SILVER SPRING SPEAKS

Community Leadership at Work: The SSCAB's Committees

2012-01-24T06:45:00.000-08:00

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Last night (Monday, January 23rd 2012) the three committees of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board held their regularly scheduled monthly meeting. Ho-hum, you may say. Well, not this time.

The Neighborhoods Committee continued its conversation regarding the youth in our communities and schools. They brought together a sizeable number of youth, service providers, and school representatives to affirm the assets we have in our youth serving sphere – and of course identify the gaps that may exists.

The Pedestrian Safety & Transportation and Commercial & Economic Development focused their meeting on the impact of the Purple Line on small businesses, particularly in the Long Branch / Langley Park area. They had a spirited discussion on what has worked elsewhere, how collaborative efforts can help mitigate some of the impacts, and where to go from here (i.e.: how to remain engaged in the process.)

There were over 100 community members present in these two meeting; truly a remarkable turnout and a testament to the leadership of the Citizens Advisory Board. In the last year that leadership has embarked on various initiatives to become better informed so they can better do their primary task of advising the County Executive and County Council on all matters related to Silver Spring.

The apparent success of this new approach is based in part in recognizing the human capital assets in our community and inviting community members not customarily ‘at the table’ to be part of the traditional civic infrastructure.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN IN ON THE DISCUSSIONS AND DIALOGUES, PLEASE COME TO FUTURE MEETINGS. THE FULL BOARD MEETS THE SECOND MONDAY OF EACH MONTH; COMMITTEES MEET THE FOURTH MONDAYS OF EACH MONTH. ALL MEETINGS ARE IN THE EVENING [7 OR 7:30] IN THE SILVER SPRING CIVIC BUILDING.

The success of these committee meetings is also a testament to the potential of the “servant-leadership” model of community building that they embrace and practice. While Board members attend the committee meetings - of course - the vast majority of the participants are non-board members. They join in on the discussion and help shape the board's deliberation.

This "servant-leadership" model has been around for a long time... For those of us that appreciate this type of knowledge base - and like simple 'lists' - the following is adapted from Wikipedia’s entry on the subject:

Most writers see servant leadership as an underlying philosophy of leadership, demonstrated through specific characteristics and practices. The foundational concepts are found in Robert K. Greenleaf’s first three major essays, "The Servant as Leader", "The Institution as Servant", and "Trustees as Servants."

Larry Spears, who served for 17 years as the head of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, identified ten characteristic of servant leaders in the writings of Greenleaf. The ten characteristics are:
[1] listening,
[2] empathy,
[3] healing,
[4] awareness,
[5] persuasion,
[6] conceptualization,
[7] foresight,
[8] stewardship,
[9] commitment to the growth of others, and
[10]building community.

Leadership experts such as Bolman, Deal, Covey, Fullan, Sergiovanni, and Heifitz also reference these characteristics as essential components of effective leadership.

The Center for Servant Leadership at the Pastoral Institute in Georgia defines servant leadership as a lifelong journey that includes:
[1] discovery of one’s self,
[2] a desire to serve others,
[3] and a commitment to lead.

Servant-leaders continually strive to be:
[1] trustworthy,
[2] self-aware,
[3] humble,
[4] caring,
[5] visionary,
[6] empowering,
[7] relational,
[8] competent,
[9] good stewards, and
[10] community builders.

Kent Keith, author of The Case for Servant Leadership and the current CEO of the Greenleaf Center, states that servant leadership is:
[1] ethical,
[2] practical, and
[3] meaningful.

He identifies seven key practices of servant leaders:
[1] self-awareness,
[2] listening,
[3] changing the paradigm,
[4] developing your colleagues,
[5] coaching not controlling,
[6] unleashing the energy and
[7] intelligence of others, and foresight.

James Sipe and Don Frick, in their book The Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership, state that servant-leaders are:
[1] individuals of character,
[2] put people first,
[3] skilled communicators,
[4] compassionate collaborators,
[5] use foresight,
[6] are systems thinkers, and
[7] exercise moral authority.

Unlike leadership approaches with a top-down hierarchical style, servant leadership instead emphasizes:
[1] collaboration,
[2] trust,
[3] empathy, and
[4] the ethical use of power.

At heart, the individual is a servant first, making the conscious decision to lead in order to better serve others, not to increase their own power. The objective is to enhance the growth of individuals in the organization and increase teamwork and personal involvement.

The link to Wikipedia’s article can be found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servant_leadership

A .pdf of the original book that started it all is at:
http://files.html.md/books/The%20Servant%20as%20Leader%20Greenleaf.pdf

…for more info in the Greenleaf Center, visit:
http://www.greenleaf.org/

{I hope you enjoy these occasional ‘outside the box’ blog postings… If you’d like to get them automatically, click on the “Join This Site” button on the upper left side of this page.}

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center

List of Youth Serving Resources (in and around Silver Spring)

2012-01-19T06:37:00.000-08:00

The Neighborhood’s Committee of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board is meeting on Monday, January 23rd at the Civic Building to continue the dialogue regarding how our schools and communities intersect. The focus will be on youth-centered activities. Volunteers on the Committee developed this amazing list as a starting point to highlight some of what is available already.

PLEASE JOIN US AT THE MEETING TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION! 7:30 Civic Building

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REFERENCE LIST FOR
SILVER SPRING CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD’s NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE
Work on Youth Issues
A WORK-IN-PROGRESS
Note: This is NOT a comprehensive list; it is the start of a list. Additional descriptive information and/or contact information is needed for some listings (noted with an *). Also: Web-links and/or FaceBook pages will eventually be added to each listing, if available.

PLEASE HELP US GROW THE LIST BY LEAVING A POST ON THIS BLOG WITH CORRECTIONS &/OR ADDITIONS!
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SAMPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH YOUTH (with contact information)

Community Bridges is based in Silver Spring and partners with area schools to provide programs to empower immigrant and low income girls. Programs include LUNA for Hispanic girls and Jump Start Girls. They currently provide services in 4 elementary schools, 5 middle schools (including Eastern) and 2 high schools throughout the county. Contacts: Lauren Wetherell, Marialuz Johnson, Jacilyn Smith, Melissa Gudiel, Crystal Adegbola

Passion for Learning is committed to developing innovative partnerships between businesses, members of the community, and schools to enhance student learning in reading, writing, math, science, and technology. Their goal is to nurture a lifelong passion for learning in all children to help them achieve their full potential. Their strategic focus is to work exclusively with those schools where student achievement is impacted by the challenges of dealing with family poverty and learning English as a second language. The organization is located in Silver Spring. Contact: Cynthia Rubenstein - Executive Director

Global Kids originated in New York City with the goal of improving school attendance by providing programs in digital media and the arts that can connect teens’ own lives to their worlds. They also have social workers on staff. They have now begun a program in a D.C. public school and would be interested in extending further into D.C. and Maryland. Contact: Eddie Mandhry – Director, DC Program

Gandhi Brigade is based in Silver Spring and provides training to youth in multi-media productions that address social justice issues. They develop youth into peer instructors as well as provide well-being counseling to Gandhi Brigade members. A recent project is the “Rights of Butterflies” documentary which was conceived and directed by Laura Moya, a Montgomery College student, and focuses on the difficulties that an undocumented student has in continuing her college education. Contact: Richard Jaeggi - Director

Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County conferences with all parties involved in a conflict to find an agreed upon resolution. Conflicts are often referred to them from the school staff. In 2010-11 school year, they handled 70 conflicts of which 99% reached an agreement among the parties involved. The center is located in Bethesda. Contacts: Gertrud Mergner, Wolfgang Mergner

Crossroads Youth Opportunity Centers provide services to youth who are risk or have become involved in gangs. Case workers and specialists from five partner organizations collaborate and staff the center: Identity Inc., Pride Youth Services, YMCA Youth and Family Services, the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. The down county center is located in Takoma Park. Contact: Luis Cardona – MC Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator

Linkages to Learning is a school-based collaboration among the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, the Montgomery County Public Schools and non-profit, community based service providers (including Silver Spring YMCA). Non-profit partners include Catholic University School of Nursing, Children’s National Medical Center, GUIDE Youth Services, Holy Cross Hospital, Mental Health Association, Silver Spring YMCA Youth Services and MC Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families. The program provides accessible services to at-risk children and their families to improve adjustment to and performance in school, home, and community. Prevention and early intervention services include health, mental health, social services and educational support. The program can be reached at 301-431-7703 and is based in Rockville.

M.A.N.U.P., an acronym for Making A New United People unites communities by bridging the gaps between individuals with different socioeconomic statuses, racial and ethnic backgrounds, without regards to gender or age. The term “Man Up” is used to motivate individuals towards achieving their goals and overcoming whatever obstacles or challenges they may face. Contact: Brandon Johns, Executive Director

The Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families is comprised of public and private agencies, faith-based organizations, families, elected officials, businesses and community advocates. Their main purpose is to assess community needs, identify priorities, target resources and oversee service delivery on initiatives that require collaboration between two or more child, youth- and family-serving entities. Contact: Carol Walsh, Executive Director

Latin American Youth Center:*

Identity:*

Impact Silver Spring:*

GapBusters:*

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SCHOOLS

Blair High School: Renay Johnson, Principal; Jacob Lee, faculty; Leah Mushkin-Pierret, student

Northwood High School: Dr. Henry Johnson, Principal; Deangelo Graham, Student Government Association

Eastern Middle School: Casey Crouse, Principal

Silver Spring International Middle School: John Haas, Principal

Rolling Terrace Elementary School: Jennifer Connors, Principal

Takoma Park Middle School:*

Takoma Park Elementary School:*

Division of Food Services with Montgomery County Public Schools: Marla Caplon, R.D., L.D., Director

Street Outreach Network (SON). Its mission is to prevent, neutralize, and control hostile behavior in high risk youth and youth gangs through the development of positive relationships between youth/community stakeholders and the outreach workers. The outreach worker will utilize positive youth development programs and leisure time activities as the intervening vehicle for redirecting antisocial and aggressive behaviors. Contact: Luis Cardona, Program Director

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RECREATION CENTERS

Long Branch Recreation Center: Morris Buster, Director

Coffield Recreation Center:*

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LIBRARIES

Takoma Park Library:*

Silver Spring Library:*

Long Branch Library:*

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OTHER RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS, INITIATIVES, ETC.

African Immigrant Refugee Foundation: The mission of the African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation (AIRF) is to facilitate the effective transition of African Immigrant to American society and to support their productive, sustainable integration into their new homeland. Contact: Najima Bawa

Safe Silver Spring: The mission of Safe Silver Spring is to develop strategies, partnerships and goals to keep Silver Spring a community where people can live, work, travel, shop and play safely. Contact: Woody Brosnan & Tony Hausner

CHEER: The mission is to provide people with the knowledge and ability to create healthy, thriving communities. CHEER is a community-driven process for identifying community vision and goals, and for gathering the information and resources needed to measure and fulfill them. Contact: Bruce Baker, Kathy Porter

County Executive’s Youth Advisory Council:*

Note: This is NOT a comprehensive list; it is the start of a list. Additional descriptive information and/or contact information is needed for some listings (noted with an *). Also: Web-links and/or FaceBook pages will eventually be added to each listing, if available.

PLEASE HELP US GROW THE LIST BY LEAVING A POST ON THIS BLOG WITH CORRECTIONS &/OR ADDITIONS!

REGIONAL CENTER ISSUES: SSCAB Annual Report & Director's Monthly Report

2012-01-10T06:14:00.000-08:00

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SILVER SPRING CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT

The Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board had a terrific year, during which we reaffirmed our core mission of being a forum for residents and county officials to share concerns, news and views with each other. By working extremely closely with the Silver Spring Regional Center, we also maintained our role as a facilitator among stakeholders in the diverse Silver Spring neighborhoods and extended our outreach into residential and business communities.

The highlight of 2011 was organizing the first Taste of Fenton Village, an event held on May 15 that showcased all the independent restaurants in Silver Spring’s Fenton Village neighborhood. The planning was undertaken by the board’s Commercial & Economic Development (CED) committee, which encouraged nearly two dozen “mom and pop” restaurants to participate in the event. Hundreds of area residents turned out to walk around Fenton Village on a self-guided food tour, sampling the restaurants best cuisine at $3 - $5 sample sizes. The event ended with a live musical band and dispensing raffle prizes to event participants. SSCAB board members received nothing but positive reviews from all residents who attended. Another event is already being planned for May 2012.

Below is a brief recap of meetings, discussions and events held at the meetings of the full SSCAB and our three committees:

Full SSCAB

[] Organized a meeting with PREZCO (Presidents Council of Silver Spring Civic Associations) on the county’s rewrite of the zoning codes

[] Discussed the county’s health care services with Uma Ahluwalia, Director, Department of Health and Human Services

[] Wrote a letter to the County Executive asking for a comprehensive strategy to combat youth violence

[] Discussed the difficulties of governing a municipality with Takoma Park Mayor Bruce Williams and other notable Takoma Park residents

Neighborhoods Committee

[] Walking tours were organized in various Silver Spring neighborhoods, where interested participants and civic leaders discussed problems affecting those immediate areas. Such tours were held in the Lytonnsville and Four Corners communities

[] A bicycle tour of Langley Park to discuss concerns from small businesses and transportation advocates

[] Met with business owners from Takoma Park to discuss their business association

[] Facilitated a conversation with principals from various schools in Silver Spring and Takoma Park to discuss youth related issues

Commercial & Economic Development Committee

[] Members acting as liaisons to Silver Spring Green, a new non-profit formed in Silver Spring create sustainable practices among local governments, businesses and communities

[] Explored ways to keep the Fenton Street Market at Veterans Plaza

[] Organizing the Taste of Fenton Village event

Transportation & Pedestrian Safety Committee

[] Held a joint meeting with the county’s Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee to focus on transportation concerns in Silver Spring

[] Regularly meet with county and state officials from DOT, MHA, MTA, DGS and MCPD to raise awareness of transportation and pedestrian safety issues

[] Urged additional funding for better sidewalk access

[] Discussed the route for the Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade and the impact of the route change on local businesses

[] Push the county to designate more spaces in county garages for shared cars

As we look toward 2012, we are confident that the SSCAB is in an excellent position to build upon our previous year’s successes. Plans are already underway to hold a second Taste of Fenton Village on May 6 and the Neighborhoods Committee continues to examine how the county can better support the needs of area youth. The addition of many new board members in 2011 will also provide additional enthusiasm and a passion for community service.

The SSCAB board meets on the second Monday of the month and committee meetings are held on the fourth Monday of the month. All are open to the public.

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SILVER SPRING REGIONAL CENTER DIRECTOR's REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2011

1. Community Issues

a. Reuse of Certain Public Facilities: The Silver Spring Regional Center has convened various meetings (including with the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board) to explain how the County will determine the reuse of the Silver Spring Library and the 3rd Police Precinct once these facilities are vacated in the next couple of years. The Department of General Services was instrumental in laying out the process and options. We expect for there to be increasing conversations in the community about this in the months to come. We have already received many inquiries from private and non-profit interests.

b. Progress Place: The Department of General Services held an information session for the Request for Interest for the property currently used by Progress Place, including Community Visions and Shepherd’s Table. These services are expected to remain in the Silver Spring Area, in the vicinity of the current location. The site being analyzed is the rear of the existing Fire Station. The community has expressed wide ranging support for this location as an alternative that minimizes impact on the established existing single family residential area.

c. Lyttonsville Purple Line Rail Yard: The Silver Spring Regional Center continues to work – and meet - with the Lyttonsville community in its deliberation with various County agencies, the State, the Federal government, and elected officials to try to minimize the impact of the Purple Line rail yard proposed to be located near the Purple Line’s Lyttonsville Station.

d. New Middle School: The Silver Spring Regional Center, in collaboration with the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Center are helping to get the word out and ensure that the civic leadership will be participating in the process to formulate advice to the Montgomery County Public School Superintendent regarding the evaluation of candidate sites for a new middle school in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Cluster. (This impacts the western part of the Silver Spring Regional Area.) Meetings are scheduled for the next couple of months.

e. Pertinent Plans: The Silver Spring Regional Center continues engaged with Park and Planning as the Long Branch and Takoma/Langley Sector Plans develop. In both plans, the issue of maintaining the area as mixed income communities with opportunities for affordable housing seems to be a hot topic of discussion. Of concern is how to pursue policies for the area’s economic vitality and manage its inevitable growth without negatively impacting the community and cultural character that its existing apartment dwellers bring to the area. (While these plans are key to the future of the Area, we are also working with various elements in the community to promote existing assets and how these can be maximized to build community today as we plan for tomorrow.)

2. Advisory Board Activities/Issues:

a. Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board

[] At the December Meeting, Councilmember Floreen gave an update of the many Silver Spring issues the Council is dealing with. She also used the opportunity to listen to comments and answer questions. This was followed by a general discussion/dialogue of the history of the Silver Spring development.

[] The Board also voted to send a letter to the County Executive advising the County intervene with SHA to reconsider some of the sidewalk improvements being built on Georgia Ave in downtown Silver Spring.

[] While there were no Committee meetings in December, the Commercial and Economic Development Committee did hold a work-session to mobilize volunteers and define the ‘to-do’ task list for the May 6th Taste the World in Fenton Village event.

b. Arts & Entertainment Advisory Committee

[] Michael McBride (WMATA) was the guest at the meeting. He shared with the Committee WMATA’s approach to public space and art in transit stations – and at the Silver Spring redesigned station in particular. It was noted that beyond the infamous ‘penguins’ in the Colesville underpass, the Station will have no art… The Committee also heard a brief update/presentation from the Fillmore (which is represented on the Committee); and, reviewed how the incentives provided by the Arts & Entertainment District designation are being used. (There was some concern expressed that these benefits are not well publicized and thus there might be some opportunities for higher use if promoted more aggressively.)

c. Urban District Advisory Committee

[] The Committee heard from the Falkland developers and the First Baptist Church site developers and subsequently approved letters of support for their next step in the approval process. The Committee also heard a presentation from Rick Siebert (Parking Lot District – PLD.)

[] Additionally, after hearing from Lt. Bob Carter (3rd Police Precinct) the Committee voted to send a letter commending the County for its support of increased police presence in downtown Silver Spring, but also expressing concern regarding the evident difficulty in operationalizing this increase. (It seems the reduction in force caused by the number of transfers, reassignments, promotions and regular attrition is barely keeping up with the capacity to replace – and increase – the number of police ‘on the streets’ as budgeted.)

3. Other:
{Note: Since this is the first report of the year, it includes a list not only of what was done in December, but also many – though not all – of other issues, initiatives, programs, and projects we are working on at this time.}

a. Safety and Security Downtown: Coordination and collaboration efforts of public and private interest to ensure a safe downtown Silver Spring is becoming increasingly efficient. We have established a series of regularly scheduled internal meetings and work-sessions among the various critical agencies. This is proving to be very effective in increasing communication and ensuring we are proactive in matters related to safety and security in downtown.

b. Montgomery Hills: There are various activities going on in this area of Silver Spring, with the Regional Center active and/or coordinating them. We worked with the community on banners that will be going up in the near future. We are also ready to unveil a web-based listing of all the businesses in the area; and are designing a pedestrian level signage for the area. Nearby, we are working with Ft. Detrick as they prepare to reach out to the community regarding their activities in the Forrest Glen Annex. (Among the changes: The Walter Reed Medical Museum is now part of the Anenx.) These – and other activities – are all part of our comprehensive attention to Montgomery Hills.

c. Development Inquires and Status: Inquires regarding development opportunities in downtown Silver Spring and vicinity seems to be picking up. In the recent weeks there’s been many more ‘feelers’ from the development community regarding what is going on in Silver Spring and its potential for continued growth. The Silver Spring Regional Center, working at times with the Department of Economic Development and others, provides information and support to these inquires on an on-going bases. The Center also maintains a list of pertinent links to what is going on in the area of developments in the pipeline, under construction, and in the approved planning stages (including the major public sector projects: i.e.: The Library and the Transit Station.)

d. Silver Spring Stories: Two recent events - the Smithsonian Institute ‘conversation’ at the AFI and the showing of the movie (“Rights of Butterflies”) with the Gilchrist Center - sparked an on-going interest in continuing the community discussion regarding how to ensure that the issue of ‘immigration and migration’ is incorporated in our traditional civic infrastructure. Among other things, this is facilitating our intent to recruit members from this segment of our community to serve on boards, committees, and commissions. We are also working closely with OCP on related issues.

e. Long Branch Community Economic Development: There are various constructive efforts coming together in Long Branch that indicate a positive movement towards affirming the existing community economic development assets of that area worthy of being celebrated today as they plan for the future (i.e. Purple Line and Master Plan.) The Regional Center is working closely with the Long Branch Business League (through the Montgomery Housing Partnership consultant to the Department of Housing and Community Revitalization) and a new entrepreneurship effort (the Flower Avenue Antique and Flea Market) to stimulate community and economic activity in the area. We are also working with DOT on efforts to improve pedestrian safety, particularly on Piney Branch.

f. Takoma Park’s New Ave: The Silver Spring Regional Center continues to work closely with the City of Takoma Park in its many efforts that impact the broader Silver Spring Area. Among these are their initiative to highlight New Hampshire Avenue as a community asset, under the ‘flagship’ effort aptly named “New Ave”. We participated in merchants meetings and are helping to promote this initiative through our communications tools.

g. “Downtown” Silver Spring: The Silver Spring Regional Center has begun to work closely with Downtown Silver Spring (the Corporate entity) as they bring together their new Management Team. This has been - and will continue to be - a critical partnership to ensure the long term, viable and sustainable success of downtown Silver Spring.

h. Thanksgiving Parade Debrief and Area Promotion: Together with the Recreation Department we held a debriefing session with the community to go over ‘what worked’ and ‘what can be improved’ for the Thanksgiving Parade. This year we were very intentional in using the Parade as an opportunity to promote the small, independently owned businesses throughout downtown Silver Spring, particularly in the southern end of downtown (Fenton Village) where the Parade ends. We also used the opportunity to promote the Small Business Saturday national effort (the Saturday after “Black Friday”.) Volunteers and our AmeriCorp were instrumental in passing out flyers to Parade participants.

i. Silver Spring Regional Outdoor Markets: The Silver Spring Regional Center is working with Sen. Jaime Raskin and others to bring together the various (at least seven!) outdoor markets in the Silver Spring Area and vicinity to develop a joint promotional campaign and maximize cross-marketing opportunities. This effort is as much a ‘community building’ effort as it is an ‘economic development effort’… The emerging theme is “Life Happens Where Community & Commerce Meet”.

j. Signage for downtown Silver Spring: The Convention and Visitors Bureau brought to us the opportunity to provide input and advice for State Highway signage that would identify destinations points in Silver Spring. A community meeting was held to help formulate options for the proposed signage system. The Silver Spring Regional Center is coordinating this effort as we continue to also pursue how to most effectively institute a comprehensive way-finding system for downtown Silver Spring.

k. New Community Efforts: We continue providing whatever support we can (mostly technical assistance and information) to three new efforts that have proven to be very successful in Silver Spring. These are Silver Spring Green, Silver Spring Senior Village, and Safe Silver Spring. We routinely meet with the leadership of these efforts as well as participate in their meetings, gatherings, and events as often as possible.

l. Up-Coming: Looking forward to January, there are two key events we are part of that are critical to the Regional Center and help us ‘build community’. These are: County Executive Budget Forum (Thursday, January 12th) and the MLK, Jr. Day of Service (Monday, January 16th.) We are working with other agencies (particularly the OMB and OCP respectively, to promote these events and ensure their success.

