SPAR revolt?

[JaxByDefault]

It is never good manners to reveal someone's identity on a forum board with out their consent. Even people you know as friends or neighbors may wish to remain unknown here.

On this issue, the anonymity offered by this forum board is helping us focus on the merits of arguments rather than personal squabbles.

Similarly, please avoid cross-posting from SPAR's own forum boards.

[Downtown Dweller]

The difference here is "outing people". In taking a couple (and it was literally a couple of comments, the majority came form this board) of thread pertinent comments (without revealing names) and taking someone's board identity and exposing it to everyone. As an admin of these boards, personal information can be obtained, it should NOT be shared. There is a big difference. Besides, people cross post all the time. If it is pertinent to the conversation, and names are withheld to protect posters then I do not see an issue, then it is just censorship.

[fatcat]

as far as the forum board concerns: my personal opinion is no censor or moderating at all. let all hit the fan. we are all adults. we should be able to handle it.

[thelakelander]

The difference here is "outing people". In taking a couple (and it was literally a couple of comments, the majority came form this board) of thread pertinent comments (without revealing names) and taking someone's board identity and exposing it to everyone. As an admin of these boards, personal information can be obtained, it should NOT be shared. There is a big difference. Besides, people cross post all the time. If it is pertinent to the conversation, and names are withheld to protect posters then I do not see an issue, then it is just censorship.

Just to put one bad misconception to rest, No Administrator on this forum has outed anyone.  Our admins/moderators are me, Lunican, Steve, Jason, Jbm32206, Ocklawaha and Riversidegator (national politics).

[Downtown Dweller]

DTP is listed as an moderator is he not?

As a side note I could care less, as I say nothing I won;t say to people in person. I just find it distrurbing that DTP is listed as a moderator on this and is outing people on other forums.(Moderators: jbm32206, downtownparks)

[JaxByDefault]

No one is censoring anyone. In fact, this has been a very robust and mostly issue-centered debate.

I'm not a fan of cross-posting because it leaves a large number of MetroJacksonville readers out of the part of the discussion taking place on the SPAR forum boards. Downtown Dweller's first post collected quotes from other posts, provided a context, and proposed some good questions. I wish someone would have provided answers to them on this board, addressing some of the issues raised by other posters as well.

This is a great discussion...let's not let it get weighed down.

Quoting the SPAR forum boards answer to Downtown Dweller's post: Developing a partnership with LISC, and establishing what has to happen to kick commercial development in the butt to get it going

What is the current relationship with LISC and what programs will the LISC/SPAR partnership introduce?
What are its development goals?
Who will its incentive target?
Who on SPAR most regularly meets with the people from LISC? Who has imput on the these programs? Who will shepherd them in the neighborhood?
Are there reports, survey data, proposals, etc. from the LISC/SPAR partnership that residents and SPAR members may view?

[thelakelander]

DTP is listed as an moderator is he not?

As a side note I could care less, as I say nothing I won;t say to people in person. I just find it distrurbing that DTP is listed as a moderator on this and is outing people on other forums.(Moderators: jbm32206, downtownparks)

DTP, is no longer a moderator.  He resigned and was replaced by Ocklawaha.  If you see any threads where screen names are being outed, let a moderator know by sending them a PM.

[Springfield Girl]

SPAR can't win. What one resident thinks is right for the neighborhood another thinks is totally wrong. I've posted that no one entity can handle everything, and lucky for us we have many groups to get involved in. The majority of people in the neighborhood find their cause and work tirelessly to meet their goals without getting involved with any of the forum boards. If you want to know the truth it's out there. SPAR has open meetings that anyone can attend, a monthly roundtable meeting with representatives from all city departments that is open to the public, a newsletter mailed out monthly, email updates, a staff on call in the office five days a week and far too many functions to mention here. I don't know how they can be anymore transparent. I go to meetings and speak up, I read the newsletters and email updates, I call and stop in at the office when I need more information and I choose to see the glass half full. I've tried but I can't argue with people who get upset about being called whiners but find it okay to use the derogatory and false term  LOLA'S to further an agenda.

[thelakelander]

What is a LOLA?

[AlexS]

I think many valuable questions have been raised here which are deserving of answers. I have collected quite a few of them and brought them before the full SPAR board.

I believe answers should be coming from the full board and be representative of SPAR's stand on these issues. Answers should be compiled by the individual subject matter experts and be approved or voted on by the board.

While I also encourage and think it to be beneficial for individual board members to communicate their views on forum boards they can not replace a unified answer coming from SPAR as an organization. It would however help the membership to get to know the views of individual board members so they know who to vote for the next time.

Better communication has been one of the issues I have tried to address as a board member for some time now. While meetings are open to the public I think it is also important to post an agenda before hand and minutes afterwards.

Regarding board meetings I think guests should only be allowed to speak if they are on the agenda. If someone wants to discuss a particular topic they can be put on the agenda. Due to limited time available for the board meeting it would not be practical for everyone to be heard. Some items may need to be deferred to the next meeting.

At the SPAR general meetings I believe there should be more interaction with the membership. This should be the place to exchange ideas, answer questions and provide a forum for open discussion. I wish more board members would attend the general meeting and participate in such discussions.

I appreciate all the input and feedback which has been provided thus far.

[JaxByDefault]

SPAR has open meetings that anyone can attend, a monthly roundtable meeting with representatives from all city departments that is open to the public, a newsletter mailed out monthly, email updates, a staff on call in the office five days a week and far too many functions to mention here. I don't know how they can be anymore transparent.

Many of the concerns voiced here in previous posts about the need for greater transparency called for increased fiscal transparency (especially in regards to special funds), disclosure about possible conflicts of interest, publication of survey and report results, and publication of full meeting minutes (including executive meetings).

