[UC] A passing
Does somebody know what happened to Duane from Abbraccio? I just saw the notice for his memorial service.
[UC] Friends of 40th Street
Dear Friends, As you begin to enjoy these first official days of summer, please join us for the monthly meeting of the Friends of 40th Street next Friday! Friday, June 29 8:00am - 9:30am Oshiver Community Room, 3901 Market Street This month, Carolyn Hewson of University City District will update the group on UCD's community improvement initiatives, and Chris Anderson from the Rotunda will announce the venue's free summer events for community members. As always, breakfast will be served. Attached is a flyer so people can spread the word. We look forward to seeing everyone there! Best, Andrew Goodman Friends of 40th Street
Re: [UC] UCD Related
Dear S, I am an interested person wanting to know the facts. (and some opinion) I am also wandering about the people who distrust UCD as a whole will change their minds with a new director. I highly imagine that it won't change their minds, unless the new director is able to change their by-laws. I imagine the person they hire will someone who will follow their rules, thus no change. Of course speculation and assumptions are not part of my life, so let the real people who know please speak up. :) Dan Myers On 6/23/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In a message dated 6/23/07 8:36:27 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Melani...I would respond but I really don't believe you are as clueless as you pretend to be. The real interested parties can ask their own questions in due time. S Yes, I am clueless...but even if I weren't, you must have an opinion, so why not state it? What did Lewis Wendell do which would necessitate his resignation? Melani Lamond *Melani Lamond, Associate Broker* *Urban Bye, Realtor* 3529 Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19104 cell phone 215-356-7266 office phone 215-222-4800, ext. 113 office fax 215-222-1101 *2006* recipient of the Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors awards: *- Diamond award for over $8 million in sales, and* *ALL SIX of the West Philadelphia awards:* *- Top Lister* *- Top Seller* *- Top Overall Combined Volume* *- Top Listing Units by Area* *- Top Selling Units by Area* *- Top Overall Combined Units by Area* ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. -- to the power of breathing, Dan Myers Intuitive Masseur 215.901.0899
RE: [UC] UCD Related
Luckily for us, UCD's spending their own money. Unlike whoever it was who just ripped up all the pavement on my block, who are spending OUR money with, as far as I can tell, absolutely no neighborhood oversight, no explanations, no town meetings, at all. The only reason we know the names of the people in UCD is because they DO come to meetings, even if they're reading prepared statements. Who's in charge of tearing up the streets? Did they ask any of the stakeholders if we wanted our streets torn up? Did anybody fill out a pothole survey? Al keeps pointing out how poorly UCD's PR person is paid, but does anybody know how much this re-paving is costing? And who's getting the money? -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of S. Sharrieff Ali The UCD is a fiscal nightmare of frivolous spending and waste. They are on Mars looking down at the rest of us on earth. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
Re: [UC] UCD Related
In a message dated 6/25/07 3:26:33 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: .I called for change within the mission, board, and directorship of UCD... Mission, Board and Director, will need to change in order for the UCD to be effective in a way which will benefit the broader community... The Community Stakeholder Committee established will make recommendations for change at the UCD... ...S Sharrieff, when did the community (the huge majority which was not at Glenn Bryan's meeting) elect the Community Stakeholder group? How can you be sure that you represent the views of the stakeholders? Are you doing a survey, a vote, or a polling of some sort? Who would be allowed to weigh in? Who are the stakeholders? If the UCD's mission, board and director changed, what would be the work of the UCD, and who would pay for it? Currently, the folks on the Board are footing the majority of the bill for clean and safe efforts in wide areas of University City. Do you think they'll keep doing that, if your committee decides they have to go? Clueless, Melani Lamond Melani Lamond, Associate Broker Urban Bye, Realtor 3529 Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19104 cell phone 215-356-7266 office phone 215-222-4800, ext. 113 office fax 215-222-1101 ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
Re: [UC] UCD Related
