MINUTES OF THE MAY 4, 2011 MEETING OF THE BELMONT-DEVILLIERS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

BELMONT-DEVILLIERS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

MINUTES OF THE MAY 4, 2011 MEETING

The meeting was opened at 5:35 p.m. by President Dolores Curry. Attending were: Dolores Curry, Rosemary Kirkland, Dottie Dubuisson, Vivian Lamont, Rev. Carl Reeves, Ann Hill, Eddie Todd, Erica Douglas, Neil Richards. Guests included Mary and Walter Wallace of the Woodland Heights Neighborhood Association and the Sickle Cell Disease Association. Minutes of the last meeting were read and approved with one correction

Dolores Curry noted the passing of Councilman Ronald Townsend’s son and members expressed their condolences.

She also noted that she had applied to fill the vacancy on the redistricting committee of the City Council.

Ann Hill read an email from Councilman Spencer explaining his absence from the meeting in order to attend a wrap-up for a charitable cause. He also noted that 16 clients of the Waterfront Rescue Mission took advantage of the free dental day in Pace and that the Mission was offered its bus, fuel and driver to transport the Belmont neighborhood residents for the free treatment. He asked that the members try to bring a dental clinic to the Belmont-DeVilliers neighborhood next year.

Walter Wallace distributed flyers for the free-admission “Let Your Hair Down” Neo Soul Music Festival and Family Fun Day scheduled for 2 to 6 pm on May 21 at

500 West Belmont St.

(Michael Allen’s building). The main purpose of the event is to raise awareness of Sickle Cell Disease and trait. The first-ever “Turning-N-Burning” BBQ cook-off will be held, plus live music performances by Drop Beyond, the Groove and Los Van Dyke and an open mic session. The alcohol- and violence-free festival will provide free hotdogs to kids under 10, plus face-paining, a bounce house, games and crafts. Bring lawn chairs! For more information, contact Sickle Cell Disease Association of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties (http://www.scdaescambia.org/) , 514 N. DeVilliers St., (850) 434-6092;  sicklecell01@bellsouth.net.

Mr. Wallace noted that a Neighborhood Rummage Sale is planned for June 4. It will cost $10 to participate and be including in the advertising of the yards where rummage sales will be held. He further noted that a violence-free rally will be held on June 18 at the park in Woodland Heights. The purpose is to acquaint neighbors and to strengthen these bonds as a way to deter crime.

A move to donate $100 to the sprucing up of the building that houses the Sickle Cell program was seconded and passed.

Mr. Wallace also gave an update on the effort to re-establish a Neighborhood Association Presidents Roundtable to address pertinent issues with City Hall. In discussing this effort with the city’s Ed Spears, Mr. Wallace found out the meetings of the defunct organization cost the city about $500 apiece. Much of that went toward food and overtime for staff.

Ms. Curry said the group did not need to be fed so elaborately at these meetings and that staff already paid a full-time salary could be utilized to avoid overtime pay. He noted that Diane Mack, in her role as president of the Pineglades Neighborhood Association, will be holding an informal organizational meeting on May 17 to discuss the various options to function as an advisory group to either the City Council or Mayor or to act independently. Open meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month.

Mr. Wallace, who is also president of the Woodland Heights Neighborhood Association, said that his efforts to communicate with the mayor regarding the new community center proposed for his neighborhood have been met with silence on the part of the mayor and city staff. He is disturbed that his Neighborhood Association is being left out of the decision-making on the location of the new center. He invited members to attend the Woodland Heights’ next meeting at 7 pm on May 23 at Bethel A.A.E. Church.

Rev. Carl Reeves, Police Neighborhood Liaison, said that Police Chief Chip Simmons continues to reorganize the department to increase communication among the various divisions. There is now a liaison who makes sure these communications are received. He asked and was granted permission to make a presentation at the next meeting regarding the department revamping of the Community Watch program. He asked members to maintain current funding for police and fire fighters. Rev. Reeves can be reached at creeves@ci.pensacola.fl.us, 850-436-5450 or 850-698-0861 (cell).

Vivian Lamont thanked Erica Douglas and Southern Oaks for the recent open house and tour that Ms. Lamont attended. Ms. Douglas said they were pleased with the response from community clubs and medical groups.

Ms. Lamont also summarized recent activities of the Belmont Youth Band. Upcoming BYB performances include a concert at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 22 at Bethel Baptist Church,

916 Booker St.

, Cantonment and a Spring Concert at Bayview Pier from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 27.

At the mention of Eddie Todd’s resignation from the Community Maritime Park Associates board, the membership gave a spontaneous round of applause in appreciation for Mr. Todd’s hard work and dedication to this project. He noted that the park workload demands had become too difficult to juggle with his work at NAS. He predicated the planned first baseball game in the stadium will take place as planned in April 2012.

Neil Richards said the last Hot Glass Cold Beer party for the season would be held at 5:30 on Friday.

Mr. Richards also mentioned that the mayor has recently visited three different cities with aquariums, including a visit to the nonprofit Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, headquartered in San Diego, and which has indicated an interest in locating a large fish hatchery and marine research facility in Pensacola.

The institute is looking at both Pensacola's downtown waterfront, including an empty warehouse at Commendencia Slip along Pensacola Bay, and the old Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant site. It was pointed out that the Fish and Game Commission seems to be the driving force behind this option. Jamie Page wrote an article about the hatchery plan in the Pensacola News Journal on May 2:  http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011105030327

Members discussed the recent Goombay and thought holding it at several venues worked out well. They praised Mr. Richards and others on the committee in charge of the festival.

Dottie Dubuisson said association member George Hawthorne gave a really strong challenge at the recent tourism development meeting. He urged the tourism board to spend dollars promoting areas and events, including Goombay, that are beyond the beach. Ms. Curry noted that Mr. Hawthorne and his wife are setting up an events planning service at Paradise Gardens on West Gregory. She said the association has received no word concerning its PCIP grant application as of yet.

Ms. Curry suggested said that parking in the grassy areas of “A” St. continues to be a problem. She said the Police Department will be giving out citations or warnings followed by actual tickets in the near future. She suggested the association send out a letter to people who live and work on “A” St. to let them know of the changes and improvements taking place. Her suggestion was seconded and approved.

The June meeting will be held at and hosted by Southern Oaks Rehabilitation and Nursing Center,

600 West Gregory St

.

Members voted not to hold a meeting in July.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Hill, secretary