{IF YOU ENJOY THIS BLOG, MAKE SURE YOU CLICK ICON ON THE UPPER LEFT TO 'FOLLOW' IT SO YOU'LL GET AUTOMATIC NOTICES OF NEW POSTINGS.}

A SILVER SPRING HOLIDAY

2011-12-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

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Happy Holidays. Seasons Greetings. Merry Christmas. Feliz Navidad. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanza. Happy New Year!

(If I left out some Holidays, visit
http://familycrafts.about.com/library/spdays/bldecdayslong.htm
for a pretty comprehensive list of others, including some quite whimsical - like National Egg Nog Day and the National Day of the Ninja!)

While we may celebrate this season for different reasons, a common elements to most holiday celebrations is the idea of connecting with others. Some focus on family; others focus on friends (and even foes!); yet others focus on strangers... And oftentimes many of us try to focus a bit on all the aforementioned. Some travel far; others welcome others to their home; and, then there are those that just want to ‘get away from it all’...

We’ve all heard of the power of ‘buying local’... Well, how about the power of ‘gifting & serving local’? Right here in Silver Spring we have so many organizations, institutions, families, and individuals in need of our support that it really merits the question: What am I giving - and how am I serving - locally? (Please note: This in no way shape or form should be construed as a challenge to those of us that also ‘give and serve’ regionally, nationally, and internationally... It is not a matter of either/or; it is a matter of both/and.)

It is simply amazing how sometimes we walk right by, look right through, and choose to not see the real difficulties faced by many of our very own community members literally right in our mist. While Silver Spring’s poverty is not necessarily ‘in your face’, there are some serious ‘pockets of poverty’ that are very real. And, it is not only the poverty. It is also the alienation, economic dislocation, and hurt that is amongst us right here in Silver Spring...

However, we are extremely fortunate to have in Silver Spring public, private, non-profit, and faith initiatives that do a tremendous job in addressing all these needs and situations. Some of it obvious; other not so much:

- Our public ‘safety net’ programs - while faced with serious funding challenges - is alive and well. But, they do need our help. Many all welcome volunteers. Don’t assume they have all they need! Stop and ask.

- Many of the private entities and corporations in Silver Spring provide opportunities for their employees to ‘get involved locally’. While some of these opportunities may not be always evident, they are there. Don’t assume they don’t exist! Stop and ask.

- Our locally serving non-profit networks are always inventing new ways to do with less traditional resources to help our community. If you are on the board, know the staff, or simply have participated in one of their programs and/or activities, please consider financially supporting them. Don’t assume they’ll come to you - they may simply be too busy doing their work! Stop and ask.

- The faith community in Silver Spring is so incredibly active individually and in coalitions helping those in need, the isolated, and the deprived. We have a faith congregation in almost every block. Regardless of whether you worship locally or not, please consider joining one of our faith community’s social justice efforts. Don’t assume they’ll want to convert you - they just want to join you in the struggle! Stop and ask.

Whatever you do for the Holidays and wherever they may take you, we hope you will take a minute to consider how you are contributing your talents in your own community. The possibilities are truly endless! Stop and ask.

And, if all of this talk turns you off and makes you want to rebuttal, you may want to celebrate Bah Humbug Day... more info at:
http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/December/humbugday.htm
:-)

See you around Silver Spring in 2012!

FLOWER AVENUE HOLIDAY MARKET SPRINGS TO LIFE ON SATURDAYS

2011-12-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

Here's a "guest blog" from Chris Lancette, the entrepreneur that is doing the Flower Avenue Holiday Market

FLOWER AVENUE HOLIDAY MARKET SPRINGS TO LIFE ON SATURDAYS

I’m excited to report that our up-and-coming home-based business (Orion’s Attic) has launched the Flower Avenue Holiday Market on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through December 24. Located at the corner of Flower Avenue and Arliss Street, the market is designed to achieve several short-term and longer-term goals that center around the idea of linking community with commerce.

For the holidays, we want to create a new destination in our own neighborhood for people to shop locally and for entrepreneurs to generate income. Along with a number of our vendors, I live within minutes of the Holiday Market. I hope everyone in Montgomery County and beyond comes out to peruse antiques, art, books, collectibles, furniture, hand-made clothing and accessories, holiday baskets, jewelry, and all kinds of other treasures.

This is just the beginning.

There is tremendous entrepreneurial and artistic talent in the Long Branch community. We want to celebrate it, show it off, and nurture it – while giving residents a great shopping experience. We are already exploring options to keep this momentum going at this same site in 2012 thanks to the support of Flower Avenue Shopping Center owner Greg Fernebok, whose enthusiasm and generosity is making this operation possible. He is allowing us to donate the rent we’re paying for the space to IMPACT Silver Spring. We are partnering with IMPACT – a nonprofit organization dedicated to economic empowerment -- to give a few new entrepreneurs a chance to sell their products at a market for the first time. One sells cosmetics by Mary Kay, another makes beautiful curtains.

We are also creating space for local service providers to promote themselves … like the “Tutor Table” of foreign language translators and tutors who will soon make their debut. A great local restaurant, La Escudilla, will fill the air with the tantalizing scent of its cuisine. We are also in the process of creating a coupon booklet to encourage market shoppers to explore nearby businesses.

Orion’s Attic is itself a local business run by Won-ok Kim and me. The mission of our home-based antique and high-end flea enterprise is to enable people to “buy good stuff, do great things.” We partner with and serve great Montgomery County nonprofits in everything we do, from donating a percentage of our profits to conducting fundraisers for them. We are open by appointment, sell online through our Web site and other venues, provide estate sale services, and throw huge “Upscale Yard Sales” like the ones we do at our home and the fundraiser we did for Pyramid Atlantic in downtown Silver Spring last October.

Our effort to create a Saturday market in Long Branch is the next stage of our evolution and it is already making an impact. Vendors are generating sales. We’re putting local teenagers to work and we are spending money at Silver Spring businesses that are printing our signs and providing our supplies. We even bought an old truck that was parked about 100 feet from the market site. The seller himself is an industrious young entrepreneur who is seeking to buy a bigger truck he can use to make deliveries for companies needing his help.

We hope everyone can make plans to visit the Flower Avenue Holiday Market each Saturday. There will be additional vendors (including a rare books dealer on Dec. 10) and other attractions each week. We’re also grateful for anything you can do to help us spread the word through social media and word of mouth. We’ve got a few thousand flyers to distribute, too.

Visit www.orionsattic.com for more information about the market and to learn more about what we’re doing to bring commerce and community together in Silver Spring. You can also contact me directly if you would like to get involved.

Let’s celebrate Long Branch together. Hope to see you Saturday!

Christopher Lancette
Co-proprietor, Orion's Attic
“Buy good stuff, do great things."
chris@orionsattic.com
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Everybody Loves a Parade!

2011-11-16T06:03:00.000-08:00

Come share the fun that is a Parade!

To wet your appetite you can view two short videos from last year’s parade:
Pageantry of the Parade
What People Say About the Parade

You can also read the Parade as featured in the Washington Posts Apartment Showcase HERE.

The Parade starts at 9:30 a.m. So, come early and have breakfast - and stay around afterwards and have lunch – in one of the many eateries throughout the area. For a comprehensive list of restaurants (and more!) visit our website HERE.

The Parade has been held every year since 1997. Grand Marshalls have included past Washington Nationals Manager Manny Acta, FBI and ATF agents that lead the sniper investigations, and our past County Executive, Doug Duncan. This year’s Grand Marshall is our County Executive, Ike Leggett.

The MC will be Brian van de Graaff ABC 7/WJLA-TV’s meteorologist… And, when you come don’t forget to set your DVR to record it! It will be ‘live’ on NewsChannel 8.

One of the beauties of this Parade is that it is much more than just a parade… This is a great opportunity to bring family and friends to enjoy what our community is becoming: An amazing mix of people from all walks of life, distinct backgrounds, every economic level, and wonderful life experiences… The Parade is indeed “Silver Spring”!

The Parade is also a great opportunity to be “where community meets commerce”. The Parade does have a positive economic impact on many of the area businesses, from the smallest, independently owned shops and restaurants in Fenton Village to the mix of retail opportunities and eateries on Ellsworth Drive… You can find it all right here in downtown Silver Spring!... We encourage you to ‘walk around’ and discover that hidden place you might not be as familiar with – you might be surprised at what you find… And, don’t forget to stick around and take a spin or two on Veterans Plaza’s skating rink.

Lastly, if you have not done so yet, definitively stop and ‘soak in’ the beautiful three panels that now dignify our Veterans Plaza… What a better way to kick off Thanksgiving Week than to thank our veterans by patiently reading these beautiful ‘letters home’!

c/u Saturday!

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Area

SHARING OUR FAITH COMMUNITY's HOLIDAY MUSIC

2011-11-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

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If your faith community is located in the Silver Spring Regional Area*; you are offering a holiday concert; you’d welcome neighbors of different faiths joining in; and, it is free, we invite you to post the details as a ‘comment’ on this blog. We’ll take care of gathering the info, making a comprehensive list, and e-blasting it.

One of the neatest things about living in Silver Spring Regional Area is the incredible number of faith communities that dot our landscape. With the holidays coming up, many of these faith communities will be celebrating with music concerts.

Most often these musical events are welcoming of all, regardless of congregational membership or faith orientation. Some of the most vibrant, exhilarating holiday music we hear is oftentimes from faith traditions other than our own. These concerts and musical events can be truly beautiful and a great opportunity to celebrate what connects us.

Our faith communities are a major integral part of our cultural fabric and provide solid anchors to our civic and social justice work. The agendas of different faith communities often intersect in the work they do with the disadvantaged. However, we are oftentimes so busy doing good in our focused project or program that we forget to check in with our neighboring faith communities to see if by occasionally collaborating we could have a more pronounced impact… Maybe by listening and enjoying each other’s music we can begin establishing the rapport that could lead to many possibilities in 2012!

If your faith community is located in the Silver Spring Regional Area*; you are offering a holiday concert; you’d welcome neighbors of different faiths joining in; and, it is free, please post the details as a ‘comment’ on this blog. We’ll take care of gathering the info, making a comprehensive list, and e-blasting it.

Simply ‘cut & paste’ the following into the ‘comment’ section of this blog and add your information:
[] NAME OF FAITH COMMUNITY:
[] NAME OF CONCERT:
[] DATE(S):
[] START TIME(S):
[] CONTACT PERSON (w/e-mail):
[] OTHER INFO:

(*The Silver Spring Regional Area consists of the area in Montgomery County south of the Beltway (plus Four Corners), east of Rock Creek Park, and west of Prince George’s County. It includes the City of Takoma Park all the other wonderful neighborhoods, and downtown Silver Spring.)

{And as always: We encourage you to ‘follow’ this blog so you get future postings automatically.}

What folks were saying at the Community Services Week "Party"

2011-10-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

October 22, 2011 was a great day in Silver Spring – and a great day for Montgomery County!

We celebrated the end of Community Services Week with a wonderful event on Veterans Plaza. A great band was playing while many community organizations and institutions had table with information about how they work with volunteers to help our community. (This came after a day of volunteer projects in the Civic Building.)

The Silver Spring Regional Area’s own “Community Engagement Specialist” (Andre Roa - 'Dre- , our AmeriCorp team member) made a map of the area and asked folks to put a pin indicating where they live (if they live in our area.)

He also asked them to put a ‘sticky’ on the map sharing what they like about this amazing community… Some of the comments included:

[] Diversity
[] ] We have urban gardeners; we have doc film fests at AFI; we have cool small businesses; we have the best restaurants (Mandalay, my fave); we have the Quary House & Side Bar & Adega; we have parks – Sligo & Long Branch and we have NICE PEOPLE!!
[] Silver Spring Ave. Ah-ha! We grow hopes…have instant music james…and merriment on the trampoline. Yay! Oh – great block party too!!
[] They are friendly and very gentle and polite
Artists last stand! Living outside the box
[] Best neighborhood ever!
[] Diversity of food, color, and language
[] Everything I need is in walking distance (metro, groceries, movies, food, the park, etc.)
[] Indian Spring – a great & active neighborhood
[] Like the friendly walkable environment and all our diverse neighbors, businesses, and organizations supporting each other.
Festivals!
[] Zombie Walks are here!
[] Lovely, supportive neighbors; access to downtown Silver Spring & Takoma Park; festivals galore; and a strong, warm sense of community.
Cool people, interesting stuff to do, Quarry House, Side Bar, and Impact Silver Spring.
[] I live Ruatan Street. We have a lot of police taking care of our street.
[] An extremely diverse neighborhood.
[] Great places to walk to – also dog friendly!
[] I feel it safe where I live and peaceful.
[] I like that it is a very family oriented community. It would be great to bring the neighborhoods together in a bigger community.
From the time that I came there, it is like getting hard to leave my neighborhood! I love it!
[] Why is Downtown Ellsworth Drive still open to traffic??
[] How can we make crossing Wayne Ave & Fenton St safer (as a pedestrian, some crazy drivers have had some close calls)?

What a cool, simple idea to get a sense of what folks think!... If you see “Dre” in one of our upcoming meetings and/or dialogues, please thank him for doing this!

{And, if you have not done so, please click the 'follow' button to get future postings of this blog automatically.}

Reemberto Rodriguez, Regional Director
Montgomery County Silver Spring Area

Walking and Biking Around Silver Spring - Dialogues, Conversations, & Ride Alongs

2011-10-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

It is as if this month was “walking, pedestrian, and biking month”! If this is a topic of interest for you, you will definitively want to mark your calendar for the amazing array of opportunities coming up to get involved, make an impact, and learn more about how we get around (safely!) in Silver Spring other than in cars.

Walkability Dialogue!

Starting this evening, we’ll have a dialogue on the ‘walkability’ of Silver Spring. Various folks that have invested a lot of time in this issue will be facilitating a conversation to highlight how ‘walkable’ Silver Spring is; and is not. Please stop by the Civic Building at 7pm tonight (Tuesday, October 11th) and join us. For the flier, see:
http://issuu.com/silverspringregionalcenter/docs/wws_20flyer_20large
And, for a past blog posting on this issue, visit:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/04/where-one-mile-will-get-you-in-silver.html

“Complete Street” Conversation!

Next week (on Thursday, October 20th) the Planning folks are bringing in an expert on a related subject matter (“Complete Streets”) for one of their highly successful Speaker Series events. The event will be at their headquarters. (Free!) For more info, visit the link at:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/research/growth_policy/speaker_series/2010/

PTSAC comes to Silver Spring!

And, on November 3rd the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board is hosting the Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (PTSAC) meeting. (This gathering will also be the official meeting of the SSCAB’s Pedestrian Safety and Transportation Committee.) The County’s PTSAC has been instrumental in improving the opportunities of pedestrians to walk around all of Montgomery County. In Silver Spring in particular, they have worked in the three “High Incident Areas” of note: Piney Branch and University Avenue; the Four Corners commercial area; and Georgia Avenue in downtown. Come join us as the Committee engages community members in a critical dialogue of how to make Silver Spring safer for pedestrians. The meeting will be held at the Civic Building at 7pm.

I hope you will take advantage of one – or all – of these wonderful opportunities to make a difference in how we can feel – and be! – safer as we walk and bike around Silver Spring.

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center

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What is going on (in the development world) in Silver Spring?

2011-09-27T11:50:00.000-07:00

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So, you want to know: What IS going on (in the development world) in Silver Spring? What are all those real estate developments deals and great projects that are coming out of the ground? What has happened recently? What is the history? Where are we headed?

Well, obviously there is no simple answer and no single place that has all this wonderful information. Often time when we try to produce such “lists of lists” they become outdated before they are released and/or the staff capacity is simply not there to maintain it all up-to-date.

Given all these caveats, here is an imperfect, incomplete, and probably not fully accurate snapshot of “What is going on (in the development world) in Silver Spring.

WHAT IS COMING OUT OF THE GROUND

First things first: What you see ‘coming off the ground’ in the downtown area is probably one of the following 1000+ residential units that will be ready for occupancy within the next couple of years, some sooner:

[] Behind the Civic Building: 222 multi-family units just began site work construction. This project is actually part of the overall downtown Silver Spring development.

[] Down by Montgomery College: (the old Dry Cleaning Institute building): 210 multi-family units to be built behind the historic structure, which will be incorporated into the development.)

[] South Silver Spring (Kennett Street): Commonly known as The Galaxy, this will be a 241 unit multi-family development… It is about 2/3 complete.

[] Ripley Street Washington Property’s project will include 286 multi-family units.

PIPELINE

Projects in different stages of development review could bring an additional 2000 units. Some of these include:

[] EYA/Chelsea School: At Pershing at Ellsworth. It will include 72 townhouses, plus the preservation of the historic structure.

[] Fenton Baptist Church: This project will rebuild the church and will have street level storefront, along with 200+ multi-family units.

[] Fenwick Station: The redevelopment of the existing Post Office site will bring 310 multi-family units.

[] Home Properites Ripley Street North: This residential with retail on the first floor will be across the street from Washington Properties' development.

[] Silver Spring Library Residential Site: Fronting on Bonifant, this project will have 120 multi-family units and residential on the ground floor.

[] The Falklands Chase Redevelopment: This major redevelopment in the northwest side of downtown is slated to eventually include over 1,000 units and more than 60,000 sq. ft. of retail.

If you want to see some of the above projects in a graphic representation, you can review a presentation given by Park & Planning about a year ago – but still very relevant:
http://issuu.com/silverspringregionalcenter/docs/silver_spring_cbd_projects_under_development

Given what has been built recently – particularly over by East/West Highway, it is safe to say that from the middle of the last decade through the middle or end of this one, Silver Spring would have added in the proximity of 5,000 residential units throughout the downtown area.

