[Durham INC] INC-list Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7
TheOcean1 at aol.com
TheOcean1 at aol.com
Tue Jan 6 19:19:38 EST 2009
Randy is right that most government stuff is so slow, there is certainly no
need to slow it down.
Everyone at that meeting will attest to a better explanation of the vote at
hand than I provided below.
There was no change of process, just the utilization of a rarely used tool
that INC has always had in the box.
It allowed the proponents of the Meal Tax to add INC's name to a long list
of 31 organizations, so the vote didn't carry earth shaking consequences.
Regardless of how big an issue is, our process is extremely important, as
Randy points out, and is (as stated) one of the reasons I accepted a seat on
the board again.
There was no deviation from process of the Meals Tax vote, but Randy is not
wrong to scratch his head at the disparity of the INC unanimous vote, and the
results of the general election.
Wonder what these other organizations thought of the outcome.
Organizations Endorsing the Prepared Meals Tax
African American Dance Ensemble
American Tobacco Trail Group - Triangle Rails To Trails
Board of Trustees of the Carolina Theatre of Durham Incorporated
Cultural Master Plan Advisory Board
Downtown Durham, Inc.
Duke Chronicle
Durham Appearance Advocacy Group
Durham Arts Council
Durham Art Guild
Durham Central Park, Inc.
Durham Civic Center Authority
Durham County Stadium Authority
Durham Open Space and Trails Commission
Durham Savoyards
Durham Tourism Development Authority
(DCVB Governing Board)
Durham Workforce Development Board
Eno River Association Board of Directors
Friends of Durham
Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce
Herald-Sun
Independent Weekly
InterNeighborhood Council
Keep Durham Beautiful
Museum of Durham History Steering Committee
Museum of Life and Science
New Hope Creek Advisory Board
Parrish Street Advocacy Group
People’s Alliance
Preservation Durham
Spectacular Magazine
St. Joseph's Historic Foundation/Hayti Heritage Center
Bill Anderson
In a message dated 1/6/2009 6:28:45 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
randy at 27beverly.com writes:
Bill Anderson said:
"The type of people who attend INC meetings are on the most part, better
informed than the general populous, and in my opinion, that's why those
present voted for this progressive effort."
My point exactly. If the INC reps were in touch with their communities,
then INC should have never overwhelmingly supported the Tax. The community
voted >73% against it. As it appears, the reps that come to INC can just
vote the way they want and to heck with the folks they represent.
Otherwise, INC would have voted it down as well. That's where the
disconnect is here. Either word isn't getting out or ear wax and
bedfellows are in the way...
I still maintain our old way (as long as it takes sometimes) is the tried
and true way the system works. If something is so critical, that INC
voting one way or another interupts that process, then perhaps it was
because of poor planning. There never should be a sense of urgency that is
so great that it changes the process. Most of the dealings of INC is with
government. And slowing it down is hardly necessary. It moves at a very
slow pace. So what if INC doesn't have time to digest the particular
issue, it's INC's fault that it has a process in place for dealing with
issues in a timely fashion. Having a process and sticking to it is not a
bad thing. I can't think of an iron hot enough to make it any different.
To put INC into a position where the process necessitates a change because
of some sense of urgency is a disservice to INC. INC meets every month.
You can't get much more regular than that... And it's been this way
(except maybe for a year or two of a summer break) since I've been
involved.
RWP
27 Beverly
>
>
> As Nancy points out, organizations change over time, often effected by how
> our method of communication changes.
>
> 20 years ago, the primary means of neighborhood communications were
> newsletters. Today, much more is done over the neighborhood listservs, and
> eventually
> that may become our primary means of communication.
>
> As a returning board member of INC, I've witnessed the changes INC has
> experienced over the past years.
> Our new President seems dedicated to a better understanding of the past,
> and
> a more thought out plan for the future. I'm greatly encouraged by his more
> holistic approach.
>
> My personal goals include making sure the INC process is better explained
> and adhered to. The downside of that process is it is frustratingly slow.
> Generally, that would be; an issue is brought up in say May, and a program
> around
> it is planned for (at the earliest) the June meeting. The information
> would
> be gathered there by the reps, who would take it to their individual
> neighborhood's next meeting and return in July with that neighborhood's
> collective
> opinion.
