An Open Letter to 20th Ward Residents [Updated]
The 20th Ward is diverse in so many respects, including race. Besides punishing Ald. Craig Schmid, the last redistricting was intended to create a black south side ward yet no black person has filed for the seat. Some say this is a sign blacks are content with representation from Schmid, a claim I can neither substantiate or refute.
What is without question, the aldermanic contest between incumbent Ald. Craig Schmid and Cherokee St. resident Galen Gondolfi has illustrated a major rift among the ward’s residents. Schmid has failed over the years to bring into the fold the more progressive residents. If Gondolfi wins, I think he will have issues bringing in the more conservative based of Schmid. In other words, I see the rift continuing regardless of who wins the race today.
Schmid represents the the “broken window” theory whereby you address all the small issues such as trash and broken windows which will then lead to less crime. This is a very valid approach to addressing problems but it falls short on the revitalization side. Conversely, it is a challenge to revitalze an area without employing some of the broken window strategy.
Many have tried to dismiss Gondolfi as only caring about his own personal interest of selling one of his buildings to Steve Smith, helping him get a liquor license along the way. I believe Gondolfi is approaching this from a broader perspective — what do we do with the many corner storefront properties throughout the 20th ward (and city) that are vacant or underutilized. Furthermore, what is the long-term future for commercial corridors such as Cherokee Street.
Regardless of who wins the election today, the issue of revitalizing the city’s commercial districts is a critical issue all over the city. Numerous wards have similar bans on new liquor licenses, the 20th is not alone in this issue. The conflict between long-term residents and newbies will only increase as we attract new people to our neighborhoods. Collectively we must find a way to work together.
My personal belief is we need to think less about boundaries — ward or neighborhood — and focus on commercial districts serving adjacent residents. We need to embrace diversity in terms of old & new buildings, large houses next to small flats, the staid next to the eclectic. You know, a real city. This will require all of us to look at the city through the eyes of others for whom we may not always agree. Our divisive perspectives are not serving ourselves or our city.
Again, regardless of who wins the race in the 20th (or the other races for that matter), we have considerable work to do. We need leadership to build concensus around the future of the city.
UPDATE 3/6/07 – 8:45pm
The five precints are in and Schmid has won another four years in office with 376 votes (55.46%) to Gondolfi’s 301 votes (44.40%). Given the ward’s 5,403 registered voters this is clearly not a mandate for either candidate. Schmid’s challenge now will be to bridge the divide in the ward.
Is there really a divide to bridge when almost 90% of voters don’t give a damn?
Pete’s right on in so many ways. And no !fucking shit! is there a divide, sadly there is no bridge between us, and if there is, it’s very similar to that one that collapsed on I-55 last week. If I hear anyone say in my vicinity that Craig represents the black community well, I’m going to punch them in their ignorant mouth. I was at the polls today, I know it’s bullshit.
Dam Amber
If you are that unhappy, maybe you need to move out of the 20th Ward….
Congrats Craig!!!!
It is amazming to me but I am black and I know that more black people who will call you a ignorant bitch and I know a tons who would love to punch you in your their ignorant mouth.!!
If you don’t vote, you get what you deserve. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. As for Steve’s comments, I generally agree. (See http://www.governing.com/articles/3assess.htm. for similar thoughts.) The two points I want to disagree on are the assumptions that “newbies” somehow know better and that “many corner storefront properties throughout the . . . city . . . are . . . underutilized”. Utilization, over or under, is a matter of perception. One person’s cool new neighborhood bar is another person’s pain in the butt. But, as long as politics remain both local and open (can that be possible?), neighborhoods can continue to evolve and grow. And, yes, vacant is different than “underutilized” – we have way too many vacant properties around St. Louis that are doing nothing positive. My other point is that “newbies” need to be careful (as I try to do, with varying degrees of success) when they move into a community. You’ve chosen that communuity for many reasons, some of which include liking (some? much? of) what’s there now. And yes, as an “outsider”, you likely bring creative, new ideas for ways to “improve” the ‘hood in little (or even big) ways. But be careful about stepping on the “old timers” toes. They have, in many cases, way more invested, both emotionally and financially, in the neighborhood than you do. They probably understand, better than you, why things are the way they are now. Some people like change, some fear it. Being the “bull in the china shop” is not always the best way to “shake things up”. Most people don’t take well to being told what’s best for them. They do better when they’re educated and “buy into” a proposed change. This may also be why things played out how they did here . . .
