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Neighborhood Meeting - Minutes

Thursday, June 22nd     5:30 to 6:45 PM
 

Meeting opened in prayer and we ate HOT Chicken Wings.  Be sure to thank Hip Hop!

Introductions - Many new people came to this meeting.  Thanks for investing your time!

2nd Panama Park Come Together – (Neighborhood-Wide Event held on June 3rd in park)

  • Discussion about what was good and how to improve even more next time.

  • Councilman Gaffney attended – he recognized a need to work with us on our park and other needs in the neighborhood! He is willing!!

  • We need volunteers to help with the planning of our next event.

Panama Youth Services

Willie Green (CEO/Exec. Dir. Panama Youth Services) attended this meeting and shared how they have hired police to be at the Boy’s Home every night throughout the summer.  He encourages neighbors to speak to the boys directly if they see suspicious behavior. He suggests even using his name, and call the office in the day time, or the boy’s home in the evenings. 
                             Office: (904) 527 – 3953   Boy’s Home: (904) 619-8927

Safety in our Neighborhood

  • Concerns were brought up like pan handling, drugs, and speeding.

  • Dean Hoskins shared what was reported at the last Sherriff’s Watch meeting   *Crime is down even though the JSO is currently low on police officers.* *Attending the next Sheriff’s Watch Meeting July 20th was recommended.*

  • James Eddy encouraged people make noise! (regarding needs, fears and concerns)
    Call JSO: (904) 630-0500 
    Write JSO: 501 E. Bay Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202
    Report to JSO on line: http://www.coj.net/departments/sheriffs-office/report-a-crime-online.aspx

Announcements and Upcoming Events

  • Sherriff’s Watch Meetings 7:00 PM Third Thursdays (July 20) Carolina Apartments.

  • Sign up for Women’s Bible Reading Group – contact Roxie (515-7944)

  • Donate toward next meeting’s meal

Next Month’s Meeting July 27th 5:30 PM (or every fourth Thursday). 
In the white building behind the church at 63rd. and Main Street.  

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Thursday, August 24th 2017     5:30 to 6:45 PM  

Meeting opened in prayer and we ate Donated Domino’s Pizza!

Introductions – No new faces.

Reviewed of Prior Meeting topics

  • Panama Park Youth Service –CEO Willie Green said if you have any questions, call the office in the day time, or the boy’s home in the evenings.  Office: (904) 527 – 3953 Boy’s Home: (904) 619-8927
     

  • Call JSO: (904) 630-0500 
    Write JSO: 501 E. Bay Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202
    Report to JSO online: http://www.coj.net/departments/sheriffs-office/report-a-crime-online.aspx
     

  • Listed items to present to Reggie Gaffney (City Council Representation)

  • Sidewalks that need to be added to or repaired are listed on our Face Book page:  PanamaParkNeighbors  https://www.facebook.com/PanamaParkNeighbors/?ref=br_rs
    These will be turned into our councilman this month.     
     

  • We listed ideas for improving the park (below) which will also be send to him this month.

    • A full time employee on the premises who will plan activities for the children and keep the park used for the right reasons.  We listed many activity suggestions.

    • More picnic tables / benches etc

    • Bathrooms cleaned and fixed (and maintained)

    • New basketball goals / Volleyball Court

3rd Panama Park Come Together – Date set for June 2nd, 2018 (first Sat. after school)

We need volunteers to help in the areas of marketing, financial, food, activities, equipment, permitting, and planning a program that will be fun and make it easy to meet all our neighbors.  Please notify Roxie (cell: 904-515-7944) or Tom (904-899-2352)
 

Neighborhood Meetings are now to be every other month Next Month’s Meeting Aug. 24th  

 

Announcements and Upcoming Events

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  • Please sign up for nextdoor.com – we have over 100 Panama Park neighbors connected.  To Join, visit: nextdoor.com/join/EQWTSX

  • Sherriff’s Watch Meetings 7:00 PM Third Thursdays (Sept. 21st) Carolina Apartments.

