(submitted ... see you there on Wednesday)
---
Say NO to Bridge Tolls would like to invite you to:
Informational meeting, September 1st at 7:00 p.m. at Bank Street Brewhouse
and
New Albany City Council Meeting; September 2nd at 7:30 p.m., City County Building
One Southern Indiana is asking for $70,000 for unknown intentions. However, Mr. Dalby, president and CEO of 1si, openly supports the Ohio River Bridges Project and tolling if needed.
It is our mission that the residents of Kentucky and Indiana oppose TOLLS being placed on the Kennedy, Clark Memorial and Sherman Minton Bridges while still supporting more cross river connections. Tolls will restrict our communities’ growth and economic development.
As a small business in Southern Indiana we would like you to make your presence known at the City Council meeting. New Albany City Council recently took a formal opposition to tolling, a major step for the region. Now help us show the Council that they should not give this $70,000 to 1si, a group that opening supports the Ohio River Bridges project as proposed.
Please contact: Amy Weatherford or Shawn Reilly if you have any questions.
Please visit us on Facebook and join Say NO to Bridge Tolls
We look forward to meeting with you on the 1st and seeing you at the council meeting on the 2nd.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
31 comments:
I don't agree with Mr. Dalby's dismissive "delusional" and "pretty picture" name calling. Nor I don't agree with "trolls" name calling or insults of local Main St. volunteers. These are not tactic that will sway decision makers.
Dan and everyone, my using trolls was a verbal pun, nothing at all intended so I've removed it as I realize the term has been bandied around with derogatory meaning locally. I apologize to anyone I offended as I totally support all the local volunteers.
...will stop listening to "Where the Wild Thing Are" soundtrack now...
Dan,
Our local "downtown" group doesn't really function as a Main Street organization, nor does it necessarily try to. People inside and outside the organization agree on that. How is it an insult to say so?
For instance, the current issue of Main Street Now features an article in its "Network Notes" section that refers to the very same topic we've been discussing today, how government programs often favor the big guys but not Main Street businesses.
It highlights and links to policy and strategy suggestions put forth by The New Rules Project in order to level the playing field for small, local businesses.
This type of information is regularly received and further distributed by Main Street organizations around the country. If suggesting that having an organization to distribute, discuss, and potentially advocate for it here is disturbing to anyone, particularly by those who purport to support Main Street efforts, then perhaps the problem lies somewhere other than with those who suggest it.
Jeff, as said before, I agree with most of your goals. I disagree with your tactics to achieving those goals. If you think DNA should change directions, say it in a way that doesn't insult most of the volunteers who are actually working towards revitalization.
Apologies for the continued hijack but I think this is an important topic about local support mechanisms as well, especially with ORBP breathing down our necks:
Dan,
Given your general agreement with my goals and your time on the board, perhaps you can explain which tactics were successful in getting DNA to change direction toward a more active, Main Street oriented approach.
And before you say I'm being insulting again, I'm not. If there's a way to change DNA, I know several people (some of whom, including me, have tried in the past) who would sincerely like to know about it.
From my personal experiences a few years ago and those related to me by others who've either served on the board or been general members, it seems it's been difficult to even have supported conversations about that type of thing, let alone actually pursue the changes that could occur as a result.
What gives?
Guess this is as good of a time as any to officially announce my own bridges plan....
justuse64.com
Interstate 64 is a fine thoroughfare, and I tell anybody visiting me to take it around the city and miss spaghetti junction when they're heading back toward Nashville. Might not solve all the problems, but it would be nice if a few more Hoosiers used it to get to L'ville...the increase in gas costs would probably be similar to that of tolls/taxes to pay for a new bridge. Please, hold your applause:)
Jeff, stating that DNA is not a Main Street organization is factually incorrect. There's a wide array of Main St. issues upon which a group may focus. I'm aware of no requirement to focus on all of them.
Daniel, it's interesting you would say that. Ann and I, leaving from 604 E. Spring Street, took 2 cars to the airport. From here, it's exactly the same distance whether you take 65 or 64/265. If I were going south, I would never even think of going downtown. I'd say about half of New Albany would (and does) use 64 now. And during rush hour, Ann drives an extra 2 miles to use 64 to get out to the east end of Louisville. It avoids the worst of the malfunction.
Get on board Randy, we're taking this platform all the way to Indy!
Actually, Dan, there are guidelines that say Main Street organization is supposed to work comprehensively in all four areas of the Main Street approach.
http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/about-main-street/the-programs/name-use-policy.html
Whether or not DNA is doing that is a matter of opinion, not fact, at best.
