INC NEWS - proposal for Neighborhood Advocate highlighted in local blog...

[bragin at nc.rr.com]

Lots of newspapers, for example, have an ombudsman position whose job it is to deal with reader complaints about coverage or lack thereof. These people are paid by the paper. The good ones are not afraid to engage in adversarial relations with their bosses. The publisher realizes the benefit to the bottom line of its readership knowing that their complaints are going to be taken seriously.

There are also municipalities around the country that have similar positions. I think this proposal takes the adversarial component of the ombudsman, and pre-empts part of that function by anticipating problems that may arise from the city's actions (or lack thereof) and helping neighborhoods navigate them pro-actively.

I think asking neighborhoods to pay for this service is not a particularly good idea, especially given the inequity in ability to pay among our various neighborhoods. As things stand now, there are some neighborhoods that have the expertise and resources to work with the city to move or delay projects in ways that are beneficial to the neighborhood. Others, not so much. A neighborhood advocate serving all neighborhoods could help to level that playing field.

Barry Ragin
---- TheOcean1 at aol.com wrote: 

=============
 
 
I was also impressed with that suggestion, that the city hire someone  
dedicated to dealing with neighborhood issues. 
 
Have also been scratching my head about it since Monday night.
 
The question I still have no answer for is about the city hiring this  
employee. If this idea were ever to come to fruition, and the employee is a city  
employee..... would the employee be beholden to the neighborhoods, or to their  
employer, the City of Durham?
 
I suspect the goal would be more achievable if this individual were hired  by 
the neighborhoods, perhaps with money made available by the city. How could  
such an arrangement be configured?

Again, I don't have the answer, but  this listserv is an appropriate forum 
for discussion.
 
Bill Anderson
 
 
 
In a message dated 3/12/2008 12:03:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
bwatu at yahoo.com writes:

http://dependableerection.blogspot.com/2008/03/coffee-with-council.html

_______________________________________________
INC-list  mailing  list
INC-list at rtpnet.org
http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/inc-list









**************It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms, and advice on AOL Money & 
Finance.      (http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolprf00030000000001)