[Durham INC] City of Durham Neighborhood Engagement Workshops

[M. W. Shiflett - Hotmail]

Thanks Tom (and Jay) for the invitation.

Unfortunately I've already registered ($$) for a HomeOwners Association Law Day program sponsored by Community Association Institute that same day with regrets.

However,  if I could support one initiative that the city undertook several years ago regarding the budget (that I still believe was a judicious and fair one) it would be the way it handles and applies funding to Non-City Agency requests to non-profits each year.

This 'refocusing' of the budget process for NCA's takes away the political haggling and sometimes over passionate way City Council (and the Manager) had to deal with in its prioritization of annual funding non-profits in its budget.  This also involved required follow-up mechanisms and reporting requirements every year by those agencies that did get funding.   

The updated process attempts to ensure that every tax dollar dedicated to this line item was well spend and of benefit to the citizens of Durham (not individual Executive Directors or pet projects) as times continue to be tough and money short for everyone.

Mike Shiflett



 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tom Miller 
  To: inc-list at rtpnet.org 
  Cc: 'Reinstein, Jay' 
  Sent: Friday, February 12, 2010 8:24 AM
  Subject: [Durham INC] City of Durham Neighborhood Engagement Workshops


  Dear INC delegates and neighborhood advocates:

  Last week you may have received an invitation from Bertha Johnson, Director of the Budget Management Office at the City of Durham to participate in a Neighborhood Engagement Workshop on Saturday morning, February 27.  This is the workshop I told you about at our last INC delegates' meeting.  Ms. Johnson sent her invitation via the city's neighborhood list which we know is not as up-to-date as it could be (more on that soon).  This workshop is an excellent opportunity for Durham's neighborhoods to make an impact on the city budget process like never before.  I urge your neighborhood to nominate a representative to attend.

  At the workshop, we will be challenged to work together to identify budget priorities for the coming year.  Of course with another expected revenue shortfall, the effort will not be so much about what money to spend, but what not to cut.  Participants will be asked to identify services most important to neighborhoods generally and to identify the neighborhoods where the services needs are the greatest.  This means that some of us will be called upon to say, "This year, instead of funding our project over here, spend the money over there.  They need it worse than we do."  This is the essence of good neighborliness, especially when there's not much to go around. Among neighborhoods, the budget process this year cannot be a winner-take-all horse race.

  Those who attend should be authorized representatives of identified neighborhoods ready to deliberate with the representatives of other neighborhoods on difficult questions.  So please, get up with your neighborhood's governing body and identify someone to attend.  Ms. Johnson has handed us an opportunity we have never had before.  Let's not waste it!

  The workshop will be held at the Holton Career and Resource Center at 401 N. Driver Avenue.  It will begin at 10 a.m. and run until 1 p.m.  Don't worry; the city will feed the representatives.  The program will include a brief survey of city services and the budget, but the most important part of the time we will spend together will be devoted to moderated, give-and-take round table discussions on questions of budget priorities.

  To participate, it is best if you register in advance and identify the neighborhood you represent.  Please contact Jay Reinstein, Budget & Management Services/Strategic Initiatives, via e-mail at jay.reinstein at durhamnc.gov  or by phone at 560-4111 ext. 20102 to confirm your attendance no later than Friday, February 19. 

  Tom Miller, President of INC

   

   

   

   



------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  _______________________________________________
  Durham INC Mailing List
  list at durham-inc.org
  http://www.durham-inc.org/list.html
-------------- next part --------------
HTML attachment scrubbed and removed