Introducing Seminole Manor’s Front Porch Library

Friends and neighbors,

You may not know it, but Seminole Manor has a lending library for neighborhood children on the front porch of a house on Marcia Avenue.  We have been circulating books on a small scale and informally for nearly a year now.  It’s time to make it official, and we need your help!

Seminole Manor’s Front Porch Library will be opening with a bang on Saturday, June 13th from 4:30-6 pm.

We plan to do the following activities:

Register library patrons
Serve hotdogs, snacks and drinks
Make bookmarks
Raffle prizes
Read stories aloud
Circulate books

We can’t do all this without you!  Please let us know if you can help that day with anything from setup to cleanup–and everything in between.  You can volunteer by sending an email (smna2007@gmail.com), calling 576-6418, or commenting on our blog.  You can download a flyer here ( FPL_flyer full size ).

Throughout the summer, the library will have regular hours for book checkout and book clubs:

Sundays 3 – 6pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays 4 – 6pm

We’d welcome your ongoing help with this project!  Help us increase literacy in the neighborhood and give our kids something constructive to do this summer.

Thank you!

Adrian Fogelin
Kary Kublin
The Front Porch Library
a program of Seminole Manor Neighborhood Association

Looking back, Looking ahead

I had the pleasure of compiling a year’s worth of information about the neighborhood for a city “Neighborhood of the Year” nomination.  Having the blog made it easier to see what we’ve done.  Even in a difficult year, we’ve accomplished a great deal together.  What is harder to capture is the little things people do every day to help their neighbors in Seminole Manor.

Do you walk your dogs in the morning?  Then you have probably seen Bobby picking up trash.  He makes his rounds every single day, and it makes a difference.

Holley also walks every day with a trash bag in hand.  She’s quiet and fast and very determined.  Having a trash-free right-of-way makes one feel good.  It discourages littering.  And the kids see Holley bending down and picking up trash.  It’s an important, silent message.  And it is broadcast repeatedly.

Adrian knows all the kids.  She walks every day too.  And she picks up trash every day.  She’s getting a neighborhood library off the ground and hosts weekly whirlwinds of circulation (the library term for “checking out books”).  She’s also an extreme optimist.  And this is a huge and valuable contribution too.

Rob tackles most of the impossible situations.  We are convinced he is superman, especially in landlord-tenant issues, matters of code enforcement, negotiations with land-owners, and communicating with law enforcement.

Being that our neighborhood is in the “affordable” category, there are a number of residents with real physical needs.  Karen is spreading the word about the SHARE food distribution program.  She coordinates the monthly orders and pick up and can also tell you who is having a hard time, whether due to financial difficulties or illness.

Sally and Maya maintain the Community Garden.  Several neighborhood kids have served in “delivery” roles.

Rob, Jeff, John, and Patrick are all supremely knowledgeable about the flora and fauna around us.  They are teaching the kids too and are adding beauty and inspiration with their Florida-friendly landscaping and bird-attracting habitats.

Linda keeps in touch with CONA and makes sure we know what is happening further afield.

Cathleen and Greg are extraordinary hosts.  As are Joe and Heather.

It has been a difficult year.  Many of us have had to deal with trying circumstances.  But Seminole Manor is still looking good.  Every effort has served the greater good and strengthened our community.  Thought you’d like to know …

kk

CONA Position Paper on proposed Biomass plant

This week, the Tallahassee Council of Neighborhood Associations released its position paper on the proposed Biomass plant, currently slated for construction off Roberts Avenue adjacent to the Providence neighborhood.

You can read the cona_biomass-position-paper1 here.

Or visit econa.org.

The gist of the paper is that as an organization whose mission is to improve and sustain quality of life through strengthening neighborhoods, CONA can not support the Biomass plant in its current proposed location.  Though green energy efforts are supported by CONA, objections stem from interpretations of the comprehensive plan and future land use documents as well as the manner in which the public was informed of the proposed plant.

kk

CONA Biomass meeting details

Special Agenda

COUNCIL OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS

Special Town Hall Meeting on the Proposed Biomass Facility
Old West Florida Enrichment Center
2344 Lake Bradford Road
Tallahassee, Florida

Monday, December 1, 2008
6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Moderator
Marjorie Turnbull

Panelists
Mark Bertolami, R.A., Director of Facilities Planning and Space Management, FSU
Rob Brinkman, Energy Committee Issues Chair, Sierra Club (Florida)
Anita Davis, President, Jake Gaither Neighborhood Association
Joy Towles Ezell, Energy Chair, Big Bend Sierra Club
Glenn Farris, CEO, Biomass Gas & Electric, Inc. (BG&E)
David Krause, Ph.D., MSPH, CIH, Toxicologist, Florida Department of Health[1]
David Read, Engineering Specialist, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Deb Swim, Environmental/Energy Attorney
Wayne Tedder, Director, Tallahassee/Leon County Planning Department
Ben Cowart, Power Marketing Manager, Department of Energy Services, City of Tallahassee

CONA is hosting this forum as a public service to help inform the community and encourage constructive and meaningful public dialogue on a topic of great interest to this community. This can only occur when panelists and audience members engage one another with respect and civility.

