Conservative PSJ, US

Remember, this is NOT the official PSJHOA page.

There will be no notes for the March 2004 meeting. Due to family concerns, I did not attend. However, I did hear that they are trying to scare everyone about the possibility of a desalination plant going in on the river. I will be doing some research on that and will make a page about that, with links. Please do your own research as well. It is vital that you know the truth and educate yourself about these issues. If you don't educate yourself, you are making yourself ignore the facts: ignorance (root word ignore) is the best tool anyone can use against you.

I do have the recording for February and January!

PSJHOA meeting notes for February 10, 2004

I found out when I walked into the building that I would be Chairing the meeting due to Helen's vehicle breaking down. So after the meeting started, I announced who I was and I presided. That was an experience!

The meeting was called to order and the Pledge was said. The minutes were read and accepted as read. The Treasurer's report was $3,928.45 in the kitty.

Theresa Clifton from the Central Brevard Humane Society came and spoke to us about the Dog Park and facility they will be building on Griffin Parkway between the Rinker plant and 528 (the Beeline). They will be building the Dog Park first, and later a facility that will be their adoption center. The Dog Park will not be a "free use" park. You will have to pay a fee and have proof of vaccinations, etc., before you can get in. You will not be able to take any dog toys with you because that makes your dog "territorial" and may make your dog aggressive. Your dog will be in a part of the park with dogs about the same size, and they will be allowed off the leash inside the park. Central Brevard Humane Society members will get to use the park for a lower entrance fee.

I asked Bob Lewis, Board member, to address the membership about what he read in Florida Today about emissions problem. The Commissioners would address the issue at the February 24, 2004, meeting. The way I understand it, Mr. Scott Knox, County Attorney, will be talking to the power plants that are not using the best fuel for the lowest emissions and threatening to sue them for damages to the vehicles, houses and to our health. (Editor's Note: IMHO [In My Humble Opinion], this could do nothing more than scare businesses away from doing business in Brevard County. Can you imagine starting a law-abiding business (as FPL and Reliant both are: they were grandfathered in to the clean air act and their requirements are not as stringent as newer plants, but they are obeying the law that covers them) in Brevard County if you knew that the County might take you to court for obeying the law?)

The Tour de PSJ was talked about. Membership voted unanimously to move the date to March 20th.

While talking Lt. Mellick of the BCSO about the Tour de PSJ that day, he reminded me to tell the membership that there are still car burglaries being committed in PSJ. The Deputy in attendance said to lock your vehicle doors and if you hear something, or see someone in the neighborhood who doesn't belong, please call them. Turning on your lights, parking them in the garage and similar easy, common sense preventive steps will all help prevent you from becoming a victim.

The Board of Directors meeting was announced to be the coming Monday and the membership was invited to attend.

Vicki motioned that we donate $200 to the Central Brevard Humane Society. The motion was seconded and passed without opposition. (Editor's Note: IF I had remembered to ask during the speaker's question session, I would have found out that the Central Brevard Humane Society is NOT a no-kill organization. This means that they take in your cat or dog, or strays, and kill them if they are not adopted within a few days. This prevents the humans from feeling bad that the cats and dogs are running wild and free the way God created them. So instead of giving cats and dogs the chance to live on their own, they kill them so that cats and dogs don't have to suffer by finding their own food, sleeping outside under the stars, etc. Nice. If I had known this, I would have voted against the donation. I prefer dogs and cats to be free and alive, than to be dead. At least alive, they have the chance to live a long, happy life. While on the other hand, they're just dead.)

Ed Warner, Chairman of the Board, told that his son, who lives in NY, told him about a new way car burglaries are happening in New York. They're using the remote controls for cars (sometimes someone else's remote control will work on your vehicle). He recommended parking your car in the garage.

I reminded membership that Valentine's Day was coming up to do something nice for the person they love.

The West Connector (isn't that what it's beginning to feel like?) is still scheduled to begin in December of this year.

I told the members about the meeting that was held with the developer of the Grissom Parkway housing area. The developer was very nice; it's going to be a nice development; it's within Titusville's city limits; it's going to be four or five different areas, some gated community areas; at total build-out it will be approximately 1200 homes (in about six years); there will be a lot of green space, parks and places for the kids to play. There are people who will tell you to be afraid of this; I don't think it's anything to fear. This is more people to attend our churches; help coach our softball and soccer teams; new friends; new business opportunities (some of them buying $250,000 homes will own their own business, which also means jobs for PSJ residents). They will not be putting schools in the area: that is the County's job. The County builds schools, not developers. And if you're concerned about the strain on PSJ schools, look at it this way: more kids means more voices in the parent groups means more power and more pull. Also, what did your neighbors say when you moved into the area? Did you move into a newly built house, or an existing house? Did your kids add to the numbers at our schools? If so, and you are complaining about this development, then doesn't that make you a hypocrite? After all, you got yours, didn't you?

