Opening:  Niel Allen, LPENA president, convened the quarterly general meeting of the Lake Pasadena Estates Neighborhood Association (LPENA) at 6:30 p.m. on August 15, 2023, at Menorah Life. Approximately 30 neighbors were in attendance.

Minutes: Minutes from the last general meeting, held May 16, 2023, are posted on the www.lakepasadenaestates.com website (shortcut: Ctrl+click Bit.ly/lpenastpete).

Treasurer’s Report:  Alex Ellis provided the treasurer’s report to the Board of Directors on August 8, 2023:

Operating Account: $1,593.00 ($2,404, less $810 from prior donations for Pasadena cul-de-sac fence maintenance)
Expenses: (1) $690 for Fence Repair (2) $231.44 for Signage
Income: Annual dues = $50 (1 check, 1 Square payment)
Subsequent to the meeting, new dues & donations were received: $225.00. THANK YOU!

Dean Hay, Guest Speaker: Director Cheri Riley introduced Dean Hay, Urban Forester and Sustainability Coordinator for the City's Office of Sustainability and Resilience, who provided a slide presentation on “Community Forestry.” We are all aware of the benefits of tree canopies in urban areas (e.g., beauty, shade, reduced carbon dioxide, increased oxygen), but not all know the importance of varying types of trees (to reduce the risk of massive failures from disease or pests) and the benefit of planting news trees. Currently, the LPE canopy consists of approximately 30% oak trees; the recommended percentage of any single type of tree is 5% to 10%.  To learn more about this effort and the role WE/YOU can play in inventorying and mapping our current trees, visit https://www.stpete.org/residents/sustainability/trees.php. Our association hopes to have significant neighbor participation in becoming “St Pete City Foresters (i.e., getting training and conducting a neighborhood inventory of existing trees on City property) to increase our chances of being awarded a grant to plant new, location-appropriate trees in our neighborhood.
In response to a neighbor’s question, Dean noted that property owners are responsible for maintaining the area between their property lines and curb lines. (Municipal Code § 8-207)

Old Business:

• Lake Disston Fountain: The LPENA membership voted at its May 16 meeting to apply for a City-matching grant for installation of a floating but anchored fountain in Lake Disston, which would increase water aeration, reduce algae buildup, and enhance the beauty of the lake. One company has provided an estimate of ~ $10,000 for purchase and installation of such a fountain. Susan Ajoc, City representative, stated that grants exceeding $10K require five estimates. However, nothing can proceed until Duke Energy installs electrical service at Lake Disston sufficient to power the fountain . If the matching grant is awarded, the City will pay the cost of the fountain and installation, and the neighborhood’s “matching” portion will be provided by neighbors’ hours worked (credited @ $26/hr) improving City-owned property in the neighborhood and/or cash donations. The neighborhood would also be responsible for ongoing maintenance of the fountain.
• Historical Designations: Cheri Riley gave an update on the effort to collect and document the history of Lake Pasadena Estates. St. Petersburg Museum of History interns are providing research for Phase 2, collecting histories of the original 18 parcels developed in the 1920s. Phase 2 will be completed by the end of the August. Results are posted (or linked) on our website. Prior discussions have suggested that 2024 would be a good year to celebrate our century of history, perhaps with a Century Celebration.
• Harvest Fest: Director Stacy Vermette reported that planning is underway for our second annual Harvest Fest block party, to be held on Saturday, November 11. Last year’s event was a great success, with 80 neighbors attending to enjoy pumpkin carving/painting, face painting, a bouncy house for the children, and lots of food. Noting the cost and effort required for this event, Stacy had prepared a roster for volunteers to sign up to participate in the planning and execution of the next Harvest Fest. She also encouraged donations of money and skills to help make it successful again. Residents can keep abreast of activities and upcoming events via our social media (Facebook, Twitter) and our website.
• : Association membership of households in our neighborhood has increased since the prior general meeting, and four additional households paid annual dues following adjournment, including two with generous donations above the $25 annual cost. (Thanks, Steve and Robert.) Please share knowledge of our association with your neighbors and encourage their participation in our all-volunteer organization.

Next General Meeting: The next quarterly general meeting will be held at Menorah Life on November 14 at 6:30 p.m. Our guest speaker will be Margaret Zak, board member of Save our Urban Lakes (SoUL), the organization largely responsible for the revitalization of Crescent Lake 16 years ago. Please attend, tell your neighbors about our organization, and pay dues ($25 via check or cash to any director, or $26.05 online via Square) so we can keep on working for you and for our lovely Lake Pasadena Estates neighborhood, known 100 years ago as the “garden spot of St. Petersburg.”

Closing:

The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m. Following adjournment, dues ($25 annually per household) were collected from a few neighbors.

Respectfully submitted,
Carol Gruszka, LPENA secretary

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