City Park West Neighborhood Association Goes Dark
Apparently there is not much going on at CPWNA these days. “President” Carla Madison sees no burning issues and has (by email, in quotes): 1. cancelled the meeting in December, 2006, (“We are going to take a break and there will be no meeting for the month of December. But I don't want you all to just forget about the neighborhood.“) 2. held a questionable election (in the sense that the Association by-laws for holding elections were ignored) in January at which she was “re-elected” for a 7th consecutive term by the few remaining members, and 3. cancelled the monthly meeting in March (“We have no presentations scheduled this month for the City Park West Neighborhood Association and no burning issues. I think that rather than schedule a City Park West meeting I will instead ask the membership to try to take the time this month or next to educate yourselves and make it to a Council District 8 Candidates Forum.”) 4. and now cancelled the April meeting (“Another month is going to slip by without a City Park West Neighborhood Association meeting. Once again there are no vital issues, no rezonings or happenings within our borders that need to be addressed.”) Funny, but I see the election of a new representative for District 8 as a burning, vital issue. CPWNA has not sponsored a Forum this year, but the Merchants at 22nd and Humboldt have picked up the slack and will hold a Public Forum on April 12 – Thursday - 6pm - Kaiser Franklin Street building (sw corner of 21st and Humboldt), Reimer Room in the basement. This Forum will feature questions from the audience. All current and former members of CPWNA please note – this is your chance to address those "non-burning" issues!
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Part of the problem of living in a neighborhood with no current prevailing issue to rise up against is that participation is lacking. In the fall when I decided to run I realized there would be a bit of a conflict of interest and made the offer for anyone to take the helm. No takers. I've also been warning folks that when elected I will no longer be able to run the Association. Again I don't see anyone rushing to learn the ropes. Dave Webster, our vice president, has his hands full as he has just started his second term as INC president so I don't see him taking over either. We'll see what happens.
ReplyDeleteIn my own defense for the 8 years I have been CPWNA president I have only cancelled one or two meetings, prior to this campaign. Through the campaign I have continued to mail all city and other relevant announcements out to the neighborhood list and keep it campaign free.
I cancelled in December because Councilwoman Wedgeworth had scheduled a community meeting about the Children's Hospital Redevelopment that night and it seemed better to have neighbors attend that rather than miss it by attending the CPWNA meeting. Besides it was the holidays.
I have a forum tonight and couldn't make the meeting. I am not the association - just the president - none of the other officers felt it necessary to hold a meeting, so it was cancelled.
We have elections in January if enough folks show for a quorum.
Anyone who would like to can step up. Perhaps Mr. Trumble would like to become more involved.
Carla Madison
OK, show of hands: How many of you regularly attend your neighborhood association meetings? How many of you were planning on attending the cancelled meetings? I thought so.
ReplyDeleteNeighborhood associations, unless there is a burning issue, tend to draw only a few people. If there are no business items or issues to deal with, many non=profit Boards will cancel meetings for a period of time. Why would a neighborhood association be different? I see no conflict of interest whatsoever.
Carla Madison has worked tirelessly for our neighborhood for many years (for no compensation either!). She still has my support and vote!
Mr. Trumbule's opinion that the association has "gone dark" shows the huge commitment Carla Madison has given to the City Park West Neighborhood Association. Like Carla said, she is not the entire association. However, it seems if she is not constantly involved, like she has been for the past 8 years, no one else does anything. Instead of complaining Mr. Trumbule, you should be grateful that Carla Madison has done such a great job for the association. District 8 will be very fortunate to have her as a council woman if that is how the voters decide.
ReplyDeleteLaura, thanks for the comment. I don't quite get your logic. Why do you think no one else is doing anything? Because we are lazy and don't care? No.
ReplyDeleteOver the 6 years I participated, I saw neighbors drop out one by one due to Madison's autocratic rule and her disregard for the by-laws. I don't remember seeing you or any of the other 5 Christoffersens listed as Madison supporters on her website at the Association meetings that I attended for 6 years. Believe me, I know all about what has happened to the CPWNA. I was there.
Gerald Trumbule