Other than residential, there is not much going on beyond what the County is building - and of course United Therapeutic's "Phase 3" development. You can see the County's projects at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/DGS/DBDC/RegionalProjectPages/silverspring.asp

If you are a techie and want to play with some relatively up-to-date database, try Park & Planning’s two sites:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/development/finder.shtm
http://www.mcatlas.org/Atlas/

CONTEXT [plans and such]

Now, step back a minute… If you want to put all of this in context, you’ll want to get review some framing documents. Your first stop to understand the context of what is going on should be a fuller understanding ‘how a building gets built’ in our County… Check out “A Resident’s Guide to Land Use Master Plan Process in Montgomery County”:
http://www.montgomeryplanningboard.org/info/resident_guides/documents/landuse_masterplan_02_2007.pdf

After that, you’ll be better ready to understand the Silver Spring plans in particular by reviewing the Silver Spring CBD (Central Business District) Sector Plan, found at:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/plan_areas/silver_spring_takoma_park/master_plans/sscbd/sscbd_toc.shtm

Next you’ll be ready to step back a bit again, and see how this Plan fits into other plans and other planning issues. There is a recent (July 2011) update to all this information, readily found at:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/silverspring/index.shtm

For a synopsis of all these plans, see more of the presentation made by Park & Planning a year ago:
http://issuu.com/silverspringregionalcenter/docs/silver_spring_master_plans__compatibility_mode_

To get a picture of what is her today, nothing provides a better overview that our own web-site:
http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/

A HISTORY LESSON

Wikipedia actually does a decent job providing some history for us:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Spring,_Maryland

The Chamber’s web-site also has a brief history and context:
http://www.silverspringchamber.com/silverspring/about_silver_spring/index.html

So does some of the local neighborhood historians:
http://users.starpower.net/oshel/H02.htm

And, of course, the Historical Society has a wealth of info:
http://silverspringhistory.homestead.com/

Our own historian, Jerry McCoy recently released a book titled “Then and Now: Downtown Silver Spring”… He also wrote a history of book of the broader Silver Spring area:
http://silverspringthenagain.blogspot.com/

Gus Bauman, a past Commission Chair did a wonderful timeline that we posted on our blog not too long ago:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/06/short-history-of-developemnt-in.html

FOR MORE INFORMATION

If your interest is in knowing what others think about all of this, you may want to visit some of the area blogs, web-sites, FaceBook pages, etc… A handy dandy ‘list of lists’ can be find in our blog posting:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/silver-spring-list-of-lists-web-sites.html

While there’s been many articles written about the growth in Silver Spring, this one seems to be one of the best:
http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/downtown_silver_spring_experiencing_a_resurgence_after_a_bumpy_history/2281
(Plus it extensively quotes one of our Citizens Advisory Board members, Evan Glass.)

As if all of the above is not enough, you could also have some fun Googling “Silver Spring redevelopment” not only on the web, but in ‘pictures’ and ‘YouTube’… And – this is quite something if you’ve never tried it – go to ‘more’ in the Google bar; scroll down to ‘even more’; then find the link to ‘scholar’. There you will find amazing historical works ranging from the useful to the useless. (For example, there’s a University of Maryland thesis back from 2005 title “Imagined Pasts, Imagined Futures: Race, Politics, Memory, and the Revitalization of Downtown Silver Spring”.)

All of this will lead you to more information than you probably need – but, you’ll have loads of fun in the investigative journey!

NOTE: I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LEAVE ANY ADDITIONS/CORRECTION TO THE ABOVE AS A COMMENT ON THIS BLOG... And, please consider 'following' this blog so you can get future postings automatically.

Deliberate Democracy Consortium Latest Links

2011-09-25T18:33:00.000-07:00

Those that read this blog regularly know that I occasionally (re) post edited versions of what I get from Deliberative Democracy Consortium. While these posting are certainly not for everyone – and can be a bit academic – some folks have shared with me that they appreciate getting them… So, here’s DDC’s most recent (edited) list of worthy news in the field:

[1] You can find DDC on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/deliberative.democracy

[2] President Obama made a major speech last week describing the US commitments to public participation and transparency as part of the Open Government Partnership - the speech can be viewed at http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/09/20/president-obama-open-government-partnership-event

[3] New Oxford Handbook on Civil Society has contributions from Peter Levine, John Gaventa, Harry Boyte, Mark Warren, Theda Skocpol, Nina Eliasoph, and many others - http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Politics/?view=usa&ci=9780195398571#Description

[4] Participatory Budgeting Launches in NYC: Councilmembers and Community Allies (in NYC) Announce Groundbreaking, Democratic Budgeting Initiative – join their Google group at http://groups.google.com/group/participatory-budgeting-us/browse_thread/thread/df2ac96770f8a4ea

[5] The Alberta Climate Dialogue (ABCD) has been working with the City of Edmonton on an innovative public involvement project on sustainability - http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=gkuc9afab&v=001b3MRj4D6bdp9v51J1dVL3YR1JoFsBvLntE9GM8niS4k8DPWqXYNhkk1-M0UzqRHa5La1dP5kxm1UrMMP-dxrQkMBrtuWPAfQhPHaL2qDLrYTzafwM-jZOQ%3D%3D

[6] 'Citizenship and Governance in a Wild Wired World' summarizes the current state of participatory practice at the local level, makes the argument that we need to be thinking about engagement infrastructure, not just temporary tools - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ncr.20056/abstract

[7] Jim Snider makes some excellent suggestions for how communities can support 'blended meetings' that include online and face-to-face elements - http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2011/07_public_community_media_snider.aspx

[8] Meaningful participation vs. all-night public hearing: Toronto MP Carolyn Bennett eloquently describes the differences http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/hon-carolyn-bennett/rob-ford_b_919138.html

[9] Bill Barnes at the National League of Cities explores how cities are dealing with challenges of immigrant integration - http://www.nlc.org/news-center/nations-cities-weekly/articles/2011/september/emerging-issues-hyphens-and-documents-hopes-and-fears

[10] New report shows that civic engagement is a stronger factor in reducing unemployment than many traditional economic variables - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-levine/could-civic-engagement-be_b_966176.html?ref=tw

[11] Comments, reflections and results from "Frontiers of Democracy" conference now up at http://activecitizen.tufts.edu/?pid=715. Includes poll on top insights, link to conference video, and other resources

[12] In the latest LogoLink newsletter, discussion about the line between false participation and sharing power meaningfully with citizens. http://www.logolink.org/newsletter/index.php?id=6

[13] Common Ground News Service looking to expand their roster of authors who can write on race relations in the US - see www.cgnews.org - small honorarium available for each piece.

[14] The most complete look yet at whether/how the Obama Administration is boosting participation through Open Government: http://www.businessofgovernment.org/report/assessing-public-participation-open-government-era

[15] Philadelphia city councilwoman on why public engagement isn't just a 'feel-good' exercise: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/our-money/Why-public-engagement-is-more-than-a-feel-good-gesture.html

[16] Rude Democracy: Civility and Incivility in American Politics - by Susan Herbst, new pres of UConn www.pbk.org/home/FocusNews.aspx?id=685

[17] Portsmouth Listens will receive the 2011 Sarah Farmer Peace Award. http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20110817-NEWS-108170362

…hope you enjoy these!... And, don’t forget: If you have not done so already, please follow this blog (by clicking on the icon on the upper left, above the pictures) so you will get postings automatically…

SILVER SPRING REGIONAL CENTER SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

2011-09-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

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Our community has infinite human capital. We are blessed with so many people that do so much good!

While there are countless excellent opportunities for fulfilling volunteerism right here in our midst – and throughout the world - we are convinced that there remain many people “still searching” for that “just right” opportunity.

Maybe the Silver Spring Regional Center is that place for you! We are seeking volunteers to help us in specific task oriented assignments. These include:
[1] Google Map Creator
[2] Community Meeting Docent
[3] Development Tracker
[4] Communications Team Member

Below is more information for each of these opportunities.

Interested? Send me an e-mail with the subject line “Volunteer”.

Thanks!

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center
Reemberto.Rodriguez@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov

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[1] Silver Spring Regional Center Google Maps Creator

The Silver Spring Regional Center has created a series of Google Maps for specific purposes. Some of these include Ethiopian storefront establishments in downtown Silver Spring; car repair shops in Fenton Village; faith communities in Silver Spring. We want to grow these map series to include a variety of others, including but not being limited to. Silver Spring Regional Center area:
 Community serving non-profits;
 Youth serving institutions;
 Civic organizations (with full contact information);
 Tenant organizations;
 Senior complexes;
 Citizenship classes;
 Galleries;
 Performing spaces;
 Others

These maps will be used to augment and expand the information provided in our web-site http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/ We are looking for highly computer literate* volunteer(s) to do the research and create these map series. The tasks and duties include, but are not limited to:
 Researching what is readily available;
 Creating spreadsheets;
 Confirming accuracy of information;
 Creating the Google map, including pictures
 Other related duties as might be necessary.

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[2] Silver Spring Regional Center Community Meetings Docent

The Silver Spring Regional Center holds regularly meetings with its three advisory groups and committees. These include:
 The Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board (2nd Monday, 7pm Civic Building)
 Advisory Board Three Committees Simultaneous Meetings (4th Monday, 7pm Civic Building)
 The Silver Spring Arts & Entertainment Advisory Committee (1st Tuesday, Civic Building)
 The Silver Spring Urban District Advisory Committee (3rd Thursday, 3pm Fire Station)

We are looking for highly computer literate* volunteer(s) to be “Meeting Docent”. The tasks and duties include, but are not limited to:
 Helping set up the room and a.v. if needed;
 Preparing and copying the sign-in sheet and other materials;
 ‘Staffing’ the information table and ensuring all participants sign in;
 Collecting all material after the meeting;
 Transcribing the names and e-mails of participants into a spreadsheet;
 Reconciling repeat names from master spreadsheet;
 Working with staff responsible for contacts list to ensure any new names are represented in the contacts database;
 Other related duties as might be necessary.

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[3] Silver Spring Regional Center Development Tracker

The Silver Spring Regional Center area is beaming with development. While there exists certain databases of what is approved, there is no single map linked to a database that is comprehensive – and includes current status – of all the public and private sector projects in the area. Such a map would be invaluable for public dialogue. This type of information would help tremendously to put issues of growth in context – and increase transparency.

We are looking for highly computer literate* volunteer(s) to be a “Development Tracker”. The tasks and duties include, but are not limited to:
 Identifying on-line resources that may have some of the information;
 Riding around, taking pictures, verifying, and documenting the signs identifying development;
 Researching current status of each development;
 Creating database of developer contact information, public hearing dates; etc.
 Other related duties as might be necessary.

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[4] Silver Spring Regional Center Communications Team Member

The Silver Spring Regional Center has a series of communications tools that require consistent and regular attention. Among these are web-sites, e-blasts, a blog, FaceBook page, calendar, contact lists, and meeting notices. We are looking for a team of highly computer literate* volunteers to work with these tools and do specific tasks am duties such as, but not limited to:
 Web-Sites: Review for accuracy and timelines of information; and working links
 e-blasts: Format information received from various sources so it can be e-blasted to all contacts
 blog: Draft postings; recruit and work with ‘guest’ bloggers
 FaceBook page: post pertinent information; monitor for messages
 Calendar: Maintain internal calendar of pertinent community meetings, gatherings, dialogues, celebrations, festivals, and other community engagement activities
 Contact Lists: Maintain internal contact lists current and updated
 Meeting Notices: Ensure meeting notices are drafted and released in a timely manner

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For related past postings on the topic of ‘volunteerism’ on this blog, visit:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-maximize-volunteer-assets.html

..................................................................................
Interested? Send me an e-mail with the subject line “Volunteer”.

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center
Reemberto.Rodriguez@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov

SSRC: Issues, Projects, Activities , and Other News

2011-09-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

SILVER SPRING REGIONAL CENTER
Issues, Projects, Activities , and Other News
Report for August 2011 Reemberto Rodríguez, Director

Curfew: This issue is certainly prevalent in many community dialogues, civic meetings, and general conversations. The SSCAB’s Neighborhood and Commercial & Economic Development Committees held a joint session on the curfew in mid-August. The session was extremely well attended, and representatives from the Council and the Executive were present. The SSCAB, with special guest Council President Ervin, will take up the issue at their Board Meeting on September 12th.

Noise Bill: As the bill evolves, there seems to be a growing consensus in Silver Spring that public and private opportunities to activate the area by providing and sponsoring concerts and other performances is something that should continue. Many have expressed the opinion that any limitation on these activities may hinder the economic vitality of the area.

Fenton Street Market: At the end of this calendar year we will have finished the pilot project whereas the Regional Center sponsored the Fenton Street Market on Veterans Plaza. As we move to institutionalize the success of this type of activity on the Plaza, we are proceeding with the development of a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a craft market that would occur on a regular basis.

Thanksgiving Parade: The Recreation Department will be holding a community meeting on how to continue improving the Parade. There’s already been a series of meeting with the various Advisory Groups and/or their committees to explain why the route changed and other logistical matters. This broader meeting will emphasize the many opportunities for continued engagement by area residents and businesses in the Parade and how it can maximize its positive impacts.

Fillmore: Opening date is set for September 15th. The community is invited to get a preview of the space on Monday, September 12th. All advisory group members and civic leaders have been invited. Many inquires continue coming in about the Fillmore, but the exhaustive FAQ web-site that the County has prepared has successfully answered most of the inquires. There’s been extensive internal tactical strategy sessions to ensure a successful opening and continued operations.

Civic Building and Veterans Plaza Operations: We are successfully working closely with the new Facility Operations Manager of the facility (Jewru Bandeh.) There’s been substantial improvements in all areas of operations, with new protocols put in place. For example, now the building closes to the public at 6 p.m. during week days (Rented functions still take place beyond that.) Also, a new set of Plaza Rules will be unveiled soon.

Silver Spring Green: This community initiative has really taken off, due in large part to the leadership offered by the DEP staff (Doug Weinberg) who has successfully steward the process. We continue being part of this effort and are helping it grow as it becomes an exemplary non-profit organization.

Silver Spring Senior Village: This volunteer driven initiative to establish a “senior village” close to downtown Silver Spring is getting lots of traction. (This is modeled after a very successful model established in Bethesda whereas senior come together to help each other and collaborate to ‘age in place’ – or ‘age in our neighborhood’.) We are part of the effort to get this going. On-going meetings at Springvale Terrace are taking place regularly.

National Night Out: August 2nd was National Night Out. Our Police did a great job in being part of this annual event. The Regional Center visited various sites and the day was clearly a huge success.

September Festivals (and other upcoming activities): There are 7 festivals in the Silver Spring Regional Center area in September, beginning of course with our own Jazz Festival. We are working with our internal and external partners to ensure these events not only happen without a hitch, but offer an opportunity for successful community engagement…. Coming in October: Community Services Week; Opening of Ice Rink…. Coming in November: Veterans Day Unveiling of Veterans Plaza Art Piece; and, Thanksgiving Parade.

Plaza Ambiance Performances: Thanks to the volunteer effort of Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., there were over 30 free ‘ambiance’ performances on the Plaza during the Spring and Summer. All these performers performed free of charge and provided a wonderful environment to enliven our Plaza and offer the opportunity for community members to come together and enjoy all that downtown has to offer.

Red Shirts Get New Chief!: Victor Salazar, long time staff with Weed & Seed and active community member (Four Corners) is now the manager of our Urban District’s “Red Shirt” (Clean & Safe) Team. The number of ‘feet on the streets’ in downtown is increasingly tremendously. It is these folks that keep the area clean and serve as ‘good will ambassadors’… When you see them around, please say a simple ‘thank you!’

Trip to El Salvador: In July I was fortunate to go to El Salvador with others from the County, including the County Executive and Councilmember Leventhal. This personal trip was highly successful. Subsequent post-visit gatherings are probing to be very useful for our work, particularly in
Silver Spring Senior Village: Our efforts to support the volunteers starting the Silver Spring Senior Village continue. We have helped them make connections with other people and resources that have expedited their capacity to become operational in the near future.

Advisory Groups Activities/Issues:

Citizens Advisory Board: In August the board held is CIP Forum. The September meeting will be focusing on the Curfew. They will also hold a retreat in September, and soon welcome three new members. Continuing the practice of focusing on different neighborhoods, October will be devoted to Takoma Park. (The Mayor will visit with the Board in November.)
Starting MONDAY SEPTEMBER 26, the SSCAB’s three committees will all meet at the same time (7-9pm) in the Civic Building every 4th Monday of the month.

Urban District Advisory Committee: They will begin meeting at the Urban District offices (the Fire Station) again. This month they will review the development proposal for the current site of the Silver Spring Post Office. (The Post Office is moving.)

Arts & Entertainment Advisory Committee: The Arts & Entertainment District (re)Designation Application is due October 1st. The Committee is serving as a solid sounding board for the narrative of the application. Also, new members have been asked to rejoin and the Committee has expanded to include representation from the Fillmore, Round House, Arts & Humanities Council, and Peterson Co. (Downtown Silver Spring.)

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September is FESTIVAL TIME in the SSRC Area!

2011-08-31T04:49:00.000-07:00

With summer coming to an end, the earth no longer shaking, the lights (mostly) back on, the mud drying out, the heavy rains moving on, and the high winds but a fading memory, it is time to turn the calendar to September. Cooler weather, dryer air, and FESTIVALS galore!

Seven festivals are scheduled in the Silver Spring Regional Center Area within three weekends in September. (Believe it or not none on Labor Day weekend... That weekend is relatively quiet; a nice time to enjoy strolling on Sligo Creek or the variety of culinary experiences in Long Branch and Langley Park.) And, don’t forget: In mid September the Fillmore Silver Spring opens with an amazing lineup for the first week alone: Mary J. Blige, a Bruce Springsteen tribute band, John Legend, Guerilla Union, and Blondie. Wow.

The festivals begin with the amazing Silver Spring’s own Jazz Festival sponsored by Montgomery County on Saturday September 10th. This year, even the headliner is a true local talent: Marcus Johnson. This iconic Festival has become a staple event, bringing thousands of people to our downtown area. The Silver Spring Civic Building offers a beautiful backdrop to the energy felt throughout Veterans Plaza and surrounding streets during the Festival. This year the Festival ends at 9pm, leaving ample time to go dine at one of more than 30 restaurants – many independently and locally owned - within an easy walking distance that are open late for your post-festival enjoyment. These include restaurants in our own (and growing) ‘restaurant row’ on Georgia Avenue; down the street on Sligo and even on East West Highway; on Colesville, Ramsey, Bonifant, and of course on Ellsworth as well.

On Sunday, September 11th, either before or after you have your moment of remembrance, stop by the traditional Takoma Park Folk Festival.. It is a must! This year the promo card audaciously references “Woodstock”!  For those of us that live within walking distance of the venue - Takoma Park Middle School (on Piney Branch) - attending this Festival has become an annual ritual. The Festival is 100% Takoma Park, very different than any other festival you might have experienced.

From Septembre 14-18, the Sonic Circuits Festival returns with its annual exploration of experimental music and sound, film and dance performances. Most of the events in Silver Spring will take place at Pyramid Atlantic. They will also provide a sample of their sounds on Veterans Plaza as ambiance performances for the folks strolling through downtown at that time.

The same weekend, Saturday September 17th also brings the NEW South Silver Spring Street Festival to town. This Festival originally started as a block party years back by area residents. It has now grown in quality and stature, bringing folks from throughout the broader community and beyond to South Silver Spring. With its own beer garden, festivities, and ‘neighborhood’ feel, this Street Festival promises to become an instant tradition. It takes place on Kennett Street (over by Acorn Park, home of the original Silver Spring!) There’s plenty of parking all around; good people; good food; and good fun.

On that same date (Saturday, September 17th) and the following day (Sunday, September 18th) the Maryland Fine Arts Festival comes to Downtown Silver Spring on Ellsworth Drive. The words “fine arts” are intentional in the name of this festival. Artisans from all throughout Maryland come to show and sell their ‘high end’ wares. The Festival highlights the incredible talent in our State. It is quite a testament to the success of Silver Spring that this festival has chosen this local venue.

The last Saturday in September (the 24th) brings not one, but two festivals to downtown. Highlighting our area’s amazing cultural and ethnic diversity there will be not one, but two festivals: An African Festival and a Latino Festival:

- The 2nd Annual Pan African Cultural Festival will take place on Veterans Plaza on Saturday, September 24. The Festival is organized by the ACCDF (All Cameroonian Cultural and Development Foundation, Inc.) in collaboration with the African Affairs Advisory group of Montgomery County. It is part of a series of events commemorating September as African Heritage Month in Montgomery County.

- Mid September through mid October is also recognized as Hispanic Heritage Month. Thus, on Saturday, September 24th, there will also be a Latino Fiesta in Downtown Silver Spring, taking place on Ellsworth Drive (by the fountain.) This first-time festival will be highlighting Latino culture with its music, food, and fun for the whole familia.

And if all these ‘festivals’ were not enough, the American Film Institute will be running its annual Latin Film Festival starting September 22 (running through October 12.) This is truly a fantastic opportunity to ‘visit through film’ Spanish speaking lands near and far - including Spain! (The lineup will be announced early September.)

Why all these festivals? Clearly because Silver Spring is the place to be!

As we partake of these wonderful enlivening opportunities, we do so as community, neighbors, and part of the larger family that is Silver Spring. While the events are certainly loads of fun in and of themselves, they also offer a magnificent opportunity to meet new folks, reconnect with neighbors, and engage in conversations that can lead to the strong relationships necessary to build community. It is at these festivals where we may just find that next civic leader, young entrepreneur, or new business person willing to invest in our area.

It is through these seemingly ‘happenstance’ situations that we bump into each other and create opportunity to intentionally spark bigger things; start that conversation; invite someone to that meeting and community dialogue; and who knows where it might lead?!?