“assumptions that “newbies†somehow know better and that “many corner storefront properties throughout the . . . city . . . are . . . underutilizedâ€
This is exactly what turned me off of Gondolfi in the first place. Many of his supporters immediately turned it into a race of “enlightened” urbanists versus backwards churchies. Gondolfi’s supporters completely underestimated not just what kind of numbers Schmid’s supporters would turn out on election day but their capability as residents of a poor neighborhood to have some idea of what they think their environs should be like without the help of someone who may or may not have finished planning school. Other than on some blogs I never noticed any discussion of how allowing bars to open on the street has the real potential to actually make the area safer with “eyes on the street.” Each side just decided their own reason for the other’s stance and went with it. Gondolfi’s attempt to bridge that divide, encouraging home ownership, seemed like a 1/4-finished thought and kind of misinformed.
That being said, I am impressed by Gondolfi’s 44%, due in no small part to the hard work of that pinko vandal Glenn. I hope Steve and others will push Schmid on the liquor license issue. It really would be a great thing for the Cherokee area’s new and existing residents alike.
Confession: I probably would not have had much interest in ward politics if Galen hadn’t decided to run. However, I think that’s the case with a lot of Galen’s other supporters, and I still believe that “newbies'” interest in the local political climate is A Good Thing. It keeps our aldermen and elected officials aware of our concerns and interests, and maybe it keeps them on their toes and responsive to our concerns. Galen may not have won but turnout in the ward was far better in this election than the last race for alderman; also, Galen did incredibly well for someone who had to endure as much negative, shadowy campaigning as he did. I can only hope that Craig makes the effort to reach out to young, progressive voters such as myself the way that Galen reached out to ward residents as a whole.
Amber says: “If I hear anyone say in my vicinity that Craig represents the black community well, I’m going to punch them in their ignorant mouth. I was at the polls today, I know it’s bullshit.”
Please elaborate. How are the needs of the black community in the 20th different than those of the whites and other races? How does Craig Schmidt misrepresent blacks? Please provide an example.
Yep Rita, either you must agree with Craig or I suppose you should move. I supposed those 376 votes makes you think he has some sort of mandate from the people. That’s a nice sentiment coming from the neighborhood association president. Now I can’t imagine why no one wants to go to the meetings?
I want a change in the neighborhood and I’m not a newbie!
10 year resident Gravois Park
20 year resident Marine Villa.
Telling someone to move out of the 20th ward because they doesn’t share the same view as yours is foolish.
Especially if you are the president of the Gravois Park Neighborhood Association.
When Bill & Chad, of Benton West, moved into their neighborhood they didn’t share the same view as their druggie neighborhoods.
what i mean is
if Chad & Bill shared the same views
their street would still be filled will druggies
i was trying to make the point that it’s OK to have different views
“Had you attended the debate between Schmid & Gondolfi you would have heard more about Galen’s thoughts.”
I did, and as I said elsewhere, I felt I left with little insight into Galen’s thoughts, other than: progress, potential, etc. Presumably we are *all* for those. What I didn’t hear was a *plan*.
As a former resident of Benton Park West, I would have to agree with Pam, the work that Bill & Chad did in there block, is amazing. Who ever moves on that block will have great neighbors. Bill & Chad care just not about there block, but the neighborhood as a whole.
