Logical way to vote on issues in Springfield

[Miss Fixit]

Who is Brenda?

Brenda Boydston.  She is currently listed as "office staff" on the SPAR website.  I believe that she has effectively, if not actually, served as the assistant executive director.  I do not know how long she has been associated with SPAR but I have heard from a number of people (and believe myself, based on limited experience) that she should be an effective administrator for the organization. 

[Steve]

I'm not sure why the renters get the bad rap.  While this voting thing is obviously pie in the sky, it shows that Renters are looked upon as second class citizens.  Why?  One of the things that makes Riverside "work" as a neighborhood is the professional class renters.  I'm sitting on the porch of my house here in Riverside, and I see four rental units either across the street, or within two houses on my side.  Frankly, all of them are great, so I'm not sure why everyone feels that renters are not worthy of being on the level as homeowners (And I don't want to hear this "invested in the neighborhood" crap - every time a Springfield renter buys from a Springfield business, they are investing in the neighborhood).

[sheclown]

I'm not sure why the renters get the bad rap.  While this voting thing is obviously pie in the sky, it shows that Renters are looked upon as second class citizens.  Why?  One of the things that makes Riverside "work" as a neighborhood is the professional class renters.  I'm sitting on the porch of my house here in Riverside, and I see four rental units either across the street, or within two houses on my side.  Frankly, all of them are great, so I'm not sure why everyone feels that renters are not worthy of being on the level as homeowners (And I don't want to hear this "invested in the neighborhood" crap - every time a Springfield renter buys from a Springfield business, they are investing in the neighborhood).

Steve, I agree 100%. 

[samiam]

I'm Not trying to give anyone a bad rap. I am totally ignorant to how long the average person rents for. That's why I increased the percentage of a person that rents the longer they rent in Springfield. I thought that was logical.

[sheclown]

In this topsy tervy crazy economy, I'd say renters are people without upside down mortgages!  Probably more stable.

[fatcat]

Samiam:

Are you a Siamese cat ? I am a mix breed springfield fatcat. I do not rent or own houses. I just live off people who live here and get fat. I am not being nosy by asking if you are Siamese cat. I am asking because I hope to offer a dose of reality from street cat point of view that is not obvious to the house cats.
Homers and renters maybe stable but they are not as stable as the homeless who moves from one condemned house to an other but persistently in the neighborhood. They do not have to work therefore have more time to prowl the forum. There is no logic here. Just relax and enjoy the soap.

[sheclown]

You cats better watch out! I hear there is a pack of fierce rabid dogs wandering around the neighborhood.

[Springfielder]

Springfielder............much thanks for the info and thanks to you also fsu813! SPAR's website did not mention anything about either subject, or if they did I missed that! Hoping the SPAR Board is much more open and informative with the new executive director heading things up.............lots they could be involved in and they really need to be taking the point for sure!

I just checked the SPAR Council weekly update, which is posted on the SPAR website, and it does include some information on the Alley Task Force and related issues.

Open and informative (and empowered) SPAR Board is a must!

Um...did you notice that none of this talk from spar about the alley lighting issue was posted until way after the letter was sent to Gaffney, SPAR and the others. That letter was originally posted November 26, and the message from spar about the task force wasn't posted until March 17th; and the spar weekly update includes the exact message that was posted by the task force and that was posted on the spar website March 18th. So if they've been working on this, then why hasn't there been any mention at all, in any of the weekly updates? I've checked them from December on up to the current. It's amazing that out of the blue, there's a task force and talks with the city/JEA.

[sheclown]

It is hardly "amazing" at all.

Springfielder............much thanks for the info and thanks to you also fsu813! SPAR's website did not mention anything about either subject, or if they did I missed that! Hoping the SPAR Board is much more open and informative with the new executive director heading things up.............lots they could be involved in and they really need to be taking the point for sure!

I just checked the SPAR Council weekly update, which is posted on the SPAR website, and it does include some information on the Alley Task Force and related issues.

Open and informative (and empowered) SPAR Board is a must!

Um...did you notice that none of this talk from spar about the alley lighting issue was posted until way after the letter was sent to Gaffney, SPAR and the others. That letter was originally posted November 26, and the message from spar about the task force wasn't posted until March 17th; and the spar weekly update includes the exact message that was posted by the task force and that was posted on the spar website March 18th. So if they've been working on this, then why hasn't there been any mention at all, in any of the weekly updates? I've checked them from December on up to the current. It's amazing that out of the blue, there's a task force and talks with the city/JEA.

It is hardly "amazing" at all. 

[Miss Fixit]

Springfielder............much thanks for the info and thanks to you also fsu813! SPAR's website did not mention anything about either subject, or if they did I missed that! Hoping the SPAR Board is much more open and informative with the new executive director heading things up.............lots they could be involved in and they really need to be taking the point for sure!

I just checked the SPAR Council weekly update, which is posted on the SPAR website, and it does include some information on the Alley Task Force and related issues.

Open and informative (and empowered) SPAR Board is a must!

Um...did you notice that none of this talk from spar about the alley lighting issue was posted until way after the letter was sent to Gaffney, SPAR and the others. That letter was originally posted November 26, and the message from spar about the task force wasn't posted until March 17th; and the spar weekly update includes the exact message that was posted by the task force and that was posted on the spar website March 18th. So if they've been working on this, then why hasn't there been any mention at all, in any of the weekly updates? I've checked them from December on up to the current. It's amazing that out of the blue, there's a task force and talks with the city/JEA.

Prime example of how SPAR Council's failure to communicate has negatively affected its image.  I am not on the board and only very recently became a member of SPAR Council, but I have been aware of the Alley Task Force for several months.  Two months ago I even attended a meeting, so I can assure you that the Task Force has been actively working on the JEA and other alley issues for quite some time.  It is only the communication that came "out of the blue."

[Springfielder]

Which is my point....a couple months of working on something that was brought to their attention, and they never bothered to tell anyone about it.

Prime example of how SPAR Council's failure to communicate has negatively affected its image

Exactly, and it has indeed, left a negative impact

[Miss Fixit]

Which is my point....a couple months of working on something that was brought to their attention, and they never bothered to tell anyone about it.

Prime example of how SPAR Council's failure to communicate has negatively affected its image

Exactly, and it has indeed, left a negative impact

I don't want to leave the impression that SPAR Council has only been working on the alley issues for a couple of months - my impression is that they have been working on alley related issues, including lighting, for YEARS.  My personal involvement has only been for a couple of months.

[strider]

Well then, I guess SPAR Council has not been very sucessful with the alley issue if they have been working on it for "years" and we have had alleys closed and they are taking the street lights out of the alley ways.  Of course, it has yet to be determined whether they were really working to save the alleys and lighting or something else entirely.

Either way, I would think that everyone involved should be very pleased that Springfielder has gotten Glorious Johnson involved so perhaps progress can now be made.

[PorchCats]

I have to admit I'm rather confused by the alley lighting issue and it may require a conversation over coffee with Joan at 3L (ha, any excuse for a piece of cake!)  As part of the program to replace electric/light poles on Market (they moved them off the street and back to the sidewalk), our alley poles were also replaced and new lighting installed (this was within the last year.)  Our backyard is amazingly well-lit at night - literally two poles with lights.  So... what did I miss?

[uptowngirl]

I don't get why they moved the lights, some as little as twelve inches, AND left the old poles just hanging out. WASTEFUL as usual...