Oftentimes the leaders, organizers, vendors, performers and enthusiastic participants of some of these festivals do not necessarily participate in – and oftentimes do not even know about - our traditional civic infrastructure (i.e. board, committees and commissions; civic associations; etc.) More often than not these folks have their own ‘non-traditional’ civic infrastructure, working within circles and cultures that function totally separate – and oftentimes quite independent – from our ‘world’. Yet we share the same issues, the same roads, the same libraries, and the same public realm. It is these very same folks that we want to have sitting at the table when we discuss what is relevant to our community at our boards, committees, commissions, and civic associations. Somehow we have to make our process inviting and welcoming to them so they feel comfortable joining us in our civic journey…

Be brave; be bold; enjoy the festivals – and bring someone you meet at these festivals to the next community engagement opportunity so we can share the stories and continue – together - building a vibrant, stronger, Silver Spring. (We could start by inviting them to the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board Meeting Monday September 12th and/or the joint Committee meeting of the Board that will take place on Monday, September 26th … More on these to follow…)

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Auto Repair Shops in Fenton Village - and more! (A Summer Intern Project)

2011-08-19T05:39:00.000-07:00

This summer, we were fortunate at the Silver Spring Regional Center to have with us two interns thanks to the folks at Jesus House, a faith community located in Fenton Village. While the Regional Center is still under transition to a new structure, we continue connecting to community and addressing the many critical issues facing us. These interns were instrumental in helping us keep moving forward while we retool. The interns, named Damilola Odabona and Fikayo Durosimi-etti, have moved on to their studies in England. (They were visiting here for the summer.) But, their wonderful contribution to Silver Spring will stay with us for a long time.

The work they did focused on how we wade through the clutter and highlight some of the unique assets in Silver Spring. For example, they created simple a Google map that highlights the auto repair shops in the Regional Center area. While the project is very much "a work in progress"* and not yet complete, it is fascinating to view the draft they produced, found HERE.

*You are encouraged to help us complete this project by sharing with us the establishments we missed or who might not be there anymore – please simply leave a posting on the map itself and/or on this blog.

It is truly amazing to see the diversity of these establishments, many of which have been around for years. For example, we are all familiar with their heavy concentration on Sligo Avenue and vicinity (south side of Fenton Village.). These businesses provide for a tangible economic activity and viable service for the community and beyond. They are within easy walking distance of the Metro, Montgomery College, downtown Silver Spring, and thousands of residents both in the high rise units on East/West highway as well as the single family residential neighborhood to the east. Yet, perceptually they are "hidden" and do not always reap the benefit of their excellent location... Maybe this map can serve to enhance their visibility in the community and help market their services to others.

So next time you need your car repaired, think "my neighborhood mechanic" before heading out miles away to the other far away places. Also, when you do stop by, talk to the owner and mechanic (they may be the same person!). I guarantee you'll hear a fascinating story you'll long remember. (For example, I found out my mechanic - with whom I share the same last name - is from Columbia and has been at the same location for over 30 years.)

The interns also started a couple of other interactive maps which are similarly useful. One is for the various Ethiopian storefront establishments in the downtown area and another highlights the many faith communities throughout the Silver Spring Regional Center area. These maps are imperfect and incomplete – but with your help we can make them more accurate and thus more useful. Please help us by checking them out and leaving corrections and/or additions on the Google map itself and/or as postings to this blog.

El Salvador: An Experience of Gifts, Doctors, and Mother Teresas

2011-07-31T14:08:00.000-07:00

One week in one place an expert does not make you. That is how long I spent in El Salvador July 25-29, 2011 as part of the delegation from Montgomery County. MD. I was there with a group of residents and dignitaries that signed a “Sister Cities Agreement” with Morazán (one of the poorest areas in El Salvador.) (NO County funds were used for any portion of the trip!) Only a brief week there, so I am certainly no expert. Yet there were certain experiences that were truly magnificent and made me feel much closer to the people of El Salvador.

Obviously, first and foremost is the pride of having being there with fellow folks from Montgomery County government and community members in what was an emotional, impactful, and meaningful trip. There’s also the new-found appreciation for the Salvadorian people, particularly those from Morazán, where many of our Silver Spring Salvadorians come from.

The experience will remain with me forever, mostly in the faces and spirit of the people I met… And, what people I did meet! Some of the people I met are ‘people in power’; most were regular folks – proud folks – that shared beautiful stories with us.

I could talk about the details of the trip, get into the philosophical, or discuss where we are going with this adventure… Others are much more capable to do this than I… I would simply like to share three simple stories that hopefully capture the spirit of the people of Morazán.

THE GIFT

I did not know I was staying with a host family until I got to El Salvador. I was to stay at a hotel. Frankly, I was thrilled to learn that I would be staying with a family instead… This would make the experience more ‘authentic’.

When we arrived at the host family’s house, I was somewhat surprised to find a very comfortable home. I had my own bedroom and access to a full bath. Very comfortable indeed!

The owners of the house were a young couple with two beautiful children. They owned a small farm and operated two convenience stores. They made sure we saw their pictures of when they visited New York and Niagara Falls.

It was extremely easy to strike a high comfort level with them. The children were adorable; and the young couple soon adjusted to our different versions of Spanish (Cuban vs. Salvadorian.)

By the time we left, we had established an excellent relationship. They showed us where the children go to school and where their Assembly of God congregation is building a new church. It was evidently clear that their faith was central to their lives. Yet, what happened when it was time to part was totally unexpected.

After me offering them a simple parting gift, they tell me “wait, we have something special for you.” I was ready for some small artifact from an artesian shop or a token from their farm.

I was totally moved when they presented to me their family bible that had gotten them through a very serious personal crisis earlier this year. They gave me the ultimate gift: Their faith.

THE DOCTOR

She looked not a day older than 16. Yet she assured me she was a doctor – a full fledged M.D. In this small town of only a handful of people, she shared they had four cases of HIV/AIDS last year.

There is no hospital here. The nearest hospital – the only hospital in all of Morazán – is an hour away. That hospital has all of 77 beds serving a population of over 177,000. That equals .43 beds for 1000 people, 1/5 of the U.S. figure of 2.6 beds per 1000 people.

I ask her how she is doing; how busy is she; and what’s been her biggest accomplishment. The tells me in a gentle voice that it is not about all they do, or how much medication they dispense… She tells me that her highest fulfillment as a doctor is to provide comfort to the sick, regardless of illness, stage in life, or human condition – one patient (or as she put it “one neighbor”) – at a time.

She so beautifully reaffirmed the notion that “it is not how you are doing”; it is “how you are taking it.”…

“Medical care without loving care is for naught, senseless, and meaningless”, she tells me… This young doctor surely has a wonderful future in front of her!

MOTHER TERESAS

They looked like beggars, the three short little old ladies that hung around the church during one of the many celebrations we attended. (And they were short – barely over 4 feet tall; if that!)

Old, missing teeth, probably indigenous. They would come up to you not to ask for money, but to shake your hand – and hug you if you’d let them.

The parish priest was asked “Who are these ladies?” He simply answered: “They are my Mother Teresas.” He went on to state how “they routinely come to mass, help with the sick and poor, and bring their smiling faces to church events.”

I am glad I hugged them.

OSCAR ROMERO

If there was ever any doubt that hope, faith, and charity can shine through the darkness of moments of despair in the mist of civil strife – and even war - and in an age of institutional transition and challenges, that doubt is laid to rest by the life of the Salvadorian hero and martyr Monsignor Oscar Romero. While it is impossible to simplify a people or attempt to categorize a culture in the spirit of one person, Monsignor Oscar Romero truly personifies the spirit of the Salvadorian people of good will. The people of El Salvador must feel rightfully proud – if simply humble (as they are in many things) – to have the guidance and spiritual direction of this great man. It is so evidently clear that his spirit lives on in the lives of ordinary Salvadorians – and in the authentic attempts of many of its leaders to form a truly ‘more just society.’

El Salvador taught me quite a bit in those short few days… I hope I left a little bit of me there in return…

It is heartwarming to know that this new connection will grow as we embark on new projects, programs, and initiatives to sustain our Sister City relationship between Montgomery County and Morazán, El Salvador.

-----------------------------------------
More info can also be found on the County’s web-site at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/

The official press release from the US Embassy can be found at:
http://sansalvador.usembassy.gov/news/2011/07/27.html

Here’s how the local press (over there) covered it:
http://mediacenter.laprensagrafica.com/videos/v/convenio-de-hermanamiento-entre-morazan-y-montgomerympg

To see what some of the wonderful folks from Montgomery County are already doing there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvplEFyKn1w

EXTRA!: The lyrics to a song unveiled while we visited the town of Joateca as they celebrated the opening of their town plaza (written by the town priest):
http://SSRC.homestead.com/Joateca_Song.html
Among the stanzas, one stands out:
“For the crisis that we are experiencing
Many of our brothers have had to leave the homeland
But now that they are so far away
They are always disposed to help us.”

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SILVER SPRING REGIONAL CENTER AREA Celebrations, Gatherings, & Such (through Mid-August)

2011-07-09T07:50:00.000-07:00

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
For more info on each event, try "googling" the full name of event

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JULY 10 - SUNDAY
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Takoma Park Farmers Market
10-2pm Downtown Takoma Park

BETTY MAE KRAMER GALLERY AT THE SILVER SPRING CIVIC BUILDING
Opening Reception for "On the Edge"
2-4pm Civic Building

Disabilities Awareness Experience
2-6pm Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

Sunday Performances
Jesus House mid-afternoon Veterans Plaza

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JULY 12 - TUESDAY
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Tuesday Evening Plaza Performances - Time2Go - Joey Barnet
7-9pm Veterans Plaza

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JULY 13 - WEDNESDAY
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Little Tots AM & PM
10:30 & 6:30 Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

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JULY 14 - THURSDAY
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SILVER SPRING SWING SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
Elliot Levine R&B Funk
7-9pm Veterans Plaza

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JULY 15 - FRIDAY
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Friday Night! (Music) Series - Yo Momma's BFB Band
7-9pm Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

Theater Reading: Sci Fi Fable
6:30 - 8:30pm InterAct Story Theater's brand-new sci-fi fable on bullying
Space 7:10 (Kefa Cafe)

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JULY 16 - SATURDAY
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Fenton Street Market
9-3pm Veterans Plaza

FreshFarm Market (Farmers Market)
9-1pm Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

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JULY 17 - SUNDAY
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Takoma Park Farmers Market
10-2pm Downtown Takoma Park

Afro Diaspora Music Festival
11-7pm Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

Sunday Performances - The Unruly Blues Band
mid-afternoon Veterans Plaza

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JULY 19 - TUESDAY
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Tuesday Evening Plaza Performances - Banjer Dan
7-9pm Veterans Plaza

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JULY 20 - WEDNESDAY
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Little Tots AM & PM
10:30 & 6:30 Downtown - Ellsworth Dr

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JULY 21 - THURSDAY
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SILVER SPRING SWING SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
Second Wind - R&R covers
7-9pm Veterans Plaza

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JULY 22 - FRIDAY
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Friday Night! (Music) Series – Flo Anito
7-9pm Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

Acid to Ink(Pyramid Atlantic Summer Studio Interns)
Opening Reception for Exhibit at Space 7:10 (Kefa Cafe)
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JULY 23 - SATURDAY
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Fenton Street Market
9-3pm Veterans Plaza

FreshFarm Market (Farmers Market)
9-1pm Downtown - Ellsworth Dr

International Night Market
3-9pm Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

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JULY 24 - SUNDAY
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Takoma Park Farmers Market
10-2pm Downtown Takoma Park

Sunday Performances - Boomerang
mid-afternoon Veterans Plaza

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JULY 26 - TUESDAY
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Tuesday Evening Plaza Performances - The Eclectics
7-9pm Veterans Plaza

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JULY 27 - WEDNESDAY
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Little Tots AM & PM
10:30 & 6:30 Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

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JULY 28 - THURSDAY
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SILVER SPRING SWING SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
David Bach Consort - Jazz
7-9pm Veterans Plaza

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JULY 29 - FRIDAY
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Friday Night! (Music) Series – Julie Dexter
7-9pm Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

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JULY 30 - SATURDAY
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Fenton Street Market
9-3pm Veterans Plaza

FreshFarm Market (Farmers Market)
9-1pm Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

International Night Market
3-9pm Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

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JULY 31 - SUNDAY
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Sunday Performances - The Five One (Garcia Mgmt)
mid-afternoon Veterans Plaza

Takoma Park Farmers Market
10-2pm Downtown Takoma Park

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AUGUST 2 - TUESDAY
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NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
Various Locations (TBD)

Tuesday Performances - Don Muller
7-9pm Veterans Plaza

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AUGUST 3 - WEDNESDAY
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Little Tots AM & PM
10:30 & 6:30 Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

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AUGUST 4 - THURSDAY
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Thursday Evening Plaza Performances
Warner Williams & Joyce Ettingoff (Jonny Grave)
7-9pm Veterans Plaza

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AUGUST 5 - FRIDAY
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Friday Night! (Music) Series - Chopteeth
7-9pm Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

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AUGUST 6 - SATURDAY
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Fenton Street Market
9-3pm Veterans Plaza

FreshFarm Market (Farmers Market)
9-1pm Downtown Silver Spring (Ellsworth Dr.)

Historic Silver Spring B&O RR Station Open House
(Incl. antique miniature model rr) 10 - 3pm 8100 Georgia Ave

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AUGUST 7 - SUNDAY
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Takoma Park Farmers Market
10-2pm Downtown Takoma Park

Ivorian Community Festival
12-7pm Downtown - Ellsworth Dr

Sunday Performances
Blues Ramblers 5-7 pm Veterans Plaza

DC Blues Society Jams
4-8 pm American Legion Post 905 Sligo Avenue

SILVER SPRING REGIONAL CENTER Civic & Community Engagement Opportunities

2011-07-09T06:54:00.000-07:00

(through Mid-August)
Reemberto Rodriguez, Director

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JULY 11 - MONDAY
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Washington Area Women's Foundation and Discovery Communications
Listening Session on the status of women and girls in Montgomery County
(w/ Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards)
9-11am Discovery Communications

Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board Regular Monthly Meeting
CIP PUBLIC DIALOGUE & 4 CORNERS FORUM
7-9pm Civic Building

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JULY 12 - TUESDAY
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East County Science Center Master Plan Community Advisory Committee Mtg
7-9pm National Labor College

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JULY 13 - WEDNESDAY
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Senior Village of Silver Spring Mtg
7-9 pm Springvale Terrace Senior Living Community 8505 Springvale Rd (corner w/Wayne Ave.)

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JULY 14 - THURSDAY
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Silver Spring Transportation Management District Advisory Committee Regular Monthly Meeting
8-10am Discovery Communications

Long Branch Business League Meeting 9:30 - 11am El Golfo Restaurant 8739 Flower Ave

Montgomery County Planning Board Regular twice-a-month meeting
9am - 3pm Planning Department Building 8787 Georgia Ave

Takoma Langley Crossroads Sector Plan
M-NCPPC Staff-led discussion
8:30 pm
Takoma Rec Center
6315 New Hampshire Ave

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JULY 19 - TUESDAY
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East County Science Center Master Plan Community Adviosry Committee Mtg
7-9pm National Labor College

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JULY 20 - WEDNESDAY
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Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board Comm & Eco Dev't Committee
Regular Monthly Meeting
7:30 Civic Building

Safe Silver Spring 7:30 pm Long Branch Community Center 8700 Piney Branch Road

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JULY 21 - THURSDAY
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Silver Spring Urban District Advisory Committee
Regular Monthly Meeting
3:30pm Civic Building

Montgomery County Planning Board Regular twice-a-month meeting
9am - 3pm Planning Department Building 8787 Georgia Ave

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JULY 23 - SATURDAY
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Empowered Women International Women Architects of Change
4-7pm Takoma Park Community Center 7500 Maple Ave Takoma Park

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JULY 25 - MONDAY
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Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board Neighborhood Committee Regular Monthly Meeting
7:30 Civic Building

Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition Film Screening & Dialogue
STEALING TRUST: MARYLANDERS SPEAK OUT ON SCAMS, FRAUDS AND FINANCIAL ABUSE
7pm Civic Building

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JULY 27 - WEDNESDAY
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Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board Transportation & Ped. Safety Comm. Regular Monthly Meeting
7:30 Civic Building

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AUGUST 2 - TUESDAY
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Silver Spring Arts & Entertainment District Advisory Committee Regular Monthly Meeting
Aug 2 (Tue) 7-9pm Civic Building (TENTATIVE: MAY NOT MEET IN AUGUST!)

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AUGUST 8 - MONDAY
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Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board Regular Monthly Meeting
7-9pm Civic Building (TENTATIVE: MAY NOT MEET IN AUGUST!)

SPECIAL CIP (7pm) & FOUR CORNERS FORUM (8pm) Monday, July 11, 2011

2011-07-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Please join us at these two “back-to-back” special agenda items on the regularly scheduled SILVER SPRING CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD meeting to be held MONDAY JULY 11, 2011 from 7-9pm a the Silver Spring Civic Building. (The Advisory Board meets every second Tuesday of each month, except August.)

SILVER SPRING Citizens Advisory Board to Host Capital Improvements Program Budget Forums MONDAY JULY 11, 2011 7pm at the Civic Building

Individuals and groups are invited to provide input into the County’s next six-year capital construction budget by attending this public forum that will be held by the citizen advisory boards. The forum will help define construction and planning priorities for the various regions in the County as officials develop the Fiscal Years 2013 to 2018 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget. The CIP includes costs for new or renovated major projects such as roads; public schools and Montgomery College facilities; water and sewer lines; parks, libraries, health and recreation facilities; and other public buildings and projects. Suggestions and comments from participants will be considered by the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board for inclusion in the funding priority lists they submit to the County Executive. The lists will also be shared with County departments and agencies.

SILVER SPRING Citizens Advisory Board to Host Forum on Four Corners Neighborhood MONDAY JULY 11, 2011 8pm at the Civic Building

The Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board and various civic organizations from the Four Corner communities did a wonderful “neighborhood tour” Saturday June 4th, 2011. The tour started with a gathering at the Silver Spring Stage where the 20+ participants were treated to a one act of the play playing at the theatre at that time. Afterward, the group walked around the neighborhood with community members highlighting issues and concerns to members of the Advisory Board. The exercise ended with lunch at a local eatery. This was the third such “neighborhood tour” that the Advisory Board conducted last Fiscal Year. (Similar tours were conducted in Long Branch and Lyttonsville.) The participants of the tour – and others from the Four Corner neighborhoods are now invited to share in a dialogue with the broader community as part of the Advisory Board regular meetings on Monday, July 11 at 8pm, immediately following the CIP Forum.

Reemberto Rodríguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center
One Veterans Place
Silver Spring, MD 20910
240-777-5300 MAIN
240-777-5307 direct
240-832-8220 mobile

Top Ten Acomplishments of the Silver Spring Regional Center for FY11

2011-07-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

TO THE SILVER SPRING REGIONAL CENTER ADVISORY GROUP & STAFF:

Welcome to FY12!

As we reflect on In FY11 (July 1, 2010 through yesterday, June 30, 2011) it is clear that the Silver Spring Regional Center saw many changes, including moving its operations to the Civic Building and downsizing staff due to budget constraints - without compromising our core mission.

We proud to say that in the mist of all these changes, we had plenty of 'success stories'... Our "Top Ten" accomplishments included:

(1)
Working with our Citizens Advisory Board's Neighborhood Committee innovatively connected to neighborhoods not recently active with the Board (Lyttonsville, Long Branch, and Four Corners) by doing neighborhood walks and forums.

(2)
Working with the Arts & Entertainment District Advisory Committee developed recommended protocols for the Fillmore's 30 discounted community uses.

(3)
Strengthened collaborative efforts with major private sector partners, including Peterson Co and Discovery Communications.

(4)
Worked with the development community, the Urban District Committee and residents to gain constructive input for various projects, including the Fillmore, and various other major developments throughout Silver Spring.

(5)
In collaboration with other RSCs, began working closer with the apartment owner community; and, worked with others to initiate the Silver Spring Village and Silver Spring Green efforts.

(6)
In collaboration with the Department of Corrections initiated the "Weekender Program", where teams of offenders help us keep downtown Silver Spring clean.

(7)
The Weed & Seed Program (in Northwest Park)- while winding down after 5 years of operations - provided $30K to fund police overtime; did a juvenile reentry program and a gang prevention program; and participated in countless events such as Community Service Day and Earth Day by cleaning up Broad Acres Park.

(8)
Supported the efforts of the Commercial and Economic Development Committee of the Citizens Advisory Board to highlight the assets of the growing cluster of restaurants in "Fenton Village" (south of the downtown core) by holding the first "Taste the World in Fenton Village" event.

(9)
The Urban District's Clean and Safe Team (the "Red Shirts") managed to maintain a high quality level of service even when demand increased as more development comes into downtown Silver Spring.

(10)
Successfully managed the Civic Building and Veterans Plaza for the first year of operation, balancing its mission to spark community engagement and spark economic activity while being fiscally responsible. The facility’s income exceeded expectations; and its many activities were extremely successful. Some key examples: We introduced the ice rink during winter months; brought into the facility the traditional Jazz Festival, Swing Summer Concert Series, and Thanksgiving Parade; as well as over 25 new ‘no cost’ performances, conversations, and game nights; coordinated, facilitated and/or sponsored an array of festivals and special events, including the Fenton Street Market. All of this was accomplished while simultaneously negotiating a series of complex internal and external issues, agreement, and MOUs.

...if you have others to contribute - or if you'd like to expand on some of the above, please let us know!

See you in FY12, beginning TODAY, July 1, 2011!

