Open note to Sharrieff: Sorry that I have other commitments tomorrow night and can't make the meeting you've called at Walnut West Library. In lieu of being there (and to stimulate dialog), I'd like to urge that the focus be strictly on problems of UCD as it's now being run and the community. Things like transparency, decisions having to do with implementing visions of planning and development that many stakeholders in the areas do not share, the real or perceived usurping of what should be government responsibilities with respect to security, litter abatement, events and activities in public spaces, etc. Connected with these issues are questions which should be on the minds of people from whom UCD solicits voluntary contributions -- such as the cost-effectiveness of programs (litter and the ambassadors cost over $1.4 million each last year ... could this money be spent with more impact through better management?) or through expenditures that seem to serve no purpose except shameless self-promotion of UCD (like the silly "report card" they just mailed out). Likewise, there are issues to be discussed having to do with what Penn either naively or facetiously calls its "partnership" with the community. It ain't no partnership, regardless of what definition of that relationship some Penn Trustee who drove all the way from DC for a First Thursday meeting tried to intimidate me by saying he could supply. All Penn does, really, is spend money on local projects Glenn Bryan's boss thinks are "terrific" -- some on its own and some by giving dough to people who will implement its agenda. This is no partnership. For instance, how many of the immigrant merchants being kicked out of 40th Street between Walnut and Market think that what's happening there is a partnership? If the question of a NID is ever to be resurrected, UCD (and Penn -- who are clearly the driving force) would certainly have to be much more "of" as opposed to simply "in" the community before it would have the foundation to formulate such an initiative and surely before it could even pretend to be suitable for serving as the NIDMA. Well, you get the picture. Good luck with having something positive emerge from the meeting. And, if any Penn or UCD people attend, don't let them hijack it the way they did with the charades known as the "40th Street Forums."
Always at your service & ready for a dialog, Al Krigman -- 36-year local resident, housing provider, curmudgeon, and all-around doubter. ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
