October 2018 CPCA Neighborhood meeting - League of Women Voters

October 2018 CPCA Neighborhood Meeting

— The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and approval of the minutes from the previous meeting.  Board members Pat Rathburn, Michelle DiMaria, Rhonda Kramer, Heather Cunniff, Jodi Perraud, Joe Russell, Virginia Russell attended and a quorum was established.  

—Our guest speaker was Sarah Leonardi from the League of Women Voters.  Maggie Davidson and Denise Elliott, also with the League, had a table full of voter information to take home.  Sarah presented the audience with the League’s recommendations for the Florida Constitutional Amendments and the Broward County Charter questions for the November 6th ballot.  Sarah helped us to understand the often confusing issues and answered questions from the neighbors.

—Steve Cook, one of our CP neighbors informed us of a meeting at City Hall on November 6th at 6 pm to discuss the land on SW 17th Street at the railroad tracks that are being considered for affordable, subsidized housing.  The meeting is open to the public.

—The proposed new fire station will be built on the same piece of land at SW 17th Street and the railroad tracks.

—Jodi Perraud and her neighbor Vivian were congratulated for their fabulous event Bark in the Park on Saturday, October 27th.  It was a huge success with local vendors like Augie’s Doggies and gift certificates to be raffled from a local pet groomer Continental Pet Salon.  Even JetBlue airlines donated pet carriers for the raffle.  Looking forward to next year’s Bark in the Park.  

--The slate of CPCA Board Officers and Directors was approved and they are: President - Pat Rathburn, Vice President - Michelle DiMaria, Treasurer - Joe Russell, Secretary - Virginia Russell, Directors - Rhonda Kramer, Heather Cunniff, Jodi Perraud and our new member of the Board, Mario Paz.

—As tradition has it our CPCA October meeting is Pie Night, and I think our pie bakers outdid themselves this time.  All the fall pie flavors were represented-pecan, pumpkin, apple, and I think I saw a cherry pie there.

—The 50/50 raffle was won by Fritz Kramer who graciously donated the proceeds back to the Association.  Thanks, Fritz!

—Minutes by Virginia-Secy

September 2018 CPCA Neighborhood Meeting

— The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and approval of the minutes from the previous meeting.  Board members Pat Rathburn, Rhonda Kramer, Heather Cunniff, Jodi Perraud, and Virginia Russell were in attendance and a quorum was established.  

—Our FLPD Officers Rodriguez and Cuevas gave us the Neighborhood Crime Watch report for the previous three months.  There were eight residential/business burglaries resulting in one arrest, and nine vehicle burglaries.  There were thirteen stolen vehicles, eight of which were recovered.  Many tickets were written at the stop sign at SW 14th Ct and 9th Avenue and quite a few were residents of the neighborhood.

A neighbor at the meeting inquired about the elderly woman who panhandles at the intersection of SW 4th Ave and Davie Blvd. We were told that very little can be done about panhandlers because the minute they are arrested and walk out of court/jail they go right back to panhandling.  The Mayor and Vice Mayor have placed the homeless issue at the top of their agenda and hope to establish a Homeless Court to handle the problem with more accountability.

FLPD has followed up on complaints by many residents about the people sitting in their car 24/7 at the corner of SW18th Ct and 4th Ave.  We were told that the police have been inside the house and yard and nothing appears to be suspicious.

—Sober Homes: new regulations require that the homes be registered with the City and be certified by the State credentialing agency, and must remain registered at the proper time.  Some have complied with the new regs, some haven’t.  One such home on 14th Ct shut down and became a normal rental.  There are a few different types of sober homes in the neighborhood, with different rules regarding the number of residents allowed.

and the winner is....

Lady Lumps

Gilligan

—The Second Annual Pet Photo Contest was a hit again this year with many fetching photos of Croissant Park pets.  We voted with two vote tickets per member in attendance, the votes were counted by an impartial committee.  The winner this year was a very friendly wire-haired pointing griffon who goes by the name of Eamonn, second place went to a sweet house kitty named Lady Lumps, and third place went to Gilligan, a dog with adorable big ears.  Eamonn will grace the cover of our January 2019 newsletter.  All the pets who entered are winners in our pet-loving Croissant Park.