>
> Some issues don't allow for that three month minimum process, and such was
> the case on the Meals Tax.
> In cases like that, the board can provide a provisional vote that can be
> ratified at the following meeting, which is what was done for the Meals
> Tax.
> Durham was provided almost no leeway except that it could put the issue on
> the ballot. That provided far too little time to inform the general
> public, and
> partly thanks to opponents who muddied the waters calling it a food tax,
> the
> general population cast too many votes under a cloud of
> misinformation....
> and that's why it failed.
>
> The type of people who attend INC meetings are on the most part, better
> informed than the general populous, and in my opinion, that's why those
> present
> voted for this progressive effort.
> The short window (six week?) might have been enough to inform the voters,
> had it not been for all the misinformation that opponents were spewing. If
> you
> doubt this, take your own private poll.
> Ask folks how they voted and why. You'll hear a lot of them who thought
> the
> tax was on all food, not just prepared food.
>
> We can only learn from the past, and prepare for the future. Our current
> President is doing just that, first by calling a meeting of all the past
> Presidents last month. INC's first President was in attendance and
> provided history
> back to the '80s. I've seen incoming Presidents plan for their year in
> office, Craigie Sanders is the first President I've seen working on a five
> year
> plan.
>
> If you consider the listservs are a better means of communication, and
> feel
> that careful planning produces better outcomes, then I think great things
> should be expected.
>
> Bill Anderson
>
>
> In a message dated 1/6/2009 11:25:14 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> scrapping.nancy at verizon.net writes:
>
> Randy brings up a thread that I too have pulled at as a new rep for Hope
> Valley Farms. I am not allowed to vote because my neighborhood does not
> currently have a way to effectively convey information and receive
> adequate
> input in order for me to vote in a representative way.
>
> I would really like us to look at this issue -it is not unique to INC,
> I'll
> give a PTA example. A controversy occurred at a school - PTA leadership
> purported to speak for all PTA members but they had not taken a vote and
> if
> they had, they would have needed to share four bits of info - total
> school
> population, how many members they have - how many voted for and how many
> voted against the proposal.
>
> As a newbie - I have been very surprised that INC has taken votes before
> they have taken the information back to their membership.
>
> Finally, I can imagine there are issues that not all INC members should
> vote
> on -things particular to a region - my beef - no secret here -is the
> effects
> of development on SW Durham and other regions of Durham with rural areas.
> This issue's impact just isn't felt to the same degree by someone who
> lives
> outside of SW Durham although I am sure they can and do empathize and of
> course want what is best for all of Durham. Nevertheless...
>
> The start of a new year is a good time to revisit mission, goals etc.
>
> Nancy Cox
> writing just as me not as rep of HVF
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <inc-list-request at rtpnet.org>
> To: <inc-list at rtpnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 7:43 AM
> Subject: INC-list Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7
>
>
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>> Today's Topics:
>>
>> 1. what happened... (RW Pickle)
>> 2. Re: what happened... (Reyn Bowman)
>> 3. 50% CUTS IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH BUDGETS
>> (pinnaclecdc at aol.com)
>> 4. Re: County Manager's Proposed Budget Actions (Reyn Bowman)
>>
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 03:06:04 -0500 (EST)
>> From: "RW Pickle" <randy at 27beverly.com>
>> Subject: [Durham INC] what happened...
>> To: inc-list at durhaminc.org
>> Message-ID: <1162.71.111.250.165.1231229164.squirrel at www.patriot.net>
>> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
>>
>> Melissa brings up another point:
>>
>>>> But I do not think this museum needs any additional improvements at
>>>> this time, particularly a new and larger gift shop...and many Durham
>>>> citizens did not vote for the prepared food tax because they didn't
>>>> want the money used toward this end.
>>
>> This brings up something that has been a topic of conversation for a
>> number of people; both associated with INC and outside of it. But I
>> have
>> yet to hear it discussed in an open forum.
