..Sunset Park Area Homeowners Association, P.O. Box 10751, Tampa

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1 ..Sunset Park Area Homeowners Association, P.O. Box 10751, Tampa May - June 2009 A Message From Our President Per the SPAHA articles of incorporation, the purposes of our association are: 1. The primary purposes of this corporation shall be to preserve, protect and enhance the quality and character of this residential community. 2. To exchange and disseminate information needed to accomplish these purposes. 3. To sponsor or foster civic and social activities as approved by the membership. For our neighborhood, the first purpose would encompass such things as beautification, building & zoning, neighborhood watch, the RESPOND program, and dealing with important local issues such as stormwater and West Shore traffic. Also to further the first purpose, SPAHA is continuing to help to promote the badly needed renovations at nearby Friendship Park. We promoted the first annual Touch- A-Truck event in our newsletter, and additionally donated $300 to the event. Held on March 21st at MacFarlane Park, the event was a success, raising approximately $3,000 for the park. County Commissioner Rose Ferlita also stopped by to check out the event. In addition, SPAHA members are helping to organize and promote the first annual South Tampa Community Golf Tourney and Auction, to benefit Coleman Middle School and the surrounding community. To be held on May 13th at MacDill Air Force Base, the golf tournament starts at 1:00pm, and for the non-golfers, there will be a dinner and auction at 5:00pm. On the subject of beautification, around mid- April I was pleasantly surprised to see that an artist had voluntarily added an orange sunset to the top of the Sunset Park sign at the corner of Henderson and San Jose Street. I d personally like to thank the mystery artist for his or her colorful addition to our neighborhood! We work to accomplish the second purpose through our newsletter, broadcast s, and membership meetings. Regarding the third purpose, to sponsor or foster civic and social activities, we are going to explore the promotion of more block parties in the neighborhood. Our neighborhood already has a reputation for legendary block parties, and we applaud the efforts of these neighbors to socialize with each other. Our idea is, for those parts of our neighborhood that don t already have these parties, to help organize and promote block parties. So if anyone has been thinking about establishing a block party for their immediate neighborhood, please contact us and we ll give you a hand. Because the hurricane season will soon be upon us, for our May 12th membership meeting Officer Veronica Hamilton of the Tampa Police Department will be making a presentation on the important subject of hurricane preparedness. I m sure she ll have a great deal of vital information that we can put to use if and when a major storm were to arrive. Marlin Anderson MEMBERSHIP MEETING: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 Sunset Park Garden Club 4624 Browning Ave 7:00 p.m. - Social and Refreshments 7:30 p.m. - Membership meeting Program: Hurricane Prepardness Officer Veronica Hamilton, Tampa Police Department (See bio, P. 2) *********************************************** Dues are Due SPAHA membership dues are now past due if you have not paid them as yet, please send them in now. If you are not sure if you have paid your dues call Wofford Johnson or wjohns7@tampabay.rr.com and he will check the database. If you have a change in your e mail address or if you have not been receiving our periodic , please send your current e- mail address to us. Thanks Note: Unless dues are paid this is the last newsletter you will receive.