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center

Our e-blasts and other changes at the Silver Spring Regional Center

2011-06-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

NOTICE: Our Silver Spring Regional Center e-blast will be retooled over the next couple of months to better keep you informed. During this time you might experience lapse and/or intermittent delivery. Additionally, you might receive various requests for reply to specific questions to help us design a new more effective and efficient system. Please be on the lookout for these inquires - and reply. We hope to have the new system up and running after Labor Day.

Vicki Lockerman, our Regional Center staff who has so aptly done the e-blasts over the last couple of years will no longer be at the Regional Center as of July 1st , 2011. Due to budget cuts and administrative re-structuring, her position with the Regional Center will not be replaced. (Administrative support for all five Regional Centers, the Office of Community Partnership, and the Commission for Women will be consolidated as one support unit.)

It is critically important that whatever you might have sent Vicki in the past go directly to me until further notice.

SPECIAL NOTE: IT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL IF INFORMATION YOU WANT US TO SHARE WITH OTHERS IS PROVIDED:

(1) AS A WEB-LINK WITH A SUCCINCT STATEMENT AS TO WHAT THE CONTENTS ARE;

(2) WITH A VERY CLEAR, DESCRIPTIVE, SUBJECT LINE; AND,

(3) AT LEAST ONE WEEK BEFORE YOU EXPECT IT TO BE DISSEMINATED.

I am confident that working together we can continue - and indeed improve! - ways to stay in touch and learn about all the great things going on in our Silver Spring Regional Center area.

There are additional changed going on in the Silver Spring Regional Center. I want to make sure you are aware of these and understand how they impact our work.

Please know that our intent is to creatively respond to our budget situation and realize fiscal efficiencies while minimizing negative impacts on our effectiveness. Indeed, our challenge is to seize this opportunity to reaffirm our core mission, retool some of what we do, and recognize that there might be some things we will need to do considerably different - and some that we will simply may not be able to continue doing.

The staff changes - and responsibilities - in the Silver Spring Regional Center as of July 1st include the following:

[] The position of Program Manager (held by Jewru Bandeh) will be eliminated. (Jewru has accepted a new position with Community Use of Public Facility (CUPF) as the Facility Operations Manager for the Civic Building and Veterans Plaza.)

[] The position of Special Executive Administrative Assistance (held by Vicki Lockerman) will be eliminated. (Vicki has accepted a position with the County’s Health and Human Services.)

[] The position of Weed & Seed Administrator (held by Victor Salazar) will no longer exist when the Department of Justice grant runs out September 30th. This position was with us for the maximum allowable time period, 5 years. (Victor has begun working with the Silver Spring Regional Center’s Urban District to replace Mark Rockman (the supervisor for the “Red Shirts”); Mark recently moved to the Department of Environmental Protection.)

[] The position of Program Specialist II (currently held by Gwen Haney) will be part of a new, consolidated administrative team. (The role of managing the facility - which Gwen did for this past year - is now shifted to CUPF.)

[] The position of Marketing and Promotions for the Urban District (held by Susan Hoffmann) will be officially transferred to the Recreation Department where it can be provided the extensive ‘back room support’ to continue doing the major events in Silver Spring that have Countywide and regional significance (i.e.: the Jazz Festival, Thanksgiving Parade, and Summer Concert Series.)

The Regional Center will rely on a new structure for its administrative support. This new, consolidated ‘business unit’ will serve all 5 Regional Centers, the Office of Community Partnership and the Commission for Women.

Some of these administrative functions will be housed in the Civic Building. The office of the Silver Spring Regional Center Director will remain in the Civic Building. Additionally, some staff from the Office of Community Partnership, interns, and an AmeriCorp position will be here as well; along with the staff from CUPF (the Facility Operations Manager and the Scheduler.)

The Regional Center will work collaborative with these and other County Departments to accomplish our core mission: To be the local “eyes and ears” of the community to County government; and be the County government “on the ground” to the community. The function, staff, and mission of the Urban District remains unchanged: To keep downtown Silver Spring clean and safe.

How all these changes will be manifested in our operations remains “a work in progress”. With your help, we are confident that our Silver Spring Regional Center area will continue ever-evolving as a stronger, more robust place to live, work, shop, be entertained, enjoy the arts, visit, play, and pray.

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center

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Silver Spring Summer Swings Concert Series is back!

2011-06-29T06:41:00.000-07:00

Every Thursday in July Veterans Plaza (downtown Silver Spring, in front of the Civic Building) will come alive with an incredible great line-up of bands for the SILVER SPRING SUMMER SWINGS CONCERT SERIES.
- July 7 Patrick Alban & Noche Latina – Latin/rock
- July 14 Elliot Levine – r&b, funk
- July 21 Second Wind -- rock & roll covers
- July 28 The David Bach Consort – world jazz

These FREE CONCERTS (July Thursdays 7-9 p.m.) will surely showcase our “public square” (Veterans Plaza) as the place to be for highest quality entertainment, finding new friends, and mingling with old acquaintances.

These July Concerts (the Silver Spring Summer Swings Concert Series) are sponsored in part by Discovery Communications.

Come by early so you can pick up something to eat at one of the many establishments in downtown Silver Spring… Bring your lawn chair… enJoy the Concert!

If you've been coming to the many wonderful performances that have been going on at the Plaza the past few weeks, you are sure to enjoy these Concerts in July... If you have not been by this summer yet, come on down(town)!

More info at: http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/event/summer-concert-series

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You are invited to a public forum on the County’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)

2011-06-23T16:54:00.000-07:00

-------------------------------
On Monday, July 11th (7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) the Silver Spring Citizen Advisory Board will be hosting a 1 hour forum on the County’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP.) The purpose of the forum is to obtain public input and identify priorities for the CIP for Fiscal Years 2013 through 2018. The forum will be at the Silver Spring Civic Building.

As an outcome of the forum, the Citizens Advisory Board will prepare a list of CIP priorities to present to the County Executive. There will be county administrators present to answer questions as well.

WHAT IS THE CIP?

The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is the comprehensive presentation, submitted in even-numbered calendar years, of capital project expenditure estimates, funding requirements, capital budget requests, and program data for the construction of all buildings, roads, and other facilities planned by county agencies over a six-year period. The CIP constitutes a fiscal plan for proposed project expenditures and funding, and includes the annual capital budget for appropriations to fund project activity during the next fiscal year of the plan.

WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS ARE INCLUDED?

Capital Improvements have long-term usefulness and require large expenditures of capital funds usually programmed over more than one year and result in a durable capital asset such as buildings and roads.

In setting priorities and recommending projects, we will of course be mindful of the fiscal constraints that the County is facing.

WHAT ARE THE CIP PROJECTS CURRENTLY FUNDED IN SILVER SPRING?

These are being sorted now and will hopefully be available soon.

WHERE IS THERE MORE INFO ON-LINE?

The CIP for the Fiscal Year 2011 (ended June 30, 2011) can be found at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ombtmpl.asp?url=/content/omb/FY11/appr/index.asp

The Fiscal Year 2012 approved CIP Book will be published and posted to the web in July.

We look forward to seeing you JULY 11th 7pm at the Civic Building!

What is going on in the world of deliberative democracy?

2011-06-14T04:07:00.000-07:00

For those of us that are into this kind of stuff, you might find this listing of "what is going on in the worlds of deliberative democracy" interesting... The author - and keeper - of the list is Matt Leighninger, Executive Director of the Deliberative Democracy Consortium (Washington, DC) http://www.deliberative-democracy.net/

Using Online Tools to Engage the Public – How can online tools help you engage citizens in public decision-making and problem-solving? What are the most common mistakes being made by public managers and other leaders as they try to work with the public online? In a given scenario, which tools and tactics seem most appropriate and effective? Using Online Tools to Engage – and be Engaged by – the Public, Matt Leighninger’s report for the IBM Center for the Business of Government, delves into these questions, describes a range of scenarios and tactics, and gives real-world examples of online engagement. It highlights over 40 different technologies in use today to support various kinds of public participation. It is available free of charge at http://www.businessofgovernment.org/report/using-online-tools-engage-public

Citizenship DRC concludes its work – The Citizenship Development Research Centre in the UK, which has worked on issues of democracy and development for ten years, is closing its doors. But not without releasing a huge volume of helpful materials: their new website that contains all of the written outputs produced over the last ten years. You can search by keyword or browse the thematic areas, including a section on "Overarching lessons" where you can find their most definitive articles, including that last round of synthesis papers, which look at overarching and cross-cutting themes in the work. "DRC Worldwide" also features their research by country, easily accessible via an interactive map. http://www.drc-citizenship.org/

New LogoLink newsletter – LogoLink, the Learning Initiative on Citizen Participation and Local Governance, is a global network of practitioners from civil society organizations, research institutions and governments created to deepen democracy and social justice through greater citizen participation and engagement in local governance. Read the latest news from the LogoLink network on their newsletter, available in English and Spanish. http://www.logolink.org/index.php/news/logolinks-newsletter-march-2011-issue-online

American Speaks launches American Square – AmericaSpeaks has just launched The American Square, an experiment designed to bridge the online political gap and provide a safe space for civil, multi-partisan conversations about public policy and politics. The huge disparity between left and right in our current political environment is magnified on the web. This new effort is a deliberate, idealistic attempt to build a community of people who, while believing passionately in their ideals, also believe that our democracy requires respectful discourse and willingness to compromise. http://americaspeaks.org/blog/the-american-square-is-here-2/

Citizens’ Initiative Review passes in Oregon – The Oregon Senate passed legislation to establish the Citizens’ Initiative Review Commission, a new agency inspired by a successful deliberative democracy pilot project. In 2010, CIR citizen’s juries were organized to discuss two key ballot measures and generate nonpartisan statements for the Oregon’s voter guide. http://www.leg.state.or.us/press_releases/sdo_060111.html

NLC has new site – The National League of Cities has completely revamped its web-site. It is easier than ever to find the many resources and publications they offer on democratic governance at http://www.nlc.org/find-city-solutions/research-innovation/governance-civic-engagement. www.nlc.org

Video from Springfield Participatory Budgeting event – A recent event in Springfield, MA brought together Participatory Budgeting practitioners and researchers to talk about how it could be improved and implemented. A short video provides highlights of the presentations. http://www.springfieldinstitute.org/?p=4602

“Democracy Exchange” conference calls – The Campaign for Stronger Democracy will host a series of conversations this summer, called Democracy Exchanges, in order to explore important issues that impact the democracy reform community. Each month, they'll spotlight a different topic and ask key leaders to share their experiences working on it during a one hour conference call. Additionally, 10 minutes will be set aside in order to give a few other organizations a chance to provide a quick briefing on an important new project or campaign that the community should know about. Here are the topics and dates:
- How Can We More Effectively Appeal to New Audiences? – June 7 at 2pm Eastern
- How Can We Better Involve New Immigrants in our Civic Life? – July 7 at 2pm Eastern
- How Can We Fight Budget Cuts that Threaten Our Democracy? – August 2 at 1pm Eastern
More info at: http://strongerdemocracy.org/2011/05/09/dont-miss-this-summers-democracy-exchanges/

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A (short) history of developemnt in downtown Silver Spring

2011-06-08T05:35:00.000-07:00

The Silver Spring War and Rebirth: The Fall and Rise of an American Downtown
“Location is destiny”
By Gus Bauman
(An edited version of what was presented at the Makeover Montgomery Conference, April 14-16, 2011, Silver Spring Civic Building)

THE PRELUDE

1956 (June) The National Interstate Highway System Act signed – I-495, etc., looms large in the future

1960 (February) Wheaton Plaza (now Westfield Plaza) opens, ushering in a new era of mall shopping

1964 (August) Capital Beltway final segment opens

Mid-60’s Civil unrest accelerates, culminating in the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, III (1968)

1970’s “White flight” and business abandonment of cities becomes a flood

1978 (February) First Metrorail Station in Maryland opens in downtown Silver Spring

THE WAR

1984 (Friday, August 24) Demolition of the 1938 Silver Theatre and Shopping Center art deco elements begins - as historic designation hearing scheduled for September 5 of the same year

1984 (August 27) County issues demolition Stop-Work Order for demolition

1985 Silver Theatre closes, leaving downtown with a movie house

1986 (December) Regional mall, office towers, and hotel project proposed for CBD’s core (Silver Triangle) by local developer

1987 (September) Hech’t Department store leaves downtown Silver Spring for Wheaton Plaza

1988 (September 29) Planning Board approves Silver Triangle project after contentious hearing

1988 (November 8) County voters defeat referendum that would prevent funding of County garage necessary for Silver Triangle project

1988 (December) Group opposing Silver Triangle approval files lawsuit to overturn Silver Triangle approval

1989 (June) Nordstrom backs out of Silver Triangle project – but, Macy’s remains

1989 (July 5) Circuit court overturns Planning Board’s approval of Silver Triangle project

1989 (September) JCPenney, last remaining major retailer in downtown Silver Spring, closes its doors

1989 (December 14) Planning Board approves new Silver Triangle with revisions and conditions

1980’s Several office towers built near Metro Station – NOAA’s headquarter was not to complete consolidation until later (1993)

1990 (September 11) County Executive election process debates Silver Triangle project; supporter wins

1991 (January 7) Maryland high court reverses Circuit Court decision,
reinstating 1988 Silver Triangle project approval

1991 (March) Planning Board holds hearing on Draft Silver Spring Central Business District (CBD) Sector Plan

1991 (June) JC Penney sings on with Macy’s at Silver Triangle project

THE TRUCE

1991 (December) County-initiated mediation leads to compromise plan for radically revised project (Silver Spring II)

1992 (January) Macy’s files for bankruptcy protection

1992 (February) Urban Land Institute (ULI) submits its Downtown Silver Spring Report evaluating the Silver Triangle site, to County

1992 (April) City Place opens at Hecht’s site

1992 (August) County adopts Urban Renewal Plan for CBD core, 29 acres of downtown’s 360 acres

1993 (April) County adopts CBD Sector Plan for the Revival of Downtown Silver Spring

1994 (February) Per the Sector Plan, County places Silver Theatre and Shopping Center on Historic Preservation Master Plan as JCPenney, in financial turmoil, withdraws from Silver Triangle II project

1994 (December) Silver Spring Alternatives Working Group - 21 members – issues Report to the County Executive on retail development alternatives for east side of urban renewal area (as Macy’s emerges from bankruptcy protection)

1995 (January) Greater Silver Spring Committee- 19 members – issues Report to new County Executive recommending termination of County’s development agreement with Silver Triangle developer

1995 (January 9) County and Silver Triangle developer terminate relationship

1995 (May) County issues Request for Expressions of Interest for portion of the east side of the urban renewal area – 14 acres

1996 (February) Silver Spring Redevelopment Advisory Board – 48 members – recommends County negotiate with Canadian development Company for American Dream retail/entertainment proposal

1996 (November) County terminates development agreement with American Dream developer for inability to secure required private financing

1996 (December) State designates Silver Spring Enterprise Zone – to be administered by Cunty - offering employment and property tax credits

1996 Report indicates that over 220 businesses have left the area in the last decade; office vacancy reaches 39%; storefront vacancy exceeds 25%

THE RECONSTRUCTION

1997 (February) Silver Spring Redevelopment Steering Committee – 31 members – appointed by County Executive to advise County and developers on concepts for urban renewal area

1997 (May) County Executive enters into exclusive negotiation with joint venture development team to craft “town center” project plan

1998 (April) County sings development agreement with joint venture developers for town center concept – “Downtown Silver Spring” – on urban renewal area’s east side; and agrees to purchase, restore and expand Silver Theater into film complex, securing agreement with the American Film Institute (AFI) to operate it

1998 (October) Discovery Communications agrees to move to Silver Spring on urban renewal’s west side

2000 (February) County adopts Silver Spring CBD Sector Plan, a refinement of
the 1993 Plan

2000 (August – October) Phase I of Downtown Silver Spring project opens with several retail stores

2002 (January) State designates the Silver Spring Arts & Entertainment District, offering financial assistance and certain tax benefits

2003 (March – April) Discover Communications; AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center opens; and, Round House Theatre have their grand openings

2006 (June) Typifying new development in the area, Phase I of United Therapeutics headquarters and labs opens

2007 Typifying arts-centric growth, the Maryland Youth Ballet moves to Downtown Silver Spring

2011 (Fall) Fillmore Silver Spring (music hall) set to open at vacant JCPenney building under public –private partnership agreement

Latter part of 00’s & early 10’s Public investment intensifies with the construction of the Silver Spring Innovations Center (2004); County Court House; Fire Station; various facilities at Montgomery College (Health and Sciences Center, Cafritz Foundation Arts Center, Cultural Arts Center); Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza; Transit Center set to open in 2012; and Library in 2013

THE OUTCOMES SO FAR

Over the last decade, over $450 million in public investments leveraged to support some $2 billion in private investments; approximately 2,500 new residential units built – and over 1,500 approved and underway; dozens of new restaurants; 3 hotels open; more planned

CBD tax base grows 62%

Zip code 20910 becomes highest median home price area in Greater Silver Spring’s eight zip codes

Office vacancy rate second lowest in county

…others?

NOTE: FOR A 'CONTEXTUAL' FULL BOOK ABOUT DOWNTOWN SILVER SPRING, CHECK OUT JERRY McCOY'S "DOWNTOWN SILVER SPRING (THEN AND NOW)"... GREAT PICTURES!

Updated December 2011: Also see a 'video tour' of downtown from the historical preservation perspective HERE.

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Community Roundtables & Non-Profit Showcases

2011-06-04T04:20:00.000-07:00

This is a CALL TO ACTION for constructive dialogue!

Have you ever wanted to "take your message to the streets"? Have you ever felt constrained by the traditional methods of getting together in "informational meetings" or felt that a room with four walls is not necessarily the best place to be innovative or engaging? What if you could "meet people where they are at" rather than having them have to come to you?

Well, have you heard of these two amazing opportunities for bringing your organization's message to a new population?

[1] COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE AT THE FENTON STREET MARKET Saturdays mornings (time determined by you) The Fenton Street Market, held every Saturday on Veterans Plaza (downtown Silver Spring) makes available a couple of tables and chairs where you can enter into a dialogue with the folks that happen to be at the market - and, of course, you can also invite folks beforehand to make sure you have a good crowd.

These conversations in the marketplace have already demonstrated to be highly successful. Facilitators have included Senator Jamie Raskin discussing the new "B" Corporations; Regional Center Director Reemberto Rodriguez inviting people to volunteer; and Delegate Tom Hucker talking about Pepco and clean energy.

If you have an enticing topic that you want to bring to this space, please contact Hannah McCann at Hannah@FentonStreetMarket.com

[2] NON-PROFIT SHOWCASE Monday evenings (7-9) on Veterans Plaza (downtown Silver Spring) These experimental dialogues started as "Monday Evening Conversations", but soon it became evident that they are a wonderful opportunity for our robust non-profit community to connect with a population that may not normally know about them. The idea is simple: We have a wonderful 'public square' in Veterans Plaza. People from all walks of life 'happen to come by' at any given moment. Monday evenings at the Plaza provide as good opportunity as any to seize the moment and engage folks that happen to be there... And, of course, it also provides a great opportunity to be intentional about bringing people to join in the dialogue.

Non-profits are welcome to sign up to 'showcase' their organization. The idea is that non-profits would come by, be available to those on the Plaza, walk arond and engage them in substantive dialogue about mission, services, and/or volunteering opportunities. (More than one non-profit can be there at one time - it is a big Plaza!) NOTE: There is no staff support provided for logistics or equipment. While there are small tables on the Plaza, organizations are encouraged to bring their own table if they are going to display material.

If your organization wants to participate, simply e-mail Gwen Haney at Gwen.Haney@MontgomeryCountyMd.Gov

We hope you take advantage of these two opportunities!

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WHAT A WEEKEND AWAITS US! Silver Spring “To-Do’s”

2011-06-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

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Wow! First weekend after Memorial Day; weather is hot; so much to do – so little time!

The diversity of activities that are available to us in the Silver Spring Regional Center area at any given time is truly amazing… This coming weekend, for example, there are events and activities for every taste.

Stay close to home. Soak in some of these activities. Bump into someone you know; and/or someone you don’t know… Share with them what makes our community great; invite them to that next exciting community meeting, gathering, or dialogue!... You never know when you might run across that next great civic leader, entrepreneur, or business innovator…

You can start on Thursday (June, the 2nd starting at 9 a.m.) at the Montgomery County Planning Board’s meeting for, among other things, an update on “Vision 2030 for Parks & Recreation.” See the results of countless input sessions. “The Planning Board presentation will include highlights of the final plan objectives and staff’s proposed strategies to implement them, as well as an explanation of the financial recommendations for aligning park and recreation services with a cost recovery philosophy.”

Later on that evening, stop by Veterans Plaza (June, the 2nd at 7 p.m.) to listen to the Greater U Street Jazz Collective. There are sure to be lots of community folks around making an evening of it!

Come back to Veterans Plaza on Friday afternoon to partake in the National Center for Children and Families NCCF “Inaugural Youth Art Fair” (Friday, June the 3rd 4-6:30 p.m.) “Come support the youth in our community as they confidently present and share their artistic gifts on the plaza. Free to the public, you can purchase from over 100 original works of art from the area’s most talented youth. This youth-led program also features various dance groups and musical talents.”