In a message dated 6/25/2007 3:57:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes (to Sali): Currently, the folks on the Board are footing the majority of the bill for clean and safe efforts in wide areas of University City. Do you think they'll keep doing that Wouldn't it depend on the extent to which the various parties are being honest about their intentions and agendas, and the corresponding goals for what a Special Services District (SSD) might be constituted to achieve, whether there's a real partnership between Penn (and the other institutions) and the community, the degree to which a NID might get back on the table after an appropriate SSD proved itself competent to be the NIDMA, and factors like that. Personally, I'd like to see an SSD emerge that got back to the basics of clean and safe and dropped the marketing, development, and social engineering roles that made the UCD so popular with the few anointed and unpopular with the many benighted, and also operated in a transparent manner -- both functionally and fiscally -- so that people either had confidence that the organization knew what people really wanted and understood the value of a dollar that most people have to work to earn, or their deficiencies in this area were obvious enough that they be shown the door. The above at the policy level, perhaps subject to open deliberations and stakeholder input (and not at the dog-and-pony forums with agendas framed by Harris-squared), long before the selection of a new Executive Director. This way, a person could be recruited -- perhaps locally, perhaps globally -- with a track record in implementing the newly redefined policies and in adapting to rather than trying to reshape the situation on the ground. Al Krigman PS: Lest there be any doubt, I wouldn't want the job under any circumstances, so I hope neither of you will come pounding on my door with an offer. ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
RE: [UC] UCD Related
Yeah Melani.you are clueless! Community Stakeholder groups are ad-hoc or not, both valid and never include EVERYONE. The most important part is making them open to the public, which we are. The process of making a motion from the floor at the First Thursday Meeting was announced and published multiple times on this listserv and in the UC-Review. Get involved if you would like to know more and stop being ridiculous, you should try to be more engaging or enlightening. Start by reading what is posted on the subjects you are interested in. S -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, June 25, 2007 3:54 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: univcity@list.purple.com Subject: Re: [UC] UCD Related In a message dated 6/25/07 3:26:33 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: .I called for change within the mission, board, and directorship of UCD... Mission, Board and Director, will need to change in order for the UCD to be effective in a way which will benefit the broader community... The Community Stakeholder Committee established will make recommendations for change at the UCD... ...S Sharrieff, when did the community (the huge majority which was not at Glenn Bryan's meeting) elect the Community Stakeholder group? How can you be sure that you represent the views of the stakeholders? Are you doing a survey, a vote, or a polling of some sort? Who would be allowed to weigh in? Who are the stakeholders? If the UCD's mission, board and director changed, what would be the work of the UCD, and who would pay for it? Currently, the folks on the Board are footing the majority of the bill for clean and safe efforts in wide areas of University City. Do you think they'll keep doing that, if your committee decides they have to go? Clueless, Melani Lamond Melani Lamond, Associate Broker Urban Bye, Realtor 3529 Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19104 cell phone 215-356-7266 office phone 215-222-4800, ext. 113 office fax 215-222-1101 ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
[UC] Cobbs Creek Recreation Path
Ever wished you could just hop on your bike and ride away from the UCD-related squabbles? Well, you can, both literally and figuratively. Welcome to the Cobbs Creek Recreation Path: four miles of smooth pavement and creek-side bliss about as far due west from the UCD as you can get while remaining in Philadelphia. I recommend a jaunt down Spruce, a dogleg past the Caribbean destination restaurant Taste O' Home for takeout and a relaxing picnic in the shade at Mount Moriah Cemetery. ( http://www.mountmoriahcemetery.org/ ) Do it now! More, as usual, including a video tour here: http://malcolmxpark.org/?p=176 Comments welcome, Andrew You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
RE: [UC] UCD Related - UCD Self-inflicted Failures
Craig writes: In business as in sports you always go for the very best talent available, even if it is not local Ali: I would not say it has been proven the best talent was selected. I stand firm it is a mistake in this particular case of UCD, the next Director should be local talent. We have tried the last two from out of town with poor results. S -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, June 25, 2007 5:34 PM To: univcity@list.purple.com Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [UC] UCD Related - UCD Self-inflicted Failures In a message dated 6/25/2007 3:30:04 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: The comments from the community regarding UCD's lack of responsible partnering with our community are long standing ...I called for change within the mission, board, and directorship of UCD. The problem is UCD failed to continuously create and maintain a shared vision with