Do Residents Care About Areas Other Than Where They Live?

At last night’s meeting in New Irving Park it was evident that the residents of the neighborhood cared about what happens in their area of town.  One question that came to mind was “do they care about what happens on the other side of town” and “do people on the bad side of town care what happens on the good side of town?”

After the meeting I had the chance to ask several residents if they have “ever considered that the individuals taking part in the criminal activity might be coming from what they consider to be the bad parts of town.”  Most said, “that is a very good point.”  I then followed up with “do you think that is a reason that residents of Greensboro need to come together and care about more than one part of the city?”  Everyone answered with a “yes.”

Now that the meeting has passed and everyone has gone back to their day to day life, do you think residents care about areas outside that of which they live? What will it take to bring Greensboro together?

500+ Attend Tuesdays New Irving Park Community Meeting

It is very likely that you had no clue that hundreds (500+) of residents from Greensboro’s New Irving Park neighborhood would be meeting tonight (5:30 pm) at Mendenhall Middle School. The meeting (Put on by Zack Matheny) was set to allow members of the community to come together and learn about what the police department has at its disposal, how things work when calls come into 911 and what residents can do to make their community a safer place to live.

When the formal presentation was complete Matheny opened the floor for questions, and the audience wasted no time firing away at Chief Hastings (Bellamy is at a Chief conference) as many have a new heightened fear of crime since a resident of New Irving Park was recently murdered.

Along with Greensboro’s Mayor Yvonne Johnson, council members in attendance were Zack Matheny, Robbie Perkins, Sandra Anderson-Groat and Mary Rakestraw. Greensboro City Manager Mitchell Johnson was also in attendance.

As I talked with residents after the meeting they appeared to be very appreciative that their community had the opportunity to come together but yet again voiced concerns over “what is actually going to be done to fix the problem?” I also asked residents if they would be in favor of raising taxes in order to hire more police officers. Many quickly responded by saying “yes,” but followed that statement up by saying “as long as we know the money isn’t being wasted.” A few individuals simply said “no” and that they would not support a tax increase as long as Mitchell Johnson and Chief Bellamy were employed by the City of Greensboro.

All and all the meeting was yet again another step to bringing Greensboro together as a city and making it a safer place to live.

I will apologize in advance for the bad photos.

Greensboro City Connections Newsletter

The January 22nd edition of Greensboro’s City Connections newsletter is now online.  In the issue you will learn that the Governor of NC cites Greensboro as a state leader in water management and conservation.  You will also learn how the redrawing of the council district lines could affect you next May.  Last but not least, the newsletter hits on how Greensboro is “Saving the earth, every other week.”

Click here to view City Connections.

Homeless in Greensboro at 20 Years Old

Note: This post may feature my opinion and is not 100% centered around Greensboro Politics.

As Greensboro argues about black books and which city employees should be fired we have homeless people (hundreds at times) sleeping on the streets each night in Greensboro. As I was pulling out of my garage last night I nearly ran over one of these individuals (he was in my blind spot as I backed out). He asked me to roll the window down, I did, and then proceeded to ask for a couple dollars so that he could stay in his room that cost $10 per night. I informed him that I did not have any cash and that I was sorry I couldn’t help him. This individual is a bit different than the average person you see walking the streets. Why? He is only 20 years old.

Before I pulled off I informed him that we have a neighborhood watch and that if any of the neighbors saw him walking behind the houses that they would likely call the police. I shared this information with him because I didn’t want him to end up in jail.

My girlfriend and I pulled off and proceeded to go eat dinner. As I drove away I looked at her and said “that breaks my freaking heart.” During dinner we talked about our encounter and I discussed some ideas on how to help the individual.

After dinner we were driving down Elm on our way home and I saw the young man again. The temperature was below freezing and I felt as though I simply had to help him. I pulled over on Washington, got out of the car (locked doors and told girlfriend to stay in the car) and backtracked to talk to the individual.

A short introduction allowed me to learn that Scott is 20 years old and is from Massachusetts. He is awaiting the arrival of his birth certificate (supposedly getting it on Wed) so that he can get an ID to stay in the shelters for free. I didn’t have a bit of cash on me so I told him to walk with me to the ATM on Green St. I know you might think I am insane for doing this… but I could not allow Scott to stay on the street. I got some cash and before I handed it over I said, “Scott, you have to understand that just like you I currently do not have a job (full-time). We all have hard times, yours are just harder than mine at the moment. If I find out you take this money and throw it away (drugs) then it will teach me to never help another person like yourself ever again.” He looked straight at me and said “I understand.”

As we walked back towards Elm I asked him if he had any interest in working and he simply said “Yes.” I will save you the details and simply say I am going to talk with some folks I know downtown and see if we can get Scott a job and help him get on his feet.

This post is completely off the cuff but it is something I wanted to bring awareness to. As you were sitting in your house last night there was a 20 year old guy that almost spent the night outside. Can you imagine that? I can’t.

I have sent an email to Bellamy Small and Wells asking them what they are currently doing for the many homeless individuals that call the streets of their district “home.”

Greensboro Recycling Ad Copy & Public Perception

This is a bit off topic but it is something that I found humorous and also brought a question to mind.

I was listening to the radio last night and an ad (likely PSA) for Greensboro’s new recycling schedule came on.  The final words of the ad were something like “Help Greensboro save the environment every other week.”  I immediately thought “So Greensboro doesn’t care about the environment the weeks we don’t recycle?”  Of course that isn’t what they mean but it is exactly what they said.