Marjorie Turnbull, Moderator

6:10 p.m.              Discussion Topic: The Facility, the Technology and the City’s

Energy Future

This segment will focus on the nuts and bolts of biomass, and examine the claim by some that biomass is incineration in disguise. It will explore the technology BG&E will employ, including the various processes and type of fuel sources. The relevance of biomass to the city’s energy future and overall energy mix will be discussed, as will highlights of the contract between the city and BG&E.
See you Monday night,

Stephen Hogge, President
Council of Neighborhood Associations

CONA mtg on Mon Dec 1st – TOPIC is Biomass

from Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA)

RE:  ”Biomass” Town Hall Meeting on December 1, 2008

Dear Neighbors,

By now, I am sure many of you have heard at least something about the new biomass facility being proposed for the southwestern part of the city. I want to invite and encourage you to attend the Special Town Hall Meeting we are hosting on this proposed facility. The meeting will be held on Monday, December 1, 2008, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Old West Florida Enrichment Center at 2344 Lake Bradford Road.

Several weeks ago the CONA Board voted to host this meeting to help educate and inform the community. Although there is a great deal of localized interest in this issue among adjacent neighborhoods, this issue is also one of community-wide significance. The CONA Board has not yet taken a position on this proposal.
 
For the past two weeks, CONA has been working to develop what is really going to be an outstanding program. We have assembled a blue-ribbon panel consisting of the key players representing various perspectives, roles, and disciplines. We are especially pleased that former State Representative and County Commissioner Marjorie Turnbull will serve as program moderator.
 
We are hosting this forum as a service to our community and our neighborhoods.
We will have a structured, orderly, and fact-driven exchange of information and ideas. This forum is not the place for those interested in theatrics and incivility–from panelists or audience members. Thank you in advance for attending and observing expected standards of decorum.

Candidates Forum – Thurs Oct 16th @ 6pm

Civic, Environmental and Neighborhood Groups to Host Bi-Annual Candidates Forum

WHAT: The Big Bend Environmental Forum (BBEF), the League of Women Voters, Sustainable Tallahassee and the Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA), are hosting the 7^th bi-annual local candidates’ forum.

This is historically the best attended of the candidates’ forums.  Citizens can suggest questions for the candidates including local environmental, energy and growth management issues.

An open house just prior to the forum will include tables and displays by local candidates, and local environmental and civic organizations and will provide an opportunity for voters to meet the candidates in person.  Refreshments will be provided.

WHO: Candidates for state, federal and local offices who are running in contested races that effect the Big Bend region. (A full list will be provided after the Aug. 26 primary).

Tom Flanagan, News Director of WFSU-FM, will serve as the moderator.

WHEN: Thursday, October 16, 2008.  The open house starts at 6:00 p.m., and the forum will run from 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

WHERE: Tallahassee City Hall, 300 S. Adams Street, City Commission Chambers, 2^nd Floor

On-street parking at metered spaces is free after 6 p.m., and parking is also available at nearby Kleman Plaza.

Tropical Storm Fay

Artist rendering of the Cates Avenue branch on fire

Pine branch smoldering

It was a storm that held quite a bit of excitement for neighbors in Seminole Manor. Patrick Avenue lost power first. Then a very large downed tree and stray power line brought power outages on Caldwell.

Cates Avenue had a pine bough lodged in the power lines that sparked, smoldered and burned for 3 hours before flaming up and blowing the transformer. Fire fighters watched with neighbors saying there was nothing they could do while the wires were live. They were kind and patient with us as we worried about the hazard.

When power was restored on Cates Avenue at 3:30am, the branch was still in the power lines. It started smoking and sparking again. A few hours later, another bright fire and BAM! – power out.

A city crew checking trees and branches on Caldwell was finally summoned to pull the branch out, and they had power restored within minutes. Our heroes!

kk

May 2008 Traffic Calming Clean-up

Thanks to all who came out and pulled a weed or two.

kk

Double Booked for 5/12/2008

There are two events of interest to Seminole Manor neighbors on May12th:

CONA Awards Reception
RA Gray Building
6:00 event begins (free FOOD!)
6:30 program begins (See who won Neighborhood of the Year, Neighbor of the Year, etc)

Blueprint 2000 Public Hearing
TCC Student Union
5:30 Review materials with Blueprint staff
6:00 Presentation by Blueprint staff & Public comment period

The Blueprint mtg concerns Public Access corridors on CCSW (Capital Circle Southwest) and includes information about the completed PD&E (Project Development and Environmental) study.

Here is the announcement if you didn’t see it. stakeholders-invite-041408

kk

A few more pictures

We’ve posted a few more pictures from the Bike Rally here on the blog:

http://seminolemanor.wordpress.com/photos/

You can also find a slightly different assortment on the website:

http://seminolemanor.homestead.com/BikeRally2008.html

Enjoy!

kk