AlexS already noted that he is catching up with publication of SPAR Board meeting minutes on the SPAR forum boards. That's a positive step. As of a few days ago, the SPAR forum only had minutes through 2006 published. AlexS is also taking questions to the board, which is sincerely appreciated and another positive step.

SPAR does send a weekly update, though I would call them far from thorough. They are a good reminder of upcoming events, profile big news like the hiring of the new planner, and solicit needed donations. Occasionally, they mention the appointment of someone new to the board. A recent note called for neighbors to share their vision for SPR and SPAR. That's what many of us are doing here: formulating a vision with concrete urban planning goals for SPR (and beyond) that we can advocate.

[triclops i]

You know, I dont usually chime in on this stuff but I have a few free minutes...

2 years ago when we were planning opening in Springfeild, I was more than a little concerned about how the neighborhood powers that be would react to my bussiness. I deal in street art and heavy metal, beer and Hip Hop, arts and entertainment, youth and noise.... things not generally rumored to be embraced by SPAR and the traditional LOLAs that I had been warned about.

And two years later, I have to say, everyone pretty much has been welcomeing and helpful. Now I dont know what they belive to be their misson- and I have never been to a SPAR meeting... but...

4 guys in there 30-40s I that have been involved in SPAR council (I will call them D-D-P-and M) have always been great customers and support.
P has went the extra mile, donating fans, coolers, tools, and volunteer hours to the bike co-op and record store.

If there ever has been a problem with noise or traffic, almost everyone from the SPAR side of the hood has been respectful and level headed about voiceing their complaints. And I have complied the best I can to make a positive, not negative impact on the hood.

Even when I met Ms. Despain, I found her to be sweet, sharp, helpful, and very informed on putting events together, permit proccesses, insurance issues, ect.

And SRG- and Mack specifically, as a small bussiness owner I can say he is the only one around in power that "gets it". They are making constant positive progress, and really the ONLY developmental progress I see being made in the neighborhood. See, Mack is cool as a cucumber. He is a PBR drinking, classic rock loving pretty normal guy. And even though we have an age difference between us, we have a good working relationship- he really does want to see more pubs, more bike shops, more record shops and is actively moving to make it reality. He always has a wealth of "fatherly" advice everytime we speak.

SPAR, Animal care, mommies club, and SAMBA have all been an asset to my bussiness. They include me to vend at their events, they hire me for DJ services, and sometimes frequent my establishment.

Look guys, you have crackheads wandering the neigborhood like zombies. You got some backward ass rednecks in your neighborhood. Transexual hookers and abandoned buildings are the norm.... my point is you are fighting between yourselfs when the real enemy is the people who are not involved in neighborhood bussiness or organizations.

Now again, I stay un involved in neighborhood politics and SPAR processes and gossip on purpose. So maybe my opinion on the matter is not 100% valid. Maybe they do need a revolt. But again, as a young small bussiness owner, I am glad to have a neighborhhood association, small bussiness association, animal care club, ect. ect. on my side.

I

[triclops i]

Crime is definetely an issue. Maybe SPAR should "make the cops do something about it". That sounds like too simple of an awnser.

All I am saying, as a small bussiness owner and me being who I am, I had a preconcived notion that these people were gonna be a bunch of dicks. They have not, in fact they have been 100% freindly and helpful. At least to my face:)

Yes, they probably could do more if they reorganized. I would be willing to volunteer my time and efforts to make them stronger, anytime they ask. And if I needed help with a permit for the bike shop or a neigborhood watch or something, I would ask them and they would help me. No questions asked.

And I stand by the fact that Mack is cool a as a cucumber!!!

[walter]

Why are the tall palmetto bushes being allowed to grow up and block sight lines all the way down main street, protecting the criminals that are coming back from being observed?

On 7th street this weekend, the bus benches had people interacting on them all night.  Both of them on catty corners of the street.

On 8t and Main, there was a 400 pound man making packet transfers with guys on bicycles all night.

On the bus shelter in front of the old Premier grocery store there was a hooker performing fellatio totally hidden in the obscurity of the Palmettos on both Friday and Saturday Nights.

At 5th and Main, there were three guys there until about 4am walking back and forth to more bicycle guys.

At the Halsema building there was crack trade being conducted without any let up in the business until 3 am.

On Hubbard, between 7th and 8th there is all kinds of troubling activity happening in the dark and out of site.

Lights are out all the way down Main, and even across from Shantytown, the street light is so clogged with dead insects that it no longer really illuminates the building.

These are things that the neighborhood needs to get a handle on before they multiply (as they have over the past two months)  The problems will exacerbate as the buildings previously owned by Van Horn empty out.

Did anyone manage to pull the fairly expensive banners out of the historic light poles installed on Main Street during the Hurricane?  Or were they all torn to peices?

No the banners still flap in the wind on their broken arms waving over the dead plants in the median near the dead trees that line the street and the new razor wire that tops the fence near the corner of 1st and Main.  Trash still lines main street and the JTA still hasn't put a can in at the 2nd and main stop.  Saw a half eaten bag of chicken wings on the street there today along with a lovely shopping cart.  The way I see it if these little things can't be properly handled by SPAR then the big stuff is probably going to be FUBAR.   Overgrown lots and demolition by neglect, yeah can't really say things have gotten much better since the merge.

[jbm32206]

as far as the forum board concerns: my personal opinion is no censor or moderating at all. let all hit the fan. we are all adults. we should be able to handle it.

That's pretty much the case, but I don't allow personal attacks and I would ask that people refrain from certain profanity...personal/good judgment is what we ask and hope for