Do you feel as though the City of Greensboro does a good/bad job at handling its public image?

Terry Grier to San Diego

From the News & Record,

“Fresh off one of his most successful years as Guilford County Schools superintendent, Terry Grier flew to San Diego and accepted a job as that city’s new schools superintendent.

In doing so, Grier faces perhaps his most challenging job ever: raising the performance in a school system where a large number of students are poor and speak English as a second language.

Grier, 57, spent eight years here honing his reputation as an educational innovator. He developed a roster of initiatives that bedeviled some and delighted others.

“He seems to have both the ability to reach people and talk to people and to bring out the best in people, and at the same time hold them accountable,” said San Diego school board Chairwoman Katherine Nakamura. “He has an incredible work ethic.”

Grier will be well-rewarded in San Diego. He will earn a base salary of $269,000 a year and was offered a three-year contract, which begins July 1.

San Diego will also pay him $1,000 a day for each day he works for that board before July 1.

Grier accepted the job in person at a special school board meeting that began at 4 p.m. EST. Immediately after the meeting, parents, students, teachers and some of the principals he will supervise buttonholed him and began questioning him on the spot. Back in Greensboro, school officials convened a brief meeting at the Eugene Street central office to thank Grier for his service.

“We appreciate his efforts to improve the lives of our students,” said Alan Duncan, chairman of the Guilford Board of Education.”

More here.

Joe Wilson on the Black Book & Greensboro’s “Real Problems”

The infamous “black book” created lots of discussion yesterday in Greensboro.  Joe Wilson (ran for city council district 3 last November) appears to be fed up with the situation, “this issue has the same bearing on our real problems as does the debate over where to hold the Bi-centennial sack race.”

“Ask yourself what has been done to combat gangs in Greensboro since the election,” said Wilson.  “Ask yourself what has been done to force the current leadership in the city staff to step up and actually make the necessary changes to repair our city’s image. Where are the tax reductions? Transparency in government ,remember that one? I think not.”

He continues,”Our city is in dire straits and could literally become a city we don’t want to live in.  Don’t take my word for it ask yourself what signs of economic recovery are you aware of ? Have you heard of anyone getting a great new job ? Has your elected official been quoted as saying you can expect lowered tax rates or increased police presence? NO, they haven’t been and they won’t because they are doing nothing to require it .”

Continue reading here.

Council Members Comments on the “Black Book” & Questions for You

Margaret Banks of the News & Record has a story in today’s paper reporting that members of the city council saw the “black book” that has been at the center of the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) fiasco.

She writes “Members said they can’t elaborate on the contents, saying it could jeopardize an ongoing criminal investigation connected to two former Greensboro police officers.

But they would say this much: The book is real.

“There was so much talk about the ‘black book,’ and all of the sudden it’s in your lap,” said Councilman Zack Matheny . “Wow, here it is. It exists.”

Matheny said he looked at the book — just briefly, though, because “it’s kind of a dirty feeling.””

Mary Rakestraw said “”I still feel that something is missing,” she said. “I can’t put my finger on it.”

Councilman Mike Barber said the book is “not particularly titillating.” He said the community should stop focusing on the racial aspects and leave the issue in the past.  “The city of Greensboro will become the great city it can be if there is never another discussion that is predicated on race,” he said.

Questions- Would you feel better about the city if you saw the “black book?”  Would you feel better if Johnson was fired?  How about if Bellamy was fired?  If you are upset by the Wray situation/GPD fiasco, what would make you feel better about the city?

Amos Quick Sets Record Straight on Dudley Drug Story

From the Letters to the Editor section in today’s News & Record,

“By Amos Quick, vice chairman, Guilford County Board of Education.

On Jan. 10, the News & Record published a mostly factless story regarding the arrest of a 24-year-old man (page B3). The large headline read, “24-year-old man charged in trying to sell marijuana, cocaine at Dudley.” That was followed by the sentence, “A man was arrested Wednesday at Dudley High School after allegedly trying to sell marijuana and cocaine on campus.”

The article later identified the man as a student. All three of these statements, while probably effective in conveying a hidden message, were not true.

After speaking with people associated with the school, the school resource officer and an additional Greensboro Police Department officer, I was informed this individual was arrested at Phillips Avenue and Lombard Street. I have also been assured that no 24-year-olds are enrolled at Dudley. There’s also no evidence, of which I am aware, that this individual was at Dudley at any time in the recent past.

So why does Dudley even get mentioned? It took me three phone calls and a total of seven minutes to get the correct information.”

More here.

Bill Knight on Greensboro’s Water Supply

I had the pleasure of sitting next to Bill Knight (ran for City Council At Large in 2007) at Tuesday’s city council meeting and today he is speaking out against Greensboro’s continued water problem.

“We have learned that the Randleman Water Authority is ready to begin construction of a water treatment plant at Randleman Lake, once Authority members secure the necessary approvals and financing. We are faced with a delay of several more years before Randleman Lake water can be supplied to the city.”

Knight posed the following question, “Why can’t Greensboro begin now to address its water issues by laying the water transfer lines from Randleman Lake into the city?”  He then cited the answer given by the city, “Apparently our water officials and city management cite cost of construction as a drawback.”

He continues by asking “how much additional population increase and expansion of our borders can take place before our water resources are in a permanent deficit.”  Read more from Bill Knight here.