the broader UC community. This is perhaps one reason Steinke left when he did. Nor was Fry a consensus builder. If my recollection serves me, upon Paul's departures, Fry stepped down as Chairman and assumed the role of acting executive director. I believe it was at that time certain community groups' reps were temporarily unseated/unrecognized or treated as at-large members, thus, creating new forms of conflict/distrust between the Penn Vision for the UCD and the constituent community's expectations. The John Fenton issue was an insult to us all and is just the latest of many arrogant power plays germinated at the UCD. More seriously, it demonstrates that a ten year old community and economic development organization (UCD) has developed very little maturity, has failed to understand the local culture of Philadelphia's contentious politics, has failed to implement SOP's for lawfully addressing ethical challenges, and has failed to establish industry standard HR policies that would allow UCD to swiftly, authoritatively, and fairly deal with what appears to be a MXPark non-issue or at worst most minor issue not worthy of the Office of Special Counsel nor the intellectual capital this community has spent on it; again, if it even occurred. Personally every time, I will take Councilwoman Blackwell's word over two disreputable scofflaws sentenced to perform community service because of their affirmed moral laxities. Ten years ago Rodin's Corporate Counsel should have developed, written, and implementing an appropriate HR policy. During the last ten years the UCD Board should have demanded the policy be regularly subject to Quality Assurance/Improvement standards along with the necessary changes required by applicable case laws. It is expressly UCD's failure of leadership which allowed such a minor event, still in question as to its occurrence, to have festered into a major public dispute embarrassing to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and besmirching the good reputation of their great champion and ally the Honorable Jannie L. Blackwell. The real issue lies in the organizations mission and administrative structure, not the least of which is the lack of vision, acknowledgement of responsibility, and oval leadership by the past two Executive Directors. Hiring Directors for UCD who are not familiar with local politics or the multiple constituencies which require coordination in order for the UCD to sustain support and carry their mission, has been the biggest mistake ... I disagree. Great talented and wise leadership, when hired, is hungry to build the proverbial Golden Bridge to even countervailing interests, unless it is told not to by the Board. Out of town candidates have been routinely selected over many locally qualified candidates to create a dependency while maintaining the status-quo within the UCD Board. In business as in sports you always go for the very best talent available, even if it is not local. Mission, Board and Director, will need to change in order for the UCD to be effective in a way which will benefit the broader community. ... UCD is a fiscal nightmare of frivolous spending and waste. They are on Mars looking down at the rest of us on earth. The Community Stakeholder Committee established will make recommendations for change at the UCD. Perhaps the first and most critical failure of Rodin's UCD was to see UCD as the savior of an already vibrant culturally diverse West/SW Philadelphia, which clearly was foreign to her upper-middle class values. Second, perhaps UCD has tried to be too many things to too many people over too large a geographic area. Third, to suggest Rodin's UCD saved the community, UCD must first answer how many units of new moderate and low income housing UCD developed and/or maintains in its service area. Or answer the charge - how could it use its economic power to change the demographics of the community without considering, announcing, and publicly
Re: [UC] Cobbs Creek Recreation Path
I'd love to do this with a group of University City cyclists, some sultry-yet-simmering-down summer evening. Very available this weekend. Does anybody feel like a bike excursion across West and Southwest Philadelphia? I know the area pretty well, and I bet others do too. Best days would be Thursday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday-Monday. -- Tony West (1) - Original Message - From: Andrew Schwalm [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ever wished you could just hop on your bike and ride away from the UCD-related squabbles? Well, you can, both literally and figuratively. Welcome to the Cobbs Creek Recreation Path: four miles of smooth pavement and creek-side bliss about as far due west from the UCD as you can get while remaining in Philadelphia. I recommend a jaunt down Spruce, a dogleg past the Caribbean destination restaurant Taste O' Home for takeout and a relaxing picnic in the shade at Mount Moriah Cemetery. ( http://www.mountmoriahcemetery.org/ ) Do it now! More, as usual, including a video tour here: http://malcolmxpark.org/?p=176 Comments welcome, Andrew You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
RE: [UC] Cobbs Creek Recreation Path