I live in the 3400 block of Virginia, just down the street from Radio Cherokee. I’ve been here almost eight years. This little area is actually part of Benton Park West, although 99% of the residents don’t know it. That’s part of the problem. It’s like a dead zone, a neglected little strip. Another problem is there’s only about three owner occupied units on this block. I have personally knocked on doors, passed out fliers trying to drum up support on this block. Sadly, most of these residents won’t even pick up trash in front of their homes or help clean up the alley. Do you think they’re going to vote? I supported Craig. I listened to Galen and went to a couple of his events. Galen has some good ideas, but as someone pointed out the plan was rather vague. Alot of energy went into this campaign, I’m just very dissapponted for the most part it’s turned into a negative. I agree with Galen, this part of Cherokee needs to be revitalized. I don’t mean more nail shops, pager stores, or another rip-off rental center. Maybe, eventually a bar on Virginia and Cherokee. Right now what we need is a plan and stablization. I would hope, from all this, the opposing camps could stop the squabbling and cussing and come up with something to benefit the area. Right now it’s pretty much eyesores and stagnation. Suggestions anyone?
Since there has been so much discussion about the Cherokee in this aldermanic race, I wanted to take the opportunity to reprint a recent statement from CAMP, a local community center at Cherokee and Minnesota that espouses a positive vision for the future of the 20th Ward.
thanks,
Mark
The Community Arts and Media Project (CAMP) is a local independent effort to bring free and sustainable resources to its neighborhood and to the city of St. Louis. Through the means of art, media, open forums, open doors, event space and collaborative projects, CAMP will provide a new center for creative interaction, welcoming people of all ways of life. Thriving inside of the historic Randall Building at the corner of Cherokee Street and Minnesota Avenue, CAMP considers its location in crucial juxtaposition with its mission. The crossroads of CAMP span out into an extremely diverse range of incomes, races, cultures and ideas. We want to be agents to foster cultural fusion and positive ideas. We believe that art and open spaces provide that agency.
The Community Arts and Media Project takes form not only as a space for the public but also as an umbrella for several groups who rent affordable office space inside the building and contribute to the vision of CAMP. These groups include the Confluence newspaper, Gateway Green Alliance, St. Louis Independent Media, and the City Youth Foundation. CAMP has also given birth to new educational projects such as the South Side Workshop Exploring Appropriate Technologies (SWEAT), which not only focuses on human-powered technologies, but also provides a bicycle workshop for the neighborhood youth and broader St. Louis bike riders; South Side University, a local “free school” that offers classes which are taught and attended by anyone who wants to share, learn, and participate; the Bread and Roses Library, which features hundreds of handmade books, also known as “zines” a public access computer lab which is set up with wireless internet and useful software; and an ongoing indoor murals project.
Since its founding in 2002, CAMP has been slowly unfolding in its physical manifestation. As a grassroots non-profit, we have been able to completely rehab two floors of our 7,500 square-foot, three-story building with the support of dozens of volunteers doing thousands of renovation work. We have used the many of the most environmentally sustainable forms of rehab available to our budget, such as skylights for natural lighting, soy-based insulation, bamboo flooring, solar-powered attic fans, and endless amounts of recycled materials. Through the hard work of green architects and incredible volunteer effort, we are soon to be opening our doors to show you all this work we’ve done. CAMP hopes that you will find this opening a point of departure to bring forth your visions of what we can do together. The future of The Community Arts and Media Project is now. Our history is now. We want you to be a part of it now. Share a skill, use a public computer, help out in your local community garden, eat an organic peach from one of our backyard trees. Summer’s almost upon us. Let’s grow collectively as an empowered, knowledgeable, loving community.
Rita I am embarrassed by your seeming lack of civility and judiciousness.
To the CAMP people. You guys could use some facade enhancement.
