HPC Agenda 7/2010

[avs]

Thank you to everyone who was able to stay ( I had to leave around 7pm to let my dogs out - holding it 2 hours longer than normal isnt good).  Thank you iloveionia for reading the letters.  I wanted to let them know the impact on real estate values, but it sounds like you guys all made great arguments!

I think I told sheclown and iloveionia last week that we would have more weight and resources to draw upon if we were able to work for the preservation of San Marco and Riverside/Avondale.  Working with the groups that are there and helping them stand up for preservation will help strengthen us to the city.  

Way to go everyone - and thank you so much to Joel and Lisa Sheppard - they have been tremendous help!

I agree too, SPAR does not represent the will of the neighborhood

[ChriswUfGator]

SPAR has no place in anything moving forward.

Reading that utterly putrid letter they published should serve to remind anyone and everyone that nothing has changed.

[Springfielder]

This is true.  We need to meet with Dr. Gaffney, CM Corrigan, who else?

I would include all current members, and then those who will be elected.

[Springfield Girl]

Sorry Stephen, I was not pulled from the Code Enforcement Board. I was there till the bitter end when all of the city CO boards were disbanded and replaced with a special master. I'm sure if you go back and do the research you will find that we were way more lenient than the special master is. The majority of the Urban Core CO board were Springfield residents at that time but thanks for trying to make it all about me as usual.

[Springfield Chicken]

Yesterday was the first HPC meeting I have attended.  I went to learn more about the process and it was educational.  I also wanted to support the folks who went to promote a demolition moratorium.  And I have to say that listening to their empassioned appeals made me so proud to be a part of this neighborhood.

Nicole, Amanda, Stephen, Gloria, Julie, Chris - you guys are amazing and an inspiration.

[ChriswUfGator]

Sorry Stephen, I was not pulled from the Code Enforcement Board. I was there till the bitter end when all of the city CO boards were disbanded and replaced with a special master. I'm sure if you go back and do the research you will find that we were way more lenient than the special master is. The majority of the Urban Core CO board were Springfield residents at that time but thanks for trying to make it all about me as usual.

Well if you weren't, someone was asleep at the "Conflict of Interest" switch.

[Debbie Thompson]

Chris, please get more familiar with who you are talking about.  And, Stephen, I'm kind of surprised at you saying some of those things as well.

Springfield Girl and her husband saved a Springfield home that had no roof for 15 years. They spent years at it, and it is an amazing home.  S.G. loves Springfield and it's old homes. I don't know the stories behind each time S.G. voted for putting a house on the demo track, and if I did, I may or may not agree with some of them, but I know she embraces preservation.

We just may have to disagree with her on some of the homes. :-)

[uptowngirl]

I am super excited about HPC's Plans, and the sub-committee being re-started. I beleive the whole group is on board to help save Jacksonvilles history (note I did not JUST say Historic Springfield!). I think the tough part of all of this is going to be the compromises everyone will have to make. While I agree with Iloveionia, knocking down a historic structure I don't even understand, I am realistic and know we will lose some. But what a start, I walked away from HPC feeling like great progress had been made, a new sorta faith in the process, and I hope the HPC Group felt the same.

[Kay]

"Asking SPAR to work with a true historic preservation organization like the RAP board would be like Mother Theresa asking Fred Phelp's church to help in her mission to care for AIDS patients.

I cannot imagine what RAP is thinking in cooperating with a group that is solely responsible for so many very bad precedents and historic demolitions."


If we have a common goal to prevent (stop) demolitions and to put in place measures and actions that will prevent deterioration of historic structures, why not work with them?  RAP certainly won't compromise its principles for anyone.  If we can help all historic districts and landmark properties, that is a great thing.  If SPAR becomes what you expect/want it to be, isn't that a great thing too?  Making changes to the demolition by neglect part of the historic ordinance has been on our radar for a while.  To its credit, SPAR reached out to RAP.  The fact that all you guys showed up at JHPC last night to take a stand helped move the JHPC off the dime.  There is power in numbers and if we speak and act with one voice we can move mountains. 

We are not naive.  We had become alarmed at all of the demolitions in Springfield and the historic planning staff had been concerned for quite a while.  Frankly, we did not trust SPAR.  Carmen and I met with a couple of Springfield folks to try to understand what was going on.  But it wasn't and isn't our place to stick our nose in your neighborhood, especially uninvited.  And we've got plenty in our own neighborhood to keep us busy.  But we are open to SPAR being different.  Some of our board members have worked with Brenda in the past and speak highly of her.  I know she attended the workshop/planning session held recently that addressed demolitions.  So we'll see how this works. 

Also, is SPAR a membership organization?  If so, can't the membership demand changes? 

[FinnegansWake]

Also, is SPAR a membership organization?  If so, can't the membership demand changes?

No.

[Miss Fixit]

Also, is SPAR a membership organization?  If so, can't the membership demand changes?

No.

SPAR is a membership organization but the membership has virtually no ability to force change due to the organization's unusual bylaws, which are posted on SPAR's website.

In addition, only a very small percentage of Springfield's residents are members of SPAR.  The dues are higher than those for SMPS and RAP so for some it is a matter of affordability.  Many other residents have simply decided that they do not want to be associated with the organization.

[uptowngirl]

An

Also, is SPAR a membership organization?  If so, can't the membership demand changes?

No.

SPAR is a membership organization but the membership has virtually no ability to force change due to the organizations unusual bylawsm which are posted on SPAR's website.

In addition, only a very small percentage of Springfield's residents are members of SPAR.  The dues are higher than those for SMPS and RAP so for some it is a matter of affordability.  Many other residents have simply decided that they do not want to be associated with the organization.

and in addition, event he board itself does not have the ability to make change, only the executive committee can do that and it is appointed-not elected. It really is a private org for all intents and purposes. Some members have been on the board for five years after being appointed, and never elected to their position.

[Springfielder]

All of which are the reasons why the entire board needs to step down and elections held, and include anyone that wishes to serve.

[avs]

The next election is supposed to be in October.  The membership is supposed to vote on a slate presented by the Governance Committee.  The Governance Committee (which I think is pretty non-existant now) is supposed to be comprised of 5 members, and it is open to membership.

So if you want control over who's up to be voted on, then forcing the Board to allow another Governance Committee to operate, comprised of people from the membership, seems like a first step at trying to get the organization back on track.

[Springfielder]

I don't know about anyone else, but I will not join again until the entire board (and that means everyone) steps down and all board positions are open for election. As it's been said, and I'll repeat it again, if the current board members have been doing the right thing, then people will know that and elect them properly this time around.