Sept 8 Steering Committee/Sept 25 General Meeting agendas

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Liz on August 22, 2008 at 3:50pm

Some thoughts:

(1) Do we want to discuss parking meters? The CC is on break until 9/8, and from what Jeff Petry says (see the Aug 21 meeting discussion), it looks like their work session about this will be after our SC meeting but probably before the GM.

(2) For public safety concerns, Lt. Richard Stronach, the Wed-Sat night watch commander (see my "Downtown rave parties" discussion in Safety & Security) said he would be happy to speak at a meeting. He also said Lt. Ted Baker (?), who handles community policing, would be available.

(3) Last night's meeting made it clear that we desperately need a clear protocol for how to get onto the GM agenda. Tom is doing a supercalifragilous job of getting speakers, but I personally feel that we need more focus, better-controlled agendas, and clear ways for the membership to participate, as opposed to having the meetings be almost exclusively informational.

Permalink Reply by Sherrill Necessary on August 22, 2008 at 6:31pm

I agree we need to tighten up the general meetings. How about having one perception subtopic and one current topic (like the parking meters). Then divide the time:
Open the meeting, review and approve the minutes - 5 minutes.
Public comment - 20 minutes. No person can talk more than 5 minutes.
Topic 1 - 20 minutes presentation, 10 minutes questions.
Topic 2 - 20 minutes presentation, 10 minutes questions.
Wrap up and adjourn - 5 minutes

Then have a timer; maybe someone other than the steering committee.

Permalink Reply by Liz on August 22, 2008 at 6:36pm

For individual comments from the floor, three minutes is plenty. Anyone with more to say should get on the agenda. I'm not on the steering committee, I always wear my multi-function watch, and I actually enjoy telling people to get to the point.

Permalink Reply by William Kennedy on August 23, 2008 at 5:33pm

I'm on board with all of this. Tom and I should've put a stop to Mr Finch before he hijacked all the time. Will try not to let this happen in the future.

Permalink Reply by Sherrill Necessary on August 23, 2008 at 9:33pm

I'd love to see you in the role of timekeeper.

Permalink Reply by Tom Kamis on August 29, 2008 at 2:01pm

Me too!

Permalink Reply by Liz on August 29, 2008 at 3:46pm

OK, fine, I guess I now have an official position :-)
I'll give it a try at the Sept meeting.

Permalink Reply by Liz on August 29, 2008 at 3:47pm

I agree with Sherrill's structural suggestions, because they make a lot of sense.

So, what are we thinking about for the Sept agenda?

Permalink Reply by William Kennedy on August 30, 2008 at 6:13pm

Here's my input:

I would like to see the 2 policemen come back and field some more questions. Perhaps we can prompt them to speak on what can individuals do on their own to improve public safety issues. Update us on how the "public safety" ordinance is working? It will be in effect at this time, correct?

Also, I also would really like to explore the issue of why some parts of downtown work and some don't. My thoughts on exactly how to implement this as an agenda item unfortunately are still a little vague - but my take on it is different landlords take better care of their properties. But what can "we" do to pressure these negligent landlords to step up? Petitions? Can we lay some public safety responsibility on their shoulders?

Anyway, some thoughts for us to ponder.

Permalink Reply by Liz on August 31, 2008 at 5:33pm

I would like to see the 2 policemen come back and field some more questions. Perhaps we can prompt them to speak on what can individuals do on their own to improve public safety issues. Update us on how the "public safety" ordinance is working? It will be in effect at this time, correct?

This sounds like "community policing" to me. If we go this way, I would also like to hear from Lt. Rich Stronach, because (1) he's the right guy to give us a post-9 p.m. perspective and (2) he's directly involved in the City Manager's "task force." He'll probably also give us a generic lock-your-car-doors speech, but what the hell.

Again, let's try to keep focus and not be too ambitious. I think Sherrill's suggestion of one hot topic and one "perception" topic is on the mark.

Permalink Reply by Liz on September 17, 2008 at 3:49pm

I don't think I want to vote on this--assuming that "this" means that we cancel the Sept meeting altogether--but here is my opinion:

First of all, this discussion, as well as any additional discussion that we obviously should have had about what the agenda was and when the meeting would be should take place ON THE WEBSITE because that's what it's for. If we (and I'm including myself) had been paying more attention to the website, these problems would likely have been identified in time to resolve them.

There was plenty of due diligence in planning the September meeting, as there was a discussion regarding the agenda and SC minutes posted in a timely fashion. A quick look at the minutes makes it pretty clear what the mailing should have said. Any further details should have been hashed out on the website.

Given the late date that we were informed of this situation--two days before the meeting is nominally scheduled--no matter what we do, there's going to be confusion and loss of trust in the Steering Committee, which quite frankly we deserve, maybe some of us more than others. (Do we even have speakers lined up? Or a permit for Kesey Plaza?)

So it seems to me that our hands are forced for purely pragmatic reasons to simply cancel this meeting, despite the legitimate objection that we should hold it anyway. I suggest we send out a mass e-mailing letting the general membership know what's going on and possibly soliciting volunteers and getting people on the website. And someone needs to take it off the City website, because there it says we meet on the 18th.

The bare truth is that we (collectively) have royally f****d up and fallen short of our responsibilities to the general membership. Let's be sure it doesn't happen again, and let's try to make the best of this mess. And let's move this discussion to the website where it belongs.

Permalink Reply by William Kennedy on September 17, 2008 at 6:38pm

Here's an email...4 "yeahs" and let's send it.

To all valued members of the Downtown Neighborhood Association,

It has been decided to postpone the September general meeting. Our next meeting will be held at it's regularly scheduled time: the third Thursday of every month, or October 16th from 5:30 to 7:00 at Davis' Restaurant on Broadway and Olive.

For more information please go to the DNA website: www.eugenedna.org. Or feel free to call William at 541-513-5739.

We regret any inconvenience this may have caused and look forward to seeing all of you in October!

Sincerely,
DNA Steering Committee

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page