Well, we got another press release:
Power of 32—the regional visioning initiative that includes 32 counties in the Maryland panhandle, eastern Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania, and West Virginia’s mid-central and panhandle—begins its public input phase with simultaneous Community Conversations across the region on Tuesday, July 27, creating a forum for all residents to voice their vision for the region’s future.For those who've forgotten:
“The Power of 32 is about full inclusion for the people of our region,” explains Selena Schmidt, Power of 32 executive director. “This initiative is unique because we are striving to build a better future by leveraging the collaborative strengths we share as a larger region based on ideas, concerns, and input of the residents of this region. It is an unprecedented opportunity to empower the people of the region to bring their voices and insights to creating a better future for us all.”Selena's wicked smaht.
And those conversations?
Community Conversations are scheduled at the following locations in Allegheny County on July 27th:Here's the website if you're curious.
· Mt. Lebanon Library at 6:30 p.m.
· Monroeville Municipal Building – Council Chambers at 6:30 p.m.
· Carnegie Library in Homestead at 6 p.m.
· Pump House in Homestead at 6 p.m.
· Carnegie Borough Municipal Center at 6 p.m.
Didn't we do this initiative like, umm 30 years ago, then again, 20 years ago, then like didn't we have several round table discussions ten years ago, then again five years ago, and again, two years ago, and now they are having a million meetings discussing stuff, only to reveal a "plan" next year?
ReplyDeleteI'm just sayin', we're just doin' an awful lot of fuckin' talkin' and not a whole lot of action.
Power of 32.
The whole thing reeks of blowhards going to meetings, rubbing elbows, drinking free wine and beer, eating little bacon wraps and talking about how Pittsburgh needs to reinvest in the young people staying here, blahblahblah. Then going home at the end of the night and watching fucking Leno.
Seriously. Stop. Talking.
Bang this shit out in a few weeks, two months top.
And get it going.
We have like, the biggest generation since the Boomers in the workforce right now primed to get shit done, and we're like, "Wait, let's think about it some more, and talk about it?"
Enough.
Lady E, well put!!!
ReplyDeleteWhile normally i love hearing the rantings of Lady Elain, sadly i do not agree with her this time and feel that i must comment.
ReplyDeleteYes I am sure that we have all done some type of community planning, albiet useless planning in previous iterations over the past (insert long period of time here).
However, those plans were done in the dark corner of every podunk little locale in and around Allegheny County, this is an initiative that includes normal people, not blowhards eating bacon wraps, at least there were no bacon wraps at the meeting i attended, from 32 different counties across 4 different states. Correct me if I'm wrong but i cannot think of anything over the last (insert extremely long period of time here) that has ever taken on such a monumental task.
Give them a chance they don't want
50 years they want two, maybe we all do know that everything's been said, but not everyone has said it yet. ...
or actually assembled it in one place.
While initially very, VERY skeptical, I'm prepared to give this process a chance.
ReplyDeleteIf they (we? I went to a "Conversation" last night) can create a transparent plan that represents the views of regular people in 32 counties, and can do it in under a year, then we can all act together and get it going.
Transparency and inclusion are key.
I'm remembering that Gail Cincotta taught us: "If you aren't at the table, you are on the table."
Yawn. Another matter/issue generated by someone who has (possibly) successfully (1) created an issue that (2) pulled enough heartstrings from people to get them them to donate $$ so that (3) said person(s) have 'created' a crisis and job for themselves. You cannot convince me that the '32 counties' really have anything in common... other than being 32 counties in a large geographic location.
ReplyDeleteCall me when someone has some real suggestions, such as lowering taxes, lowering business regulations, eliminating the number of municipalities and related bureaucrats, eliminating public sector employee unions and drastically reducing the public sector employee pension bomb about to hit. Otherwise, you're smoking something I don't want to share.
To jack and elizabeth perry--i sure hope you both are right and we are not wasting more money talent and time stroking egos and eating bacon!
ReplyDeleteThe problem here is that very few people have ever heard of P32 and when you sample a small part of a population you get flawed results.
ReplyDelete