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Politics & Government

Hampton Terrace Neighborhood Association Holds First Meeting

Heated exchanges on Tuesday night at the Seminole Heights Garden Center suggest not much has changed between sparring neighbors.

Tuesday night's Hampton Terrace Neighborhood Association meeting at the Seminole Heights Garden Center was perfectly cordial — until about halfway through.

Resident Ray Koehler complained that the HTNA leadership had secretly tried to bring a liquor store into the neighborhood. Association President Wesley Warren said that he didn't actually support the liquor store but that the association had a duty to talk about the proposed business with its representatives.

Koehler replied that members of the association weren't notified about the discussions, and a chatter rose from the crowd.

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Association Vice President Jim Kwid testily fired back to Koehler: “Am I just supposed to notify everyone about everything?”

The liquor store owner ultimately was to sell alcohol in the vacant building at the corner of East Hillsborough Avenue and 9th Street by the City Council in January. Several residents appeared before the council to complain it would have a negative influence on the residents of a neighboring halfway house occupied by people battling substance abuse.

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Over the rising din at the meeting and Koehler's protestations, Warren banged his knuckles gavel-like on the table. “Next question,” he said.

“Yeah, we're running out of time here,” said Kwid. The published agenda indicated organizers had planned a 30-minute meeting.

The heated exchange neatly symbolized the state of affairs in Hampton Terrace. Over the past few years, differing views on what's best for the neighborhood have lead to arguments, disgruntled residents, smoldering ill will and a new neighborhood association carved out of an old established one.

How did one of the area's most civically active enclaves manage to eject itself from one of Tampa's best organized and powerful neighborhood associations?

The broad strokes: In 2008, Warren started a petition to oppose the city's historic designation study of Hampton Terrace, a process the city began in 2004. The following year, he started another petition to secede Hampton Terrace from the Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association. In February 2010, the city officially recognized the HTNA as separate from OSHNA. In December 2010, residents voted to elect officers.

In between those events, a hail storm of conflict erupted. OSHNA members accused the HTNA  leadership of everything from spreading misinformation about the historic district process, violating its own bylaws, and operating in secret. HTNA leaders denied the accusations and charged that OSHNA is too tyrannical and authoritarian.

Physically speaking, Hampton Terrace — bordered by Hillsborough, Hanna and Nebraska avenues and 15th Street — exists entirely inside the boundaries of OSHNA. So residents who until recently considered themselves to be represented by OSHNA, can now feel torn between it and HTNA.

Others, like Koehler, have simply decided to add an HTNA membership alongside their existing OSHNA membership. In an ironic reversal of recent history, a dissenting minority of OSHNA-sympathizers is taking shape within the ranks of HTNA. “I feel that I need to be the police dog,” said Koehler. “What I will not do is sit there and let (HTNA's leaders) make all decisions. They need to make things transparent.”

OSHNA member Shawn Hicks also recently sent in his $10 HTNA membership fee.

“I am going to stay within the boundaries of being a member in good standing,” Hicks said, “But I'm going to use my voice to educate the community and just keep everyone informed about what's going on, and just keep pressure on (HTNA's leaders) that way.” 

The feelings of distrust are mutual. On Monday, Kwid and Warren recounted their loss of faith in their former neighborhood association.

“OSHNA was speaking to the city without our knowledge,” Warren said, but he refused to elaborate.

Kwid disagreed with OSHNA on “everything from local historic districts to other things,” he said. “And when I tried to bring up issues, I was told, 'Go form your own group.'”

Kwid said he's okay with the concept of historic preservation. “However,” he said, “before you can say we're going to do it, wouldn't it be fair to ask the 576 homeowners of (Hampton Terrace) first?”

At Tuesday's meeting, HTNA's first after a series of missteps that led the city to temporarily rescind its recognition of the new group, Warren announced a series of projects the association intends to tackle: cleaning up Hampton Terrace's centerpiece Lake Roberta; replacing street lights with more historic looking lamp posts; traffic calming on Idlewild and Comanche avenues; increasing crime awareness; and reviving an old Christmas tradition of sending a trailer full of carolers through the neighborhood.

Warren and Kwid also discussed the possible acquisition of grant money for various neighborhood improvements, but declined to give details.

They also refused to say how many members HTNA has when asked by Hampton Terrace resident Myron Griffin. According to a report presented by Treasurer Paul Erni, as of April 19 HTNA raised $210. HTNA charges $10 per voting membership. Non-voting memberships are free.

City officials that appeared at the meeting included Shannon Edge, who as director of neighborhood and community relations, presided over the contentious formation of HTNA.

“We know how disruptive and hard it is on a neighborhood when you do have a change,” she said before the meeting. “We need to start focusing forward, because right now there's too much focus on the past. We're hoping that tonight is the beginning of moving forward.”

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