CNCN's May meeting - Meet your State Legislators at 2013 Session Briefing May 20th at 7pm

 at the East Lake United Methodist Church - 2801 East Lake Road, East Lake, FL 34685

Join us Monday May 20th, 2013 at 7pm at the United Methodist Church in East Lake to learn more about what happened in Tallahassee during the two month 2013 legislative session from our very own north Pinellas County legislators. Hear what the legislature did for you and what they did to you during this fun evening. This is your opportunity to get up front and personal with your elected state officials. There will be a question and answer session for the public to ask their questions.

The speakers for the meeting will be:
 
Senator Jack Latvala 

Representative Carl Zimmerman

Representative John Grant

 

There will be plenty of time for questions from the audience. Come and learn more about what laws and changes will be coming our way

Join us Monday May 20th at 7pm at the East Lake Methodist Church on East Lake Road under the "bell tower"

CNCN's April meeting - How can humans learn to live with our four legged friends? Find out at our Wildlife Forum on Monday April 15th at 7pm

 at the East Lake United Methodist Church - 2801 East Lake Road, East Lake, FL 34685

Join some of the best wildlife experts in the area as they discuss ways for humans to coexist with our wildlife neighbors. With Brooker Creek Preserve to our east and Lake Tarpon to our west along with lots of green space the East Lake area is blessed with lots of wildlife. Sometimes it's great to see the deer, aligators, owls, rabits, coyotes and tons of birds in our yards and neighborhoods and sometimes it's dangerous as they try to traverse this part wild part civilized area know as East Lake.

We have a great group of expert speakers who will inform and answer questions from the audience.

Cathie Foster – Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve  

Lara Miller – Pinellas County Extension University of Florida/IFAS

James Kelly - Assistant Deer Management Coordinator, Department of Fish & Wildlife

Barbara Walker & Ronda Musca – Clearwater Audubon Society

Join us Monday April 15th at 7pm at the East Lake Methodist Church on East Lake Road under the "bell tower"

CNCN sponsors a public Transportation Forum on Monday March 18th at 7pm

at the East Lake United Methodist Church - 2801 East Lake Road, East Lake, FL 34685.

Is improving Mass Transit options a good idea for Pinellas County?

Are we outgrowing our road capacities?

Is an improved Bus system going to help residents?

Would Light Rail trains improve transit times, provide better options for tourists, help you get to work more efficiently, get you to the airport or a ballpark?

How will the additional penney of sales tax benefit these transit improvements?

These questions and many more will be answered by the distinguished panel we've put together the help educate you about what the future holds for improved transportation options.

Speakers and panel members for this event:

Bob Clifford - Executive Director TBARTA (Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority)

Brad Miller- Executive Director PSTA (PInellas County Bus service)

Susan Latvala- Pinellas County Commissioner

If you drive on Tarpon Woods Boulevard you've seen the new message boards referencing this meeting. If you plan to travel on Tarpon Woods Boulevard you need to attend this meeting! Pinellas County and the construction company are holding a meeting to explain the 8 month construction project to the public on Thursday February 28th, 2013 from 5pm to 7pm at the East Lake Methodist Church Fellowship Hall.

This $2 million dollar project to improve storm drainage in the Tarpon Woods subdivision is the culmination of many years of efforts by many of the community activists, stkeholders, and  meetings with the county and the SouthWest Florida Water Management district (SWFWMD). Although the 8 month construction will be challenging this project when completed will provide many benefits to the residents and neighbors who traverse the subdivsion.

Read the letter from the county about the project click here

for more information contact:Don Ewing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

TW Drainage Plans from County

TW Brian Road Backflow Preventers

January 21,2013 - East Lake, FL - CNCN holds it's Annual Member Meeting and Elections of the Board of Directors at the Crescent Oaks Country Club. The evening started with introductions of the 2012 Board of Directors and a review of the activities and accomplishments during the past year. Some of the key initiatives were:

• Drafted legislation to protect the East Lake area from piece meal annexation attempts. The bill was signed into law by Governor Scott this year.
• Created Community Overlay for East Lake Tarpon. County Commission adopted the overlay April 2012. Included in the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan
• Tarpon Woods Storm Water resolution helped secure almost $2 million jointly from SWFWMD and Pinellas County!
• Hosted the General Elections Candidate Forum in September with US Congress, State Legislature, County Commission in September with Al Ruechel (Bay News 9)
• Advocate for changes in the Library system to help the EL Library
• Helped EL Youth Sports finally get funding and construct a new soccer complex
• Sponsored 1st Annual Charity Golf Tournament to benefit East Lake Youth at Crescent Oaks in September. Donated $2,500
• Essay Contest Awards for Elementary, Middle and High School kids with the theme "Tell us about your Deer Family and a typical day in East Lake". Awards ceremony at ELHS in October with $1,725 in cash prizes to 19 winners
• Held the 3rd Annual County Commission Town Hall meeting in November
• Working with ELHS SAC on and surrounding communities to add street lighting to Bryan Lane

Elections were held for the three open positions and we pleased to announce the following new board members: John Brush (Carlyle), Robin Borland (Bridlewood) and Tim Lima (Myrtle Point) will be joining CNCN and helping us fulfill our mission in 2013.

CNCN was formed to bring together the North County's neighborhoods to promote communication and cooperation between member organizations of Northern Pinellas County, to foster a sense of community, to provide a forum for member organizations, and most important is to act as a neighborhood advocate for the benefit of our member organizations and to bring a common voice to county & state government including and not limited to the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners and our State Legislators.