>>
>> How could INC reps be bringing information back to the meetings, and
>> vote
>> overwhelmingly for the Meals Tax, only to have it defeated by >73%? It
>> just doesn't seem like the neighborhoods and their reps are even
>> talking
>> about the issues. Otherwise the INC vote wouldn't have been so positive
>> in
>> favor of the tax. (I don't believe anyone voted against it when the
>> vote
>> was taken). Obviously there is a problem here somewhere in the
>> communication paths. Otherwise you'd expect the vote to be reflected
>> similarly by INC as it was by the voters. Yet it was so far off, you
>> have
>> to wonder why.
>>
>> Or is it that only the HOA's that are members of INC truly have a
>> membership of ALL of their neighbors while some Associations that make
>> up
>> INC have as little as 10% (or less in some cases)
>> membership/participation
>> in them? For example, INC currently has Board member that has claimed
>> to
>> represent a neighborhood for years. Yet, last year when I mentioned
>> them
>> to the long-term President of that Association, she didn't even know
>> them.
>> Maybe it's that type of lack of neighborhood conversations/involvement
>> that led INC to support something that clearly had little support by
>> the
>> people it claims to represent. It's hard to believe that INC is that
>> out
>> of touch, but the Meals Tax vote is a clear sign that something is
>> wrong.
>> The last couple of years INC has moved further away from the core
>> values
>> that made it work so well for so long. It has taken on some bedfellows
>> that perhaps it's time to kick out of bed. These are hard things to
>> think/talk about, but it's necessary if votes are to be taken on
>> issues
>> that clearly the community INC purports to represent believes the exact
>> opposite.
>>
>> RWP
>> 27 Beverly
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 2
>> Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 06:45:35 -0500
>> From: Reyn Bowman <Reyn at Durham-cvb.com>
>> Subject: Re: [Durham INC] what happened...
>> To: RW Pickle <randy at 27beverly.com>, "inc-list at durhaminc.org"
>> <inc-list at durhaminc.org>
>> Message-ID:
>> <1CCD4AA8608B1148A080E953C1A2EEA60F00D820CC at EXCHANGE-2008.durham.cvb>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>>
>> Here is another viewpoint.
>>
>> Polls indicate the meals tax failure had everything to do with the
>> economy, not popularity of the measure. Prior to the economic turndown
>> the measure was more than 2 to 1 in favor.
>>
>> I wouldn't read too much into it or judge those who had much more time
>> to
>> study the pros and cons...voters were given an artificially short
>> window
>> for voter education by virtue of the state legislation.
>>
>> It was also clear in analysis that had the measure been on a local
>> election ballot as is more typical vs. forced into a presidential, the
>> more than 35,000 votes it received would have given it more than any
>> other
>> measure or candidate for that matter on the previous local election.
>>
>> One thing is clear. If it had passed, we'd see 2/3rds of the costs of
>> many things transferred to non-residents, opening up millions in the
>> general fund to soften the impact of these cuts on core services.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org]
>> On
>> Behalf Of RW Pickle
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 3:06 AM
>> To: inc-list at durhaminc.org
>> Subject: [Durham INC] what happened...
>>
>> Melissa brings up another point:
>>
>>>> But I do not think this museum needs any additional improvements at
>>>> this time, particularly a new and larger gift shop...and many Durham
>>>> citizens did not vote for the prepared food tax because they didn't
>>>> want the money used toward this end.
>>
>> This brings up something that has been a topic of conversation for a
>> number of people; both associated with INC and outside of it. But I
>> have
>> yet to hear it discussed in an open forum.
>>
>> How could INC reps be bringing information back to the meetings, and
>> vote
>> overwhelmingly for the Meals Tax, only to have it defeated by >73%? It
>> just doesn't seem like the neighborhoods and their reps are even
>> talking
>> about the issues. Otherwise the INC vote wouldn't have been so positive
>> in
>> favor of the tax. (I don't believe anyone voted against it when the
>> vote
>> was taken). Obviously there is a problem here somewhere in the
>> communication paths. Otherwise you'd expect the vote to be reflected
>> similarly by INC as it was by the voters. Yet it was so far off, you
>> have
>> to wonder why.
