Minutes of the Belmont-DeVilliers Neighborhood Association -- April 6, 2011 Meeting

BELMONT-DEVILLIERS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

MINUTES OF THE APRIL 6, 2011 MEETING

The meeting was opened at 5:35 p.m. by President Dolores Curry. Attending were: Dolores Curry, Rosemary Kirkland, Rose George, Rose McPherson, Dottie Dubuisson, Vivian Lamont, Diane Mack, Rev. Carl Reeves, Ann Hill, Eddie Todd, Tony McCray, Danny Lewis, Reginald Dogan, George Hawthorne, Dr. Alexa Canady-Davis and Jim Myatt. Guests included Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wallace of the Woodland Heights Neighborhood Association and the Sickle Cell Disease Association. Minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

Walter Wallace discussed the work of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties (http://www.scdaescambia.org/) , which is located at 514 N. DeVilliers St., phone (850) 434-6092; email sicklecell01@bellsouth.net.  He noted that the association is operated by volunteers and one 30-hour paid employee. The association is affiliated with state and national associations as well. The group lobbies for more funding for research on this disease and will hold a Sickle Cell awareness event from 2 to 7 on May 21, with entertainment. Open meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month.

Mr. Wallace is also president of the Woodland Heights Neighborhood Association, established in 1996 and which meets the 4^th Monday of the month at 7 pm at Bethel A.M.E. Church, 511 Woodland Drive. The neighborhood is bounded by Fairfield Drive on the South, Davis Highway on the West, Ninth Avenue on the East and Royce Street on the North. He noted that the City Council had set a vote on a $3 million funding for their Community Center and asked for the membership’s support in his association’s effort to have the center built at Highland Park, rather than Woodland Park. He said that Woodland Park is already well used by the children of the community, while Highland Park would get a boost from the addition of the Community Center.

Mr. Wallace also mentioned that all the presidents of the neighborhood associations used to meet in a monthly Roundtable and plans were made to re-establish this group. Ms. Mack, who is president of the Pine Glades Neighborhood Association, noted that the organization has been disbanded since Hurricane Ivan. She offered her assistance as well on this project and they hope to send a delegation on behalf of the Roundtable to address the City Council and/or mayor during the public statements presentation at the next City Council meeting.

Rev. Carl Reeves discussed the Police Dept. Town Hall at the Corinne Jones Community Center in Sanders Beach, noting Dolores Curry was there. He extended the invitation for a group tour of the new surveillance cameras. He said crime continues to be on the increase and urged everyone to be the eyes and ears of the community and to call the Police Dept. if anything suspicious happens. He noted that Chip Simmons has been appointed chief of police. He suggested we continue to lobby elected officials to maintain funding for police officers and fire fighters.

Vivian Lamont detailed some of the recent activities of the Belmont Youth Band, including performances at a Movement for Change event and during UWF’s Festival on the Green. She reminded everyone about the Senior Follies and the Belmont Arts & Cultural Center’s membership drive. Some of her recent awards are posted on our blog: http://belmont-devilliers.blogspot.com/2011/04/belmont-youth-band-leader-receives-lots.html

Tony McCray said that Homeland Security found fault with ECUA’s contracting practices regarding removal of the sewage plant. An article in the Pensacola Voice states that the office recommended that FEMA Region IV “instruct ECUA to accelerate their efforts in the development of a solicitation process which will ensure small, minority and women-owned businesses are considered for future procurements of goods and services.” The article is at http://pensacolavoice.com/?p=486 .

Mr. McCray also gave an update on the Gulf Coast Regional Equity to Achieve Prosperity (R.E.A.P.) pre-summit and distributed an article on the session that was printed in the Pensacola Voice.  Article is scanned and posted on the Belmont-DeVilliers blog at http://belmont-devilliers.blogspot.com/2011/04/reap-summit-planning-conference-at-zion.html . The summit will be held in August.

Mr. McCray also led a discussion regarding the proposed de-funding by Escambia County commissioners of the Human Relations Commission, the equivalent of $87,500. The city of Pensacola matches the county’s funding for the HRC so there is the possibility that this matching funding could also be eliminated.  He urged members to lobby to keep this important agency funded.

Eddie Todd said the Community Maritime Park would discuss the landscaping plan at its next meeting.

Dottie Dubuisson reported that the Window Factory housed in the Belmont Building is now closed and that Neil Richards is relocating American Building Components to his Roberts Road location.

Reginald Dogan said that the Goombay festival has been scaled back to one day from 2 to 11 pm on April 30. Rather than closing off the streets, the festival will be held in three locations throughout the day. 2 pm: Belmont Truth for Youth stage in the Belmont Bldg. parking lot; 7-9 pm in the parking lot at 3 Sisters Restaurant; and from 9-10 at the Cultural Heritage Museum. The first two events are free, and the third will have a $10 entrance fee. Vendors will be set up from 2 to 7 only, and nonprofits can set up a booth at no charge. He emphasized this event is more than a street party and noted that the Sickle Cell Disease Association is a partner in the planning.

Dr. Alexa Canady-Davis collected dues and reported $1,936.06 in the association bank account.

Ms. Curry thanked George Hawthorne and Ann Hill for their work in preparing the city PCIP grant. Ms. Hill was told the wait time for announcements on the grants is four to six weeks. Ms. Mack said that 10 neighborhood associations had applied for the grant funds.

Ms. Curry noted that flags marking where trees will go along A St. were being removed about as quickly as they were set up, possibly by people who want to park in the grass instead of on the street.

An invitation to an Open House, Barbecue dinner and Door Prizes from 4 to 6 pm on April 13 at Southern Oaks from Erica Douglas, director of case management, was read. Ms. Hill said she would send an email to the membership with the date, time and RSVP phone number (393-0517).  Ms. Douglas also offered to host the June meeting at Southern Oaks, 600 West Gregory St.  The membership voted to accept her offer.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 pm.