Fire board may shift Lealman meetings

Commissioners would like more residents to attend as the Fire District is threatened by annexations.

By ANNE LINDBERG, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 8, 2003

LEALMAN -- The newest member of the Fire Commission wants to take government to the people by holding the group's meetings in nontraditional places.

"I think it's time we went out to the people in the community," said Commissioner John Frank, who thinks the first meeting should be held at the western reaches of the Lealman Fire District: Five Towns.

"I think there's a lot of misconceptions in Five Towns," Frank said. "I think we could dispel a lot of misconceptions."

Frank's idea brought praise from other commission members.

"I think it's a great idea," Rebecca Harriman said.

Linda Campbell, the sole commission member from west Lealman, agreed: "I think it's awesome."

The commission has been remiss in not reaching out more to the people members serve, she said. It's time for a change.

Frank said making the commission meetings and workshops more accessible to residents might increase public attendance. It also could be a way to increase respect for the board itself, something that is sorely needed, he said.

Other meetings might be held at Dixie Hollins High School, Frank said. Like Five Towns, the high school is in the western portion of the Fire District and is certainly closer to those residents than the traditional meeting place, Fire Station 18, 4017 56th Ave. N.

Larry Schiller, head of the council of Five Towns homeowners associations, said the commission must get permission from the owners of the condominium complex to hold such a meeting. But if it happens, he would certainly attend and expects many others would, too.

A big topic, he said, likely would be taxes.

Fire commissioners have long been interested in meeting with Five Towns residents. The 35-building complex near the northeast corner of Park Street and 54th Avenue N is just across from the area that Seminole annexed a few years ago. Fire commissioners and anti-annexation activists long have wanted to cement relations with the approximately 3,100 residents to encourage them to hold the line against annexation.

Until recently, Five Towns has remained quiet in the annexation debate. But late last year, Five Towns became more vocal about annexation and about the name of the community.

As one of his first acts as head of the Five Towns council, Schiller on Monday asked residents at a general meeting: Who wanted to be annexed? No hands went up. When he asked who did not want to be annexed, all hands were raised.

Five Towns' new interest in community affairs didn't stop there. Schiller formed a Committee for a Better Community to monitor the issue. He also appointed one man to contact other areas in west Lealman to ask for their help in deciding on a new name for the west Lealman area. With any luck, they'll come up with a name and may get rid of the "Welcome to Lealman" sign that was recently raised on 54th Avenue, he said.

If you go

The Lealman Fire Commission generally holds workshops on the first Monday and meetings on the third Monday. The group usually meets at 6:30 p.m. at Lealman Fire Station 18, 4017 56th Ave. N. All meetings and workshops are open to the public.

Commission meetings: Jan. 20, Feb. 17, March 18 (Tuesday), April 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, Aug. 18, Sept. 15, Oct. 20, Nov. 17, Dec. 15.

Commission workshops: Feb. 3, March 3, April 7, May 5, June 2, July 7, Aug. 4, Sept. 2 (Tuesday), Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1.

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