2 SUNSET PARK PORKER Marlin Anderson No te : This is the t hirteenth installment in a series of articles to tell the story of the wild pig tha t made Sunset, Park its home for weeks back in We a r e picking up from the point where, armed with new supplies from the feed stores, I ' m ready t o try once aga.in to.lure the elusive pig back to my trap. More Advice on How to Catch the Pig 1 speak to a trapper in Louisiana, who advises me that one or two cups of feed grade molasses mixed into five pounds of corn would for sure lure the pig into the trap. By now, the trapper had given me some corn to replace the com consumed by the pig, and I had noticed that the bucket was labeled "whole com. 11 I had previously used frozen com. I realize that I should have had my daughter Gloria pick up some whole com when she went out to the feed stores. I ask her to go out to the one in eastern Hillsborough County and pick up some whole corn. The issue with the ducks is still in play, and she simply says "No. 11 I drive out there myself and pick up a five. pound.sack for the backofthe trap, plus another three pound sack for in front of the pressure plate and outside the trap. Only 30 cents a pound, a steal compared to the prices for the frozen corn. While I'm there I decide to look at the baby ducks. They're really cute, she's going to buy. She tells me Officer Veronica Hamilton that they make excellent pets. The Has been employed with the Tampa last one she had really loved her Police Department for 19 years in the husband but stayed away from her, capacity of a law enforcement officer. however. She is currently assigned to the I decide to pass on the ducks for department's Special Incident now and get back to baiting my trap. Management Unit, (S.l.M.U). Officer Hamilton along with her unit is tasked I Prepare a Dish for the Pig with the planning for all natural or Immediately after I get home, I go manmade disasters that would affect into the kitchen and pour the five the normal operations of the police pounds of corn into a large glass department and in turn have an bowl. I then measure out one cup of adverse affect on the Citizens of molasses with a measuring cup, and Tampa. pour it over the com. I take a large The Special Incident Management Unit spoon and mix the molasses into the is often called upon to conduct com. The molasses gives off a hurricane safety and preparedness really powerful smell, and I feel presentations for various community pretty ridiculous mixing up this groups. Important information such as concoction, but I persist until the hurricane sheltering locations, special molasses is evenly distributed needs sheltering, hurricane evacuation throughout the com. zones, safety tips for your home and I know that the trapper only wanted family, and much more is covered in me to pour a teaspoon of molasses onto the com, and doubted that he'd approve of my new idea. I therefore decide to not mention my latest experiment to the trapper. I'm a little worried that the molasses will rot out the wooden bottom of the trap, and just hope that this won't happen. I go outside with the mixture. and a woman is also looking at the 1914 ducks, trying to decide which one To be continued... ~ '-3/ ************************************** "!f you will think about what you ought to do for other people, your character will take care of itself" President Woodrow Wilson, Oct. 24, each presentation. The Tampa Police Department's goal in presenting this vital information is to assist residence. in better securing their property and family during this volatile time of the season. It is important to remember that PREPAREDNESS is the KEY to WEATHERING the STORM this hurricane season. ********************************** "Heroes aren 't athletes who set new sports records, or Hollywood actors who make 'daring ' films or politicians who make bold promises. Heroes are people who place themselves at risk for the benefit of others. " Oliver North 2

3 RESPOND RESPOND is our Neighborhood police patrol. We currently have six hour patrols on the weekends. When on duty our patrol officer has a cell phone we supply and is always just a quick call from your home. We will increase patrols as our RESPOND membership increases. Membership dues are only $120. per year. ($20.00 additional for a RESPOND yard sign). This is a real bargain as each six hour police patrol cost $ Dues are now past due. If you have not paid your 2009 dues, please send it in now. If not received before th March 10, we will have to delete your name from the list of RESPOND members we provide for the officer. As a member you receive a schedule of the monthly patrols and the phone number for the cell phone. The officer is given a list of RESPOND member addresses and phone numbers and will pay close attention to your home during their patrols. The more members we have in the program, the more patrols we can schedule each month. Join today. In addition, if you advise us when you will be on vacation or out of town we will ask the RESPOND officer to make a physical check of your home as he patrols our area. Remember, when the RESPOND officer is on duty the officer is only a few streets from your home. This is an excellent program and we encourage you to participate. If you have any questions please us at wjohns7@tampabay.rr.com or call ************************************************ Community Policing SPAHA is located in TPD District 1. The District 1 office is located at 3818 Tampa Bay Blvd. The office is staffed 24 hours/7 days each week. Numbers you should know are: Shift Commander Captain Hugh Miller General office information Needless to say, in the event of an emergency, always call 911. However, for non-emergency assistance, such as to report something suspicious on your street, neighborhood disturbances, fireworks being discharged, or other non-emergency problems, call , or If you are a member of RESPOND and the RESPOND officer is on duty, call the cell-phone number provided to you when you signed up for R E S P O N D. ***************************************** Neighborhood Watch: Neighborhood Watch Coordinator is: Ann Johnson The Quadrant Leaders are: NE - Danelle & Jody Barksdale NW- Open SE - Valerie Morales SW - (below River Dundee) Earlene Shofi SW - (above River Dundee) Judy Rothburd We still need a Quadrant leader for the northwest section of our area. Please call Ann Johnson and volunteer. We need to maintain an active Neighborhood Watch. Please call and volunteer. This is not a time consuming commitment. *************************************************************** SPAHAMAN If you don t come to the membership meeting, I may have to fly you there 3

