"State of the Isles" President's Letter

Dear Neighbor:
 
“We dodged a bullet!!!”  No way around it.  Hurricane Irma could have done far more damage in VI than what we actually saw.  Whether you evacuated or stayed put, this storm demonstrated how vulnerable we are to major weather systems and emphasizes the need to be prepared.  We made it and nearly everyone in VI is dealing with some form of storm repair but, remember, it could have been much worse!!!  As I tell people who come over to our house and marvel at the view “living here is 362 days a year of beauty and 3 days a year of pure terror!!!”  I still would not live anywhere else.
 
New Neighbors:
So far in 2017 a total of 26 homes have sold within VI.    New residents should have already had a visit from the Hospitality Committee welcoming you to the neighborhood.  Please take the opportunity to welcome your new neighbors to VI. 
 
Upcoming Events:

• October 2 – VIHA Board Meeting, LCC Day School starting at 6:00pm
• October 21 – return of Oktoberfest, bigger and better than last year – please call Julie Scanlon at 525-0477 to volunteer or sponsor.  See additional information below.
• October  26 – 7:00pm General Meeting which will include a Deed Restriction Committee “Town Hall” Meeting to review deed restrictions and discuss potential future changes.  6:00pm “Social Hour” sponsored by Northstar Realty.
• Spring TBD – the VI Golf Tournament will be moved to the spring because of the number of conflicts in the fall, mostly college and pro football.

 
Traffic Calming:
To follow up on my President’s Letter from June and the meetings which preceded that, the City of St. Petersburg (the “City”) will be sending residents of VI a ballot on October 6 seeking approval for the installation of a traffic calming device across from 4712 Overlook.  A speed table is the width of the street and will be 3 inches tall and 12 feet long.  Additional information will be provided on the ballot distributed by the City.  Ballots must be returned to the City by Monday, October 23.  If a majority of the ballots that are returned are in favor, the speed table will be installed using funds from the “Penny for Pinellas.”   A copy of the ballot has been posted to www.ourvi.org.
 
Oktoberfest:
Saturday, October 21 starting at 4:00pm at the south end of Kansas Ave.  Admission is $10.00 per household. Face painting and games for the kids.  Bratwurst, hotdogs, beer, water and lemonade will be provided.  Please bring a side dish in a disposable container to share (last name A-S) or dessert (last name T-Z). Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Kansas South will be closed to traffic for several hours.
 
Beautification Items:
The City started repairing the seawalls on June 27 adjacent to the Overlook Bridge and those repairs were completed by the end of the month.  Two Royal Palms were installed on the west side of Overlook to enhance the attractive entrance to VI.  I hope you’ve noticed and appreciate the improvements.  Thankfully, all those palms survived Irma, although a few palms on Grand Canal will be replaced shortly.  The VIHA Board is studying lighting and irrigation options for the Overlook Palms to enhance the appeal as you enter VI.
 
Seawall repairs to Grand Canal should start in mid-October and are scheduled to take 6 months to complete.  Be advised that there are likely going to be some traffic restrictions that are put in place at various times.  “The inconvenience is temporary but the improvement is permanent…”
 
Property of the Month:
As I described in last quarters President’s Letter, streets are randomly elected and a committee selects a winner.  The winner receives a gift certificate courtesy of Dolan’s Nursery and the “Property of the Month” sign which is displayed prominently.  The winners for 2017 to date are:

• January – Prewitt and Peggy Pace – 2081 Michigan Ave.
• February – Trevor and Shannon Zetrouer – 2032 Massachusetts Ave.
• March – Horst and Rita Brands – 1998 Illinois Ave.
• April – David and Michelle Payne – 2058 Kansas Ave.
• May – Randy and Linda Wilcox – 1990 Iowa Ave.
• June – Eugene Succow – 2250 Mermaid Point
• July – Mike and Grace Wagner – 2052 Michigan Ave.
• August – Bonnie Drake – 1969 Carolina Ave.
• September – Hugh and Sharon Seeley – 2040 Mass. Ave.

 
Congratulations to each of the above and “thank you” for taking extraordinary care of your properties.  See photos of all the winners on www.ourvi.org under “News and Events” look for “2017 Properties of the Month.”
 
Text Messaging System:
The VIHA Communications Committee has arranged a system whereby participants will receive texts notifying them of important information.  To subscribe to this service text, “VIHA” to 77948.  You should receive a reply that you have “opted in” to receive messages from VIHA. Speaking of the Communications Committee, we are looking for an “IT professional” who can volunteer some time to assist with the website and other tools that have been developed.
 
Website Listing of Non-Profits:
For those of you looking to volunteer your time to worthwhile (and fun!!) organizations that give back to the community, we have started a list on the website under “Welcome/Informational Resources/Non-Profits” for you to consult.  If you are affiliated with a non-profit and are looking for members that same site will provide information on how to get your organization listed.
 
Let me know of things that you see and hear in VI.  Hope to see you all at the Oktoberfest on October 21!!!
 
Rich Scanlon
VIHA President
rscanlon@ourvi.org
www.ourvi.org