The topic is the state of Greenwood, the state of the Community Council, and what we should focus on over the next year.

In March, the Community Council held elections and selected a new board for the next two years.  I was council president some years ago, and have become president again.  Rick Klingele , J. C. Vieth, Michelle Averill, Angela Cherry and Trevor Stanley will also serve on the board.  Last month we decided to defer the monthly meeting and have a beer instead – about the state of things in Greenwood and what we’d like to do to reinvigorate the community council in the coming year.

A few ideas:

• We’d like to meet every other month – on odd months – and put on some great programs.
• We’d like to limit our meetings to an hour and a half.
• We’d like to plan our meeting topics well in advance, and address key neighborhood concerns.

It’s been a difficult time in Greenwood.  Hard economic times have put strain on local businesses and social services.  Planned developments have been put on hold.  Comments on local blogs are sometimes bitter, and the Phinney-Greenwood Chamber has been dissolved.  At the same time, there have been some exciting and thriving new businesses, and our streets are being rebuilt.  It’s a good time to consider how we’d like to be positioned as a neighborhood as the dust clears and the economy begins hopefully to improve again.

At Tuesday’s meeting we’d like to hear from you about the state of the neighborhood, and how the community council can contribute to a better future.  We’d also like to settle on a draft program for the next year.

We brainstormed some topics for next year’s meetings – they included:

• Fall candidates forum
• Empty storefronts and economic recovery
• Transit and transportation
• Safety, emergency preparedness and block watch
• Sidewalks update and strategy
• Greenways
• Kids’ agenda – what it’s like for kids living in Greenwood
• The state of social services here

What do you think?  Are these the things most worth thinking about?  Are there others you’d put higher on your own list?  If you have thoughts on the state of the neighborhood or the community council, please stop by on Tuesday and speak your peace.

Thanks for reading,

– Rob Fellows

Additional agenda item ideas can be submitted at http://www.GreenwoodCommunityCouncil.org.

2012 – 3rd Tuesdays

• 15 May 2012.
• 19 June 2012.
• 17 July 2012.
• 21 August 2012.
• 18 September 2012.
• 16 October 2012.
• 20 November 2012.
• 18 December 2012.