It’s is exactly people like Rita that make me feel sad about the results, because people think they have a stronghold on stagnation and all of us “newbies” are going to tuck our tails and run at the first defeat. It’s not so. Things will continue to happen and grow and hopefully progress and change for the better. The only way to do this is to get the community more involved, which if you look at the numbers, it is not. It’s a very small percentage of us, and no one has, thus far, suggested any real solutions to the huge disparity between the two. I’m not moving just because a few old-guard think they taught us a lesson. It’s just the beginning. I’m not angry now, just a disappointed, I did have higher expectations. I’m also saddened by the lack of civility and grace that many of my neighbors seem to have, as if they’d prefer an empty building or a drug house or a trash heap in place of a neighbor such as myself, who actually cares about what is happening outside of my front door and wants to make a positive impact on the surroundings we share. Yesterday was an eye-opening experience for me and I intend to use the knowledge for good instead of more negative and ineffective fighting.
It takes a lot more to get out on the street and pick up trash, plant a garden and nurture it than to sit and bitch.
Amber, everyone knows where there is trash, people are inclined to dump more trash. Picking up trash and beautification is a start. My point is, if you can’t even get people to pick up trash do you think they would be inclined to come to a meeting? to get involved? To vote? You are so right, there are very few involved. How do you promote pride in where you live where there’s total apathy? I don’t have that answer. Nor do I have the answer to get more residents involved.
I can but hope there is some mutual ground to bring these sides together to do something positive for the area. We all live here. We all are stakeholder in the neighborhood. Surely we can put these differences aside and do something great with this energy!
Quoting Rob from a comment above:
“[The Gondolfi campaign] underestimated not just what kind of numbers Schmid’s supporters would turn out on election day but their their capability as residents of a poor neighborhood to have some idea of what they think their environs should be like without the help of someone who may or may not have finished planning school.”
There are 2 points raised here which I feel need better emphasis.
1. The turnout of voters supporting both alderman in the ward was extremely low, even tho both candidates gave a lot of lip service to topics that you’d like to think would turn the ear of many residents. More folks probably read (or even wrote) about the election in media like this site rather than actually voted. While the discourse on the page is a good and necessary thing, this election starkly showed the underlying problem of so many ward residents being disconnected from this discussion about the state of their neighborhood.
2. W.r.t. the capability of ward residents to chose their own environs, I would in particular like to see Craig Schmid explain just what he is doing to enable *all* of his constituents to shape and better their neighborhood. Are the 376 votes in his favor a rough measure of just how many people Craig has helped in his 12years in office? Shouldn’t Craig consider the very low turnout to reelect him a problem with his integrity as alderman for *all* of his constituents, rather than just alderman for the favorably voting ones? This election did indeed show Craig how feeble of a mandate he has, both in terms of total residents and in actively voting ones.
How many actual voters are in the 20th ward? Don’t cite that board of election number with registered voters listed at vacant addresses and multiple persons listed at addresses that in fact have only one resident.
Mike, I really appreciate the positive energy and optimism. Several of us previously discussed establishing an alternative neighborhood association in the ward (and several of us also live in the area of Cherokee/Compton), so maybe we should work together for our forgotten corner of BPW?
The 2007 Operation Brightside Blitz, the citywide cleanup, arrives in our Region 2S on April 28. Our Saturday is a little later and possibly warmer than in past years.
http://stlouis.missouri.org/brightside/blitz.html
The south alley behind Cherokee from Gravois east to nearly Jefferson needs serious work, as do most of the north-south alleys that intersect.
Neighbors’ politics can diverge, but we can all get behind a cleanup. A major push in this “forgotten corner of Benton Park West” to pick up trash and turn in problems to CSB could be an enjoyable Saturday.
Someone needs to do the door-hanger organizing and establishing the meeting place and time. (I’d volunteer but I’ve committed to another area project that day.) Brightside provides the door hangers at its 4646 Shenandoah office.
[sarcasm key locked]
Forget it Dale, “Operation Brightside” is too old school, too establishment. New 20th ward residents want to create their own projects, programs, and neighborhood organizations. There’s nothing cool about Operation Brightside-they didn’t think of it! [sarcasm key unlocked]
Susan , Established Resident, & Amber
Will the real Rita — Please stand Up.
