News From the Campaign

Low-income St. Petersburg homeowners can get grants, loans for energy efficiency upgrades

ST. PETERSBURG — Zaundra Goner always suspected it wasn't normal to have a $300 electric bill and an $80 water bill in a one-story, two-bedroom home.

But the Bartlett Park homeowner toughed it out over the years, even as her husband, Randy, went on disability and her own medical bills began to grow. It's not like there was money lying around to make energy saving improvements on her 1949 wood frame house.

In May, she got a letter in the mail. The city and Progress Energy had a program for homeowners, offering $3,000 grants or no-interest loans up to $15,000 for energy efficiency upgrades.

Goner applied, and was approved. Last week, a stream of contractors buzzed around her home gathering estimates for work to replace her air conditioning ducts, living room windows and toilet.

"When this came along, it truly was a blessing," said Goner, 46, a school bus driver. "I've suffered through this enough."

Goner was one of 22 people who were recently approved for the program. She is receiving both a grant and a loan, and will make payments of about $65 a month.

Among the money-sappers an energy audit of Goner's home revealed were 1950s-era jalousie windows in her living room. The glass-on-glass system of horizontal shutters was designed for porches, and doesn't provide a tight seal for air conditioning.

Earlier this year, Goner was one of 75 people who participated in a mini audit by the utilities' Neighborhood Energy Saver Program, which targeted low-income homes. They gave homeowners tips on how to clean refrigerator coils, and inspect their weather stripping or duct work to save on energy costs.

The city, using $150,000 in state dollars as part of its own pilot program, tapped a pool of those participants in Bartlett Park to find candidates for bigger energy efficiency projects.

At this point, there are only a few slots left, available only for households whose income is below 80 percent of the average. The program is not funded for next year.

For below-average income households, no loan repayment is necessary, as long as you stay in the home for the life of the loan. A household of four with an income of $47,350 a year would qualify for the payment-free loan.

"It's a great deal," said Tom de Yampert, manager of the city's housing and community development office. "If you stay in the home, it costs you nothing."

City Council member Karl Nurse, who helped get the project off the ground, recently went door to door in Bartlett Park to make homeowners aware of the grants.

Nurse said an early letter that went out describing the program was overly technical, and some people may have not understood the terms.

Goner, who is struggling to pay for an uncompleted second bathroom and water-logged kitchen ceiling, said she would not have put replacing her jalousie windows and duct work as priorities.

"There is just so much in this house that is overwhelming" she said. "If I can just get one thing done at a time, I'll be all right."

Luis Perez can be reached at lperez@sptimes.com or (727)892-2271.

St.Pete Times article

The St. Petersburg Times Recommends Karl Nurse!

Karl Nurse faced two challenges when he was appointed to the City Council in April 2008 to fill an unexpired term. A white man from a majority black district, he filled a seat that had been held by African-Americans for some 30 years. And as a longtime neighborhood activist, he had clashed with City Hall often enough that some feared he would not fit in on the council.

Sixteen months later, Nurse has reassured doubters. A devoted representative of his diverse district, he has proven to be a very effective council member — energetic, innovative, informed, and showing unexpected skill at persuading other officials to support his ideas. He is off to an impressive start and should be elected to a full term.

Nurse, 55, faces two unprepared opponents. Derrick Frohne is a 24-year-old student who has been invisible in the campaign. Vel Thompson, 51, is a cosmetology student and community volunteer who was formerly a manager for the city's neighborhood services team. She was fired from her city job last year following allegations of misconduct.

Nurse, who owns a printing business, is the obvious choice. Before joining the council, he served as chairman of the Planning Commission and president of the Council of Neighborhood Associations. He helped rebuild his Old Southeast neighborhood and founded the Living Green Expo.

Several of his initiatives on the council have aided struggling residents. He launched a program to educate residents about avoiding foreclosure, and he worked with banks to offer low-cost checking accounts to low-income residents. He has pushed for more jobs and more effective code enforcement and crime fighting in troubled neighborhoods.

Nurse also has sought more transparency in city government. He cajoled the City Council into agreeing to televise its subcommittee meetings, where much of the work of the council is done. And he spoke against the secrecy involved in the award of tax incentives to businesses.

In District 6, the Times recommends Karl Nurse.

St. Pete Times article

Karl Wins Battle To Hire More Police Officers

Karl understands that keeping our streets safe is his most important job.  And, today, thanks to Karl’s efforts on City Council, the people of St. Petersburg scored a victory against crime.

For months, Karl has led to charge to secure federal stimulus money to put more police on our streets. His efforts were successful,  as St. Petersburg received a grant from the Department of Justice to hire 10 additional police officers.

As the city’s press release explains:

The federal stimulus grant program, administered through the U.S. Department of Justice, will enhance the city's ongoing police efforts by creating a full-time Community and Police Engagement (CAPE) unit, a program tested last year in Childs Park, Harbordale and Palmetto Park. After house-by-house visits and other community policing activities over a four month period, violent crimes dropped 26.7 percent and gun-related crimes decreased 17.1 percent. The program has since been expanded in Bartlett Park, Grand Central and Historic Kenwood.