4 Green Ideas for the Home information about available energvstar. gov. In this day of increased environmental awareness, homeowners can do a lot to their homes to help Mother tax credits, go to By Tom DiGiacomo *************************************************************** Nature as well as their own budgets. Here are just a few ideas for investing in your home, which will pay you back over time and give you peace of mind that you are doing your part for the environment. FIREWORKS With the approaching 4th of July please remember that Replace those old windows- Today's new insulated, low- the use of "exploding" fireworks within neighborhoods is illegal under state law. State Statute 791 prohibits the E glass windows are much more efficient at keeping the heat out and the cold in and can easily replace those old use of fireworks for any purpose except in agricultural & single pane windows. Re-insulate your attic - The attic insulation in older homes operations and railroads as signaling devices. Fireworks, can compact over time reducing its effectiveness and a in addition to being a nuisance, cause over 8500 serious new layer on top will give you that protection back,. injuries and over 20, 000 fires each year. keeping heat from your attic out of your living areas. TECO offers rebates to offset some of the costs of this The Hillsborough County Legal Department has fish hatchery operations to scare away birds, in mining confirmed that the use of fireworks by individuals for "entertainment purposes" is a first degree misdemeanor work. Keep your attic cool- Install radiant barrier insulation and subject to a fine of $1000 and up to a year in jail. solar powered fans to keep the temperatures in your attic down and reduce the load on your air conditioning system. Update your heating and cooling system - Ensure that your air conditioning ductwork is sealed at the joints to ensure that the cold air is not leaking into your attic. If your system is aging and in need of replacement, consider replacing it with more efficient equipment, containing a higher SEER rating. While more expensive, there are tax credits available designed to help offset these costs. Air conditioning and heating accounts for approximately 38% of your home's electric costs and the If fireworks disturb or endanger you or your property call the Tampa Police Department non-emergency number ( ) and provide them with the address of the violator. Visit for more information on the use of fireworks. *************************************************************** SPAHA's Web Site SPAHA's web site is a great source of information regarding our neighborhood. Important links are: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement where you can check on Sexual Predators or Offenders who reside in our area. Type in your zip code and you can view a picture and address of the offender. Currently there are seven residingwithin the zip code. more efficient systems can heat and cool your home using a lot less energy. Replace your electric hot water heater with a new solar one - Heating water accounts for approximately 30% of your home's electric costs. Heating water with a solar We Also have a link to the Animal Control Center where you can search for any animals you may have lost. In addition, you can view dogs that are available for adoption. panel is free and will save you money every month. Install a rainwater collection system to recycle water for You can also post information on our calender regarding garage sales, etc. and you can post announcements, etc. as long as they are not commercial sales. your yard- There are systems available for every budget. Some are as simple as installing a rain barrel on the side of your house to fill up your sprinkling can and others are In addition, you can view our association boundaries as well as links to the City of Tampa and the Hillsborough County web site. more complex which can pressurize a garden hose for more convenient distribution. For these and many more ideas on how to optimize your home, consult with your local contractor. For more The address is 4

5 SPAHA Officers: Pres: Marlin Anderson Vice-Pres: Ed Coppock Rec. Sec: Tom Digiacomo Corr. Sec: Judy Rothburd Treas: Ann Johnson Directors: Dir: Sheila Hanrahan Dir: Sam Mirabella Dir: Vacant Dir: Lee Schmoll Dir: Lisa Williams Committee Chairperson: Building/Zoning: Wofford & Ann Johnson Membership: Howard Weber Neighborhood Watch: Ann Johnson Newsletter: Wofford & Ann Johnson RESPOND: Wofford Johnson Sidewalks: Judy Rothburd Website: Wofford Johnson Events Lisa Williams ********************************************************************** 5

6 Sunset Park Area Homeowners Association P.O. Box Tampa, FL Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid Tampa, FL Permit No 3657 SPAHA Compliant hotline - Construction Ext Recycling Dept Special Waste Pickup Manhattan Brush Site Potholes or sinkholes City Information line Tree Hotline Environmental Coordination Lawn Watering Complaints Solid Waste Code Enforcement Stormwater drains - clogged Zoning information Mosquito Control Street light outage (TECO) Animal Control Animals (Removal of Dead)