Oops, fixed the URL to the post at malcolmxpark.org with the video tour: http://malcolmxpark.org/?p=177 You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
[UC] UCD Related - Whoa
I think Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell made a mistake when she backed Knox. IMHO she gets things right more often than she gets things wrong, and she keeps my vote and admiration. John Fenton may (or may not) have put work effort and UCD resources into a political rally. IMHO there should have been clear, written policies and procedures; less jumping to conclusions and resounding support (and a second chance even if 'guilty') for a guy who gets more things right than wrong. I am glad he landed on his feet, working on behalf of our neighborhood Lewis Wendell may (or may not) have rushed to judgement on John. IMHO he is another good neighbor and hard worker who should be given the chance to learn from the events of recent days. I do not want another rush to judgement, especially in the absence of clear evidence and the presence of too much emotion. IMHO Lewis is someone who has gotten a lot right and who deserves a fair hearing and another chance. I think Craig is absolutely correct: In business, as in sports, you always go for the very best talent available, even if it is not local. With the caveat that the current 'player' be considered as to whether or not he may be the best available. Another good aphorism, is fix only the broken. IMHO it is UCD, not the director, that needs to be fixed. Like Al, I'd like to see an SSD emerge that gets back to the basics of clean and safe and drops the marketing, development, and social engineering roles that make it unpopular with me and many other neighbors. I want it to serve the neighbors of the neighborhood, not trample our culture and replace it with something artificially bright. Also, like Al, I want our SSD to operate in a transparent manner -- both functionally and fiscally. No one is perfect. I have few happy thoughts of JOHN FRYE, and feel a sense of good riddance. I am only moderately sorry he fell up (are FM and the suburbs up?). I have many good memories of hard and effective work by DL WORMLEY PAUL STEINKE and LEWIS WENDELL. It is easy to forgive and feel grateful to each for the maintenance and progress driven by their efforts. I am not prepared to see Lewis sacrificed to the current passion for vengeance or perceived opportunity. I hope that among the scenarios being considered are all the possible consequences of the costs /or benefits of a change at the helm of UCD. My preference, at least for now, is healing with LW in place. Best! Liz
RE: [UC] Cobbs Creek Recreation Path
i might be available this weekend. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of Anthony West Sent: Mon 6/25/2007 6:43 PM To: UC Llist Subject: Re: [UC] Cobbs Creek Recreation Path I'd love to do this with a group of University City cyclists, some sultry-yet-simmering-down summer evening. Very available this weekend. Does anybody feel like a bike excursion across West and Southwest Philadelphia? I know the area pretty well, and I bet others do too. Best days would be Thursday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday-Monday. -- Tony West (1) - Original Message - From: Andrew Schwalm [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ever wished you could just hop on your bike and ride away from the UCD-related squabbles? Well, you can, both literally and figuratively. Welcome to the Cobbs Creek Recreation Path: four miles of smooth pavement and creek-side bliss about as far due west from the UCD as you can get while remaining in Philadelphia. I recommend a jaunt down Spruce, a dogleg past the Caribbean destination restaurant Taste O' Home for takeout and a relaxing picnic in the shade at Mount Moriah Cemetery. ( http://www.mountmoriahcemetery.org/ ) Do it now! More, as usual, including a video tour here: http://malcolmxpark.org/?p=176 Comments welcome, Andrew You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
[UC] Woodlands deer culled?
??? Neighbors, ??? I was so enjoying the calm on the list for the past few days.? With the extra time I had not reading UC messages, I refinished an antique desk, rebuilt a '39 Ford V-8, installed the AC's, and cleaned all the windows.? And got to the Woodlands on Saturday and Sunday. ??? On Saturday I saw a single deer and, for the first time, what I think was a young fox - no, not that kind - a real, reddish brown, 4 legged thing that looked much more alert than the deer.? Yesterday, I didn't see any deer or foxes, although my wife spotted two deer. ??? Which leads me to this:? has someone killed a bunch of deer in the past few weeks?? I mean, I got used to seeing 5, 6 or 12 at a time, like it was their house.? Paul AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.
[UC] Reducing Junk Mail
I subscribed to this service after seeing it featured on the evening news. I have been a member since February and my junk mail has been reduced considerably. If you are interested check out the website at http://www.greendimes.com/more_info where you can find the specifics. This is not free service but is very reasonable considering the reduction of paper sent to my house. Joe Clarke You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