 Contact info: Don Ewing - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - 727-560-5586

East Lake, FL Saturday November 17th, 2012. After 12 years of struggles and continuous efforts the East Lake Youth Sports Association (ELYSA) held it's grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new soccer complex near the main ELYSA sports complex in northern Pinellas County East Lake area last Saturday.

Several dignitaries including County Commissioner Susan Latvala and Paul Cozzie from County Parks and Recreations Department were in attendance to celebrate this fantastic public / private partnership to expand the youth sports complex. The Council of North County Neighborhoods (CNCN) directors attended the event as CNCN had helped advocate for these long overdue extra fields for the past 5 years and were involved in ensuring that the project was finally funded and built.

CNCN President Don Ewing and Founder John Miolla presented a check for $2,500 to Rick Watson, President of ELYSA to help with their efforts to provide a great new facility for the kids and parents in the soccer organization.

We wish the ELYSA organization and the Soccer groups much success with their new fields and their fantastic youth sports programs.

 

Make plans now to join us for an enlightening and uplifting evening Monday October 15th - 7pm East Lake High School

Palm Harbor, Florida October 10, 2012: CNCN announces addition to its Education Forum speakers and more information about the 3rd Annual Essay Contest Awards to be held Monday October 15th at East Lake High School at 7pm.Education Forum Speakers will be: 

School Board Chairperson - Robin Wikle
Pinellas Education Reform - Dana Dahlberg
East Lake High School Principal - Robert Poth
County Commissioner - Neil Brickfield

The exciting part of the evening will be the awards ceremony for the winners of our 3rd Annual School Essay Contest. School kids in four categories of grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-10 and 11-12 were invited to write 300-500 word essays about selected topics:

Grades 3-5 and 6-8 Essay topic was:
If you were one of the many deer that roam the East Lake area tell us about your deer family and what would a typical day consist of for you?

Grades 9-10 and 11-12 Essay topic was:
Identify a problem, economic or social, in the East Lake Community. What are the major factors contributing to the problem? Explain how the problem can be resolved.

CNCN is offering to following prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each of the four groups.

Grades 11‐12

1st $300 scholarship towards college

2nd $100 scholarship towards college

3rd $50 US Savings Bonds

Grades 9‐10

1st $300 scholarship towards college

2nd $100 scholarship towards college

3rd $50 US Savings Bonds

Grades 6‐8

1st $100 scholarship

2nd $50 gift certificate

3rd $50 US Savings Bonds

Grades 3‐5

1st $100 scholarship

2nd $50 gift certificate

3rd $50 US Savings Bonds

We will showcase some of their fabulous essays and their authors.

It will be an educational evening that will end with an uplifting experience of hearing from the next generation's essays. Please make plans to join us Monday October 15th at 7pm at the East Lake High School

The meeting will be held at the East Lake High School at 1300 Silver Eagle Drive, East Lake, FL 34685

Click here for directions

Access the CNCN website information page click here
Contact Don Ewing, President This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Pinellas County Commission comes to East Lake for Old Fashioned Town Hall meeting

Palm Harbor, Florida October 15, 2012: CNCN announces its annual town hall meeting with the County Commission. This event focuses on  allowing the residents of northern unincorporated Pinellas County to meet with their local government. This event will provide time for the commissioners to update their constituents on what's been going on in county government and give ample time for two way conversations about concerns residents may have.

The Town Hall Meeting will be held at the East Lake United Methodist Church, 2801 East Lake Road, Palm Harbor, FL 34685 (under the bell tower)

Click here for directions

Access the CNCN website information page click here
Contact Don Ewing, President This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

CNCN awards 19 winners in the 3rd Annual East Lake School Essay Contest

Palm Harbor, Florida October 15, 2012: CNCN fields 354 essays in the 3rd Annual Essay Contest from grades 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11. The following schools participated in the contest Cypress Woods Elementary, Brooker Creek Elementary, Carwise Middle and East Lake High School. The Awards ceremony was held Monday October 15th at East Lake High School to award the top three finalists in each category. 

The Essay topic for Grades 3-5 and 6-8 was:
If you were one of the many deer that roam the East Lake area tell us about your deer family and what would a typical day consist of for you?

The Essay topic for Grades 9-10 and 11-12 was:
Identify a problem, economic or social, in the East Lake Community. What are the major factors contributing to the problem? Explain how the problem can be resolved.

CNCN awarded the following prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each of the four groups.

Grades 11‐12

1st $300 scholarship towards college

2nd $100 scholarship towards college

3rd $50 US Savings Bonds

Grades 9‐10

1st $300 scholarship towards college

2nd $100 scholarship towards college

3rd $50 US Savings Bonds

Grades 6‐8

1st $100 scholarship

2nd $50 gift certificate

3rd $50 US Savings Bonds

Grades 3‐5

1st $100 scholarship

2nd $50 gift certificate

3rd $50 US Savings Bonds

Access the CNCN website information page click here

Contact Don Ewing, President This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

CNCN announces the 3rd Annual School Essay contest

The 3rd Annual Essay Contest will be for school kids in the East Lake are schools. It runs from September 15th through October 10th and will have categorie for grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-10, and 11-12.

Here are links to the contest details are:

Elementary and Middle School 

High School 

Entries may be submitted through the teacher / school or emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Awards will be presented to the winners at our October 15th Education Forum at East Lake High School beginning at 7pm.

For more information contact Don Ewing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it