Later that evening, starting at 6:00 p.m., join Honorary Chair, Barbara Harrison of NBC4, and over 500 supporters of NCCF, philanthropists, and art enthusiasts, as they bid on fine art, unique items featured in “Gifts from the Soul” silent auction, live music, and a live auction of artwork by artists in NCCF’s Greentree Adolescent Program (GAP) and Greentree Shelter (GTS). (“Art & Soul Charity Auction” - Pre-purchased tickets required!)

For a different take, you can choose to go watch Lesbians and the Men Who Love Them: How Maria Came In at the Takoma Park Community Center (7:30 p.m.)

For another ‘different take’, at about the same time (8 p.m.) you can “pay what u can” at the Bobrauschenbergamerica Show by Forum Theatre, performed at the Roundhouse Black Box on Colesville Road (next to AFI.)

Oh, by the way, as long as you are by the AFI, why not check out the Caribbean Film Festival offerings? Or some of their other excellent films showing there? (You simply can’t go wrong!)

Go home and get some sleep, because Saturday you have to get out of bed bright and early to make it to the Fenton Street Market on Veterans Plaza and the adjoining FreshFarm Farmers Market on Ellwsorth Drive (Downtown Silver Spring.) {This Saturday at 11 a.m., Delegate Tom Hucker will be leading a conversation on Pepco and clean energy at the Community Roundtable a the Fenton Street Market.}

Want to venture out of downtown? How about going on a neighborhood walk of our Four Corners Community? Join the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board’s Neighborhoods Committee for this walking tour Saturday, June 4. We will meet at 10 a.m. at Silver Spring Stage (www.ssstage.org/) in the Woodmoor Shopping Center.{Please RSVP to Casey Anderson, Committee Chair, caseybanderson@aol.com, or Jim Zepp, jzepp@mindspring.com so we know how much space to reserve for lunch.}

Walk over to Pyramid Atlantic at 1 p.m. to catch the opening reception for an exhibit by Max-Karl Winklery at the Washington Printmakers Gallery… Then, go back to downtown to meet Patti Owens, the artists showing some of her work at the ArtSpring store (second floor, above PotBelly’s) at 2-5 p.m…

If you are really adventurous and want to listen to some experimental sounds (music, some might even call it!) go back to Pyramid Atlantic at 7:30 p.m. for “Off the Grid – Sonic Circuits”.

Or, you may want to head out to Blair High School and catch the opening game for the Takoma Park / Silver Spring Thunderbolts Baseball Team – the best up-and-coming team in the wooden bat Carl Ripken League at 7 p.m. (The teams are made up of college players from throughout the country.) If you miss them Saturday, they’ll play again on Sunday at 6 p.m.

Sunday is no “rest day” this weekend!

Takoma Park has its fantastic Jazz Festival over at Old Takoma Park (downtown TP) from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

But, if you go to the Festival, make sure you step out with all your electronic stuff that you want to recycle. Silver Spring Green and Montgomery County are doing an ‘e-recycling event’ from noon till 4 p.m. Bring your old t.v., computer - whatever - to the Blair High School parking lot where they will be collected and disposed of properly.

Or, you can go back to downtown for the amazaing "Taste of Africa" (on Ellsworth Dr.) through the afternoon and evening.

After this exhausting weekend, you can go back home and chill out to your favorite tunes, hang out with your cats and dogs (or family and friends) and share all the stories of the amazing weekend that proves – once again – that this is a wonderful community in which to live!

NOTE: IF YOU WANT MORE INFO IN ANY OF THE ABOVE, GOOGLE THE EVENT, ADD ‘SILVER SPRING’, AND IT SHOULD TAKE YOU TO THE EVENT'S WEB-SITE.

See you around!

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Silver Spring Green is here!

2011-05-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

THE FOLLOWING IS A 'GUEST BLOG' BY DOUG WEISBURGER, THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY STAFF THAT HAS CHAMPIONED THE IDEA OF SILVER SPRING GREEN.

Silver Spring Green (SSG) is a new grassroots environmental organization that was just incorporated in the State of Maryland and intends to become a full-fledged 501(c)(3) by the end of the year.

So what’s the buzz?

In a nutshell, SSG is bringing together businesses, civic organizations, residents and government to identify those win-win-win opportunities that simultaneously enhance our environment, economy and shared sense of community.

We had a kick off event in December after which a group of about 30 individuals volunteered to serve on a steering committee which has been meeting regularly ever since. We were inspired by the Bethesda Green and Poolesville Green models although SSG will have its own unique Silver Spring flavor.

For its first major event, SSG is collaborating with the County’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on an electronic recycling collection Sunday, June 5th at Blair High School, Noon to 4:00 PM. See details, including flyers in English, Spanish, French and Amharic HERE.

SSG is discussing its next programs and events, but we’re likely to pursue “low hanging fruit” opportunities to gain some traction. For example, there are currently no recycling bins in the downtown area, so getting bins there through a sponsorship program seems like a reasonable next project. (This has worked marvelously well in Bethesda, thanks to Bethesda Green, as these bins serve as a valuable marketing vehicle for corporate sponsors.)

One of the things most significant about SSG’s overall effort will be its emphasis on the community engagement process. We are very interested in finding out what our neighbors are thinking, hoping and worrying about and making sure that our sustainability efforts provide benefits to people and businesses in all circumstances.

Hence, we’re seeking to identify those “sweet spots” where community assets can be matched with community needs.

So, for example:

- Some community members might want to learn about sustainable lawn and garden care. Well, there are clearly a bunch of experts in this community who could provide pro bono training on this important subject.

- Others might be unemployed and looking for a niche green job. I’m sure there are some economists and business experts among us that could help identify market opportunities, develop business plans, and help mentor budding eco-entrepreneurs. Can’t you envision a myriad of environmentally beneficial businesses popping up? I like to dream about rickshaws in downtown …and why not?

- And what about businesses that might be looking to promote their environmental product or service? Maybe we organize an “eco-scavenger hunt” in which contestants have to identify local businesses that sell organic t-shirts, or source organic food locally, or are certified through the County’s Green Business Certification Program.

These are just a few ideas which, of course, would have to be analyzed and discussed. The point is amazing things can happen through collaboration, trust and a shared mission. There are loads of great ideas out there and we need to hear from all corners of Silver Spring to bring those to the fore. Thanks to the expertise of Impact Silver Spring, one of the many SSG partners, we will be pursuing a community engagement process to elicit that input and engender a mutual accountability and support network.

We’re also soliciting feedback through traditional surveys for both businesses/organizations and residents. These will be housed in our initial website www.silverspringgreen.org which will be ready on or around June 4th. (Thanks to Discovery Communications for developing this beautiful site!) In short, we want YOU ALL to help shape and spearhead this initiative, so please take a few minutes to learn more about SSG, take the survey, and get involved!

Many thanks,

Doug Weisburger
Senior Planning Specialist, Sustainability Programs
Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection
E-mail: douglas.weisburger@montgomerycountymd.gov
Phone: (240) 777-7775

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Beyond Volunteering: Engaging our community in our backyard, down the street, and in the marketplace

2011-05-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

“Beyond Volunteering: Engaging our community in our backyard, down the street, and in the marketplace”
A Conversation with Reemberto Rodríguez, Director
Montgomery County’s Silver Spring Regional Center
Saturday, May 28th at Noon
Fenton Street Market Community Roundtable
Veterans Plaza – in front of the Civic Building, downtown Silver Spring

If you live, work, shop, dine, play or pray in Silver Spring’s Regional Center Area*, you are invited to join in a conversation with Reemberto Rodríguez, Director of Montgomery County’s Silver Spring Regional Center.

(*The Center’s area is all of Silver Spring south of the Beltway; west of Prince George County; east of Rock Creek Park. The area also includes Four Corners, north of the Beltway.)

The focus of the conversation will be how we can maximize opportunities for personal, community, professional, and institutional efforts to continue building a stronger community. We’ll be exploring how to go beyond traditional volunteerism and engage our community in a more worthwhile, practical way.

Silver Spring is blessed with incredibly active and vibrant choices for civic involvement. The Regional Center, as a key County conduit to the community, is an integral part of the fabric that brings people together for dialogue and action. We are directly and intensely involved in issues that affect our daily lives today; policy discussions for tomorrow; and everything in-between.

The Silver Spring Regional Center is seeking committed volunteers to work with us in various capacities starting July 1st. Opportunities abound. If you are passionate about “doing community”, want to know more about what is going on, and/or are simply intrigued by this idea, come join the conversation!

For more info on the Regional Center, visit:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/rsc/silsprng/welcome.asp

You can also check out our Facebook Page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Silver-Spring-Regional-Center/168298959874

Or, chime in with your comments on the Director’s Blog, found at:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/

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Taste the World in Fenton Village

2011-05-11T17:46:00.000-07:00

Wow. It is almost here!

This SUNDAY MAY 15 2-5 “Taste the World in Fenton Village”.

WHERE is this happening, you may ask? Right in our own back yard! (South of the downtown core; all the way South to Sligo Avenue; east of Georgia Avenue; west of Fenton Street.)

AMAZING number of restaurants (25, at last count!) are participating in this all-volunteer driven - and social entrepreneur initiated - first ever collective culinary experience in Silver Spring.

Want background? See our recent blog posting at:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/taste-of-world-in-fenton-village-sunday.html

Want to see the first 21 restaurants to sign up? See our interactive map at:
http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/dining/taste-of-fenton

Want to see the official press release? See our County government release at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/News/press/PR_details.asp?PrID=7510

Love Tweeter? Check out the tweets at:
http://twitter.com/#!/TasteOfFenton

Love FaceBook? Check the event’s page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fenton-Village/149583641775966

Want to see how our local Patch is saying? Visit their story at:
http://silverspring.patch.com/articles/taste-the-world-in-fenton-village

Or, rather read one of our local bloggers? See:
http://www.thayeravenue.com/2011/04/28/taste-of-fenton-village-and-more/

Want to see more blogging about it? Check out:
http://socoeats.blogspot.com/2011/04/taste-world-in-fenton-village.html

Lastly, if you want to see how the “mainstream” media is playing it, check out:
http://silverspring.wusa9.com/news/events/silver-spring-citizens-advisory-board-sponsors-first-taste-world-fenton-village/56629

WHATEVER &/OR HOWEVER YOU HEAR ABOUT IT, READ ABOUT IT, OR BLOG ABOUT IT, SEE YOU SUNDAY!

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center

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Our County Web Site: You May Be Surprised At What You'll Find There!

2011-04-27T05:09:00.000-07:00

Have you visited your County web-site recently:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/

The site is well laid out and easy to navigate.

Among its many ‘not-so-hidden’ jewels are all the press releases from our Office of Public information.
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/News/press/pr_list.asp

A great example of something specifically relevant to Silver Spring is the announcement of the “Taste of Fenton Village” set for May 15th:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/News/press/PR_details.asp?PrID=7510

A cool hidden gem is the “Know Your County” guide. While we now have MC311 for immediate response, it is interesting to see – and understand – the layout of all County functions. Viewing it on-line also facilitates ‘searching’ for a key word (with your browser’s tools).
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/EXEC/kyc/kycenglish070307finwithcover.pdf

Or you can go to the services on-line list found at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/opi/service/services.asp

You can follow our County Council business at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/csltmpl.asp?url=/content/council/index.asp
(Note that from there you can watch Council Sessions – and even visit the YouTube Channel.)

You will also find valuable links to informative Council Packets (the information Council members get to prepare them for meetings):
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/csltmpl.asp?url=/content/council/packet/index.asp

Want to report a pothole? Streetlight outage? … Or, most anything else? Dial 311 and/or go to:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/opi/service/wants.asp?id=8

If it is videos you like, County Cable Montgomery has an array of programs ‘on-demand’:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ccmtmpl.asp?url=/content/cableoffice/ccm/index.asp

All “Departments” can be reached from the main link:
http://montgomerycountymd.gov/
“Education” and “Libraries” have their direct link from the main site. These two links provide an incredible wealth of information, including upcoming events at each library location.

And, of course: Our own Silver Spring Regional Center has its own link:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/rsc/silsprng/welcome.asp

There is a lot more on this web-site… Browse around; spend time there… You will be amazed at what you will find!

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SILVER SPRING LIST OF LISTS: Web Sites, Calendars, Blogs, and Face Book Pages

2011-04-20T06:09:00.000-07:00

----
Please join us in continuing to grow our “List of Lists” that provide meaningful information for “all things Silver Spring”. I invite you to ‘visit’ the following links, spend time browsing around; and, either leave a post or contact me about how to continue improving these lists.

Also: I encourage you to “bookmark” (or provide a link on your desktop to) the blog posting that has this “List of Lists” - that is, the "Index to List of Lists". I will try to maintain it as up-to-date as possible.

INDEX TO LIST OF LISTS:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/04/silver-spring-list-of-lists-web-sites.html

INDEX TO WEB SITES:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/05/surfing-in-silver-spring-key-web-links.html

INDEX TO CALENDARS:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/02/so-you-want-to-know-what-is-going-on-in.html

INDEX TO BLOGS:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/04/blogging-away-in-silver-spring.html

INDEX TO FACEBOOK PAGES:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/02/facebook-pages-in-silver-spring.html

Why are we doing this? This is not some esoterical or academic exercise. We are doing this “Lists of Lists” in hopes of encouraging civic engagement across all segments of our community. Hopefully, this “List of Lists” can help spark connections, conversations, and collaboration among various groups in Silver Spring and thus further our joint efforts to make Silver Spring “the place to be”.

As we grow this “List of Lists”, here are a few that we would like to add in the future:
[] List of major businesses, corporations, and institutions
[] List of civic organizations
[] List of community-serving non-profits
[] List of regional and national associations and non-profits
[] List of schools
[] List of parks
[] Others? (Let us know!)

enJoy surfing in Silver Spring!

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center

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Taste of the World in Fenton Village - SUNDAY MAY 15th

2011-04-15T15:46:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about the Taste of the World in Fenton Village?... If you have, GREAT!... If not, here's a 'teaser' (much more info to follow soon.)

The Taste of the World in Fenton Village is the brainchild of the folks serving on the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board's Commercial and Economic Development Committee - The CED, for short.

The idea is simple: Get the word out that the culinary experiences to be found in Fenton Village are literally out of this world. Those of us that live near by have known of this 'secret' for quite sometime. But for others, the realization that there are tens of excellent restaurants just south of the downtown Silver Spring core is quite a revelation.

ON SUNDAY MAY 15th 3-5 p.m. over 20 area restaurants will open their doors for this fascinating 'experiment' in multi-ethnic eating experience... You'll be able to hop from eatery to eatery, taste a bit here and a bit there, mingle with friends and strangers, have fun at it, and walk away truly 'full-filled'.

Watch this - and other virtual and real places - for more info... For now,

Tell your neighbors, tell your friends, from near and far:

COME (re?)DISCOVER THE WORLD AT FENTON VILLAGE ON SUNDAY MAY 15th!

In the words of Jessica Fusillo, the Chair of the CED:

In tough economic times, need is definitely the mother of invention. As local services and supports are slashed due to large budget deficits – how do residents keep their communities vital? Several committees for the Silver Spring Citizen’s Advisory Board have done just that. The neighborhoods committee led by Casey Anderson has begun a tour of various neighborhoods to get to know their local history and the issues they still face. Tours of Lytonsville the historic black community in Silver Spring – had to fight to get running water and paved streets. As issues come up for neighborhoods committee members will have a better understanding of these communities

The Commercial Economic Development Committee has taken their mission to heart and created an event to help this lesser known area south of downtown Silver Spring. The first Taste the World in Fenton Village hopes to bring residents and visitors down to explore this eclectic area. Participants have the opportunity to move around Fenton Village and sample foods from over twenty restaurants. In hard economic times the event supports businesses through community events.

By taking an active role in these community events, the SSCAB is taking a more active role in shaping their community. Taste the World hopes to have participants get to know their community and create economic opportunities for their local businesses. It all leads creating a wider network of support. Engagement.

For more info and/or to volunteer, contact Jessica at
Jessica.Fusillo@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov

c/u there!

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center

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Indicators for Success of the Civic Building and Vetrerans Plaza

2011-04-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

[THIS IS ANOTHER GUEST BLOG. THIS ONE IS FROM OUR INTERN DAVID ZUCKERMAN]

Hi everyone,

My name is David Zuckerman and I’m a graduate student at the University of Maryland. Reemberto asked me to jump in with a guest blog post about what I’ve been working on at the Silver Spring Civic Center and Veterans Plaza for the past two months. For my capstone project for my Masters in Public Policy, I am working hard to make a contribution to this great new public space.

Having only been opened almost nine months, the Civic Center has already allowed significant community engagement opportunities through many private and public events. People can stop by to view local art on display, sit and chat with friends inside or outside, or celebrate important occasions like weddings and birthdays. These are all important to helping build Silver Spring’s community and encourage economic development in the downtown area. It is my job to help show these important impacts through indicators.

If we all recognize the value of this public asset, why do we need these indicators? These measures help us connect the activities that the Regional Service Center staff does each day and the long-term impacts the Center hopes to achieve, such as building community and increasing economic development, in the broader community. And although some of these indicators may seem too basic or narrow at first to be useful, such as observing how many people walk through the door, recording the increase in sales at surrounding restaurants, or even noting the number of hits on this blog, together, these measures begin to let us see what impact this new public space is having in the community.

A more in-depth look at what success measures are can be found on the website for NeighborWorks America - a prominent, national community development organization. The description of indicators here helps demonstrate how varied and extensive these measures can be. These measures help us more accurately evaluate how we are doing by piecing together the big picture, so we can better achieve the impacts we want. They help us ensure that we are on the right path.

For info, more insight, or a conversation, please {cut and paste and} e-mail me at dhz4488@umd.edu

--
David Zuckerman
University of Maryland, College Park
B.A. Government and Politics, Class of 2010
Master of Public Policy Candidate, Class of 2011

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Community Engagement Calendar for the Silver Spring Civic Bldg & Veterans Plaza

2011-03-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

Please review our EXPERIMENTAL "Community Engagement Calendar" found HERE.

It intends to identify events going on at the Silver Spring and Veterans Plaza that are more than just 'events'... That is, these are "convenings with a purpose". These are events that intentionally bring the community together for a greater purpose... It is at these convenings that people run across each other by change and happenstance; to plan and reminis; to connect and network as we continue building our community.

{Note: This calendar does NOT include the many private events that have taken place - and are planned - in the facility. These also serve to 'engage community'; i.e.: weddings, parties, and such.}

As we round the corner and begin the last three months of our first year at the Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza, we can be rightfully proud of all the wonderful 'happenings' that this facility has hosted. To name a few would run the risk of leaving many other out, so I will not...

In "Year Two", we'll continue approaching this facility's mission of "sparking economic activity and community engagement" with the same zeal that is making "Year One" so successful. Additionally, we'll be much more intentional on "connecting the dots" and facilitating and coordinating the easy connections that can add value when the sponsors of one event meet sponsors of other events; or when cross-marketing happens.

The many events held at the Silver Spring and Veterans Plaza are not "ends unto themselves"; but rather milestone in a process. Many of these are "events with a purpose"; events that provide the spark for further community engagement.

Will you join us?

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Lyttonsville: Living History Hidden in Plain Sight

2011-03-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

NOTE: THIS IS A GUEST BLOG POSTING BY CASEY ANDERSON, MEMBER OF THE SILVER SSPRING CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD; AND, CHAIR OF ITS NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEE

Too many of us travel the same routes from home to work, school, the grocery store, or our kids’ soccer games day after day without ever exploring the neighborhoods we travel past. The result is that we know little or nothing about many of the places and people in our own backyards.

The Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board is trying to change that by hosting a series of walking and biking tours of the neighborhoods in our community. The next tour is on Sunday April 3 at noon, when I will be leading a tour of Lyttonsville, a neighborhood of 68 acres on the western edge of Silver Spring, with local activists.

Lyttonsville is a prime example of a part of Montgomery County – and its history – that has been overlooked for too long. Founded in 1853 by Samuel Lytton, a freed slave, the neighborhood was for many decades predominantly African-American. For reasons of race and class, the area was neglected by the county government. The streets were not paved and many residents lacked running water or plumbing until the 1960s, despite its proximity to downtown Silver Spring.

Residents consider their community part of Silver Spring, but school boundaries originally drawn to ensure diversity send many children from Chevy Chase to the neighborhood’s Rosemary Hills Elementary School, while students who live just a few blocks away are sent to Woodlin or Rock Creek Forest Elementary Schools. Consequently, in some ways the neighborhood has connections to the more affluent areas to the west, and its kids go on to attend Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.

To some degree, the school boundaries, together with the CSX tracks that form the neighborhood’s northern and eastern border, weaken ties to Silver Spring neighborhoods to the east. A narrow bridge over the tracks has been a source of contention, but the bridge is a key access route to the Capital Crescent Trail. When the Purple Line is built, the trail will be finished through the neighborhood and extend into downtown Silver Spring along with a high quality transit option for getting to Bethesda, Silver Spring, and Prince George’s County.

Today Lyttonsville is racially and economically diverse, with many young families joining longtime residents, including about a dozen families descended from the original settlers. The neighborhood has come a long way from its beginnings with little more than a church, a one-room schoolhouse, and a group of houses built by the original residents.