>>
>> Or is it that only the HOA's that are members of INC truly have a
>> membership of ALL of their neighbors while some Associations that make
>> up
>> INC have as little as 10% (or less in some cases)
>> membership/participation
>> in them? For example, INC currently has Board member that has claimed
>> to
>> represent a neighborhood for years. Yet, last year when I mentioned
>> them
>> to the long-term President of that Association, she didn't even know
>> them.
>> Maybe it's that type of lack of neighborhood conversations/involvement
>> that led INC to support something that clearly had little support by
>> the
>> people it claims to represent. It's hard to believe that INC is that
>> out
>> of touch, but the Meals Tax vote is a clear sign that something is
>> wrong.
>> The last couple of years INC has moved further away from the core
>> values
>> that made it work so well for so long. It has taken on some bedfellows
>> that perhaps it's time to kick out of bed. These are hard things to
>> think/talk about, but it's necessary if votes are to be taken on
>> issues
>> that clearly the community INC purports to represent believes the exact
>> opposite.
>>
>> RWP
>> 27 Beverly
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> INC-list mailing list
>> INC-list at rtpnet.org
>> http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/inc-list
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 3
>> Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 06:50:02 EST
>> From: pinnaclecdc at aol.com
>> Subject: [Durham INC] 50% CUTS IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH
>> BUDGETS
>> To: inc-list at rtpnet.org
>> Message-ID: <d43.30f1e350.36949f6a at aol.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>>
>>
>> Hello,
>> Many providers of substance abuse and mental health services funds
>> received
>> cuts of up to 50% before January 2009. This was not about poor
>> performers,
>> etc. It was an across the board decrease. I am sure that it was not an
>> easy
>> decision for the Durham Center, but, my first concern was for those
>> needing
>> treatment. Our funding was cut also, (pending availability and State
>> budget
>> issues) and we had to become creative quickly. There are still people
>> who
>> need
>> services.
>> NOT ASKING FOR MONEY!!! - MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT - NOT ABOUT MONEY!!
>> To that end, I am writing to you on behalf of Durham Together for
>> Resilient
>> Youth, Drug Free Community Coalition. We are a hard-working coalition
>> that
>> decided to take action a few years ago after researching the
>> relationship
>> between substance use and incarceration, illness and even death. It
>> shows
>> that
>> substance abuse exacerbates problems such as domestic violence, child
>> maltreatment, and homelessness.
>> We highly respect and actively support the great work currently being
>> done
>> by local government agencies, and treatment providers
>> Our membership includes parents and youth as well as valued community
>> partners. We believe that if we collaborate, we will have a greater
>> impact on
>> strengthening our families here in Durham and on building resiliency
>> in
>> our youth.
>> To that end, we would like to invite you to our monthly Community
>> Coalition
>> meeting on January 9, 2009 at the Durham Public School Staff
>> Development
>> Center, located at 2107 Hillandale Rd Durham, NC 27705 from 6:00 PM ?
>> 8:00 PM.
>> You will hear reports from business, youth, parents, faith, local
>> university
>> representatives and from North Carolina Prevent Underage Drinking. We
>> will
>> discuss the Strategic Prevention Framework that guides our work and
>> how
>> these
>> important steps can lead to substance abuse prevention.
>> Please RSVP at _www.DurhamTRY.org_ (http://www.durhamtry.org/) ? click
>> calendar. Attendees who join the coalition will receive a binder full
>> of
>> great
>> information. This meeting is free and open to the public.
>> Thank you for all you do to support children and families in our
>> community.
>> Sincerely,
>> Wanda Boone
>> Wanda Boone, Chief Executive Director
>> Durham Together for Resilient Youth
>> Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America MemberNorth Carolina
>> Prevent
>> Underage Drinking Grant Award Recipient
>> **************New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making
>> headlines. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026)
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>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 4
>> Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 07:41:17 -0500
>> From: Reyn Bowman <Reyn at Durham-cvb.com>
>> Subject: Re: [Durham INC] County Manager's Proposed Budget Actions
>> To: "mmr121570 at yahoo.com" <mmr121570 at yahoo.com>,
>> "inc-list at DurhamINC.org" <inc-list at DurhamINC.org>
>> Message-ID:
>> <1CCD4AA8608B1148A080E953C1A2EEA60F00D820CE at EXCHANGE-2008.durham.cvb>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-7"
>>
>> I'm not certain but I believe the Museum does all it can to offset
>> expenses with earned income like it generates from the gift shop. So
>> those who have all the facts are probably making cuts in expenses where
>> they know it won't also result in cuts in revenue...
