07/11/1996NORTH GREENWOOD COMMUNITY TASK TEAM
CITY OF CLEARWATER
July 11, 1996
Present: Rev. William Graham Chair
Mayme Hodges Team Member
David Grice Team Member
Al Henson Team Member
MacArthur Boykins Team Member
Bertha Kelley Team Member
Joe Marshall Team Member
Kathy S. Rice Deputy City Manager
Rich Baier Engineering Director
Alan Ferri Economic Development Director
Lt. Jeff Kronschnabl Special Assistant to the City Manager/
Community Response Team
Brenda Moses Board Reporter
Absent: Reverend Lucius Pitts, Jr. Team Member
Tal Rutledge Team Member
Scott Shuford Central Permitting Director
Deputy City Manager Rice called the meeting to order at 5:50 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Center. A moment of silent prayer was observed.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order, although not necessarily discussed in that order.
ITEM # 1 - Approval of Minutes
Deputy City Manager Kathy Rice distributed the minutes from the June 16, 1996, and June 24, 1996, meetings for review and approval. Consensus was to approve the minutes.
ITEM #2 - Consider the Proposed Task Team Process
An action plan was discussed for presentation to the City Commission. It was suggested to schedule 5 meetings, inviting residents in different areas of the North Greenwood community.
The meetings will be information-gathering sessions. In order to spark the interest of the community to participate in the meetings, the NGCTT (North Greenwood Community Task Team)
could include the mission statement and explain the group’s focus at the beginning of each meeting. This same technique was used in other communities throughout the City and the consensus
was very positive to this approach. The facilitator will keep the meetings focused on pertinent issues. Ms. Rice indicated future meetings could be arranged at various locations in
the community, or at a City building. Ms. Rice will coordinate sending mailouts and handouts to homeowners and renters in the community, inviting them to future meetings. Copies of
invitations also will be given to current team members. Ms. Rice indicated people do not usually
respond to written surveys, and scheduled meetings throughout the community historically have provided substantially more feedback. Upon compilation of the information gathered from
the 5 meetings, the NGCTT can determine recommended actions to be presented to the City.
The following action plan was suggested in order to develop a formal presentation to the City: 1) Focus Questions; 2) Compile Information; 3) Recommend Action; 4) Review with Neighborhood;
and 5) Present to Commission.
Ms. Rice suggested the team consider the following questions for presentation to the focus groups: 1) What adjectives would we use to describe our North Greenwood neighborhood, including
assessing present conditions/situations candidly?; 2) What qualities about our community do we want to cultivate which will maintain the type of environment we want to keep in North
Greenwood?; 3) What are the concerns in the short term that are keeping us from the kind of environment we want to have in our neighborhood, including which concerns we need outside
help with, and what our neighborhood alone can do to address these concerns?; 4) What are the concerns in the long term that need to be addressed to create the kind of environment we
want to have in our neighborhood, including which concerns we need outside help with, and what our neighborhood alone can do to address these concerns?
ITEM #3 - Administrative Items
Sunshine Law
Ms. Rice distributed a copy of a July 10, 1996, memorandum from Leslie Dougall-Sides, Assistant City Attorney, regarding application of the Sunshine Law to NGCTT members. Ms. Rice
explained the Sunshine Law states task team members should not hold discussion of issues which foreseeably will come before the task team in any context, other than a properly noticed
task team meeting. Ms. Rice asked that everyone please exercise caution in this regard.
Nomination of New Members
Nomination of new members was discussed. The City Commission has approved appointment of up to 15 members for the NGCTT. The NGCTT prefers that all members reside within the North
Greenwood community. It was suggested current members who nominate new members are responsible for inviting them to the meetings. Those nominated will be invited to attend the August
5, 1996, meeting at 6:00 p.m., at which time the NGCTT will have a short meeting with nominees prior to the official meeting, and will vote on their inclusion to the NGCTT.
Ms. Hodges nominated Norma Brooks. Ms. Brooks is a community activist, works at Arbor Middle School, and is a member of Delta Sigma Pheta sorority. Ms. Brooks lives in the community.
Ms. Hodges indicated Ms. Brooks has agreed to serve on the NGCTT.
Mr. Grice nominated Nick Champlan. Mr. Champlan indicated he would be honored to serve on the task team. He owns property in Plaza Park and is very active
with the homeowners association and neighborhood watch program. Mr. Grice also nominated Dennis Golden.
Mr. Boykins nominated Samuel Collie who works in the City’s Solid Waste Department.
Reverend Lucius Pitts, Jr. and Tal Rutledge have agreed to serve on the NGCTT. Ms. Rice will send them a revised meeting schedule.
Mr. Boykins and Ms. Kelley would like to once again invite Ms. Turner to serve as a team member. Ms. Kelley will contact her personally.
ITEM #4 - Confirm Next Meeting
The July 22, 1996, meeting was canceled. A new meeting schedule was established as follows: 1) August 5, 1996 - 6:30 p.m. - Martin Luther King Center; 2) August 12, 1996 - 6:30 p.m.
- Martin Luther King Center; 3) August 19, 1996 - 6:30 p.m. - Martin Luther King Center; 4) August 26, 1996 - 6:30 p.m. - Martin Luther King Center; 5) September 9, 1996 - 6:30 p.m.
- Martin Luther King Center.
The meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.