** Need your help. **

[bananas]

Thanks Bill! - I was given that information by SPAR back in April 2010

[macboots]

Bananas, did not realize you are no longer on the board. I knew that things were bad... but did not realize they were *this* bad...

It's my understanding there are only roughly 40 dues paying members... a bit absurd that SPAR can claim to represent us to the city. Like a sucker I guess, I paid my membership due when I came to the neighborhood thinking the organization was good for the community. I doubt I will renew based on things I have heard as of late...

Cheers,

Will

[Julie Anne]

Did anyone ever find out what the SPAR dsign review committee was? Who is on it? What their function is? What their quaifications are to be on it? Brenda was at HPC taking against a neighbors fence (which was stunning by the way), and referenced this was coming from the SPAR design review committee (again whoever/whatever that is). I think is SPAR is going to speak against neighbors they need to pubish the qualifications of their group to give input on design.

[fsu813]

Let me take this opprotunity to ask for your help in making the changes that you wish to see happen.

There is literally no better time than now.

If you've ever thought, "I didn't have a good experence with them before. Maybe one day i'll get on board again when it's different. Better yet, i'll get me and all my friends".

Well guess what: it's different. And further Board tunrover is probable.

The opprotunity is here.

Now is the time to make your opinions and input heard.

There are people on the Board, including myself and others, that are aware of the flaws and that are working to change them.

And having success.

You can have a big influence, should you choose to ge involved.

A BIG influence.

Of late, the direction of the organization has been discussed.

The mission statement has been discussed.

Leadership has been discussed.

These are the larger issues that people want addressed, I believe, and the conversations are happening NOW.

I know there have been a number of applications to fill the 5 (projected) vacant board spots in October.

If you want to change the organization, up, down, left, or right, there is no better way to get involved and make it happen.

The more good candidates the better, so if interested, please get involved and help mold the organization to better serve the community.

It's now or never, so, borrowing a phrase, let's make it happen.

(I believe specific skill sets/expertese desired will be published soon.)

[jbm32206]

And that still does not address the problem with the current spar board, or the fact that bylaws have not been adhered too, that elections have been decided upon and slate elections held...so why should anyone trust that anything would be handled differently? We've known good people to serve on the board, people who wanted what's right for the community, and they ended up quitting/leaving/and the problems continue. Let us also be reminded of who decides what applicant is worthy...again, the problem has not been resolved and cannot be until there's MAJOR changes with the executive board, governance committee and board members.

Your original post

Since the recent 2000 Overlay letter has generated, yet agan, contempt with some people...
And since there are definitey hard feelings and wariness from past SPAR Boards.....
let me take this opprotunity to ask for your help in making the changes that you wish to see happen.
There is literally no better time than now.
If you've ever thought, [i]"I didn't have a good experence with them before. Maybe one day i'll get on board again when it's different. Better yet, i'll get me and all my friends".
Well guess what: it's different. And further Board tunrover is probable.
The opprotunity is here.
Now is the time to make your opinions and input heard.There are people on the Board, including myself and others, that are aware of the flaws and that are working to change them.
And having success.
You can have a big influence, should you choose to ge involved.
A BIG influence.
Of late, the direction of the organization has been discussed.
The mission statement has been discussed.
Leadership has been discussed.
These are the larger issues that people want addressed, I believe, and the conversations are happening NOW.[/i]

So please, explain how can anyone expect anything different, when nothing has changed?

[Gloria]

Seriously? Several of us met with Dr. Gaffney Thursday morning to discuss demolitions in Springfield. We had to hurry out of there because Dr. Gaffney had another meeting starting directly afterwards. On our way out, we saw Claude walking into the meeting with Gaffney to discuss ROOMING HOUSE ISSUES.

And, I would imagine, it is just any old "rooming houses" that he wanted to discuss.

What new direction are you talking about Bill? What new positive action is occurring?

You sound like most everyone who, in the last several years, got on board only to become disillusioned and leave.

I respect your enthusiasm. I know you care for the neighborhood. But SPAR is so negative and so focused on hurting people that unless they change, they are doomed.

Want to help the organization? Force a legitmate election. As a board member you could do this.

[Gloria]

Did anyone ever find out what the SPAR dsign review committee was? Who is on it? What their function is? What their quaifications are to be on it? Brenda was at HPC taking against a neighbors fence (which was stunning by the way), and referenced this was coming from the SPAR design review committee (again whoever/whatever that is). I think is SPAR is going to speak against neighbors they need to pubish the qualifications of their group to give input on design.

Ironically, Vince, got inspiration from his fence by looking to Mike Acompora's fence just down the road (also done without COA).

Funny, when I talked to Vince later, he said that when he heard the president of SPAR had written an email, and that email that was going to be included in the hearing, he was excited. Surely, the thought, SPAR was happy with his restoration and had written to support him.

He said he couldn't believe that SPAR would blast him over his fence when he was so proud of the work he had done on his house. And he was really hurt to be slammed like that on his fence.

This negativity bullshit needs to stop.

(Especially if board members are allowed to do the same thing and get by with it.)

[aboston]

never been to spar board meeting. heard they are public but noone goes- me included. i dont go to much. why dont people just show up to see what is going on instead of he said she said back and forth. anyone been recently and nething to report?

[Gloria]

So, as an example of how little SPAR Council can follow it's own laws and polices, the "position paper" says at the top"

Adopted June 21, 2010
Board of Directors
SPAR Council

Yet, the actual minutes from the June 21, 2010 board meeting says:


Claude has been drafting a letter concerning issues in Springfield. It was suggested to make a
short executive summary page and end with a sample statement and contact information for the
appropriate city officials.

Please note, no mention that it was a "Position Paper", no mention that it was "adopted". Did the full board even see the thing?

Sorry, but I think that the "board" seems to have little to do with what SPAR Council's President and Executive Board is actually doing...

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/ ... 61.30.html

Bill, you are a board member and were at the meeting, did you vote to adopt the Position Paper?

[iloveionia]

I asked Brenda several weeks ago who was on the Design Review Committee. Here is her response (cut/paste:)

The following sit on SPAR's Design & Review Committee: Me, SPAR Executive Director; Rob Lytle, contractor/historic restoration craftsman; Susan Brown, renovator/craftsman; Tony Jarzyna, architect, and Chris Farley, historian/resident.

Our meetings are typically 2 weeks before the public HPC meeting date.