Neighborhood Meeting Minutes

December 15, 2016  5:30 to 6:45 PM

 Charlie Joseph Senior Citizen Center 

Complimentary Hot Pizza - Donated by Domino’s Pizza
Miss Hicks – Director of the Senior Citizen Center made sure we had all we needed.

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Open Discussion of things that could be a focused concern for our neighborhood association:

• Kids out late night/curfew enforcement

• Speeding on the streets (Esp. Buffalo)

• Misuse of our city park (Panama Park)

• Neighborhood safety – gun play

• NextDoor.com App for phone and computer (neighborhood connections)

• Street lighting and sidewalks

• Litter and Blight

• Drug traffic (particularly Heavy Drugs)

• Prostitution

• The need to inventory “good things” about the Neighborhood

• Neighborhood Crime Watch

• Park Staff & Parental involvement

Many suggestions were made to help remedy these things, but we tried to focus on the discussion of what to focus on instead of jumping to solutions. It was definitely decided that we need to focus on the good (neighborhood assets) as well as things that need improvement. Also, it was noted that 10 or 12 people does not make a neighborhood association, therefore we discussed ways to CONNECT and ATTRACT more neighbors for the next meeting.

Before next meeting we will all agree to:

1. Do at least two things (like report something suspicious, report some blight, or pick up some litter).  JSO non-emergency phone number: (904) 630-0500

2. Attract five neighbors to come with you to the next meeting.

Elder Shider (Potter’s House) - Closed our meeting with prayer.

***Next Meeting: January 19, C.T. Joseph Senior Citizen Center 3:30-5:00PM***

Please bring to Next Meeting:
          1. Five neighbors.
          2. Two things you did to help improve our neighborhood.

Extra Credit:
         1. Assessment of what our neighborhood strengths are
         2. Top three focus areas for improvement

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Panama Park Neighborhood Meeting – Jan. 19, 2017

Complimentary Chicken Wings - Donated by Hip Hop

6610 Main St N, Jacksonville, FL 32208 Street (904) 766-7272
Thanks to: Miss Hicks – Director of the Senior Citizen Center   

Attendance:  Gary King, Michael and Shavali Lansford, A. L. King Jr., Jay Brinson, Tom and Roxie McLeod, William Otero (who won the prize for bringing the most neighbors with him), Jerri Vollick

Tom McLeod - Opened our meeting with prayer and asked blessing on the food.

Introductions including something that we have done to help improve our neighborhood.  
The above listed in attendance introduced themselves and shared many things from cleaning up the park to Christmas caroling as things done to help improve our neighborhood.

There was a discussion of some of the things this neighborhood used to have that were good and a suggestion was made that “hope” needs to be restored. 

Discussion moved toward things that we as a group could focus on for improvement.  Most of the discussion centered on ways to improve the park and how to make things safer for the children in the neighborhood. 

• Organized Park activities and leagues

• Sidewalks, bike routs

• fishing at the river

• Start some cottage industries with training

• Go beyond just the park with trash clean up and wear Panama Park shirts or shirts advertising local businesses

• Curfew for the children

• funds for improvements could come from those who have lived here like Farrah

• Grants for people to fix up homes and knowledge of such help in a Resource Center (perhaps on Nextdoor.com App)

In our next meeting we will narrow it down to just 2 or 3. 
Before next meeting we will all agree to:

1. Do at least two things (like report something suspicious, report some blight, or pick up some litter).  JSO non-emergency phone number: (904) 630-0500

2. Attract five neighbors to come with you to the next meeting.

William Otero - Closed our meeting with prayer.
 

Next Meeting Feb. 16  and our Next, Next Meeting is March 16 – third Thursday.

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Thursday, March 16th 2017    5:30 to 6:45 PM

 7137 Main Street and 63rd Street
All who attended enjoyed smoked pork sandwiches and chips while sharing stories and ideas about our neighborhood.

Thanks to Wayne and Jodi Brown for the Pork Sandwiches    

Ronald Shider opened meeting in prayer

There was a vote to keep the new location and time: White building behind Church on                         63rd and N. Main Street. From 5:30 to 6:45 PM

List of issues from last meetings were discussed

Our neighbor and resident of Seafarers Marina said that there is free fishing there anytime.

Ronald Shider mentioned there is not a need for the clothes drive, they have plenty of clothes, more than they can handle right now.

We discussed the “hoops to jump through” when looking at using or getting city owned properties. But our neighbor familiar with our city government suggested we contact our city councilman (Councilman Gaffney) and offered to do the inviting whenever we want Gaffney to come speak to us.     

The list remains to discuss further and narrow down, but more favorable ones so far are highlighted  

•  Go beyond just the park with trash clean up and wear Panama Park shirts or shirts advertising local businesses

• Start some cottage industries with training

• Turn some of the empty abandoned houses into thrift store or training locations

• Community Garden

• Start a neighborhood watch

• Curfew for the children

• Sidewalks, bike routs

• Organized Park activities and leagues

• funds for improvements could come from those who have lived here like Farrah

• Grants for people to fix up homes and knowledge of such help in a Resource Center (perhaps on Nextdoor.com App)

• Do clothing drives to donate clothing to the closet at the church on 63rd and Main. 

Upcoming Events:

April 8 – 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Cook out and Clothing Give away at Potter’s House parking lot

June 3 – Next Panama Park Come Together (last year’s http://lovejax2020.org/PanamaPark

Next PP Neighborhood Meeting is April 20 – third Thursday.
(7137 N. Main St. in White building behind Church on 63rd and Main   5:30 to 6:45 PM)
Local restaurant will cater next one – Joseph’s Pizza or Dominos

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Minutes Thursday, April 27th 2017 5:30 to 6:45 PMThanks to North FL Educational Institute for the use of their school!580 Lawton AveA Big Thank You to Joseph’s Pizza for the Pizza!Many Neighbors were able to walk due to the convenience of the school.Dean Hoskins asked blessing on our meeting and the pizza.Introductions were made all aroundWe began looking at past issues we have discussed and Ms. Bell brought up theSide walk needs.Just then Councilman Reggie Gaffney walked in and shared his desire to startworking on parks and sidewalks, two of the items on our list!Others shared some concerns he will be looking into regarding the spraying formosquitos and city owned lots of land.Councilman Gaffney also offered to help with our next “Panama Park ComeTogether”Ms. Bell suggested we meet weekly to plan toward the Panama Park ComeTogether. Please call Roxie at 515-7944 if you are interested in helping with theCome Together. See list below to get involved! We have many needs!Next Month’s Neighborhood Meeting May 25thNorth FL Educational Institute - 580 Lawton Ave – 5:30 – 7:00 PM May 6 - Cash for Trash #fightblight info: www.coj.net/BLIGHT May 18 - Sherriff’s Watch Meetings 7:00 PM Third Thursdays May 25 - Next Neighborhood Meeting NFLEI 5:30 PM June 3 - Panama Park Come Together – 5:00 PM till dark