The County has been resurfacing streets in PSJ. Someone reported that his street was done in just 3 hours.

The Beautification Committee still needs help. And now it needs a new Chair.

The Woods of Port St. John is accepting Associate Memberships for $335 per year for March 1st to March 1st memberships. This would include use of all of the facilities. Contact the Woods (in the phone book) for more information.

The meeting was adjourned.

PSJHOA meeting notes for January, 13, 2004

The meeting was called to order at 7:05 PM. The pledge was said and we approved the minutes as read by the Secretary. The Treasurer's report said that we had $4,031.52.

Float pictures were passed around and we were told that the HOA won 1st Prize in the "Theme" category, even though our float (effectively) changed the theme.

We had a guest speaker from H&R Block to speak to us about tax preparation this year. They didn't give us any really useful information, so it was mostly a free advertisement for them, and I am not a tax expert, so I won't go into it here, but they did say that the tax rates have dropped by 2%. Hey, it's better than nothing.

D.J. Olson (Treasurer) had a call from Parks and Recs about the use of the parks. Are ATVs allowed in parks? NO. That's the answer. Just plain and simple: No.

The Sheriff's Deputies at the meeting said that we have 33 or 34 Deputies in the North Precinct (at minimal staffing) at all times. Not all of them are on the roads all the time (desk jobs, you know), but if they are needed, many of them can be put on the road in an emergency, plus others called up. There are always at least 5 Deputies on the roads of the North Precinct. (Editor's Note: If my anecdotal experience alone is enough evidence, I see two or three Sheriff's vehicles in PSJ almost every time I go anywhere!)

The Tour de Port St. John was talked about. At that time, I was still coordinating it and it was going to be coordinated with Lt. John Mellick. Now, it is being done by Helen Dezendorf and a Lt. Kellison. If you want to get involved, contact Helen at 632-0298 or e-mail Helen (link no longer available).

My website, as you can see, is back up and is being updated. I have a fewe more pages to go, but it is available. Be sure to tell your friends and family who live in PSJ or the Four Communities (they need to stay informed of what the HOA is doing, and the PSJ Advisory Board).

Membership is still down and Helen's not "a happy camper". The Active members list is 5½ pages long and the Inactive Members list (those who have let their membership lapse) is 12 pages long. The HOA can't survive on those numbers. The HOA does not know how to increase its membership, nor member participation. The HOA is considering a membership drive. Helen said that if you aren't happy with the leadership, then the elections are in April and elect new leaders. (As you now know, Randy is running for my vacated seat as Vice President, so come and vote for or against him.)

I told the membership that I had a petition that they may want to sign that would ask the County to reduce the Community Overlay that was used for the Incorporation effort. The request is that the Community Overlay be reduced to include strictly and exclusively the traditional boundaries of PSJ: US 1 to Fay Lake Wilderness Park and Kings Highway to Bridge Road. This would exclude Williams Point, Hardeeville, Frontenac and Delespine from the Community Overlay and prevent them from being included in any plans that would be made in the future for incorporating PSJ.

I asked for people to join me in the Beautification Committee, but no takers. I was not surprised, but it didn't hurt to ask.

Helen asked if the HOA wanted to get involved in the Parks and Rec.'s Easter Egg Hunt. No one knew what the date for the event was. Teens are volunteering, but they need more adult supervision.

D.J. said the HOA needs to start thinking about the National Neighborhood Nite Out (NNNO) for this year. The sports organizations have said that they want to participate and get involved in volunteering.

I told membership about the upcoming (Jan. 14, 2004) meeting with the developer who will be developing the housing area of the Grissom Parkway development. I asked if anyone had questions they wanted to be sure were asked, and if so to come up and write them down and I would be sure to ask them and take notes to be sure they got their questions answered.

Someone asked when the West Connector (I think it should be called the "West Exit") for PSJ would be started. It was said in the Florida Today that the project was delayed due to difficulties purchasing the properties needed to do the project. It was said that the current expected start date was to be December of this year. They are buying some of the land from Fay Lake Wilderness Park to build the road. I thought we already owned that land, but I suppose that's how the County does things.

The meeting adjourned.

NOTE: Not all links work at this time.