City Proposes Steering Committee, Breaking “Compassionate Decatur” Action Plan Into Phases
Decatur Metro | October 6, 2014 | 9:56 amThe City of Decatur City Commission meets this evening and – as promised 5 weeks ago when the measure was tabled – is taking up the Compassionate Decatur action plan to address the issue of diversity within the community. A letter from City Manager Peggy Merriss notes…
Data, personal observations and community experiences show us that Decatur is changing and change can be both unsettling and exciting at the same time. The definition of what it means to be a diverse community is continually expanding and evolving; yet, it still must incorporate and
respect traditional descriptions of diversity. Diversity includes age-based issues; economic opportunities and income; recognizing the capabilities of persons with disabilities; life-style choices, family structures and household types; national origin, culture and language; as well as race and ethnicity, gender and differences between newcomers and longtime residents. In order to draw on the experiences and knowledge of the community, our efforts need to be comprehensive, intentional and take a holistic approach to develop a community action plan that appreciates diversity and supports a community of inclusion and compassion based on justice and equity.
According to the City Manager’s note, the city is now proposing to break the plan into two phases, the first of which includes…
- Establish a steering committee to act as a core leadership team
- Create, organize and prepare the internal dialogue process, which includes all the logistics for setting up meetings to discuss the topic
- Organize background materials and info
The second phase would develop a budget and begin looking for outside sources of funding. The city still recommends working with the Decatur-based organization, The Art of Community, to start up and facilitate the process.
Ms. Merriss notes that for the process to be “effective” it cannot be rushed and will take place over the next 12 months. She continues…
It takes significant energy and time to inform and engage a broad cross-section of the community to assure active participation. Efforts must include continued outreach and feedback to maintain interest and meeting schedules must work around community calendars to avoid conflicts. Reports require adequate time for community feedback. We need to take the time and make the effort to get it right.
The city recommends establishing a $25,000 budget for Phase I, with funds available in the current budget.
Phase 1: Organize background materials
Phase 2: ?????
Phase 3: Profit!
New operating protocol for CoD:
1. Propose controversial legislation/action.
2. Recognize that the proposal is opposed by a clear majority.
3. Table said proposal for a few weeks to let the backlash cool down.
4. Proceed as originally planned although the majority still oppose.
When are the next elections?
I for one refuse to believe that the majority of Decaturites is opposed to organizing background materials. What is your solution, to just leave them in their present disorganized state?
OK, that made me laugh out loud. 🙂
The problem I have is that they start by organizing the background materials and then push whatever it is through based in large part on the argument that the background materials are very well organized and they spent considerable work on the organizing…
LOL! We should skip the first two phases, and get straight to the profit!
The City is trying to respond to a generalized and vocal angst by a large segment of the population. I believe there is little the city can/should do to stop a natural economic transition due to supply and demand. I think “success” of this initiative is that there be a fact based definition of the “problem.”
I fear that that a small group will be able to define the problem, and assume that it’s mere existence demands that it be “fixed” by the city.
Having lived in Boulder Colorado in the 90’s, I’ve seen this story before… unintended consequences always bite those well-meaning people who try to fix problems that are based on supply and demand…
“When are the next elections?” We’ll look forward to seeing you on the ballot. And I assume you vote in city elections, unlike 80% of the electorate.
Simply a waste of taxpayers money and not needed. Diversity, what , enfoce people to be involved in diversity, that should be left up to the individuals decision.
Still can’t figure out what the point of this initiative is.
If people want understanding on diversity, it should be up to the various kinds of “diverse” people who should organize meetings at a grass-roots level to promote understanding. It is not the role of a City to do this. The residents are perfectly capable of engaging one another in understanding the diversity of our community on their own.
The whole point is for city leaders to take the heat off themselves by reverse-democratizing the racial profiling allegations upon to the citizens at the citizens’ expense.
If memory serves, I believe this $25,000 was specifically set aside as funds to help address Mr. Denard’s (and the group that subsequently met) concerns. I’m not saying I agree or disagree with this new approach by the City. I just wonder if the City is in a “damned if you try, damned if you don’t” position.
Of those who commented here and in the previous thread, did you give any suggestions to your commissioner? And please don’t respond with something about them not listening. I am curious how many, if any, took their complaints about this a step further.
This is an additional $25,000.
Take a self-evident virtue like “compassion”, have a group of religious scholar reinterpret it into a “Compassion Charter”, have our government adopt this religious charter as its official policy (to cover its rear-end because someone accused its police employees of profiling) and then have the city manager spend $25,000 in taxpayer money to prepare to organize a steering committee to develop an action plan to begin preparations to open dialogue about what, holisticially, the term “diversity” means, not denotatively, but subjectively connotatively to every resident of the city–as a precursor to promulgating a city-wide ordinance or action. What could go wrong?
Behold your tax dollars at work.
Without a government to tell me how to feel, I wouldn’t know how to feel at all. Laissez-faire in feelings doesn’t work, people! The free market in feelings has failed! Oh, where is a facilitated dialogue when you need one?
I for one think this is long overdue. We have seen an increase in income diversity in this town over the past few years, and something needs to be done to make sure that these new neighbors are welcomed and valued for their differing backgrounds, perspectives, and expectations.
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Let’s be honest. It’s so much easier to be compassionate when we all look alike. This problem will soon resolve itself! Let’s do nothing and have more money for Christmas lights.
Is it just me or did the City government officials develop a God complex over the past year? You are supposed to represent us, not form the world around your own vision. I am ready to vote some new blood in too
We’ll look for your name on the ballot, too. And, I guess you are one of the 20% who actually vote in municipal elections.
What is your point exactly? We have to run for office in order to point out that our elected officials are no longer working for their constituents and that I would like someone new? And, to answer your earlier question, I am one of the 20%. And why is turnout relevant when the commissioners generally run unopposed? It could be .2% or 99% and the outcome would be the same.
My point is that, if you don’t like the way things are being done, do something to change it. If you think your point of view represents a proportion of the citizens, step up and put your foot forward. Decatur has, with a few exceptions, a long history of unopposed elections and if you think those folks are not doing the job, someone needs to oppose them.
As for the 20%, my point is that those who don’t bother to vote (congratulations, BTW), have much less credence to complain. And no, if more people voted, the result might not be the same.
Ferguson, MO had about a 15% turnout in their most recent election, but the “underrepresented” African-Americans had only a 2% turnout. Of course they were underrepresented.