This is to inform you that as of the January 2022 meeting of the North Avondale Joint Strategic Planning Committee ( NA JSDC), there is no longer a chair person of the Committee. After serving out a year with Jeff Herr as co-chair, we no longer have personal capacity. Nor did anyone volunteer to keep the Committee running until such time that a new chair can be found. As NANA/NABA look for replacements and future direction of the Committee, I leave you with some observations and suggestions.
The majority of the Committee members are involved to gather info/have their voice heard but do not have time to serve as working committee members. Of the 30+ committee members, only 15 ever attended a committee call. Only four committee members were able to help the chairs with any tasks. Net, I think it is fair to say the group functioned as a non-working board offering oversight, not as a working committee.
To be successful, and attract a new chair(s), the Committee should be made up of contributing members with defined responsibilities. This will also serve to recruit Committee members. The JSDC should also move forward with hiring a consultant to provide professional help and work with the Committee members on their areas.
The body of work undertaken by the Committee could be defined as follows:
Chair(s)
- Preside over meetings
- Oversee work of sub committees
- Oversee work of paid consultants, including securement
- City / Port primary liaison
Admin
- Take minutes
- Schedule meetings
- Maintain repository of documents
- Maintain any budgets required
Development
- Work with consultants, Committee, gov’t leaders and developers to spur new development in business corridor including creation of official positions on development
Zoning
- Work with Committee, consultant, NANA, NABA and gov’t leaders to enforce and define zoning changes, questions and enforcement
Community Engagement
- Work with NANA, NABA, consultant and gov’t officials to lead community engagement as it relates to development and zoning changes
- Prepare monthly committee update for NANA News
I think if the Committee is limited to a subgroup of people with 1-2 people working in each of these capacities (ie maybe 10 members), it would have a significantly increased chance of success.
There are currently no open items within the Committee outside of finding a consultant. The purchase option on 3864 Reading does not expire until the end of March, at which time there stands to be a fair amount of work either with community engagement on the current applicant or finding a new viable buyer.
Beth Ewing, NA Joint Strategic Development Committee