OSHNA is entertaining a project proposal that would identify its residents' wants and desires for the neighborhood to the tune of $12,000.00 including fees for an outside consultant. UPDATE: A revised plan and budget was presented last night, cost is now at $5,800.00. Find out more tonight at the General Membership Meeting. Did you know that the association successfully cut consultant fees in the Garden Center Renovation budget by tapping into skill sets found in the neighborhood?
In October of last year, the membership elected a new Board of Directors. One of the pledges of the elected board members was to work to identify what was needed to improve the neighborhood. Now it seems that they are seriously considering hiring an outside entity to do this effort rather than do it themselves. This project in its initial form would gobble up 25% of OSHNA's current funds. WOW!!! No other project that did not produce immediate income has ever considered asking for this amount of money.
OSHNA is a volunteer organization of residents and business owners who desire to improve the quality of life of the neighborhood. Elected board members should take the lead in volunteering their time and energy to keep the neighborhood moving forward. I want to see the elected Board members activity performing the tasks identified in the Outreach Project Plan. Removing the consultants fee and stripping some of the 'nice to have items' might just allow this project to be successfully implemented without dramatically reducing OSHNA funds. The concept is good, the proposed cost to implement is not financially practical. Making use of websites such as this one and others can be used to find out some of the information for free. OSHNA has a website that it could use as well. The membership will have a chance to voice their opinion at the General Membership meeting Tuesday night 7pm Allan Hall - Seminole Heights United Methodist Church corner of Central and Hanna.
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Welcome to the Evelyn City Neighborhood
Evelyn City is a subdivision of a large Tampa neighborhood known as Old Seminole Heights and was initially developed in the early 1900s. For the purposes of this blog, the boundaries will be: the Hillsborough River to the north, 275 to the West, 22nd Street to the East and Sligh Ave to the South.
There are many issues that need to be addressed and resolved in the area, however I feel that this is a great neighborhood to live in. We have a wonderful diversity of homes, people, parks, and businesses.
There are many issues that need to be addressed and resolved in the area, however I feel that this is a great neighborhood to live in. We have a wonderful diversity of homes, people, parks, and businesses.
2 comments:
I, too, like the idea of talking to ALL of the areas of OSH and finding out what they need/want from OSHNA. But, like you I find it shocking to think OSHNA would spend $12,000+_ on one non-income generating project.
Wow. Where to begin. Has there not been enough controversy about closed meetings and inclusion? ALL board meetings are to be open to the membership and noticed.
When this committee was created (I was at that meeting) there was a brief discussion of the need for a budget for the committee to do the work, from what I have heard for the past several days is a proposal to hire out the work. No offense to the co-chairs of the information an outreach committee but this is not appropriate approach for a volunteer and grassroots neighborhood.
There should not be the need to have a special (closed meeting) to fine tune this proposal. While I echo most of what I read below from Christie, I would not even support $5,000. This is the same association that won’t even $150 to send a postcard to reminder to members. This is the same association that won’t pay for a baby-sitter so that parents with young children can attend the meetings. This is the same association that turns away or ignores willing volunteers who aren’t in the “correct” circle or clique. The list could go on and on.
Want to figure out outreach? It doesn’t take 12k or 7k or 5k (among the figures I have heard). Maybe the board members can have a reprint of the brochure from the 90’s and go and walk the neighborhood where we don’t have members. Listen to why people don’t choose to get involved, listen to what opinions they have of OSHNA. Don’t debate them, listen.
That will take some time but it surely won’t cost 12 grand. It is about community organizing it is not about paying a pricey consultant to make a report to gather dust on a shelf somewhere.
--Rick Fifer
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