SPAR Board

[FinnegansWake]

Phil,
There have been sooooo many wonderful, strong, fresh, professional and downright brilliant people that have been officers - and have been run off almost as soon as they got there.  the ones that are deeply entrenched DON'T WONT CHANGE, they don't want anyone to ask questions, and they sure as heck don't care about what's best for "the neighborhood", for the most part, it appears they have their own personal agenda and consequences be damned. 
Having every single resident of springfield as a member would only mean more people to be ignored.  At this point, frankly, SPAR does NOT represent any sort of neighborhood leadership (except perhaps in their own minds) and frankly I think the saying is - the only reason anyone would follow them would be out of idle curiosity.
Face it, Springfield continues to have wonderful thing happening (SOS - one of best and most recent) despite SPARs best efforts to drive neighbor against neighbor.

I think that a lot of orgs/entities (including many forms of government) don't work mainly because of the people who have too strong a desire to "rule." I think the best leaders come from people who don't really want to do it, but perform the task because it's the right thing to do.

My former philosophy professor had a sign on the door of his office: 'Know Your Purpose.' Meaning...look inside yourself and ask, why are you there? Selfless or selfish reasons?

[uptowngirl]

Phil, I could not agree with you more!

The poll really was meant to be informational, and so far I think it is (hope more people give their opinion). I think so far the trend is showing the unhappiness with the current board. I think the five people who voted "Whats SPAR" also speaks to the fact SPAR is not doing all it should. I bet if you asked "Whats RAP" you woud see a different response. 

[CS Foltz]

uptowngirl.........I agree with your line of thought! SPAR Council (thats for you strider!) is just like City Hall, in thats it is disconnected from the people they are supposed to represent! The executive board just goes on and on with their agenda and does not think one iota about the "People and Homes" they are mandated to represent! Looking at the survey numbers tells the tale!

[FinnegansWake]

Why are there only 37 votes? I know there are more than 37 people living in Springfield.

[CS Foltz]

Voting shenanigans to ensure the continuation of their regime! SPAR Council is as blind as the current City Hall is!

[sheclown]

Why are there only 37 votes? I know there are more than 37 people living in Springfield.

^As of right now, only two people short from SPAR's last general election:

Elected.  Although, there were 5 open positions, and only 5 candidates.  So, I guess the only way they would not have been elected would be if over half the room rejected the slate. I suppose of the 39 votes, if 20 or more voted no, that would not have been a majority in favor.  Interesting question, but it didn't happen, so I don't know what would have happened if it had.

Also, we were told when we signed in that it was a slate ballot, however, if we wished to vote no on some of the candidates to write that at the bottom instead of voting yes or no on the entire slate.  So, we did have an option to say no to individuals.

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,7335.0.html

[FinnegansWake]

If someone puts together a plan to put the website link for this SPR thread (and the MJ main page) on a 3x5 card, I will help by making sure every house on Laura between 1st and 12th gets one in their mailbox.

Phil

[sheclown]

If someone puts together a plan to put the website link for this SPR thread (and the MJ main page) on a 3x5 card, I will help by making sure every house on Laura between 1st and 12th gets one in their mailbox.

Phil

Looks like you already put together a plan.  

[Miss Fixit]

I think you need to add an additional option for voting.  There are folks who don't think SPAR adequately represents their interests  but who also don't think the entire board (or the appointed board or the executive committee) need to (or would) step down. Proper nomination (including a nominating committee that includes members who are NOT current board members) and election procedures should be followed for all open spots on the board.

[strider]

Miss Fixit, you have a point.  However, the practical side of that is "but who also don't think the entire board (or the appointed board or the executive committee) need to (or would) step down."  The "Or Would" ... it has been stated by former board members that no matter what they (the board) wanted to happen, certain executive board members simply did what they wanted. Elsewhere on this forum, proof that that is still happening is in black and white. How do you stop that?  Other than doing a forced house cleaning? If they are not following the by-laws now, they are not going to start following them because a few new people get elected properly to the board. The corruption of this organization started years ago and continues today. Cutting the cancer or the corruption out may be the only way to save the organization.

[uptowngirl]

I agree Miss Fixit, but it is one vote per IP or sign in (not sure how that works)So people who have already voted woud not be able to again :-(

PLUS, a lot of people in the neighborhood are not on any of these forum boards. I assumed we would get a sampling to give a general pulse. ( it appear, believe it or not, that there is even more support for SPAR on this poll than the informal poll on MySpringfield.

Perhaps I did this backwards too- I had planned on also doing a poll on what the biggest concerns SPAR shoud be addressing are. Perhaps the concerns first, then how the board is addressing it.

EDIT: As stated previousy, I bet this same poll in Riverside/Avondale section for RAP would be very different.

[sheclown]

What are the results, so far, on your Myspringfield poll?

[sheclown]

I think you need to add an additional option for voting.  There are folks who don't think SPAR adequately represents their interests  but who also don't think the entire board (or the appointed board or the executive committee) need to (or would) step down. Proper nomination (including a nominating committee that includes members who are NOT current board members) and election procedures should be followed for all open spots on the board.

How could this be accomplished?

[Miss Fixit]

Uptown girl, would you post the results of the poll?  I haven't voted because I don't completely agree with any of the choices.

SPAR has been heavily promoting the fact that elections will be held soon in their weekly emails.  There is a SPAR general meeting on Thursday which will provide an opportunity to ask some very specific questions about how the upcoming elections will be handled.   And members of SPAR could ask to be placed on the nominating committee....

[sheclown]

So, let's compile a list of question on the upcoming election, along with the concerns, email it to Brenda and see if it could be addressed at the general meeting.  We have several days to do this. 

Hold up.  I'll start a new thread.