|
                         
|
Forest Hills Explores Civic Associationby Kathy Hoyt (Tampa Tribune, 10-1-81)Two years ago, Sherry Schlenke took a boat ride through Forest Hills, a ride she hopes she won't have to take again. During the flooding of 1979, Schlenke, who lives in Forest Hills, floated in her small boat over the top of her 4-foot-high chain link fence. "It was horrible, it was a mess," said Schlenke. Now the mother of two small children is trying to get other people in the area as concerned about the possibility of future flooding as she is. She is attempting to form a civic association for the Forest Hills area and the fledgling group will hold its first meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at the Church of God of Prophecy at 401 W. Bouganvillea. A large portion of the Forest Hills area is already represented by the Golfland Civic Association. The area Schlenke is trying to get organized is bounded by North Boulevard on the west, Florida Avenue on the east, Country Club Drive (which turns into Fowler Avenue) on the north, and Linebaugh Avenue of the south. "Anyone who lives in this box and was sopping wet two years ago and is still suffering is invited to come," Schlenke said. The eastern boundary of the Golfland Civic Association is North Boulevard. Schlenke said people in her area could attend the Golfland meetings, but couldn't vote or serve on the board. But the members of that organization have been very helpful and have offered the new group any support it needs, Schlenke said. Flooding isn't the only problem Schlenke thinks the new civic association should tackle. "Part of the object is to stop the building and the issuing of any more building permits," Schlenke said. "This whole area should be condemned." Schlenke is particularly worried about any new construction on vacant lots. She said she has received cooperation from Tampa City Councilman Tom Vann, who said he would let the group know whenever a permit is issued. "Then I can go to my group and say, 'Group, we've got to get together and do something about this.'" In fact, she said, it was Vann who told Schlenke the neighborhood would have to organize in order to be effective. "If we don't organize we won't be able to keep the flooding out," she said. The Forest Hills' residents have gathered on one occasion already. One July night, Schlenke got 54 people to gather on three days notice, but there was no follow up. Schlenke wants to organize a group that will meet -- and work for the neighborhood on a regular basis. So far, Schlenke has done most of the work toward setting up the civic association. She did get some help from the pasto at the Church of God of Prophecy, who printed 500 fliers, announcing the meeting. By last Friday, she and her husband had delivered 200 of those and were trying to find the time to deliver the rest. At that point, Schlenke was fairly discouraged with the response she had received so far. "I'm just doing what I can," she said. People can think of three million reasons why someone else should to it but not them." One person who has helped Schlenke has been the Tampa Public Works director Mike Salmon. "He has come to every meeting we've ever held," Schlenke said. Setting up a civic association is sort of a last-chance effort on Schlenke's part. She said she put her home on the market last summer, but was unable to sell it. "I would have had to have taken a huge loss," she said. "Nobody will buy here. Four people looked at it and said, 'how much water got in here?' and I had to tell them it didn't come in but it came within an inch of the house."
|
|
|
|
Our
Forest Hills.Info 
