My dear friends and neighbors – I have been on Community Board 1 for almost 30 years. At this point in my ‘community board life’, I have gained the experience to help on the development of parks, water front, traffic safety and of course, schools and youth programs.
Honestly, I don’t have time or extreme interest in land use but many of my friends do. I focus on services. The installation of term limits would take away the institutional knowledge we all bring to the table. For example, with other board members we were instrumental in changing ‘turning lanes’ and increasing school safety. We organized on issues huge and mundane. We have relationships that make impact.
Sometimes the CBs are made of self-interests such as tenants, landlords, business reps, civil servants, nonprofits employees or just plain folk who are there to give. With experience and communication the mix can bring great results.
Community Board term limits are not like elected officials. We don’t approve anything with power and do not control budgets. We have only our voices in an advisory capacity. We are not paid. I have spent many, many long evenings working for the community. Democracy is messy but it works.
As a community organizer I find it important to build warm relations with the people who run city services. They rely on us, as being knowledgeable. We can be a bit ‘curmudgeon like’ but we help people. Community Board members are good activists. Right now I am working on public safety and fighting on the closing of a school. Real issues impacting real people.
Why you ask, does the mayor and his charter revision commission want to limit the amount of time we can serve our community ? Why does he want to start an engagement commission (initiative #2 ) and spend good taxpayer money on a bad concept?
I think he made a mistake. He is trying to bring in more people into the process. However we have significant turnover on the Community Board each year. In fact it is my understanding that no data exists on the historical membership of Community Boards. It is also my understanding that many boards have only 30% of members over eight years. What’s the problem?
So how can this charter revision commission recommend solutions to an issue that does not exist ? Vote No on 2 and 3.
Bob Townley
