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

Count your blessings:

Nov 17, 2001

CONA Newsletter Editor Needed!
After 3 years of service I have decided to resign as the Editor of the CONA Newsletter. I have enjoyed editing the newsletter for the past three years. Unfortunately I have taken on more responsibility with my job, which gives me less free time. If you are willing and able to take over this position please let Jim know. It isn't very time consuming. You can make it what you want it to be. There is very little, if any, writing involved. You will mostly be cutting and pasting information from city and other neighborhood articles. If you've ever though of
volunteering, now is the time. I am more than willing to show how I have been editing the newsletter and you would be doing CONA a great service and would also be rewarding to you as well. Time is of the essence, because December's newsletter will be the last one I will be able
to edit. Again if you are interested please let Jim know.
Bob Funari

HOLIDAY LIGHTED BOAT PARADE
December 8 5:00 to 9:00 pm
Get in the holiday spirit, and enjoy decorated boats. Free for spectators and as always, the best seat is at The Pier, which will have Music & entertainment provided by WYUU U-92. The flotilla proceeds at 6:45 pm from the Harborage Marina, around The Pier, into the Vinoy yacht basin and returns back to marina. The event is sponsored
by Harborage Marina, Bayboro Yacht Club, St. Petersburg Municipal Marina and The Pier. For more information and applications to enter boats please call the St. Petersburg Chamber at 727-821-4069, or contact Lee Goff at 727-515-1593.

FIRST NIGHT ST. PETERSBURG
December 31 6:00pm to Midnight
This is a New Year's Eve Celebration for the whole family at The Pier and downtown St. Petersburg. Bring in 2002 with concerts, food, games, music, art, and fantastic fireworks!
Alcohol-free event for adults and children. FIRST KIDS willtake place from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. This event offers Whimsical Art Center, Notions Kids Theater, musical petting zoo, and Razzmatazz Magic & Juggling. FIRST FIREWORKS at
9:00pm and FINALE FIREWORKS at midnight. First Night admission buttons, in advance, are $8 for adults, $5 for children 6-12, children 5 and under are free. The button provides unlimited admission to 25 venues of performances and activities. The button price rises to $10 on December 31.
For more information and advance button sales location please call 727-823-8906 or 821-6164 or go to www.stpete.org/firstnight.htm

SNOWFEST KICK-OFF & TREE LIGHTING FESTIVITIES
November 23
The City and Beach Drive & Downtown Business Association present AMERICA: A HOLIDAY OF HARMONY in North Straub Park with Dick Crippen as emcee. Entertainment begins at 5:30 pm with Grace Lutheran Church Hand Bell Choir, Act Three Patriotic Holiday mo-town sound and 85-member chorus Tampa Bay Heralds of Harmony. Tree
lighting at approx. 7:00 pm and Beach Drive shops will be open until 9:00 pm.

GET DOWN TOWN MUSIC SERIES
Street party on Central Ave., from 2nd to 3rd Street.
Free admission, live music, 5:30 to 10:00 pm. For more information please call 727-393-3597.

CONA Board Meeting
November 21 - 7:00P.M.
St. Petersburg Times Building
490 1st Avenue South


Presidents Report

Dear Neighbors,
Yes, we are having a CONA Board Meeting in November. At this meeting we will take Nominations for CONA?’s Executive Officers. The election of new officers will be held during the December CONA Board Meeting. It was three years ago this month I excepted the nomination for President of CONA and three years ago this December I was elected. It has been a grand experience that I consider as a great time in my life. During the past three years we have accomplished quite a bit and I know that you will continue to do a great job. It is unbelievable how much all the Neighborhood Association Officers have contributed to this city. If you were to add the hours that they have donate up each month you would be shocked. Being a Neighborhood Association Officers can be a full time job and the only pay he or she gets is the occasional pat on the back and the feeling they have accomplished something that improved their neighborhood. I applaud you all for volunteering so much.

Jungle Terrace Neighborhood Association filed a lawsuit a while back, after the city granted Romano?’s Macaroni Grill a permit to build a restaurant in violation of the Cities Green Space Ordinance. This lawsuit was not against the business being built, but against it being built with out following city ordinances. Jungle Terrace Neighborhood Association one the case and Romano?’s Macaroni Grill will be installing the green space that is call for by the City Ordinance. So it looks like the West End of Tyrone Square Mall?’s parking lot will take on a new look. It is all do to the hard work and dedication the Jungle Terrace Neighborhood Association and their President Steve Plice has put into improving their neighborhood. Steve will tell you all about it at the meeting.

Per CONA?’s request, the city is taking a look at all the options for the future use of the Albert Whitted airport land. The Mayor has instructed his Economic Development Administer to look at what might be the best use for the land. I think now is the time to do this because, if we except the FAA money to improve the airport we would tie that land up for the next thirty years. This would then keep USF from enlarge its campus. They can't build up because of the flight paths and there is very little land to enlarge the school. This four-year college needs to grow so that future St. Petersburg residents will have a college to send their children to. A college is a WIN WIN for all of us.

A group of us meet with the new Police Chief last week and it was a very productive meeting. As a neighborhood group we told him what we felt were the needs of the neighborhoods. He told us what he is already doing and what he is planning to do. If he does what he said he was going to do, I told him that he would be a very Popular Police Chief in Neighborhoods.

Your Neighbor, Jim Biggerstaff

PIONEER CHRISTMAS JAMBOREE
December 8 9:00am to 4:00pm
Pinellas Pioneer Settlement/Living History Park, 2900 31st St. S. Step back in time for this annual old-fashioned holiday. Turn of the century decorations, bluegrass and folk music, and crafters. Admission is Free! For more information please call 727-866-6401.


2001 CONA Officers
President - Jim Biggerstaff
Disston Heights
327-7355 jjbigger99@aol.com
First Vice President - Skip Brooks
823-3670
Second Vice President - Theresa McEachern
Harbordale
823-6390
Secretary - Conrad Weiser
Edgemoor
522-5008 MAOA1999@aol.com
Treasurer - Libby Steele
Lakewood Estates
867-6916 MPH56@aol.com.

Committees
Budget
Theresa McEachern - 823-6390
& Ingrid Comberg - 821-2192
Computers for Our Community
Brent Fisher - 867-2026 abfgte@gte.net
Newsletter
Jan Brami - 827-0011 jan@sunworks.com
Bob Funari - 894-3881 bayside2@gtefcu.net
Citizens Police Council
David McEachern - 823-6390
Parliamentarian
Dale MacKenzie Gross - 323-2730
Stormwater Issues - Rosemary Grasso - 321-7299
Internet Webmaster - Conrad Weiser - 522-5008
Council Liaison - Jim Biggerstaff - 327-7355
Membership
Charles Miller - 576-6867 & Skip Brooks - 823-3670

Time to Renewal Membership for 2002!
Just fill out the C.O.N.A. 2002 Membership Renewal Application. Mail it and
Membership fee to PO Box 3529, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or bring it to the next Board Meeting

Association Name __________________________________________________
Address __________________________________________________
Boundaries __________________________________________________
Number of Households ___________________ Numbers of Members _________________________
Meeting Dates & Location __________________________________________________
President _____________________________________________ Phone #______________________
C.O.N.A. Representative ________________________________ Phone # ______
Alternate Representative _________________________________ Phone # ______
E-mail Address __________________________________________________
Also all members who use CONA's Bulk Mail Permit Number are asking to pay an extra $10.00
which covers the cost of the permit.