The Banner The South Seminole Heights Civic Association Newsletter Winter 2004 Crime - Code Enforcement - Transportation Issues General Membership Meeting January 13, 2004 7:00 PM at the Central Chris- tian Church, located at Boulevard and W. Chelsea. (Enter from Clearfield St parking lot) At the recent Seminole Heights Town Hall meeting held last summer, these three issues had the greatest interest. We have invited three city leaders who can give us further information on what can be done to make our neighborhood more livable. Police Chief Stephen Hogue, Code Enforcement Director Curtis Lane and a representative from the City Transpor- tation Department will he at the meeting to answer your questions. This will be your meeting to ask the questions that are impor- tant to you. Our guests will be prepared to discuss property crime, auto theft, community policing, barking dogs, Florida Ave code violations, cut-through traffic, vandalism and other concerns. Please plan to attend and bring your questions and see what’s in store to make South Seminole Heights a more livable neighborhood. Rivercrest Park Amelioration Project- Complete!!!! By Ken Hacek On November 22, 2003, South Seminole Heights Civic Association, along with volunteers from the 16th Annual Mayor's Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup project, as well as City of Tampa Parks Department employees, completed a 3+ year effort to protect our Park from eroding further along the Hillsborough River. In August of 2000, Elizabeth Mitchell, then Secretary for SSHCA, applied to the Environmental Protection Commission for a grant from the Hillsborough County Pollution Recovery Fund to complete the embankment/erosion protection of Rivercrest Park along the Hillsborough River from the Pumping Station to the docks on the southern portion of the park. A couple of years prior, the City Parks Department had restored the riverfront Shoreline restoration and plantings of new along the northern end of the park. This was very expensive, and funding to complete the trees and saltwater-tolerant grass project would not become available for some time. Continued on Page 8 Thank you, What’s Inside Mark Your Calendars Catherine Griffin for N.E.A.T. Day President’s Letter Page 2 We would like to give special recogni- N.E.A.T. Details Page 3 tion to Catherine Griffin, from the City of Tampa February 28, 2004 Around the Neighborhood Page 7 Community Affairs office, for here untiring dedi- Details in this issue. A World of Fitness Page 4 cation to the South Seminole Heights Civic Asso- ____________ Porch Party Details Page 8 ciation. Even though she does not live here, Holiday Decoration Winners Catherine has been involved in our organization Porch Parties Resume Page 5 for many years. You will see her at most of our February 20th hosted by Peter Membership Application Back events and meetings. She has assisted us on plan- Cover ning the recent Day In the Park, has helped fill deGolian Board Members, Committee Chair- eggs for the spring carnivals, and even helped March 12th hosted by Randy persons Page 2 “sell” hot dogs at a meeting to raise funds. Sev- & Paulette Stribling and Valere- Ad Rates Page 2 Hillsborough County eral years ago when the association was on the rie & Robert Holland verge of collapse, she walked door to door in the Mini-Grant Award Page 9 neighborhood to find members to serve on a new board of directors. Please join us at the General Board of Directors meets on the 4th Membership Meeting on January 13th, when Tuesday of each month. we show our appreciation to Catherine. Page 2 Letter from the President Greetings Neighbors! As Editor of the newsletter, usually at this time I am turning to Ken Hacek to get the President’s letter in for the next issue. I http:// sshca.tripod.com realized that now it’s ME who will write this column each quarter for the next year. President First, I want to thank Ken for the out- Gary Ellsworth 813-404-5222 standing job he has done as President for the past three years. He has made it a very easy transition for the new Board of Directors, and I am glad that he will be continuing Vice-President on as a delegate at large, offering his expertise for the next year. I would also like to Rich Oches 813-234-4736 that outgoing Board members Doris Gagner and Jerry Hibbs for their hard work and contribution this past year. Secretary “To educate, promote and encourage civic pride and awareness of issues im- Gina Carnesecchi pacting the neighborhood known as South Seminole Heights, while revitalizing a sense of community in a safe and healthy residential neighborhood…” This is a section from Treasurer the Association By-laws and is our focus as we begin a new year. How will this be Sandy Drake done? We work hard together as a community. We look out for each other, we sup- port our local