Newest Council Formed

Thu., April 2, 1998

By Kathy Mulady kathymu@spokesman.com

Several North Side neighborhoods have combined their efforts to form the newest neighborhood council.

About 30 representatives from a half-dozen neighborhoods met at Glover Middle School to adopt bylaws and form the Northwest Neighborhoods Council.

Mayor John Talbott and City Council member Cherie Rodgers attended the meeting to offer support and describe how neighborhood councils work with the City Council.

Talbott also offered suggestions on the bylaws, recommending that neighborhood residents attending a meeting or two be allowed to vote, instead of having to attend three consecutive meetings.

“What’s there to be afraid of, a rising up?” he asked.

Modified bylaws were adopted.

The Northwest Neighborhoods Council includes residents from Shadle, Westgate, Audubon, Wind River, River Ridge and Northwest Terrace neighborhoods.

With no neighborhood center, advisory committee or burning issues, one of the first challenges for the neighborhood is figuring out how to spread the word about meetings and communicating.

The neighborhood does have a Community Oriented Policing office in Shadle Center.

Organizers were disappointed in the small turnout for the initial meeting. The city’s Office of Neighborhood Services printed and contracted with Neighborhood Direct to distribute 8,700 fliers. The total price was about $600.

“The City Council will give us more weight if they know our membership is high and our meetings are well-attended,” said Louis Allen, who led the meetings.

One of the first community projects will be a neighborhood cleanup, to take advantage of the $5,000 in garbage collection services the city is offering each neighborhood council.

“About the only way you are going to find out what’s going on in your community is by coming to this meeting,” said Allen. “If we can’t get a neighborhood council established, we are going to be way behind the rest of the city.”

MEETINGS The next meeting of the Northwest Neighborhoods Council is set for 7 p.m., April 22 at Glover Middle School, 2404 W. Longfellow. The Assembly of Neighborhood Councils holds its work group meeting at 4 p.m. Friday in the council briefing room, lower level of City Hall. Also, Shadle COPS is taking donations for a rummage sale that will be held in late May. Money raised from the sale will be used to buy equipment, furniture, desks, cell phones and scanners. For more information call 625-3336.

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