Hemming Plaza Tree Trimming Scheduled

[thelakelander]

Just to be clear of how things work at this site, MetroJacksonville doesn't go out of its way to rip apart RAP.  You'll be hard pressed to find a Metro Jacksonville written article (the stuff on the front page of the site) purposely throwing below the belt blows at RAP. As a board, Riverside/Avondale politics is not a priority focus.

However, we have configured our site to allow for all residents to express their thoughts on a variety of issues concerns with our discussion board (that also includes members of RAP as individual participants).  A major part of this site's success is that it's highly interactive and because of the following we generate, words expressed get exposed in a city where censoring the "little guy" had become common.

With that said, I do believe the sentiment expressed by individual members from the Jacksonville community and Riverside itself, indicates the neighborhood is becoming more diverse in its make up.  The success of RAP over the years is a major reason for this.  Nevertheless, when an urban community becomes more diverse, it's not uncommon that all neighbors will march to the same beat on every particular issue concerning the community.  That appears to be what's taking place. Metro Jacksonville just happens to offer a forum where that dialogue isn't outright censored by controlling parties that may not agree with everything being expressed.  IMO, neighborhood groups, city officials, businesses, etc. should use this tool as an advantage of engaging the general public.

[Dog Walker]

A shout out to Riverside Avondale Preservation which continues to work with JEA to better trim the neighborhood's trees. For the first time since I've lived here, the trees were not completely butchered. We all know how fashionable it is for the folks at MetroJacksonville to rip apart RAP, but they do great things for the 'hood and I appreciate their work to protect our awesome canopy. Sending in my membership money today.

Its not 'fashionable' to 'rip apart RAP'

And most of us are very personally warm with the venerable historic preservation group and have very common ground with many of their goals.

But that doesnt mean that we all agree on everything or that RAP can do no wrong.

An RAP committee worked very hard with JEA over a couple of months and persuaded them that their normal tree trimming practices were not appropriate for the historic district where houses are so close to the street.  There were meetings, field trips, heated arguments, instant agreements and mutual respect among the participants.  A lot of work by all parties.

After twenty or more years of complaints from residents, JEA has not only changed their methods but is using specially trained crews under constant supervision.  They are also replacing open-wire secondary circuits (240volt) with insulated wire to reduce the need for trimming for these low placed wires.

Kay Ehas led this effort for RAP.

[Dog Walker]

A top JEA executive said to me something very telling:  "We are an accounting and engineering driven firm.  It is difficult and unusual for us to incorporate any other values in our operations."

It took direction from the very top of JEA management to include those other values in their practices.  It also took a city councilman going totally ballistic over a tree butchered across the street from him without the required notice to get their attention.

Kay has added a large lump of good karma to her store of it.

[Kay]

Paul:  we had a great team working on it--including you.  Couldn't have done it without you. 

[Josh]

Anyone stop by and check yet?