If you would like to learn more about Lyttonsville and get to know some of the people who have worked to make it a vibrant place to live, join us for the tour on April 3. We will begin with lunch (at noon) at the Parkway Deli at 8317 Grubb Road, followed by a walk and community discussion at the Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Center, located at 2450 Lyttonsville Road. Please RSVP to caseybanderson (at) aol.com so we will have space for you at lunch.

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County Executive Releases Recommended Budget (info re RSCs)

2011-03-15T18:56:00.000-07:00

The County Executive released his recommended budget today. Detailed information can be found on the County’s website at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/

As the press release states: “Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett today announced his recommended $4.35 billion operating budget that closes a $300 million gap for fiscal year (FY) 2012 that begins July 1. Leggett’s budget focuses on protecting essential services and his priorities of education, public safety and the safety net for the most vulnerable, but includes significant reductions in services, staffing levels and employee compensation to address the County’s long-term structural budget challenge.”

The recommended budget includes the creation of the Office of Community Engagement, which would include the Regional Services Centers. Operationally, we will continue pursuing the same mission as always within a new collaborative structure that provides for cost savings and consolidation (and centralization) of administrative support functions. Specific information about this new Office can be found at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/omb/FY12/psprec/pdf/oce.pdf

For the Urban District, the recommended budget is to stay at a level of funding similar to last year’s. Information for the Urban Districts is at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/omb/FY12/psprec/pdf/urb.pdf

I hope you find this useful. I will soon share further details; particularly how the Silver Spring Regional Center's staff structure may change. In the meantime, please call or e-mail if you have questions, would like to discuss further, or would like more information.

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center
Reemberto.Rodriguez@MontgomeryCountyMD.Gov
240-777-5307

COME WALK IN MY SHOES this Friday 7pm at the Civic Building

2011-03-09T04:02:00.000-08:00

COME WALK IN MY SHOES
A film by Video/Action
President Robin Smith

This Friday (March 11) there will be a unique opportunity to see an amazing documentary about what John Lewis, a true Civil Rights champion, does every year with the freshmen class of the House of Representatives.

PLUS:
The producer (and President of the company that made the of the documentary) Robin Smith will be joining us to!

PLEASE JOIN US AT THE GREAT HALL OF THE CIVIC BUILDING, 7pm

Come Walk in My Shoes is an award-winning documentary that follows the Honorable John Lewis on an emotional pilgrimage to the churches, parks and bridges where young people played a pivotal role in the struggle for equality and voting rights. At each location, Lewis reflects on his experiences and provides a forum for others – the “unsung heroes who cared deeply, sacrificed much, and fought hard for a better America” – to help us understand what happened, and why it happened.

{This will be a special production of the Charles W. Gilchrist Center for Cultural Diversity.}

Please help us “spread the word”… and, see you then!

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO'S WEB LINK HERE

Reemberto Rodríguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center

Spring Plaza Evenings: Come Join in!

2011-03-07T05:02:00.000-08:00

===============
Spring is almost here. Winter is coming to a close.

The ice skating rink on Veterans Plaza has but a few more days left before it is done for the season. Ice skating on Veterans Plaza has been widely popular, bringing the Plaza alive with children of all ages every winter night, regardless of the weather condition. (NOTE: It is not over yet. Veterans are invited to skate free for the remaining few days!)

How do we keep that energy – that vitality and liveliness – that the ice skating rink has brought to Veterans Plaza when the rink is no longer there?

We look forward to having many special events on the Plaza, such as our marquee Jazz Festival, Thanksgiving Parade, and concerts. We also are pleased that the Plaza will be used as the place for fabulous community events, major celebrations, the start/end point for walks and runs, and other special functions. Beginning April 30 and going through the winter holidays, the Plaza will come alive every Saturday morning and afternoon with the Fenton Street Market. On Friday and Saturday nights (downtown Silver Spring’s busiest nights), the Plaza remains the natural gathering place for the many people that come to enjoy downtown eateries, movies, and the entertainment offered on Ellsworth (by the Fountain.)

To complement all these wonderful programmed and special activities, the community will also be gathering on the Plaza other evenings in a much more informal, “happenstance” way, to simply come enjoy “being there”, to simply “be with others”.

During the Spring (April through June) we will be experimenting with “Plaza Evenings”: different approaches to spark constructive, family friendly community engagement on Veterans Plaza Sunday evenings through Thursday evenings 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. These Plaza Evenings will be inviting and welcoming people from all walks of life to routinely and consistently activate the Plaza. These Plaza Evenings will provide an opportunity for our community to discover Veterans Plaza as our ‘public square’ not only for major programmed events, but as the place to be to “be community”. And thus, bring to fruition the dual, complementary role of this space to “spark community engagement and spark economic activity.”

PLAZA EVENINGS: Sunday – Thursday 7 – 9 pm

SUNDAY EVENING: DRUM CIRCLES
This will be a continuation of a successful attempt last Fall to do traditional drum circles on the Plaza. That experiment saw over 100 people coming together weekly to enjoy “making beautiful noise”. Our hope is that this ‘new tradition’ will begin once again.

MONDAY EVENING: PLAZA CONVERSATIONS
Great plazas in the world are places where community conversation, civic dialogue, and discourse thrive. Some of these will be intentional and structured, but there will be room for the unexpected and impromptu. Our hope is that groups and institutions will see this as a wonderful opportunity to ‘take it to the streets’ and bring meaningful conversation to the Plaza.

TUESDAY EVENING: EXERCISE!
We already know of one group that will be taking their indoor exercise class ‘outside’ (they now do it regularly in the Civic Building.) This will make for an interesting interactive, playful, ‘people-watching’ atmosphere on the Plaza. Our hope is that others will join in.

WEDNESDAY EVENING: GAME NIGHT
One group has committed to start with chess. But, there are plenty of opportunities – there are plenty of benches! – for checkers, dominoes, and other games. Our hope is that interest from other ‘gamers’ will follow.

THURSDAY EVENING: ART & PERFORMANCE
The idea is to have movies, music, and more (performances) on the Plaza. We are seeking groups that are looking for an audience, require little to no amplification, seek no remuneration, and are willing to experiment. Our hope is that local talent will rise to the occasion and ‘sign up’ to participate.

NOTE: Plaza Evenings will be occasionally substituted by programmed and special events.

In these difficult budget times, it is important to note that Plaza Evenings are community and volunteer driven, costing the County nothing. The success of these Plaza Evening hinges on them ‘catching on’, growing organically, and being perpetuated by the participants themselves, not county resources.

Our hope for the success of these Plaza Evenings is modest. By fermenting these community engagement ‘naturally grown’ activities, the Plaza will become ‘the place to be’ on any given night, not just when there is a major or special event… Hopefully, people will ‘know that there is always something good and healthy going on’ at Veterans Plaza.

Since the earliest days of the conceptualization of the Silver Spring redevelopment, the idea was that there would be a ‘plaza’ downtown. That is Veterans Plaza. Veterans Plaza is our ‘traditional’ plaza akin to many plazas around the world in large and small cities. This is where all members of our community - including residents, visitors, shoppers, and people just ‘passing by’ - come to enjoy time together, mingle, meet-up, ‘people-watch’, and simply ‘be there’. The Plaza is our public square.

The concept for these Plaza Evenings has been developed in consultation with the Silver Spring Regional Center’s Advisory Groups. Many other organizations and individuals have also provided very valuable input. And now it is time to ‘implement’… We will experiment during the Spring and revisit the success and challenges of Plaza Evenings in time to improve as we roll into summer (July through September.) As you participate and partake of the Plaza Evenings April through June, we invite you to help us make it even better by getting in contact with us or simply leaving a post on this blog. But most important, we hope you will help us make it a success by joining in… See you at the Plaza!

RELATED BLOG POSTINGS:
The People Make the Place (March 2010)
Top Ten Plaza Possibilities (July 2010)
Common Values for Sharing Veterans Plaza (July 2010)

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So you want to know what is going on in Silver Spring?

2011-02-23T06:02:00.000-08:00

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It seems that we’ll never get to the ‘holy grail’ of ‘event lists’: i.e.: a single point or link that lists everything we are interested in.

In the absence of such ideal place, there are a series of existing links that provide for a wealth of information regarding ‘what is going on’ in Silver Spring for people that are interested in community life. These are mostly calendars by private entities, public agencies, and/or non-profits that give a good indication of the wonderful vitality and vibrancy of activities in Silver Spring.

No such list of calendars can be complete… But, in the spirit of ‘not letting the perfect get in the way of the good’, here’s the start of such a list… PLEASE chime in if you know of others:

DOWNTOWN SILVER SPRING

Silver Spring Downtown web-site… If you have not visited this site lately, you are really missing something. Wonderful list of upcoming events in the broader downtown Silver Spring area.

Downtown Silver Spring web-site… Best place to get a fix of what is going on in the ‘core’ of downtown (Ellsworth area), including Regal movie times, etc.

ART-CENTRIC

http://www.creativemoco.com/calendar "Do and Go"... The Arts & Humanities of Montgomery County official 'go to' site. Comprehensive list of member programming.

http://www.visitmontgomery.com/events-calendar/ Visit Montgomery... The Conference and Visitors Bureau's (CVB) official site. Very good for all things 'touristy', as well as performances and arts.

http://visitmaryland.org/Pages/Welcome.aspx Visit Maryland... The official site of Maryland's Tourism office. As good a comprehensive list for 'things to do' throughout the State as their is, focusing primarily on established destinations.

http://msac.org/ Maryland Arts Council official site... Very good, if you want a comprehensive look at what is going on in all corners of the State with arts organizations.

http://www.theatreindc.com/ Theatre in DC... A very comprehensive list of plays in the broader DMV area. (Search for "Silver Spring" to get the local flavor; check out the 'map' function also.)

NEWS OUTLETS

Washington Post’s Going Out Guide Make sure you ‘search’ for ‘Silver Spring’… Solid listing of commercial opportunities

Silver Spring Patch Events Calendar… An excellent ‘searchable’ events listing

Silver Spring Voice Events List… Easy to read list

Gazette’s List of Events… Probably the most comprehensive list of events, all with easy to follow web-links

VENUE SPECIFIC

AFI Movie Schedule… A direct link to one of our premier gems in Silver Spring.

Takoma Park / Silver Spring Montgomery College Campus… Amazing array of events and happenings, many in the new beautiful Performance Art space – see “Events” list on the right hand side of the page.

Roundhouse Theater Roundhouse Theater's repertoire of events at their Silver Spring location.

SILVER SPRING REGIONAL CENTER - centric

Silver Spring Regional Center Community Engagement Opportunities in the Civic Building and Veterans Plaza Of course I am biased to our own :-) … This is a new attempt to display graphically the opportunities for connecting by participating in events already planned in this, your community’s living room and patio.

Silver Spring Regional Center Official Calendar… Civic meetings, mostly Advisory Groups (Citizens Advisory Board, Urban District, etc.)

FACEBOOK PAGES

Facebook Announcements… Various organizations in the area have great listings of events on their Facebook page. (We listed these on a recent blog posting – see ‘comment’ for additional ones; we have not added them yet.)

WHAT COULD BE (examples from elsewhere)
http://pinklineproject.com/ The Pink Line Project... From our friends in DC.

http://www.artsboston.org/ Arts Boston... GREAT search engine! (hosting provided by artsopolisnetwork.com)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/?tid=gog DC's Going Out Guide... From the folks down the street as well.

HAVE OTHERS? Please leave them as 'comments' in this blog...

{PLUS: Don't forget to become a 'follower' of this blog so you get future postings automatically.}

Montgomery Co. as "Majority Minority" - So What (for Silver Spring)?

2011-02-15T04:51:00.000-08:00

A recent Washington Post article broke the news of what many already intuitively knew: Montgomery County’s population is now “majority minority”. That is, the population of non-Hispanic Whites is officially less than 50% of the total population. (Another – probably more startling - statistic in the article is that less than 50% of the school age population in the State is non-Hispanic White.)

So what? What does this mean? How will this news impact the work we do in our neighborhoods and communities in Silver Spring?

YOU ARE INVITED TO A CONVERSATION TONIGHT (Tuesday, February 15th 7pm at the Civic Building)

Please take the time to (re)read the article – and browse through its wonderful interactive maps. As the maps show, there are peculiarities to the Silver Spring Regional Center area – that area south of the Beltway (including Four Corners), north of DC, east of Rock Creek, and west of Prince George County… For example:

[1] If you look at the ‘block-level’ statistics, it is amazing the ‘diversity’ from one block-level to the next. … That is, one block-level area with 55% Black population may be next to a block-level area with 80% White population.

[2] The concentration patterns are as expected: Long Branch is most Hispanic; the single family neighborhoods to the north, west and north-east of downtown are most White.

[3] There are quite a few block-level areas that have surprisingly high Black percentages… But, this may be a quirk of the Census whereas all people of African heritage may be lumped together.

There are many other observations that could be made… What else do YOU see in these maps and related articles?

Come join the conversation!

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Facebook Pages in Silver Spring

2011-02-09T04:45:00.000-08:00

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By now we all know (or should know!) that we have an EXCELLENT list of web-sites relevant to Silver Spring. The list can be found in one of our old blog postings at:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/05/surfing-in-silver-spring-key-web-links.html

We also have a list of all active blogs in Silver Spring. That list is in one of our old blog postings, found at:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/04/blogging-away-in-silver-spring.html
*If you have updates, corrections, and/or additions please leave a comment on the blog! We’ll take care of it as expediently as possible.

Now here’s a new list… Here are the FACEBOOK PAGES IN SILVER SPRING** that I often go to for general and/or specific info… These are great sites to know what is going on, what is happening, and to be 'in the know'... Give them at try; 'friend' them – And, add yours!!**

Silver Spring Regional Center
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Silver-Spring-Regional-Center/168298959874

Silver Springer (Downtown Silver Spring)
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1474420916

Silver Spring Arts & Entertainment District
http://www.facebook.com/SilverSpringArtsandEntertainment

Silver Spring Ice Skating Rink
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Silver-Spring-Ice-Skating-at-Veterans-Plaza/170229703014707

Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8305814081

Silver Spring Green
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Silver-Spring-Green/195379507174929

Silver Spring Voice
http://www.facebook.com/silverspringvoice

Silver Spring Patch
http://www.facebook.com/silverspringpatch

Impact Silver Spring
http://www.facebook.com/IMPACTSilverSpring

Roundhouse Theatre
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Round-House-Theatre/115590338084

Forum Theatre
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Forum-Theatre/14256786516

Gandhi Brigade
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/gandhibrigade

South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association
http://www.facebook.com/pages/South-Silver-Spring-Neighborhood-Association/14442062275

ArtSpring
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/ArtSpring/122145361964

Buy Local Silver Spring
http://www.facebook.com/SilverSpringArtsandEntertainment#!/pages/Buy-Local-Silver-Spring/122908617769507

**If you know of others, please leave it in a post.

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What are YOU doing for Black History Month?

2011-02-04T05:10:00.000-08:00

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If you have not yet done anything special for Black History Month, there's plenty of opportunities right here in Silver Spring - and elsewhere in Montgomery County - to 'soak it all in'... Here are a three excellent links:

Our own County's Libraries get into the spirit of Black History month, including the Silver Spring Library:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/News/press/PR_details.asp?PrID=7221

The "Visit Montgomery" site offers an excellent 'calendar' not only for Black History Month events, but lots of other neat things to do around the County:
http://www.visitmontgomery.com/events-calendar/black-history-month/

The Parks Department has its own offerings as well:
http://www.montgomeryparks.org/PPSD/Cultural_Resources_Stewardship/heritage/uncle_toms_cabin.shtm

If you know of other nearby events, including in your own house of worship, school, etc., please leave a comment...

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Community Engagement Food For Thought (and more!)

2011-01-31T03:26:00.000-08:00

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How do we stay current with fresh ideas about community life and making the places we live vibrant and exciting? “We just do it”, some would say… And “doing it” is certainly a must: Talk along will not get it done. Or, as Larry the Cable Guy would say: “Get it done”!

Yet, to some of us with inquiring minds, reading, researching, and dialoguing about how things are done elsewhere; or gaining a better understanding of the strategic thinking that went behind a major community engagement program or project helps us do our own work better… It is for those minds that this blog posting is intended…

I occasionally run across certain pieces that I simply say: “Gee, I bet others would enjoy knowing about this!” For example, recently I received the magazine “The Next American City”, a rather progressive magazine that looks at the places we live much more so from a people-based perspective than from the built environment's perspective. The latest issue has a series of fascinating articles, not the least of which is the one featured on the cover, “Putting the UD back in HUD.” The interview with Shaun Donavan, HUD’s Secretary is very insightful… Check it out at www.AmericanCity.org

I also recently received an e-mail from Matt Leighninger, a friend of mine that is the Executive Director of the Deliberative Democracy Consortium, a ‘think thank’ about community engagement. He shared various recent pieces of works – and other happenings – that might be of interest to those of those that are into these thing, including:

Like to read books? Try “Toward Wiser Public Judgement” (Daniel Yankelovich)… The book describes how some of the main ideas in our field have changed. If the question in 1991 was “How do we help citizens come to public judgment?,” then the question of 2011 may be “What are the ways democracy must change (and in some cases, is changing) in order to make public judgment more achievable, powerful, and central?”
http://www.vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/books/399/toward-wiser-public-judgment

Like to go to conferences, but can’t afford to? You may enjoy reading the proceedings of conferences such as “Partnering with Communities”, which highlights how Federal agencies are innovatatively working with communities. The main web-link is at: http://community-plan.net/nationalworkshop/ One particularly interesting piece is on how the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is doing it:
http://community-plan.net/nationalworkshop/docs/appendix_6_nih_community_partnerships.pdf

Deal with schools? The Akron Neighborhood Trust and the Akron Public Schools are using deliberative organizing strategies and concepts to help parents and community members shape the services and mission of the Community Learning Centers being built in the city. You can view recommendations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JwIeaEPoYY

Looking for grants? The IBM Center for The Business of Government has issued its latest request for research proposals on transparency, participatory democracy, online engagement, and other topics important to public managers. The deadline is March 1.
http://www.businessofgovernment.org/content/research-stipends

Headed to L.A.? Then why not check out the Davenport Institute’s conference entitled “A Place in the World: Geography, Identity, and Civic Engagement in Modern America” at Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy in Malibu, California, on March 11-12. Themes will include “Cosmopolitanism and Place,” “Public Engagement: A Chance to Build Community in the ‘New Normal,’” “Mobility and Membership,” and “Participatory Planning: How We Involve the ‘Public.’”
http://publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/news-events/events/2011/a-place-in-the-world/

Heard “America Speak(s)”? American Speaks is a fascinating organization that advances the practice of community engagement… They can be found at: http://americaspeaks.org/
They’ve released their “Most Interesting Public Deliberations in 2010” via a blog posting at:
http://americaspeaks.org/blog/five-most-interesting-public-deliberations-in-2010/

Transparency? What transparency? A new report from the Institute for Development Studies gives us an initial, international read on the effectiveness of transparency initiatives. One of the many key insights is that “A common assumption is that greater transparency generates greater accountability, yet growing evidence exists that transparency alone is insufficient, and only leads to greater accountability in interaction with other factors.”
http://www.drc-citizenship.org/news%20and%20events/2010/ieta.htm

The Main Link: Deliberative Democracy Consortium main website has lots of more goodies: http://www.deliberative-democracy.net/

For example, one link takes you to the Knight Foundation’s work on how community engagement and economic activity connects. The article is part of the Foundation’s work on “The Soul of the Community”, found at http://www.soulofthecommunity.org/

enJoy!

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Pledge 25 Campaign - Unique Opportunity to Join Others in Service in 2011

2011-01-20T04:29:00.000-08:00

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We may have a real financial capital crisis, but we have yet to begin to truly tap into our vast human capital in our communities.

As we wrestle through these very difficult times, it becomes ever more important for us that can to give back to our community. Many of us already do that, both here in our own back yard and in far away lands.

Now we have the opportunity to join our neighbors and friends in Montgomery County in a novel, fun, practical – and REAL – effort to make a difference, account for it, and celebrate our success.

The “Pledge 25 Campaign” promises to be an engaging way for us as individuals, groups, and congregations to get involved in helping others, have a good time at it, and see - and celebrate - our collective results.

On MLK, Jr., Day, County Executive Ike Leggett announced the “Pledge 25 Campaign”, pointing out that 2011 is not only the silver anniversary of the MLK, Jr., Day Holiday, but it is also the 25th anniversary of our nationally acclaimed Community Services Day. To honor these silver anniversaries, County Executive Leggett is asking all residents to pledge 25 hours of service between January 17 and October 22, 2011; “stand up to the challenge of poverty”; and, volunteering with community serving non-profits.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! We will have a wonderful celebration at the closure of this effort (Saturday, October 22) in downtown Silver Spring, bringing together volunteers, organizations, partners, and all who embarked on this service journey during 2011.

For more info & to sign up, visit:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/Volunteer/Pledge25/pledge25.asp

For past postings on this blogs related to volunteerism, visit:
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-maximize-volunteer-assets.html

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Why Martin Matters to Me

2011-01-14T05:01:00.000-08:00

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To many folks Martin Luther King, Jr., is simply a historical figure that did some great things. To others he is a icon of greatness; a saint.