That is another Rita — Not Rita Ford — This is Ford. Again you are assuuming. I am sure that there is more than one Rita on the south side. If in fact you are not sure which Rita you are talking to please call 773-4892. I am more than happy to talk with anyone. I would never make such remarks. You peple don’t know me at all so stop assumming that Rita Ford made those statement. You are welcome to your opinions. You are trashing my name and I recent it because another Rita made a couple of statements. I don’t agree with this other Rita. And if you must trash Rita Ford I can handle it but please don’t trash my neighborhood.
What I really want to say is that I saw Galen at Frobel school on election day. We only had some genuine kind words to say to one another. I would really like to see is us coming together as a community. We are neighbors not emenies. I am looking foward to working with Galen, Craig and anyone who want to work on improving the community.
Susan, If those negative people don’t want to come to a meeting, they are cheating themselves. The folks who live here will keep on keeping on. Everyone is invited to attend neighborhood meetings and if they can bring something to the meeting we are and have always been open to any ideas. However, there are people who want things done but are not willing to help get them done. There are two solutions. You are either part of the solutions or part of the problems. So enough with these negative remarks and over the top criticisms. Use that energy for more possitive things. For my name sake… I will not always be available to come to this web site but if you really want to hear from the real “RITA” call the above number. Leave a message and I will get back to you.
Hope You Have a Blessed & Better day
Rita ” FORD “
Alissa.
You are not in a forgotten corner of BPW.
If you feel that you are “forgotten”, it possibly could be the lack of representation from the residents of that area.
Residents of BPW are welcome to all Board meetings (held the first Tuesday of each month at 7p, 2715 Cherokee).
Also, residents are more than encouraged to be come involved in THEIR neighborhood Association.
I would like to personally hear what/why it is felt that the southwest corner of BPW is forgotten.
I have spoken personally with Mike and I trust that he knows he’s not forgotten.
If you feel there are city services not being provided, then I’d like to find out why. It could be possibly that all of BPW are getting the same level of service.
I personally have walked the southwest part of BPW many times over the past two years. I’ve spoken with several of the residents and encouraged them to become involved with the neighborhood association. Even as minimal as they attend the monthly meetings.
I know that you’ve been to several of the meetings. If you feel there are questions not being answered or topics/events being discussed don’t interest you…then speak up. If you don’t speak up, then no one will know your issues. No one is a mind reader.
Remember that the leadership in a neighborhood association is volunteer. Everyone has “day jobs” that consume 40+ hours a week.
The contact numbers and e-mail addresses for each board member are published in the newsletter. Feel free to contact any board member. These people have stepped up to the plate and invest hours of time in making Benton Park West a better place to live.
The newsletter is delivered to over 1/2 of the residents each month. I would personally love it if every house had a copy of the newsletter each month. But, we don’t have the money to mail it each month and depend upon volunteers to deliver. There are 30+ blocks, out of 60, that have a person who delivers the newsletter each month. Many blocks do not have anyone who has the passion or energy to do the work…or they don’t trust their neighbors.
If there are any BPW residents who would like to take the task of delivering to blocks other than their own…my goodness I would welcome that with open arms.
BPWNA is only one of a very few neighborhoods who even attempt to deliver to residents. 90% of neighborhoods only distribute to members.
As a matter of fact, until last year the monthly newsletter that went out to the residents was a watered down version of the full newsletter. It was determined that we might be “short-changing” our residents by not providing the full newsletter. The change to the full newsletter added cost and time to the entire process, but YOUR neighborhood association Board felt it important enough to provide the full newsletter that they provided a way to make it happen.
Individual membership dues pay for many things in the Association. One of those is to help provide newsletters to as many residents as can be reached.
I apologize for this being so lengthy, but I would recommend any BPW resident who wishes, to contact me. I, as an individual Board member, knows that YOU have concerns/issues. I’ll do within my power what I can.
Thanks to all who have endured the past few months. If life wasn’t rocky on occasion, then we’d not know that the smooth, pleasant times really were smooth and pleasant.
The important thing is that everyone works together. I always live by the old saying…”Agree to disagree”. Everyone has their perspective and thoughts. It is our job to compromise for the betterment of all.
