Priorities For a New SPARcouncil.

[stephendare]

If we were designing it from scratch what would be a list of the things that an effective neighborhood organization should be doing?

Here are some of my ideas of priorities.


1.  Taking an inventory of the remaining historic structures, assigning them status ratings based on how endangered or how restored they are and Preserving and Restoring them.

2.  Restoring the Dignan/Confederate Park System.
     Phytobioremediation and get serious about active use and or programming for the area to prevent further degradation from disuse.

3.  Dissolving this ridiculous Security Force and/or creating a true community/neighborhood watch with monthly reports.  A little creative thinking about implementing neighbor based security is long overdue in this area.  With today's technology the entire matter should be radically updated from the times of the Neighborhood Watch programs which were mostly designed in the 1970s.

4.  Start building a Toolshare program for renovators and restorers and the like.  Use the space rendered unrentable downstairs at the SPAR building.

5.  Implement CEPTED in the alleys and along the commercial corridors. (for the love of god).

6. Let Samba take on the responsibilities of the commercial environment (Lake, who is the new governing board fo SAMBA?)

7.  Preserve the history of Springfield.   Why are there no tours of the Jewish Graveyard or the Confederate dead?  Why arent there any lectures about Henrietta Dozier?

Thats all I have for now.  Im sure there are other priorities out there.

There are a few things that I think a neighborhood organization should NOT be doing.

1.  Commercial property flipping and or investment.

2.  Boycotting area businesses.

3.  A design review committee.

[AlexS]

I think the current Articles spell out nicely what SPAR should be doing. What needs to be done is break down the high level goals, agree on actionable items (and their priorities) and make them public. At the end of the year (or quarterly) hold inventory and compare what was achieved to the plan.

Article II. - PURPOSE

Said Corporation is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, the making of distributions to organizations which qualify as "exempt organizations" under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Code).

The further purposes of the corporation shall be:

a. to promote the preservation, restoration, and revitalization of the neighborhood known as Springfield, located in the city of Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida

b. to advertise and speak of Springfield in such terms as to encourage non-Springfield persons to seek homes in Springfield

c. to offer to current and potential Springfield residents assistance in regard to financing, restoration, and in either field which would contribute to the betterment of Springfield

d. to serve as a liason between the various governmental bodies and agencies which are concerned with the neighborhood and the members of the corporation

e. to coordinate the activities of the corporation and the various government and private agencies concerned to achieve the maximum benefit and the minimum of overlap of effort

f. to offer education to the membership of the Corporation with regard to any program or activities which would affect them in either a positive or negative manner

g. to offer education to the various agencies, both government and private, with regard to the neighborhood, the preferences of the members of the Corporation on specific questions and the desires of the members of the Corporation on specific requests

h. to provide, without profit, referrals to any person of properties within the neighborhood

i. to make use of available funds, both grants and contributions, to make physical, legal and psychological improvements to the neighborhood

j. to publish a periodic newsletter which promotes the neighborhood and the activities of the Corporation

k. to gather for preservation, historic documentation and information as it pertains to Springfield and to maintain an archive of said materials

l. to promote a spirit of cooperation and good will among all citizens of the neighborhood

m. to promote efforts to achieve "historic district" status for the area known as Springfield

[sheclown]

AlexS,

What would you like to see as a high level goal?

[jbm32206]

"to promote a spirit of cooperation and good will among all citizens of the neighborhood" This would be a good start....

also...what's this..."to offer to current and potential Springfield residents assistance in regard to financing, restoration, and in either field which would contribute to the betterment of Springfield" Just how does spar offer assistance...does anyone know?

[jtwestside]

"to promote a spirit of cooperation and good will among all citizens of the neighborhood" This would be a good start....

also...what's this..."to offer to current and potential Springfield residents assistance in regard to financing, restoration, and in either field which would contribute to the betterment of Springfield" Just how does spar offer assistance...does anyone know?

As someone who is currently in the market I would be very interested to know what if any assistance is offered as well.

[strider]

"m" actually shows how dated the articles are.  Also, there is an amendment to these that changed the name and little else when HSCC and SPAR merged into SPAR Council.  The articles need to be revisited for today’s world.   I would imagine that they have not been due to the fact that it does indeed require a membership vote to modify them.  And change them the wrong way and I believe you can put the 501 3 c status at risk.

[sheclown]

"m" actually shows how dated the articles are.  Also, there is an amendment to these that changed the name and little else when HSCC and SPAR merged into SPAR Council.  The articles need to be revisited for today’s world.   I would imagine that they have not been due to the fact that it does indeed require a membership vote to modify them.  And change them the wrong way and I believe you can put the 501 3 c status at risk.

What's different?  I mean, other than achieving historic status.