>>
>> Last information I had the Museum has a very high degree of popularity
>> and
>> support from residents and especially important, more than 60% of the
>> visitors to the Museum are visitors who are bringing tax dollars into
>> the
>> community that help fund other services.
>>
>> The meals tax certainly wasn't a referendum on the Museum...
>>
>> From: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org]
>> On
>> Behalf Of Melissa Rooney
>> Sent: Monday, January 05, 2009 7:14 PM
>> To: inc-list at DurhamINC.org
>> Subject: Re: [Durham INC] County Manager's Proposed Budget Actions
>>
>> Our schools cannot afford any more cuts. In fact, they need
>> significantly
>> more money to accommodate the supposed increase in people moving here
>> (one
>> of the arguments for all the new development we're seeing in the
>> suburban
>> and rural areas). Many of our schools are still overcrowded,
>> particularly
>> those in the rural and suburban areas, and their trailers are now
>> considered permanent fixtures.
>>
>> Don't mean to be barking up the same tree, but our local gov't needs to
>> kick and scream and demand the ability to vote on NEW DEVELOPMENT
>> impact
>> fees specifically for public school funding. We citizens have been
>> begging
>> our state reps and senators for this ability for years, to no avail.
>> Meanwhile Orange County is still benefiting from these fees which
>> Durham
>> County is prohibited from imposing. In the meantime a referendum to
>> impose
>> land transfer impact fees toward this end should be included on any
>> ballot
>> from here on out... even if it is unfair to our long-term and senior
>> residents, it's the only thing we've got...there must be some way we
>> can
>> offset this unfair effect somehow. Colin, didn't you have some ideas in
>> this regard?
>>
>> I love the Museum of Life and Science, and all the improvements they've
>> made. I am in full support of the new outdoor section and the Dinosaur
>> trail, which are supposedly already funded via bonds. But I do not
>> think
>> this museum needs any additional improvements at this time,
>> particularly a
>
>> new and larger gift shop...and many Durham citizens did not vote for
>> the
>> prepared food tax because they didn't want the money used toward this
>> end.
>>
>> Just my ten cents...
>> Melissa
>>
>>
>> --- On Mon, 1/5/09, RW Pickle <randy at 27beverly.com> wrote:
>> From: RW Pickle <randy at 27beverly.com>
>> Subject: [Durham INC] County Manager's Proposed Budget Actions
>> To: fhna-list at fhnanews.com
>> Cc: inc-list at durhaminc.org
>> Date: Monday, January 5, 2009, 6:27 PM
>>
>> Press release from Durham County.
>>
>>
>>
>> Today, the Durham County Board of Commissioners met for their first
>>
>> Worksession meeting of the New Year. County Manager Mike Ruffin
>> presented
>>
>> a plan of recommended actions to accommodate the declines in the
>> economy
>>
>> and its impact on County operations. The report used a decline in key
>>
>> revenues as the basis for an overall FY 2009-09 Revenue Shortfall of
>>
>> $14.25 million dollars. To make up that difference, the County Manager
>>
>> recommends substantive cuts to county departments? budgets to capture
>>
>> $8,951,100 and proposes 3% cuts to other county funded agencies
>> including
>>
>> Durham Public Schools, Durham Technical Community College, Museum of
>> Life
>>
>> and Science, various non profits and more to
>>
>> make up the remaining
>>
>> $5,291.587.
>>
>>
>>
>> Dawn D. Dudley
>>
>>
>>
>> Public Information Specialist
>>
>>
>>
>> Durham County Manager's Office
>>
>>
>>
>> 919-560-0008 desk
>>
>>
>>
>> 919-475-4411 cell
>>
>>
>>
>> ddudley at co.durham.nc.us
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>> INC-list mailing list
>>
>> INC-list at rtpnet.org
>>
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>>
>> End of INC-list Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7
>> ***************************************
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