Minutes
LAKEWOOD ESTATES CIVIC ASSOCIATION
MINUTES OF MEETING SEPTEMBER 22, 2009
The meeting began at 7:00 p.m., more or
less.
There were 30 residents in attendance and
one guest, Philip Harris of the Neighborhood Partnership.
The new crime coordinator, Larry George,
was introduced and gave an inspired speech about participation
and visibility in our war on crime in Lakewood. He stressed
the importance of a network of block captains and encouraged
the attendees to step up to the task. He also listed the
items he plans to request from the drug forfeiture award
program. Larry has requested from the SPPD to add 11 more
Neighborhood Crime Watch signs to complete the entrances of
Lakewood Estates.
Office Stanley Maybell of our Community
Service team did a brief synopsis of the past week’s events.
Car break-ins now lead the list. Maybell pointed out that of
the 10 cars broken into during the measured period, NINE were
not locked.
Judy Ellis introduced Donna Penrod as the
new board member and thanked outgoing board member Tom Doyle,
in absentia, for his enthusiastic dedication.
The attendees were reminded that
elections for president and treasurer will occur in January of
2010 and nominations will be taken at the November meeting.
Patsy Wedding called attention to the
financial report on each table; we have a healthy balance with
more revenue from advertising still coming in. Patsy also
encouraged everyone to come out on Nov. 7th and 8th
to help out with the Boyd Hill Nature Preserve fund raiser,
Art Arbor. Patsy says she “only needs 100 people.”
Jeanne Isacco then gave a rundown of the
seminars she attended at the Neighborhood Conference last
July. This statewide meeting is held in a different city each
year and this year it was held at our own St Pete Hilton.
Jeanne said she was inspired by the lectures she attended and
found the program extremely worthwhile and rewarding.
Judy then updated the room on the status
of neighbor Patty Thiel, whose hands were mauled by a dog.
Patty is moving her fingers and there is optimism about her
recovery.
The room was also updated on the
playground, which is stalled because the city workers were
pulled to fix a safety emergency at Albert Whitted airport.
If the rain will hold off, they will resume work on our
playground very soon.
Judy reminded everyone that on October 1
there will be a public hearing at City Hall about the
controversial proposal to vacate the sidewalk in front of
Baywalk.
Philip Harris of the Neighborhood
Partnership office then took the floor to talk about a variety
of neighborhood issues, chiefly Carefest, scheduled for Sept.
26. Lakewood’s contribution is to be involved in the litter
clean-up of the west side of 31st Street from 54th
A/S to 18th A/S, or any part thereof, but
volunteers have not been forthcoming.
A yard sale is planned for March of 2010;
details will follow.
A plea went out for donations to help
Boyd Hill build a bat house; Lakewood has already contributed
$140 to this effort.
A reminder that the dumpster and Haz-Mat
trailer will be in Lakewood over the weekend of October 17th.
Judy reminded everyone that there will be
a major candidate forum on Wednesday, the 23rd (the
next day) at Lakewood High School for both mayoral candidates
and those running for districts 5 and 6 of the city council.
The meeting ended with an informal vote
on the 3 proposed designs for the new Lakewood neighborhood
identity signs; the white background with script green letters
and a reddish Mediterranean revival/faux tile roof was
unanimous. Judy also asked people to sign up to buy an
engraved brick to memorialize a loved one, a beloved pet,
celebrate the grand kids or just put out a happy phrase. The
bricks are $40 and will go around the base of the four signs;
the money will help defray the hours we have to donate to
match the nearly $9800 the signs are going to cost.
Becky Launchi won the 50/50 and
graciously turned it back to the coffers.
The meeting ended at
8:30.
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