businesses, schools, library and take care of our public spaces. We take At-Large Delegates pride in our homes and neighborhood, and we get involved. Peter deGolian T.H.A.N. I recently had the opportunity to attend a Tampa City Council meeting, where Ken Hacek Transportation residents of a Kennedy Blvd. Neighborhood spoke on behalf of a zoning change. Randy Stribling Greenways They had no neighborhood association, and it was a “crisis” that brought these people together to speak out. We are very lucky to already have an organization to champion Peer-to-Peer our causes. But an organization won’t run on its own without people. We need volun- (Code Enforcement Issues) teers on all committees. Please consider offering a few hours this year to help. We Carla Gorman have good committee chairpersons who are looking for members to join in their ef- Mail to: SSHCA forts. We are also looking for volunteers to help out on special events that we sponsor Box 360371, Tampa, FL 33673 throughout the year. Or e-mail: I am grateful for your support and thank those members who took the time to [email protected] vote in the October election. I encourage everyone to attend the January meeting. Membership Representatives from TPD, Code Enforcement and City Transportation will be present Bob Neville to answer any questions you have. This will be your chance to be heard. I look forward to seeing you at the meeting! Beautification Jeff Williams Regards, Communications/Webmaster Gary Ellsworth Les Berty Crime Watch Valerie Holland 237-2996 Newsletter Staff Editor: Gary Ellsworth Layout Asst: Les Berty Distribution: Rick Oches Advertisements: Suzanne Warner Ad Rates: Business Card Size $25 per issue 3” X 4” $50 per issue Half-page $100 per issue (10% discount for full year paid) All ads are accepted subject to ap- proval and available space. Page 3 Suzanne Cannella Warner, Esquire N.E.A.T. Day for South Seminole Attorney & Counselor At Law announces the re-opening of her law practice in Historic Tampa Heights; Saturday, February 28th Heights Mark your calendars now, and plan your after assisting her daughter in establishing spring cleaning. ‘Ashley’s on the Avenue’ Gift Shop The Neighborhood Environmental Action Team Suzanne C. Warner, P.A. (N.E.A.T.) was developed and initiated by Mayor Greco to 401 East Oak Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33602 improve the quality of life in Tampa's neighborhoods. N.E.A.T. is managed by the Parks and Recreation Department in conjunction TEL: 813-223-4610 FAX: 813-223-4710 with the Solid Waste Department, Stormwater, Neighborhood Se Habla Espanol Improvement, Community Affairs and the Police Department. Other participating agencies include Vista Volunteers, Salvation Areas of Specialty Army and the Mayor's Beautification Program. All items must be § FAMILY LAW curbside by 7:30 am the morning of the clean-up. Please do not § COHABITATION AGREEMENTS put items curbside more than 1 week before your scheduled § ESTATE PLANNING clean-up. Assistance with the loading of your materials is § LIVING WILLS & HEALTH CARE AD- appreciated, but not required. VANCE DIRECTIVES Materials accepted for collection during N.E.A.T Cleanup: Furniture, televisions, mattresses, tires without rims, carpet, yard § FLORIDA POWERS OF ATTORNEY waste, dried latex paint, and barbecue grills. Large appliances § PERSONAL INJURY & WRONGFUL must be out on Saturday and will be picked up during the DEATH following week. The hiring of an attorney is an important decision that should not Materials not accepted: Auto parts, building materials such as be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask me sheds, fences, tile, pipe, wood/plywood, bricks, concrete blocks, to send you free written information about my qualifications & roofing materials, doors, windows or drywall, hazardous, toxic, experience. or combustible materials such as lead, mercury, asbestos, PCB's, chlorine, radioactive material, herbicides, pesticides, explosives, ammunition or pressurized gas cylinders, liquid wastes including paints, solvents or fuels, tires with rims, sludge, motor oil, metal drums, household garbage and tree trunks over 5 ft long or over 100 pounds E-mail us at- [email protected] website- http://sshca.tripod.com Page 4 and poise that comes with fit body awareness. Dietary infor- by Elizabeth Mitchell A World of Fitness mation and advice is based on a good balance of quality pro- Urban Fitness – that’s what we all want and need, tein, complex carbohydrates, and good sources of fat (more isn’t it? Imagine a private gym at 5 minutes distance, open omegas and less saturated animal fats) from 4 to 5 small whenever you wanted to go to it, with all the equipment meals per day, keeping the metabolism stimulated and blood necessary for a full work out – about a dozen machines, plus free sugar stabilized.