And seriously, that's the best answer to my question about changing the org you could come up with?
I know the guidelines and I think they do a decent job of following them.
Seriously Jeff, it's a private, non-profit group. How many non-profits have a duty to do what you want them to do?
We've been over this before, sidewalks help people be healthy and not have heart attacks. Why don't you complain that the American Heart Association isn't lobbying the city council for more sidewalks?
I don't think they have a duty to me personally, Dan. I think they have a duty to the community and the parent organization.
It's not as if I'm asking for a herculean effort. I've heard board members tout the number of visits to the DNA web site. They could set up an RSS feed and be automatically redistributing information provided to them this afternoon with no cost other than a couple minutes labor. That would be a fine start.
As for the Heart Association:
Go to the local affiliate page:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Affiliate/Louisville/Kentucky/Home_UCM_GRA031_AffiliatePage.jsp
Click on "What We Do".
Under the community tab, you'll see:
We’re making your community healthier by advocating for key issues such as:
* Smoke-free public places
* More walkable and bikable streets, roads and parks
* Better nutrition and high-quality physical education in our schools
* Adequate, affordable and available health care for all
Those radicals!
But, again, since you've many times told me my approach to change and DNA won't work, I'd like to know what you think will.
If you get the American Heart Association here lobbying for sidewalks, in a manner more concrete than a post on their website, I'll get members of DNA to chain themselves to bulldozers. Deal? ;)
Talk about sticking your neck into the noose.
Jeff, when you really turn it on, you are a very clear and eloquent writer. Your Silver Street letter to the editor comes to mind as being particularly persuasive. If you want to affect the debate, I think you have more direct tools than going through another organization.
I'm speaking neither for Jeff, nor against Dan, when I say that at some point, we despair of the congenital inability of people in this town not to understand -- they're capable of understanding an argument -- but of exercising a willingness to speak and act.
I sent the invitation for Wednesday's toll meeting to roughly 100 people yesterday. One address bounced back. As of this morning, I've gotten no responses. I'll pass them on the street, and they'll thank me for taking a stand ... and they'll say nothing, themselves. Write nothing, themselves. Do nothing, themselves.
Not because they're incapable. Because they just plain won't. So, it doesn't much matter how one seeks to be involved. The stubborn torpor and inertia of people who plainly know better stands in the way of everything.
Rant over.
Roger, remember, some of us have to have quiet activism...but that makes us no less invested in the causes, nor less 'active'.
While making copies of the invite, the Office Depot manager proceeded to give me his opinion on the matter. He stated he lives in Louisville and works in Indiana and he didn’t mind it (tolls). His stance, if you use it you have to pay for it. I just didn’t make sense to him that we have already paid for it.
I then took my copies and passed them out to small business myself. I introduced myself and explained the invite. Everyone was for it and stated their intent to come to both the information meeting and the city council. I just hope that they do.
Not necessarily disputing, but could I get some examples of "quiet activism"?
Thanks for doing that, Amy.
iamhoosier: initiating thoughtful discussion in different circles than this one, receiving and performing relevant research and passing it along to various individuals, stuff like that. Sorry I can't be more helpful.
I understand quiet activism.
I've gotten three responses since the rant was posted.
I don't always like being the one to cross the minefield in ballet slippers, but as Mencken is my witness, if you don't push and prod some of these people, nothing ever gets done.
They don't "get" unity, they don't "get" activism, and they won't "play" along unless they're bludgeoned.
Sighhh. If only I weren't a Leo.
Did somebody say something about LEO? WTF?
FYI, I don't see the 1SI final vote on the Thursday agenda. It may change though, but it wasn't on the agenda I received.
I am going to summon The Abbey of Gethsemani on this one. They practice quiet activism. Sure knows most of us don't pray.
"...receiving and performing relevant research and passing it along to various individuals,..."
Fair enough. I can buy that, not that you need my approval. Thanks.
Mark
Daniel, look at ord. G10-16. Isnt that it?
See, I swear the Tribune has an alarm that goes off everytime LEO is mentioned here or on Twitter.
Good to know how to get their attention.(grin)
If only I weren't a Leo.
Try it as a Taurus that was raised by a Leo. Ever been around a bull that's been pushed and prodded a lot?
Minefield? What minefield? LOL.
Amy,
My agenda lists that as being an amendment to the garbage collection fees. I'll double check and see what's up.
Daniel...you're right. Talked with Marcey and it didnt get advertised in the paper.
Post a Comment