Lake Pasadena Estates Neighborhood Association
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
June 6, 2022

Directors Present: Cathy Parks (moderator), Niel Allen, Lorraine Armstrong, Carol Gruszka, Mandy Hand, Stacy Vermette

Directors Absent: Ken Carroll, Ide Gagalis, Lisa Mackaness, Jeff Smith

Opening: Cathy Parks, moderator and meeting host, opened the meeting at 5:35 p.m. She encouraged everyone to keep moving forward in efforts to reactivate the neighborhood association in 2022.

Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer being absent, there was no updated Treasurer's Report. Carol will distribute the emailed report to the directors as a PDF file when she receives it from Cathy.

Old Business:

• Website: Cathy notified Joe Baldwin, former president, that LPENA would decline his offer to stand up and host a new website for $100 per year. The association will continue to use the current Class Creator website on www.lakepasadenaestates.com while Sylvan Mackaness continues development of a new site with the same features on www.lakepasadena.org.
• Book Club: Cathy reported that she plans to develop a flyer to determine Lake Disston area residents’ interest in a Book Club. She anticipates active start-up of the club after Labor Day.
• Social: Stacy Vermette and other attendees introduced several potential or planned social activities for 2022:
  • Weekly “wine walk-through” gatherings of immediate neighbors.
  • Multiple Friday evening informal gatherings at a volunteer neighbor’s house. Yard signs indicating time and place would be posted in advance.
  • Fall Festival in late October, inviting the entire neighborhood. A city mini-grant will be sought to cover some of the expenses of snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.
  • A Halloween Outdoor Decoration contest.
  • Monthly selection of “Yard of the Month,” with the winner being awarded a certificate, basket, or bottle of wine, and posting a rotating LPENA Yard of the Month sign in their front yard.

Stacy and Mandy will develop an outline of proposed calendar events and present it at the next BOD meeting.

• CoNA: Niel Allen contacted Susan Ajoc, city liaison for neighborhood associations, to determine a contact for the Council of Neighborhood Associations. Subsequently, CoNA president Tom Lally contacted Niel and provided contact information for Aaron Bryce, CoNA membership chairman, who provided information on requirements to join, noting that he was unaware Lake Pasadena had a neighborhood association. Since the BOD approved joining CoNA at its prior BOD meeting, Neil will submit the required documentation (e.g., bi-laws, officers and directors) and the $45 fee for joining. Annual renewal fee will be the same amount.
• Facebook Page: Mandy Hand will contact CoNA’s Aaron Bryce for assistance in setting up a new LPENA Facebook page.
• Lakes:
  • Lorraine Armstrong has taken pictures of Lake Disston in preparation for consideration of seeking installation of a lighted fountain to improve night lighting and aeration of the lake waters. Discussion of this potential project is still in process.
  • The group discussed the erosion occurring around the Lake Disston concrete walls permitting storm water to drain into the lake. Lorraine will contact Chris Allen, city storm water point of contact, to determine whether concrete wing walls can be added to alleviate the erosion.

New Business:

• City Push for Affordable Housing: The Board discussed city-directed changes being made to advance its goal to provide more affordable housing units -- and how those changes might affect the Lake Pasadena neighborhood. For example, demolition of the block between Central and 1^st Avenue South and between 60^th and 61^st Streets South is complete for development of a 108-unit apartment facility. Also, the city recently approved development of a senior housing facility on 64^th Street South property bordering Bear Creek, currently occupied by Grace Connection Church. While neither multi-family housing unit is directly in our neighborhood, both will affect the density of our area. The Board is committed to staying aware of city-mandated changes to reduce the risk of diminishing the desirability of the Lake Pasadena neighborhood to newcomers.
• Neighborhood Awards Ceremony: Niel attended the city’s Neighborhood Awards ceremony on May 17 and made (or renewed) contact with other neighborhood leaders, as well as learning the following.
  • The city provides training in leadership and best practices for neighborhood association leaders.
  • Sergeant Alli, St. Petersburg Police Department, is the point of contact for community policing. We will invite him (or his designee) to attend and speak at our next general meeting.

Upcoming Meetings: The next BOD meeting will be held on Saturday, June 25, at 10:30 a.m., to accommodate directors who cannot attend meetings during weekdays. The next general meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on September 13, pending scheduling at the Menorah Life facility.

Closing: The meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Carol Gruszka