticipated requesting. These changes must now be reviewed and approved before beginning enforcement of the new ordinances and codes.


CONA REPORT CARD

Please make notes of your ideas and thoughts. We ask you to leave your comments at the registration desk when we adjourn.

In what areas of your neighborhood association activities would you like to have some help from other CONA members?

 Boosting membership enrollment among your neighbors.

 Raising money to support your association's activities.

 Developing interesting programs for your monthly meetings.

 Publishing a monthly newsletter for your residents.

 Making effective use of your Neighborhoodlink Web Page.

 Other social activities - Block Parties, Garage Sales, Picnics, Pot-Luck Suppers.

 Preparing grant proposals for Neighborhood Partnership or Police Forfeiture grants.

What would be the best night of the week for you to attend our monthly CONA Board Meeting?

Would a morning or afternoon meeting on the weekend be a more convenient time for our CONA Board Meetings?

Would our CONA Board Meetings be more appealing if we resumed a social session, (before or after) with refreshments as we once did?

Would weekend workshop sessions, on rotating themes/subjects, (i.e. any of the above), be of interest and value to you? Would you attend? Would you bring a neighbor?