Jodi Perraud

—Speaking of Croissant Park pets, our Board member Jodi and her neighbors are sponsoring “Bark in the Park”, a block party to promote “neighborliness”, a chance to meet and greet neighbors and to show off your pet in a parade.  It will take place on October 27th from 8am to noon, on SW 20th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues.  Some organizations representing animal rescue, vets, groomers, an animal trainer for autism will attend.  Watch for more info on Nextdoor.

Heather Cunnif

—Nominations for the 2019 CPCA Board of Directors were taken tonight.  The existing Board will all stay on the slate and we have a new nominee to add, Mario Paz has added his name.  It is not too late to nominate someone you know would enjoy this volunteer service, or perhaps you would like to add your own name to the list.  The vote will be held at the October 30th CPCA Neighborhood meeting.  

—Board member Heather gave us an in-depth explanation of the proposed penny surtax for Croissant Park zoning and how this will impact us.  Heather provided a  handout that includes zoning maps and penny surtax details.  This valuable information can be found at:

www.broward.org/pennyfortransportation/Pages/default.aspx

—Croissant Park neighbors can now pay their annual $20 membership dues with PayPal.  In your PayPal account type in mycroissantpark@gmail.com .

Ben & Riley

—Our newly established “Neighbor of the Month” has recognized Ben Creisher and girlfriend Riley who have recently moved into their new home at 1634 SW 9th Ave.  You may have noticed the fun green and turquoise park bench they constructed out of cinder blocks for the school kids who wait for the bus.  Originally they had purchased a bench, but it was stolen within four hours!!  Riley found do-it-yourself plans for the bench that sits there now.  Nice job Riley and Ben!

If you know of someone in Croissant Park who deserves to be recognized feel free to let us know by email at: mycroissantpark@gmail.com, on Nextdoor (search Neighbor of the Month), or to a Board member in person.

—We hope you received a flyer in the mail this week that features the “Bark in the Park” announcement on the front and a Croissant Park Calendar of Events and the “Neighbor of the Month” photo on the back. This flyer was created by Rhonda and is a handy reminder of upcoming events and CPCA Neighborhood meetings in 2019.

—The Community Center will have their annual Halloween bash on the afternoon of Saturday, October 27th.  If you would like to donate some candy for the event you can drop it off at the Community Center.

—The 50/50 drawing was won by Alan McClung.  Alan donated his winnings back to the Association.  Thanks, Alan.  We also raffled out 2 of our CPCA sturdy cotton canvas shopping bags, won by Paul Ruble and Tami McClung.

