Waiting on the sidewalk for a seat to open up at Casper’s is just part of its cozy charm. The Cardinals routinely wrap fans around Jordan Valley Park for the latest bobblehead promotion. Hollywood Theaters banks on teens camping out for the midnight showing of the latest “Twilight” film. But since when does the fire marshal have to turn people away from a City Council meeting like it was a Halloween pub crawl?
The Aug. 27 council meeting was a front-row seat to American grassroots democracy as historic City Hall was bursting at the seams with nearly 500 people on hand to take a stand on the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance. Mr. Ovitt, my high school civics teacher, would have been beaming.
The excitement fizzled for many, though, when council tabled it right out of the gate in favor of forming a task force. Nothing curbs enthusiasm as quickly as a good task force. Hundreds quickly filed outside, determined to champion their respective cause another day.
What they missed were plenty of fireworks on the rest of the agenda.
City Utilities presented its case for a 28 percent increase in water rates during the next three years to repair century-old water mains that leak the equivalent of McDaniel Lake annually. A Chronic Nuisance Property Strategy was passed to more expeditiously address problem properties with escalating fines and education for landlords and tenants. The tension between cultivating a welcoming business climate versus neighborhood interests culminated in a 4-4 tie on a proposed hotel in southeast Springfield. And for the grand finale, council lessened the penalties for marijuana with the expressed intent of gutting the ordinance in the next few weeks. Anyone who says life is dull in the Queen City needs to start attending council meetings.
After the dust settled from that whirlwind of controversial issues, one thought rose above all else – how could the city tap into a fraction of that passion for other important issues?
Antidiscrimination is obviously a hot-button topic, but who doesn’t pay a utility bill every month? Who doesn’t have a problem property that is the curse of their street? Who wouldn’t benefit from having more good paying jobs for their families in newly renovated facilities – such as Kraft Foods and its upcoming $50 million investment aided by city incentives?
According to the wit and wisdom of Woody Allen, “Decisions are made by those who show up.”
Now that the masses have found their way to City Hall, the challenge for the mayor, city manager and other community leaders is to get them more engaged on a regular basis.
The opportunities are vast, but here are three straightforward ways anyone can make a difference:
- Vote. Anytime the polls are open – and not just when picking a president every four years – citizens have the right and responsibility to cast an informed vote. Do your homework, and make your convictions count.
- Join. Center city has three merchant organizations, two community improvement districts and the Hospitality Resource Panel, each with their respective volunteer boards and committees. The city website lists 29 boards and commissions, and neighborhoods are always in need of volunteers. There’s no excuse not to share some of your time and talents – and you’ll likely learn from others along the way.
- Buy. Support the businesses that represent your passions. If you espouse shopping locally, take a look at your grocery bill and back-to-school expenditures to make sure your discretionary dollars are finding their way to your favorite stores.
Springfield’s ultimate success in economic development will be driven just as much by those who show up at City Hall as the elected officials we send to Jefferson City or Washington, D.C.
Rusty Worley, executive director of Urban Districts Alliance, can be reached at rusty@itsalldowntown.com.
