Marcia Powell moved to Clearwater in 2016, renting a house on Grand Central Street in the Milton Park neighborhood.  Finding out that there was no Neighborhood Association, she recruited a VP, Secretary, and Treasurer, went to the City and filled out the paperwork.  Asked what she’s done since, she listed the following:

In the interest of creating “curb appeal,” I’ve been planting creeping peanut ground cover in front of my house between the sidewalk and the street, plus planting decorative plants in front of the house.

I’ve created a flyer on how to handle trash properly, which is on the back of the Welcome Letter I give to new residents.

I walk the neighborhood regularly, picking up trash.  If I find an unopened envelope on the ground, I return it (one way or another) to the addressee.  Once I found a wallet on the street.  There was one name in it, which was someone I knew; so I was able to contact her and return the wallet.

Another time there was a whole lot of “stuff” (shoes, socks, make up bag, etc.) all over the street.  I took the time to pick everything up.  Took it home and found a paper with the name of a student on it.  Using the internet and Facebook, I discovered the student was the daughter of Roxy, whom I know!  Thus I was able to return everything to her.  (Her car had been stolen the night before!)

I’ve created an email list of residents who are willing to give me their email addresses.

I’ve hosted three City-sponsored (paid for) Neighborhood Day parties wherein the residents get to meet City officials as well as each other.   I flyer the whole neighborhood before these events.

I’ve held a few meetings at my house with invited guests such as the City Code Compliance officer.

I regularly attend the CNC (Clearwater Neighborhood Coalition) monthly meetings.  This connects me with other Neighborhood Associations and gives me credibility with City Officials.

I annexed the next neighborhood to the north (Magnolia Heights), as it did not have a Neighborhood Association, and needed one.

At an invitation from the City, the Milton Park Art Committee chose an artist who painted a beautiful mural on a signal box at the corner of Jeffords and Myrtle.  I then created an unveiling event attended by the Mayor and a City Council member, as well as the artist herself.  We later were invited to do a second signal box at the corner of Myrtle and Lakeview, followed by another unveiling event.

I’m working with Brandi, the City Waste Department’s code compliance office, to solve problems with trash handling—problems that I could not myself handle as the neighborhood’s “Twash Fehwy.”  🙂