  • Next Month’s Meeting Oct. 26th (trying to secure the Senior Citizen Center)

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    • Thursday, October 26th 2017 5:30 to 6:45 PM

    •  Charlie Joseph Senior Citizen Center (6943 Buffalo Ave.)
      Thanks to our neighbor, Brenda Bell for the Sandwiches!

    • Thanks to our neighbor Gerrie Ford-Hardin for securing the Center’s use.

    • After a blessing on the food and meeting by Tom McLeod, we enjoyed the food brought by our neighbor Brenda Bell and discussed our next meeting date. (Nov. 30)

    • We introduced ourselves and there was a total of 20 neighbors attending

    • We updated each other on the results of the storm and shared blessings on many counts.

    • Recent break-ins along Lawton were discussed and we all agreed the best prevention is if we all keep our eyes open (and watch out for one another). 

    • Councilman Reggie Gaffney arrived just in time to share with us what the city is willing and ready to do for our neighborhood.

    • Money in city budget already exists for the sidewalks.  (please add any sidewalk you think needs to be put in or repaired on Panama Park Facebook Page) https://www.facebook.com/PanamaParkNeighbors

    • Money already designated toward our Panama Park.  ($100,000) Some ideas for the park were a Waterpark, Park Staff, new equipment, and/or fencing off and locking Park after hours. After a discussion, it was agreed that more than equipment, we need our park to be monitored with an activities person who will be there for the community. (money will go away if we don’t use it)

    • Councilman Gaffney gave his personal cell phone to use as a last resort when working with the city: (904) 349-7534

    • Next month’s meeting Councilman Gaffney will do his best to bring a representative from our city’s:

    • Parks and Recreation Department (our park)

    • Public Works Department (speeding and sidewalks)

    • Sherriff’s Department (speeding and crime)

    • Announcements and Upcoming Events

    • NextDoor.com – Sign up on Nextdoor app for more info -  nextdoor.com/join

    • Sherriff’s Watch Meetings 7:00 PM Third Thursdays (Nov16th)

    • Next Month’s Meeting November 30 (Thursday) same location, same time.

    • 6:45 - Close Meeting   

  • Thursday, November 30, 2017   5:30 to 6:45 PM

  •  Charlie Joseph Senior Citizen Center  


  • Thanks to our neighbors, for the combined meal!

  • We enjoyed the food brought by our neighbors and Brenda Bell asked the blessing.

  • We introduced ourselves and there was a total of 17 neighbors attending plus our special guests: Councilman Gaffney,  ? from Public Works Dept., Sargent Strait, and Lieutenant ?

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  •  (public Works dude) to explained about sidewalks and answer questions about our neighborhood concerns. He suggested always calling 360 City and ask for “Code Enforcement” to report anything so that it gets prioritized. Also ask for “Risk Management” to report a city tree down. 

  • He reported that there is a Truck Rout Program that should soon help with the Simi problems – to be implemented this next year.

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  • JSO representative Sargent Strait answered questions with his main suggestion to call it in. 

  • The main topic was the boys home and neighbor concerns.  After some discussion Tom McLeod suggested we work on several solutions including more involvement and research.  Counselman Gaffney promised to speak with Willie Green the CEO of the boy’s home. 

  • One other topic was speeding and Sargent Strait took down street names and promised to put radar on those streets.  

  • Councilman Gaffney offered his cell phone to use for any further problems we may have.  (904) 349-7534

  • Announcements and Upcoming Events

  • Next Door – get the app or sign up at nextdoor.com

  • Christmas Party Dec. 15 for our neighborhood kids, call Bunny Baker at (904)609-9406

  • Next Month’s Meeting January 25   same local, same time.
    Pot Luck meal is requested for our January meeting. 

  • 6:45 - Close Meeting – Tom McLeod

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