TEAM Punta Gorda – Moving Forward

Judy Brentano, CEO

(This column appeared on the opinion page of the Charlotte Sun-Herald on November 7, 2006)

TEAM Punta Gorda’s second annual meeting is fast approaching. Reaching this milestone gives us a chance to update the community on what’s been accomplished over the past two years.

The vision of our citizen-based community service group – formed after Hurricane Charley and now nearly 1800 members strong – was to help greater Punta Gorda recover and be the best that it can be, in cooperation with government and our citizenry. The “TEAM” in our name stands for “together, everyone achieves more”.

And together we came – citizens and public officials by the hundreds lent their expertise and ideas to a series of charettes lasting eight days. From this came a vision for the future, the Citizens’ Master Plan 2005, melding the expertise of urban planner Jaime Correa with the hopes of so many of our citizens.

Since then, TEAM’s volunteers have lent their energy and talent to help our community in its recovery, growth, and development through research, advocacy, and direct cooperative involvement.

We wrote an EDA grant and, with the City, applied for the economic feasibility study now being conducted by the Chesapeake Group.  TEAM also provided $13,212 in matching funds for the project.

TEAM, with the Chambers of Commerce, will help fund operating expenses for the City’s new Business and Community Development Director.

TEAM Punta Gorda’s grant writer, Nancy Johnson, wrote the successful $300,000 grant for the Cooper Street Recreation Center’s after school program and another for $49,750 to help the organization build its capacity to sustain its programs.

Our affordable/workforce housing committee helped incorporate Punta Gorda’s first housing land trust. The committee researched affordable housing construction, funding mechanisms, and buyers’ programs. Two members are actually building an affordable house to set a model for others to follow.

Our Waterfront Committee researched potential mooring field locations and other waterfront development projects. TEAM, in cooperation with the Boaters’ Alliance, serves on the City’s mooring fields task force.

TEAM is facilitating the efforts of an Historic Preservation advisory group to develop a project-directed funding plan. Once completed, we will research and assist with grants and further share our volunteer resources.

TEAM continues to meet with developers of major projects to encourage business development and familiarize them with our community and the principles of the Citizens’ Master Plan and the City’s land development regulations.

We’ve organized volunteer workers and raised funds for City beautification projects on Herald Court and Marion Avenue. TEAM organized and raised sponsorships for an upcoming bridge banner design contest which will enhance the new U.S. 41 bridge lighting.

We weighed in on the Event Center architectural design by proposing a mission revival style that complements our historic town. While construction is delayed by the FEMA velocity-zone dispute, TEAM’s architect, along with the County’s architects, are costing out the proposal as requested by County Commissioners and the City Council. Our architect’s initial review showed a negligible cost increase.

We believe that an involved citizenry is key to the future of Punta Gorda.  There’s much more work to be done, together, by everyone who wants to achieve more. Please join us at the PGI Civic Association, 2001 Shreve Street, at 6:30 p.m. on November 9th for our second Annual Meeting.