Minutes by Virginia Russell- CPCA Secretary
pics by Rhonda

Property Appraiser Newsletter - Trim Notices 2018

2018 TRIM Notices
 The Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office mails the TRIM (proposed tax) Notices in mid-August each year. The proposed property tax notice will show your 2018 property assessment, exemptions and the proposed taxes along with dates and times for the various taxing authorities’ public budget hearings. The TRIM Notice is your opportunity to review your property assessment and ensure you are receiving all the tax-saving exemptions you are entitled to. Our office’s contact information will be listed on the newsletter enclosed with the TRIM Notice giving you the opportunity to contact us directly should you have any questions. The absolute deadline to apply for any 2018 exemption or to appeal your property assessment is September 18, 2018. Many property owners ignore their TRIM Notice until it is too late to appeal an assessment, question the proposed tax rates or file for exemptions. If you wait until you receive your tax bill in November to inquire about your assessment, you will lose your right to appeal. The first thing to know is your taxes are calculated using this formula: TAXABLE VALUE x TAX MILLAGE RATES + SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS = TAX BILL The Property Appraiser determines the market and assessed/Save Our Homes value of your property. Your tax rates and non-ad valorem fees are set by the various taxing authorities (school board, county commission, city commission, hospital district board, water management district, and so on) listed on your TRIM Notice. If you want to question your proposed tax rates, non-ad valorem fees, special assessments or services, you should contact the elected officials who serve on the taxing authorities and attend the public hearings in September 2018. Important: The Property Appraiser does not set your tax rates or collect your taxes. Your tax rates are set by the city & county commissions, school board, and other taxing authorities. Additionally, any PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) assessments are not included on the TRIM Notice but will appear on the November tax bill sent by the Broward County Tax Collector. Why Are My Property Taxes Higher than the Prior Owner’s Last Year? Florida law requires property be reassessed at market value as of January 1 the year following a change in ownership and/or the year the property receives/loses the Homestead Exemption. After this reset in value occurs, the property will be protected by an assessment cap starting the following year. For Homesteaded property, the Assessed/Save Our Homes (SOH) Value can increase by no more than 3% above last year’s Assessed/SOH Value (or the consumer price index, whichever is less), regardless of the increase in just value. For tax year 2018, the assessment increase is capped at 2.1% for all Homesteaded properties. For non-Homesteaded property, the assessed value can increase by no more than 10% above last year’s assessed value. The 10% cap does not apply to the School Board taxes. If my office can ever be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at  954.357.6904 or by email at martykiar@bcpa.net.

May Croissant Park Neighborhood Meeting

May 2018 Croissant Park Civic Assoc.Neighborhood Meeting

—Meeting began at 7:20 with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Michelle. All Board members were present.

V.P. Michelle DiMaria & Pat Zeiler

—We were happy to have as our speaker Pat Zeiler from the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society.  Pat treated us to a fascinating slide show and narrative that highlighted the early architects and architecture of our City and, specifically of Croissant Park.  We are lucky to have such a rich history of homes, public buildings, and sites that have survived the test of time. The preservation of our heritage is mostly due to a Federal program enacted in the 1970’s and the enactment of a City of Ft. Lauderdale ordinance in 1983.  The programs encouraged public and private property owners to participate in the Historic Preservation Program, a mechanism created to identify and preserve historic properties.  By protecting these buildings we are improving the local economy by promoting tourism, encouraging historical research of our City’s rich culture, and improving property values.

For more information visit the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, 219 SW 2nd Avenue or visit their website at www.flhc.org.  

—A few neighbors have reported an oil spill from Davie Blvd. to the cemetery via 8th Ave. caused by a sanitation truck earlier in the week. A City worker came out and sprayed an inferior product for clean-up and called it “good”.  Neighbors involved all agree that the clean-up was unsatisfactory. Pat has said she will look into the matter.

—As an update on Sober Homes: the City is trying to identify where these homes are located and require them to register and comply with ordinances. Please notify our CPCA President Pat of known addresses of sober homes in your area.  You can email this info to Pat at patrathburn@gmail.com.  

50/50 Raffle and CPCA shopping raffle were won by Alan McClung who generously donated his $$ winnings back to the Association.  Thank you, Alan.  (He kept the cool shopping bag).

Minutes by Virginia

Photos by Rhonda

February 2018 Croissant Park Neighborhood Meeting

 February 2018 Neighborhood Meeting

front row: Buddy Sherman, Michael Lawrence, Jennifer Ripple

Croissant Park Civic Association meeting began at 7:10 pm, was attended by all Board members: Pat Rathburn-President, Michelle DiMaria-Vice President, Joe Russell-Treasurer, Virginia Dill Russell-Secretary, and Directors Rhonda Kramer, Heather Cunniff and Jodi Perraud.

—Pledge of Allegiance

Officer Fernandez

Karla Carlson, Karen Vaughn, Rosemary Stamm, Jean Ready

—FLPD Neighborhood Crime Team report: Officer Fernandez reported that in the last month we had one residential burglary with one suspect currently, six vehicle burglaries in the Cemetery, one robbery where the victim claims to have been stabbed but provided no ID of the perp,  and one stolen motorcycle.  There have been a series of “bank follow-outs”, where a perp will follow someone who has made a cash withdrawal out of the bank.  Yachties are a typical target because they often withdraw cash for yacht business.  All in all Ofc. Fernandez told us we are lower in crime incidents than many surrounding neighborhoods.  The most common crimes occur when people leave valuables in plain sight in their cars, often when parked at the Cemetery.  Captain Dietrich replaced Capt. Dodson as District Commander at FLPD.