I don’t necessarily feel neglected, Bill. It’s more that OTHERS forget that we are a part of the BPW, being closer to Grand than Benton Park. Believe me, my partner and I have been to plenty of neighborhood meetings, are involved in the dog park committee, etc etc etc. You’ve personally spoken with me, and I’m considering becoming a block link, but I do volunteer for a number of organizations and it had become difficult recently to attend the neighborhood association meetings due to other commitments.
Also, I’m not sure what “robbed”‘s problem is, but I personally have no problem with either interpreting sarcasm or Operation Brightside. So thanks for the tip, Dale!
Alissa has a point on the forgotten part. I could cite a few examples for the BPW board but I’m not going to do it here as it’s not really appropriate.
Anyhow, Alissa we’ll talk soon.
Amber,
I personally extend the invitation to you which I gave to all residents of BPW.
Call me or e-mail meet and I am open to meet for coffee or whatever.
I want to hear your examples, perspective, and issues.
I can’t promise miracles, but I can listen, give suggestions and together we can solve any problem that is within our power.
Thanks for stepping up and being a part of YOUR neighborhood.
Bill.
Well, AGAIN I was kicked off the Gravois Park Yahoo group. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gravoispark/
The first time, I voluntary to make 500 copies of something for them. Kicked off!
Now, well I guess because my opinions differs from some of the members of GP.
Oh but they say they are so opened minded.
It’s not true — this is true — Opinions are not welcome and the “leadership†is more like a dictatorship than a democratic neighborhood committee. —- I live an 1/2 block out of GP I am interested in GP neighborhood especially because it is a disaster.
I forget to say… I can only assume I was deleted for the Gravois Park yahoo group because of my comments here on urban review.
I started the Gravois Park yahoo group a few years ago as a means for neighbors to communicate about subjects relevant to most of the neighborhood. The list is not an official neighborhood association activity. I am not on the board of anything.
As the moderator, I routinely trim and invite, and I apologize for any slight to interested people who might be offended. For instance, I removed Lewis Reed. Now, I may have voted for Mr. Reed, but I didn’t recognize his name as someone who lived, worked or volunteered in the neighborhood. (I could be wrong about this and may have to reconsider post-election.)
Further, the vision for the list was that it be sharing, proactive and positive–the kind of talk that neighbors might have over a fence, at a block party, or while walking dogs and picking up trash in the park. That said, apparently I removed Marine Villa resident Ms. Lanning _before_ she called our neighborhood a “disaster” (above).
Chiming in a little late here but for those interested in Cherokee Street, we recently moved the Cherokee Business Association meetings to coincide with the Benton Park West Neighborhood Association meetings. Our meetings are now one hour before the BPWNA meeting (6:00pm) on the Third Thursday of the month in the basement of the Cherokee Business Incubator (2715 Cherokee). These meetings are open to the public and anyone with an interest in Cherokee Street is welcome to attend. We are currently in the process of establishing committees, rewriting our bylaws, branching out to other organizations, and working towards a cohesive plan for Cherokee. We also have a new web site up that we will continue to enhance as things progress. http://cherokeestation.com
On a side note, if you live in Gravois Park, the next GP Neighborhood Association Meeting is tomorrow, Tuesday March 13 at 6pm in the basement of the St. Matthew Church (Jefferson & Potomac).
Please make an effort to attend the monthly meetings for whichever neighborhood or business district you live in or near. We’d appreciate your input.
Jason
As a reminder that the Benton Park West Neighborhood meetings are always on the third Thursday of each month, 7p at Five Star Senior Center, located at 2832 Arsenal.
As Jason indicated, the BPWNA monthly meeting is held at 7p, immediately following the Cherokee Street Business Association meetings (6p located at 2715 Cherokee).
All residents of BPW are welcome to attend at 7p on March 15th to hear what YOUR neighborhood is doing. If you don’t like what you hear, then get involved as a Committee Chair. The only way to make a difference is to get involved.