Hi Neighbors,
The meeting opened at 7:05 with the Pledge of Allegiance. Board members present were Steve Cook, Pat Rathburn, Rhonda Kramer, John McNamara, Loren Colburn, Karla Carlson, Heather Cuniff, Virginia Russell. Minutes from the May meeting were approved.
Our first speaker was from Ft. Lauderdale Fire Department Station 3, the new facility near the airport on SW 4th Ave. Capt. John McLoughlin is a HAZMAT specialist who has been with the department for 15 years. He informed us of the community meeting room at the new station that is available for residents to use for meetings. In the near future they will be conducting CPR certifications at that facility, as well as at other fire stations. Watch for pamphlets that will be coming out with more information. A question was raised as to what is considered an emergency worthy of calling 911. Capt. McLoughlin’s response was “if it’s an emergency to YOU, then it’s an emergency.” Another question was asked whether fires in an outdoor fire pit or chiminea are legal within city boundaries. He said they are legal as long as they are well-contained. More information can be obtained by calling the Fire Prevention department at (954) 828-6800.
Our next speaker was Officer Stevens from FLPD who reported that we had 13 burglaries since the last report in May. Eight were residential burglaries, two of which were attempts, one was in a carport, and one resulted in a resident’s dog getting beaten up by the burglar. The rest of the crimes were vehicle burglaries, one was an unlocked car in the cemetery. Ofc. Stevens reminded us to always lock our cars and not to leave valuables in plain sight, even in locked cars. An arrest was made recently on a house burglary that occurred last year in the 700 block of 13th Street. Nice work FLPD! Loren asked for clarification on the ‘stand your ground’ law regarding our dogs. If someone threatens us when we have our dog on a leash and the dog attempts to protect us by attacking the person threatening us, are we legally protected under the ‘stand your ground’ law? Ofc. Stevens said that the law is complicated but yes, you are protected. Another member said that she lost a civil case regarding her dog protecting her property. In another matter, Ofc. Stevens reported that the FLPD is aware of the situation with the house on 4th Ave. across from the school where prostitution and drug sales are allegedly occurring. Steve reported that he witnessed possible illicit dealings occurring in the alley between 16th Ct. and 17th St.
Our third speaker was Todd Stilphen from Snyder Park. He told us about a Fishing Program for boys and girls 7-14 years old and parents on October 27th and November 3rd, 8:30-10:30am. Bring your fishing pole! There will be a Scottish Fest March 4, 2013 and a 5-K Run, no date set yet. The seldom used rock climbing wall will be torn down and replaced with a Hi-Adventure Rope Course, with a zip-line and other fun activities. Bike paths will be improved and bike riding maps will be available. There is a big clean-up program going on in the park, including paving down to the dog lake, removing old debris, and generally making the park more enjoyable for all, including dogs. They are even moving some palm trees in Bark Park for the dogs that are bashing into them. When Todd asked for suggestions of what we might like to see at the park, a member suggested outdoor concerts. John reported that he was a victim of a smash and grab in the parking lot last year. Todd said he is encouraging his employees to keep a sharper look-out in all areas of the park.
Our final speaker was Stephanie Denham, Sr. Management Fellow from the City. She talked to us about our latest social media tool Nextdoor. It allows us to create a private website for our neighborhood only. On Nextdoor, members can find neighbors in the directory, view a neighborhood map, ask for advice, exchange local recommendations, and share neighborhood information with each other. Residents can choose to see and respond to updates via email, or only on the website. The City will use it to post City news, emergency alerts, road closures, etc., but they cannot see what we post. A question was raised about unwanted posts, such as ads. These can be ‘flagged’, thereby preventing them from coming to you via email if you so choose, but emergency alerts cannot be ‘flagged’ and shut off. This website is new and they are still working out some of the details. Invitations have been sent to Croissant Park residents to sign up for Nextdoor. Frequently asked questions FAQ’s appear on the website. Have a look.
The Greenway Project for 2013 is slated to finish in 3 to 4 years. We will be looking for improvements that include a bike lane on the west side of 4th Ave, a pedestrian/bike friendly greenway on the east side of 4th, and a speed limit of 35 mph. Steve tells us that South Florida has the highest fatality rates in the nation for bikes, pedestrians, and cars. The law states that cars must be 3 feet away from bikes on the roads.
Nominations for the 2013 CPCA Board of Directors has begun. We will be losing Steve Cook, John McNamara, and Laura Cancilla due to relocations and new endeavors. We wish them all the best. The remainder of Board members and Officers will remain the same and we are pleased to add three new nominees: Michelle DiMaria, Beth Falkenhagen, and Joe Russell. Nominations are still open, feel free to submit a name. Elections will be held at our Neighborhood Meeting on October 30th.
A motion was made, seconded and approved by the membership attending tonight’s meeting to apply for a grant for 10 dog waste signs at $120 each, and 25 trees at $125 each. Pat will submit a grant to the City that asks for matching funds. The sites for signs and trees are to be determined. If you want to have a tree planted on your swale we will ask you to sign an agreement stating that you will water and care for the tree. The dog waste signs will be located in alley ways.
Sandi McClung of SW 20th Street was asked about the new speed tables on her street--”wonderful, less traffic and fewer speeders”. Heather Cuniff, who lives on 19th Street says that she has not noticed more traffic on her street since the speed tables were installed on 20th. There were fears that traffic would increase on 19th, but that does not seem to be the case.
Loren introduced us to Meeting in a Box, a new concept the City is initiating to get people together to discuss a vision for Ft. Lauderdale. It would consist of eight people, three ideas each, one and a half hours. If you are interested, please contact Loren at Loren.Colburn@gmail.com.
There will be a Crime Meeting on Thursday, October 11 at 7:30 pm at the Community Center. FLPD will present personal and home safety tips provided by Crime Prevention Expert Detective C. Colon.
Rhonda tells us there will be a Halloween Party at the Community Center on Saturday, October 27th. The Board will be discussing how we want to participate. If you want to make donations of candy, cash for prizes, or to volunteer to help at the party, please let Rhonda know - 954-764-7035 or email FritzandRhonda@yahoo.com
Sandi McClung let us know about a bike ride called Critical Mass that happens on the last Friday of every month, starting at Holiday Park at 7pm. The route goes south on Federal Hwy. past The Fresh Market, winds through many streets downtown including Las Olas, then ends up back at Holiday Park at around 9:20pm. Sounds like a lot of fun.
The winner of the 50/50 drawing was Alan McClung. He generously donated his winnings back to the Association. Thanks Alan.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm.
Minutes by Virginia-Secretary