—Ben Sorensen, candidate for Commissioner District 4 spoke to us about sober homes and the WAVE.  He suggests that you email him at Ben@BenSSorensen.com to discuss any issues with him.  

Dr. Warren Sturman

—Warren Sturman, also candidate for Commissioner District 4 gave us a few minutes to discuss various issues.  Contact him on Facebook @WarrenSturmanFortLauderdale.

—The election for Commissioner Dist. 4 and for City Mayor is on Tuesday, March 13th.  This is an important election, so let’s all get out and VOTE.

—CPCA President Pat reports to us that she and some CP neighbors attended the Planning and Zoning Board meeting regarding legislation of sober homes in our neighborhoods.  There is legislation pending in Tallahassee that these homes will be required to be certified by the State.  They will have 60 days to get the certification as soon as the law is enacted.  Let Pat know by email patriciarathburn@gmail.com of known sober home addresses on your street.  Pat will assemble all the information she collects and present it as one entity to the powers that be.  A discussion followed, as our neighbor Buddy Sherman passionately expressed the great aspects of our family-friendly neighborhood and the threats that sober homes pose to the safety of our children and to our property values.

Tammy McClung

Tammy, Jodi, Heather, Virginia

The 50/50 raffle was won by Tammy McClung, who promptly returned her winnings over to the Association. Thank you, Tammy. There were also two lucky winners of our CPCA canvas shopping bags that are rapidly becoming collectors’ items.

Minutes by Virginia-Sec’y
Pics by Rhonda

January 2018 CPCA Neighborhood Meeting

January 2018 Neighborhood Meeting and Potluck Supper

Happy New Year, Neighbors

Our first meeting of 2018 began at 7:15 with the Pledge of Allegiance lead by Vice-President Michelle.  Meeting was attended by CPCA Board members Pat, Michelle, Heather, Joe and Virginia.

The minutes from the October 2017 meeting were approved.  

A reminder to all who attended that they can pay their CPCA membership dues tonight.  Our Treasurer Joe will be happy to sign you up.

Candidate for Commissioner Warren Sturman dropped by and was given a few minutes to re-introduce himself and remind us that there are several important issues and to urge us to get out and vote on March 13.

At this point in the meeting we decided to chow down and fill our plates with the yummy looking dishes that neighbors brought to share.

Steve Cook reported that the bike lanes are still being painted on SW 4th Avenue.  The route that heads north of Davie Blvd. is scheduled to be finished.  There will be dotted lines added to the intersection of Davie and 4th to help drivers stay in their lanes, heading north on 4th Ave.

Congratulations! to Christina and Thomas Flood for winning the $50 prize for best holiday lighting.

Neighbors on the 800 block of 15th Street have reported that the late night meetings at the Sunshine Cathedral sometimes last until the wee hours, the early morning bus that provides transportation for construction workers to venues downtown, and all noise that results from the many people who are arriving, congregating and leaving at early and late hours, most  days of the week has become  intolerable. There are issues with security lighting that shines in a nearby residence and needs adjustment, and a noisy waste removal truck that services the church dumpster before dawn.The CPCA Board has been working on these issues and have met with the church administrators, who have assured us that they will fix the problems.  At this point we will have to give them a little time and re-address all the problems in the very near future.

The 50/50 raffle was won by Mary Lou and Michael Jaramillo.  Julia Brescia won the coveted CPCA eco-savvy canvas shopping bag.

Thanks to all who brought a potluck dish to share.  And, thank you to Jack Timmins who generously shares goodies with us.  Love those Toblerone candy bars!

Minutes by Virginia