Happy Mardi Gras Neighbors,
Our Mardi Gras February meeting started at 7:05pm with the Pledge of Allegiance. Board members in attendance were President Pat Rathburn, Michelle DiMaria, Joe Russell, Rhonda Kramer, Heather Cunniff, Manny Carrera, and Virginia Russell. We had a great turnout of 35 neighbors.
FLPD Officers Stevens and Lee were here to give us our crime statistics for January. There were 3 residential burglaries, one of which involved the theft of 2 bicycles and a TV from a front porch. Another house had a motor scooter stolen. A stolen vehicle on SW 17th Street involved a Chevy passenger van. All in all, Ofc. Stevens reports that our crime was somewhat reduced this past period and that we are doing well in comparison to other neighborhoods. FLPD will be using our neighborhood social media site Nextdoor.com to communicate with us in the near future. There will be flyers going out to explain more. Starting April 1st the Citizen on Patrol Forum will be initiated for residents who are interested in being additional “eyes” for the neighborhood, driving around the area in an official car (not a police cruiser). More information can be found online at www.fortlauderdale.gov Check it out, it’s a great website full of all sorts of valuable and interesting info about our city and upcoming events.
Our next speaker was a neighbor from the Citrus Isles, Mary Sessions, who came to inform us about the All Aboard Florida (AAF) passenger train from Miami to Orlando that will be starting up in 2015. Concerned groups such as the marine industry and the real estate industry are troubled by the number and frequency of the trains that will be transiting through the center of Fort Lauderdale on the FEC tracks. The New River FEC Railroad Bridge will be required to close to river traffic an additional 32 times per day, tying up traffic on the river. There will also be 32 more closings at each railroad street crossing, specifically SR 84, SW 22nd, 17th, 15th Streets and Davie Bl. Another issue is the added noise from whistle signals the trains are required to make when they pass those intersections. Quiet zones to eliminate the need for horn blowing have been recommended but they will have to be funded by our taxes, not FEC. Mary maintains that AAF will detrimentally impact those of us on the west side of the tracks with additional noise, decrease in property values and increased congestion on the roadways and river. Watch for articles in various publications as this is a hot button issue. 
This month’s 50/50 raffle prize was won by Paul Ruble who donated it back to the Association. Thanks, Paul. Trees provided by Michelle DiMaria were won by Amy Miller and Ted Sanderson.
Our next Croissant Park General Meeting will be Tuesday, April 29th. See you then.
Minutes by Virginia-Sec’y
Looked like a great meeting and good turn out!!
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