NACs
Citizens that are served by municipal government deserve to know what is happening in their City Hall. They must be given easy access to information, but the city should also provide it proactively. Opportunities to be included in government processes that lead to decisions must always be available to residents.
Neighborhood Advisory Council (NACs) is a fundamental cornerstone in that philosophy. Our NAC system provides a wonderful opportunity for members of communities and neighborhoods to come together to identify concerns, prioritize goals, and work for solutions. The police have collaborated with the NACs to assign supervisory staff accountable to each NAC, and provide at least one officer at meetings to update citizens on issues from parking complaints to arrests and crime trends. Other departments in the city attend and address particular issues, and make educational presentations to help residents understand how they can get information and have an impact on decisions. The Outreach Coordinator works closely with staff to make sure information gets to the proper department(s) for action.
For the last four years, I have been an appointed NAC coordinator for NAC 9. Our NAC has conducted four food drives for the city’s food bank. We also provided $800 in additional funding for Hospital Park, which is being developed by Friends of Hospital Park in partnership with the City. I served as a member of the group of NAC Coordinators that worked with the city’s Outreach Coordinator to restructure and renew the program last year. Our revised guidelines and a renewed Resolution were passed by Mayor and Board in 2008.
NAC’s have a lot of potential for growth and participation, and I am committed to growing the program and increasing its ability to provide valuable input to city officials to aid in decision-making. The residents are the folks closest to the issues at the ground level. It is critical that this input is sought after, and that it is given appropriate consideration. I have worked closely with many other NAC members and city staff, and I believe that our participation has made a difference. Yours can too!