"I am glad that our community will be safer as a result of my convincing the City to seek these additional police officers," Karl said of this development.

These new police officers will patrol primarily in neighborhoods in midtown and south St. Petersburg—where they are most needed—and will be tasked with shutting down our city’s drug houses.  And it won’t cost the city a dime.

FOUR PROMINENT STATE LEGISLATORS ENDORSE KARL NURSE FOR ST. PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL

St. Petersburg, Florida—Florida State Senator and U.S. Congressional candidate Charlie Justice (D-16) join state representatives Janet Long (D-51), Bill Heller (D-52) and Rick Kriseman (D-53) in endorsing Karl Nurse for St. Petersburg City Council, District 6, the Nurse campaign announced today.

“Karl Nurse is a strong leader who works for what is right for our community. I trust Karl to work hard for every citizen and put people before politics,” Senator Justice said.

These endorsements come on the heels of several other key endorsements from local elected officials, including St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, Representative Daryl Rouson (D-55), and Pinellas County Commissioners Ken Welch and Calvin Harris.

“I am humbled and honored to have the support of our state legislators. Mycampaign for city council is about serving my constituents well and bringing
home proven results,” said Karl Nurse. “A positive working relationship with other elected officials is key to achieving our goals for District 6.”

Karl Nurse currently serves as St. Petersburg City Council Member in District 6. Appointed to the Council last year, Council Member Nurse is running to retain his seat. He is the owner of Bay Tech Label, a St. Petersburg-based small business, and is a past President of the Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA). He has been married for 18 years and is the father of four children.

ST. PETERSBURG COUNCIL MEMBER KARL NURSE ANNOUNCES BID FOR ELECTION

St. Petersburg, Florida-Karl Nurse, District 6 St. Petersburg City Council Member, has announced his campaign to retain his seat in this fall's municipal elections. The primary election will be held on September 1, with the general election following on November 3.

Appointed to the St. Petersburg City Council last April, Nurse has worked primarily to strengthen the city's economy, namely by providing foreclosure prevention counseling, attracting banks to urban areas to provide over 18,000 households with banking services, and making the city's buildings more energy efficient. These issues, along with plans to increase public safety, plan to figure prominently in Nurse's campaign.

"I wake up everyday trying to make a difference in our community, whether it's making neighborhoods safer or providing more help in these tough economic times. Voters can depend on me to deliver results. I am here to listen, and I am here to work for the people of District 6 and for everyone across our great city," Nurse said.

The Nurse campaign will kick off its efforts aggressively with a highly targeted and organized petition drive to secure the 500 signed petitions required to qualify for placement on the ballot, coupled with a broad-based fund-raising effort.

Additionally, the campaign has begun gathering endorsements. So far, the following community business and neighborhood leaders have pledged support for Karl Nurse:

Florida House Representative Darryl Rouson, District 55
Deputy Mayor Goliath Davis
Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch
Pinellas County Commissioner Calvin Harris
Pinellas County School Board Member Nina Hayden

Bonnie Agan * Tim Baker * Peter Belmont * Anne Drakeford * Judy Ellis * Gershom Faulkner * Gypsy Gallardo * April Gausman * Jim Gee * Reverend Deborah R. Green of Earth Mission Ministries * Mike Gulley * Helen and Arlin Briley * Jim Jackson * Bob Devin Jones * Brian Longstreth * Theresa McEachern * Shirley O'Sullivan * Charles Payne * Eddie Pringle * Laura Schaus * Maureen Stafford * Scott Swift * Tom Tito * Bruce Turley * Kai Warren * Catherine Weaver

For more information, contact Darden Rice at 727-560-2479 or darden.rice@mac.com

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KARL NURSE CAMPAIGN HANDS IN 599 PETITIONS!

St. Petersburg, Florida-The Karl Nurse Campaign handed in 599 signed candidate petitions to the City Clerk for validation and placement on the ballot for this fall's municipal elections, the campaign announced today.

To qualify for placement on the ballot, each candidate must either gather 500 signed petitions from voters in the candidate's district by May 19 or pay a $150 filing fee.

"I could have simply written a $150.00 check to qualify, but talking to voters throughout the district and demonstrating our grassroots commitment was a more important task for us to accomplish," said St. Pete City Council Member, Karl Nurse.

The campaign employed a highly organized grassroots effort, enlisting local volunteers and Nurse supporters to canvass neighborhoods to collect the petitions.

"This accomplishment demonstrates the power of people to affect their own communities," Nurse Campaign Field Director Johnny Bardine said. "We owe it all to our committed volunteers."

The date for final qualifying for placement on the ballot is June 29. The primary election will be held on September 1, followed by the general election on November 3.

For more information, contact Darden Rice at 727-560-2479 or darden.rice@mac.com

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