August Message

President’s Message
By Karl Nurse

We had another success in getting the Green Cities program passed by City Council in workshop on August 4th. Happily, in the end, everyone understood that it makes sense to, in a comprehensive fashion, review our city’s environmental and energy (power/water) policies. This allows us to see how well are we doing and develop a plan to get better. The results should include cleaner city cars and trucks, more efficient buildings, more use of recycled materials, and lower energy costs in everything the city touches. The funding to get started will be on the consent agenda on August 25th. Please thank the Mayor and City Council members for looking to the future.

Several major issues will come to a head in the upcoming sixty days. Please participate in those that move you. They include:

1) The Wal-Mart proposed for the wetlands on Gandy Blvd will be heard before City Council on August 23rd at a special meeting. Because we won before the EDC (Environmental Development Commission), Wal-Mart needs 6 City Council to overrule the EDC.

2) Downtown building heights and density regulations (LDR’s) will come before the Planning Commission on September 13th. The proposals range from unlimited heights and density as being pushed by some developers, to 300-400 height limits at the core of downtown as proposed by CONA and the Downtown Neighborhood Association. We will have updates on this issue at the August meeting. The future of our downtown is being decided. We need to voice our concerns.

3) Community Policing and Code Enforcement staffing will be decided at City Council budget hearings in late August and September. We need to communicate to our elected officials and those running for office, why we believe that community policing and code enforcement play a pivotal role in improving neighborhoods. The Mayor and 4 City Council members are up for re-election this fall. Neighborhood Associations need to take this opportunity to hold debates and forums where our issues can be discussed. This is when we can make the most progress in getting concrete commitments to help support our neighborhoods.

July Message

President’s Message
By Karl Nurse

CONA scored a major victory at City Council this week! City Council spent 90 minutes debating whether to increase spending for our number one priority – additional community police officers. The issue was contained in the question of how much would the City Council LOWER the millage rate. The Mayor’s proposal of 6.95 mills, did not provide for any additional police officers including community police officers or code enforcement officers. The effort at city council was to set the millage at a higher level to provide the funds for community policing and/or additional code enforcement. Each additional 1/100 mill generates $130,000. 3/100 mills would provide 3 more community police officers (10% increase) and 1 more code officer.

The last time we reported City Council members positions on our agenda, CONA was attacked by name by some City Council members. Realizing the risk we take, it is our duty to let neighbors know who will stand with us on the tough issues. At the July 7th City Council meeting, here is how members voted on funding additional community police officers as explained above:

Consistently voted with us: Bennett, Flowers, Kriseman and Lasita.

Supported the compromise that provided some funds: the 4 above, Bryan and Littrell.

Opposed us consistently: Foster and Williams.

The final budget vote will be in September. Please contact your City Council member and explain why we feel so strongly about this issue. We don’t have to always agree. But, we do need to talk to them and them to us.

The Gandy Wal-mart fight will continue at City Council within 45 days. We stood with the neighborhoods of Gandy on this before and we need to before City Council. A speaker from the neighborhood will bring us up to date at the July meeting.

I hope to see you at the next meeting as we continue to stand up for neighborhoods, even when it is tough!