To me, he is personal.

While I never had the opportunity to actually meet him, he substantially shaped my life and my values – if not by direct contact, by the relationships and exposure I had with some of his closest lieutenants, family, friends, and others he impacted personally.

I was blessed to have ‘grown up’ in an ambiance where MKL was truly “King”, the ATL (Atlanta, GA.)

While racism was – and is – as real as it gets in the ATL (as it is everywhere else), the people I associated with as a young professional were many of his people; people that knew him as a man of principles; as a passionate man; as a truly GREAT man.

I was extremely fortunate to ‘walk among giants’: Andy Young, John Lewis, C.T. Vivian, and Martin Luther King, Sr. (Dr. King's dad) among others. There is no way that interacting with these giants will not make an impression on you. These are men of character; men that truly changed everything.

Four snippets of stories come to mind:

[1] While Andy Young was Mayor of Atlanta, I worked with Shirley Franklin (who herself became Mayor years later) developing housing policy for the City. To the surprise of many, Mayor Young – and us as his staff – focused on entrepreneurship and quality economic growth rather than on deep social issues. We were consistently cognizant of the social issues – of course – but saw economic empowerment and job creation as the most expedient way to get past the institutional racism that was still prevalent at the time.

[2] Crossing paths with John Lewis, “my congressman next door”, was a common occurrence as I worked with non-profits throughout metro Atlanta. His sensitivity and caring attitude simply overtook whatever meeting he was in, and would instantly set the tone of collaboration and partnership. (NOTE: Be on the lookout for his movie “Walk in my shoes” to be shown at the Civic Building soon!)

[3] C.T. Vivian, one of the youngest lieutenants of Dr. King, was the facilitator for my Leadership Atlanta series on race… I will never forget his advice: “Be careful of drowning in the cesspool of your own making”… So true.

[4] There was a time in my life when I was a young architect full of passion for social activism, working as the Executive Director of the Atlanta Community Design Center (a non-profit supported by architects and businesses to provide design and planning assistance to other non-profits.) One of the first projects I embarked on was the conceptual design for the African American Experience Museum (today co-located with the Auburn Avenue library.) At the unveiling of the model depicting the design, a ‘scroll’ was signed that would be housed in the museum. After other dignitaries (including Hank Aaron) signed it, MLK, Sr., signed it; then they asked me to sign it. Wow. One of those ‘life changing moments’ for sure.

There are countless other stories growing up in Atlanta where I would cross path again and again with those close to MLK, Jr… His wife and kids at the MLK Center; his peers and children of his friends at Morehouse and Spelman; and, ‘regular folks’ at the Auburn Avenue Rib Shack or one of the many soul food eateries around downtown Atlanta… These are stories that make for fond memories of a great man that is a real man to me; someone that I feel I know personally through the stories of those he personally touched…

One of the most poignant stories least told about Dr. King is the unfinished business of his legacy: The coming together of Latinos and African Americans… After all, MLK, Jr., was a contemporary of Cesar Chavez. While they never met, they exchanged telegrams as they each progressed on their commitment to non-violent social change… Here are excerpts from an interview with Jorge Mariscal, Professor of Spanish, Chicano/Chacana Lieterature, University of California San Diego):

"So it was an extremely violent period in our history, and 1968 was a presidential election year. Dr. King had moved away from a kind of race-based organizing to organizing working people of every color, and he had plans to do something called the Poor People’s Campaign which would be a non-violent civil disobedience movement in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 1968. Cesar Chavez, early in that year, had gone on a fast specifically to insist that his movement was non-violent. There had been some violent incidents around Delano and around California, and he wanted to remind his own people but also everyone in the country that he was following a kind of Gandhian tradition of nonviolent militancy, is what he would call it. And, of course, Dr. King followed the same path. So although these two men never met, it’s interesting that they did exchange telegrams. Their – Some historians believe that Cesar Chavez actually received a phone call from Martin Luther King but there’s no corroboration of that, so it seems that they not only never met but they never actually spoke to one another and yet they were following a similar path, working to organize working families, working class people of every color and also professing a nonviolent approach to social change…. I think there’s no doubt that they would’ve met up, and there were some plans for them to meet in spring of 1968 and, of course, Dr. King was killed on April 4th. The UFW actually sent representatives to Atlanta to Dr. King’s office in the planning sessions for the poor people’s campaign, so the links were already being forged. The two leaders had never met. People like Dolores Huerta, who was the vice president of the union at the time, was very active with some of Dr. King’s people and she attended the march in Memphis after Dr. King was assassinated and that was a march, again, for the Memphis sanitation workers and she also took a UFW delegation to Dr. King’s funeral. So, yes, there’s no doubt that they would’ve come together. I think the idea—and we can only fantasize here—of these two great social leaders coming together and their collective movements with Mexican Americans, Filipinos, poor whites and African-Americans, it would’ve been a tremendous shift in American history. And, unfortunately, whoever did assassinate Dr. King made sure that didn’t happen… The first telegram from Dr. King to Cesar Chavez was congratulating him on his work and his fast. Dr. King was very impressed and he even told one of his lieutenants, Dr. Ralph Abernathy, that he was thinking about going on a fast as well just to show the country that his movement coincided with what was happening in the farm worker movement. So he congratulated him. He said you’re an inspiration to us all and, you know, I hope to meet you someday. Then the ties were made between the UFW and Dr. King’s organization in the planning for the poor people’s campaign. The only telegram sent by Cesar to Dr. King’s family was after Dr. King had been killed, so he sent a telegram of condolences to Coretta Scott King."

So there. Yet another reason why Martin matters to me.

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All in 1 week: AMAZING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES!

2011-01-06T07:38:00.000-08:00

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AMAZING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE
SILVER SPRING CIVIC BUILDING AND VETERANS PLAZA

This coming week our Civic Building wears its first name “CIVIC” very well indeed… Almost every day there will be an opportunity to engage your neighbors and friends as we continue building a vibrant, energetic, and robust community… Please plan on joining us for one – or all – of these exciting and meaningful community engagement opportunities.

Saturday January 8th Noon
Ice Rink Celebration Join First Lady Catherine Leggett, our honorary guest, to celebrate the official opening of the Veterans Plaza Ice Rink. There will be music, fun, and games – including a hockey demonstration.

Sunday January 9th 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Kramer Gallery Opening Reception for its 2nd Show Please stop by to celebrate the opening of this, the 2nd show at the Civic Building’s wonderful Kramer Gallery. The show is “Mixing It Up”, an exhibition featuring the works of three Montgomery county visual artists working in glass, painting and fiber arts.

Monday January 10th 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board Meeting Our Citizens Advisory Board is kicking off the New Year with an exciting meeting, welcoming Discovery Communications to dialogue with the community. We’ll also have the opportunity to catch up with the Silver Spring Town Center Inc., as well as hear detailed reports from our Chair and Director.

Thursday January 13th 7:00 p.m – 9:00 p.m.
County Executive Budget Forum Come join County Executive Leggett in this critical conversation. As he puts it: “These public forums give our residents an opportunity to tell me what’s important to them as I prepare next year’s operating budget for submission to the County Council on March 15... In light of the shortfalls that we are facing, input from residents for the FY 12 budget is crucial in helping us determine priorities.”

Thursday January 13th 7:00 p.m – 9:00 p.m.
Energy Reduction Through Architecture (Part of Montgomery Planning Department’s Speaker Series) Leading experts on sustainable architecture will show how energy independent, regenerative buildings can slow climate change. Planners, developers, home builders and renovators, and anyone interested in advancing sustainability don’t want to miss this event!

Friday January 14th 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Freedom School This is a relatively unstructured gathering of youth (coordinated by a consortium of youth groups) that come together every Friday night to basically improve their self esteem before venturing out for the weekend.

Monday January 17th 12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
MLK Weekend of Service Event* Join GapBusters (a local youth organization) as they coordinate this year’s MLK Service Day events. The event will include service projects from 12:30PM-3:00PM followed by a tribute which will be held at Strathmore Hall at 4:00pm.

*CALL TO ACTION: A related MLK Weekend of Service event in our community in need of volunteers is the Giant Food (Blair Park) Saturday Janaury 15th from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Please e-mail Victor.Salazar@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov letting him know you are interested. (Great school service hour opportunity!)

And as if all of that was not enough, you can join us in one or more of the many other community engagement activities provided by other organizations and agencies and open to the public in the Civic Building, including: Zumba classes (Monday and Wednesdays); Senior Fit (Friday morning); Tiny Tots Drama Class (Monday morning); Music and Movement (Saturday mornings).

c/u around Silver Spring!

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS! – A Call to Participate Virtually and In Person

2010-12-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

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As we wrap up the year, this is our 46th blog posting… Not bad – almost one a week! (Indeed, that is our goal for next year.)

I hope you’ve found this Blog useful to you, along with all our other virtual – and real world – opportunities to chime in and join our community conversations, discussions, and dialogues.

Please remember that your Silver Spring Regional Center welcomes your participation in the various traditional civic engagement venues, including the regularly scheduled meetings of the Citizens Advisory Board and its corresponding committees (Transportation and Pedestrian Safety, Commercial and Economic Development, and Neighborhoods.) Other than the SSCAB, there are two other relevant Advisory Groups appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Council. These are the Urban District Advisory Committee and the Transportation Management Advisory Committee. Additionally, there is the Arts & Entertainment Advisory Committee, appointed by the County Executive… If you are reading this Blog, you probably get the e-blasts that announce the meeting for these Advisory Groups. (If you don’t and would like to, please e-mail Vicki.Lockerman@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov and ask her to add you to the list.)

Beyond these opportunities to come participate in person, there’s also our charge to ‘stay informed’ and provide additional input in the ‘virtual’ world… Towards that end, various of the Blog postings this past year have tried to bring together information on ‘where to go for answers’ regarding “All Things Silver Spring.”

Some of these blog postings really merit being on our ‘desktop’ – and smart phones… Key among them are:

List of Web Links

List of Blogs

See Click Fix Posting

Call for Pictures for the Civic Building Welcome Desk Monitor

Description of the Budget Process (as part of a meeting notice back in Oct 2010)

What to do about graffiti when you see it

List of Common Values (our first blog posting)

I encourage you to revisit these posting, leave a comment, start a conversation – and make sure you have them on your desktop for future reference.

And, if you have not done so already, please hit the ‘follower’ button to the left on this blog so you can become a ‘follower’ and get the notices of future postings.

See you around Silver Spring in 2011 – either in person or virtually!

Graffiti: See it? ACT!

2010-12-01T03:46:00.000-08:00

NOTE: This is a ‘guest posting’ by Victor Salazar, Program Manager, Silver Spring Regional Center Weed & Seed Program

Crude bathroom writings, gang symbols, wall markings placed by ink, paint or scratch marks utilizing sharp objects. If you survey most people in Silver Spring they would say that I am describing “graffiti.” To the minority it is considered an art form placed on walls, busses, trains, and other forms of public or private property without permission of the owner. For most, it is considered an eyesore, destruction of property, vandalism, illegal, expensive to clean-up and visibly detracting from the quality of life of the Silver Spring community.

So what can you do when you see it? I want to pass on some information to those of you who walk by it, drive by it, or ride by it, shake your head and wish you could do something about it.

First of all if you, unfortunately, have fallen victim and find your personal property vandalized by such an act, here’s what to do. Before cleaning it call Montgomery County Police Department’s non-Emergency number (301) 279-8000*. Police officers will come to your location and photograph the markings.

If you see markings on the public school building that your child attends contact school administration immediately. Every school website along with telephone numbers and school administrators email address can be found at www.mcpsmd.org . Fortunately, Montgomery County Public Schools has a low tolerance for the visible defacing of public school buildings and will usually have the markings cleaned up by the end of the school day.

What if you see markings on electrical utility boxes, stop signs, commercial building walls like McDonalds or 7-11, and cannot determine who owns or would respond to cleaning up the community’s newest eyesore? Then “grab the bull by the horn” and contact GRAB. According to their website:

"GRaffiti ABatement Partners, Inc. (GRAB) is a not-for-profit private-public partnership. Community, business and government are working together to eliminate graffiti vandalism in Montgomery County, Maryland, through eradication, education and enforcement strategies. GRAB, established in 1996, is the vision of former Councilmembers Betty Ann Krahnke and Marilyn Praisner."

- You can e-mail GRAB's Kathy Paunil at Kpaunil@Verizon.net and/or call 301-607-GRAB (4722)* (Don’t hesitate taking a picture of the graffiti and please be descriptive of the location.)

- Check out their web-site at http://www.graffitifree.org/

If you want our Silver Spring Regional Center and/or the Urban District to know about your ‘find’ and help you get closure, don’t hesitate sending us your picture – again with a clear description of the location – to SilverSpringRegionalCenter@gmail.com (Also, make sure you let us know what steps you’ve taken – who you’ve contacted so far, etc.) Our “Red Shirts” do a great job of keeping the downtown area clean of graffiti. Our Center staff can also help follow up – and support - your efforts to get graffiti cleaned up throughout the Silver Spring Regional Center as well.

So why care at all about this small and minor nuisance? Under the crime prevention theory of “broken windows” when vandals break the window of an abandoned urban apartment building and find it un-repaired in a timely manner, vandals return and break a few more windows. If the property is still left uncared for then eventually the property is defaced with ink, spray paint and becomes the home of squatters, vagrants and location of other types of illegal activity. However, by being vigilant and timely in the repair of the building vandals grow frustrated and look for a different location where their activity isn’t challenged.

As I conclude this post I would like to pass on how members of the Silver Spring Community at Northwest Park Apartments worked with partners of the Weed & Seed program to deal with vandals who had infiltrated their community. During the Spring and Summer of 2009 the moniker “44” began appearing on apartment walls, laundry rooms, spray painted on the hoods of vehicles and on bus stop shelters. Collaborating with residents, Montgomery County Police, Maryland National Capital Park Police, apartment property managers, local elementary school administrators, every incident was reported and documented leading to the arrest and prosecution of a local tagger crew. It has been over a year and the “44” moniker has not been seen since.

(*These are two phone numbers that we should all have programmed on our phones!)

If you see graffiti: Act!... It is part of our civic responsibility!

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On any given weekend in Silver Spring

2010-11-15T04:43:00.002-08:00

It is truly amazing how much there is to do in Silver Spring without venturing to the “outside world”.

The opportunities for partaking in quality entertainment, enjoying nature, and dining out are truly endless… Add to that the many occasional ‘special events’, and you have a place to call home that is beaming with activity, with life, with endless opportunities.

It started Thursday night. After dedicating Veterans Plaza in the morning and participating in some of the excellent afternoon workshops, the free Veterans Day concert in the Civic Building simply rocked. The music was stellar; and the local performers were truly outstanding… And, it was all free… The folks that pulled this event-full day deserve a loud ‘shout out’! Congratulations to Montgomery County’s Commission on Veterans Affairs and the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. (See pictures here.)

On Saturday evening we had the opportunity to attend “Yo, Tambien” (“Me, Too”) a made-in-Spain movie that is part of the European Union’s Film Festival and the Spanish Film Festival at the American Film Institute. (The EU Festival ends next week; the Spanish Film Festival runs through early December.) It is easy to take the AFI for granted; after all, it fits into the Silver Theatre as if it was always intended to be there. Yet, I am still awed whenever I watch a film in that theatre… And – as was the case Saturday – when you get to hear the Producer speak after the film, it adds a special flavor to the experience. (To see what’s showing at the AFI, visit AFI.com)

Walking out of the AFI and seeing the new Roundhouse marquee announcing its current offering, it is not difficult to imagine how much more ‘alive’ the block will feel in a year when the Fillmore opens across the street. Then, to stroll down Ellsworth – our number one place to simply ‘people watch’ – this feeling is augmented with a sense of place that is full of energy, people from all walks of life, and just plain ‘fun’. (And did I mention parking is free on weekends?)… Have you visited Downtown Silver Spring’s web-site lately? Pretty neat! (See it here.)

Then came the toughest decision of my weekend: Where to eat Saturday night? The options are truly endless… With the wonderful restaurants in downtown, the hidden gems in Montgomery Hills and Takoma Park, and the eclectic offering in Long Branch, it is a very difficult decision… Do you go high end, with a bottle of wine and plush atmosphere, or do you go bar-food type; how about a hole-in-the wall type; or a neighborhood hangout?... It is all here; your choice!

We opted for visiting La Casita on Piney Branch (west of Dale) literally down the street from my house. La Casita is part grocery store, full part restaurant in a tiny strip with five other businesses. You order the food at the cash register; then they’ll call your number (in Spanish) when it is ready to be picked up at the counter (which doubles up as a meat counter.) Don’t let the eclectic feel fool you. This is real food – real good food!... And the prices? Let’s just say that a full meal for two – including the incredible yucca con chicharron and a well deserved healthy tip – was well under $25. (Become their 'friend' by visiting their Facebook page here.)

We woke up Sunday to yet another beautiful day. When the weather is this perfect it is so easy to drift to the outside and forego that long list of inside chores (organizing paperwork; getting the closet ready for winter, etc.)… When the weather is this perfect you have to go for a walk… We are so fortunate in Silver Spring to have so many options “to go for a walk”. In a past posting we talked about how much there is to do within one mile (20 minute walk) of anywhere in Silver Spring. There is also the option to ‘just walk’ – without a destination in mind, without having ‘anything to do’. (See here for that posting.)

Sligo Creek Park offers one of the most enjoyable, serene, accessible walks around. The Park bisects Silver Spring, running North-South (or South-North?) from Wheaton Regional Park all the way down to Hyattsville. It is accessible from every major east/west street. Yesterday I got to it by simply walking down Piney Branch, going up to Colesville, and – just for the sake of returning a different way – came back up on Dale. The fall colors were still there – not quite at their peak, but still awe-inspiring. As I walked on Sligo Creek Park, at times I felt as if I were in the middle of Shenandoah Park. (I could not help but post some of those beautiful pictures here… For more info on the park, the Friends of Sligo Creek maintain a very neat map catalog here.)

On any given weekend Silver Spring is simply magnificent…

As we wade through the arduous hours in civic meeting after civic meeting, hearing after hearing, and the countless conversations about the minutia of the future, let’s not forget that we live in the now – and that there is a lot of ‘now’ to enjoy in this wonderful place we call Silver Spring.

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Veterans Day. Veterans Plaza Dedication. FREE Veterans Concert.

2010-11-09T05:18:00.000-08:00

JOIN US NOVEMBER 11 starting at 10am FOR A
SPECIAL PROGRAM TO DEDICATE VETERANS PLAZA
THEN COME BACK IN THE EVENING FOR A
RECEPTION & FREE VETERANS DAY CONCERT

November 11th is Veterans Day. While this day means different things to different people, one meaning is constant: Honor those that have served. To families with loved ones in the military – past or present – this is a particularly powerful day. To us others, it is a day to give thanks to our friends that have served. And, to all of us, it is a day to reflect.

Here is Silver Spring we are keenly aware of this Day. Our proximity to our Nation’s Capital and the neighboring Walter Reed Facility is a constant reminder of why we have this Day.

And now we have Veterans Plaza. Its name is not happenstance nor unintentional.

The name is an ode to the old Armory that was torn down years back to make way for the current evolution of what is downtown Silver Spring. But the name is also much more.

The folks involved in making the Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza happen worked hard to make sure that our public square is a dignified place to gather, a place to honor our veterans, and a place for civic discourse. They saw fit to ensure this plaza was named – simply and beautifully – VETERANS Plaza… And, so it is…

And, what is a Plaza without a monument? Veterans Plaza too will have its monument. Toby Mendez, a Maryland artist, has visualized and is designing a free-standing sketched glass art piece that honors Maryland veterans. This piece will be ready for unveiling sometime in 2011.

The Building too has strong references to our veterans. Some of the cases in the atrium will be filled with memorabilia and artifacts honoring our veterans. And, we made sure the address of the facility also reflected this theme, so we have One Veterans Place. (Veterans Place is the new street behind the building.)

We will be dedicating the Plaza THURSDAY NOVEMEBER 11, starting at 10am. County Executive Isiah Leggett will present a Veterans Day Proclamation. In the afternoon there will be seminars. The Veterans Commission on Veterans Affair has worked with many of its member organizations and others to bring this event to us…. And in the evening, a reception at 6pm will be followed by a FREE concert coordinated by the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., in cooperation with various other organizations.

More info on the FREE Concert:

The Montgomery County Commission on Veterans Affairs, in partnership with the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., Round House Theatre, and the Maryland Youth Ballet is pleased to present the third annual “A Tribute to America’s Veterans” concert on Thursday, November 11, 2010 at 7 pm at the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring.

The “Tribute to America’s Veterans” concert will feature dance performances by the Maryland Youth Ballet, Contradiction Dance and the youth groups, Might Shock and Future Shock. In addition, there will be musical performances by Silver Spring’s Jonny Grave and the jazz/blues fusion group, C. Henry Woods Troupe, featuring the Jazz Bombers.

The evening program will also feature Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland’s 8th Congressional District who will make Veterans Day remarks and present certificates of recognition to two Montgomery County residents currently serving in the U.S. Navy.

PLEASE JOIN US! Thursday November 11
- Plaza Dedication - 10am
- Seminars and Informatino - Afternoon
- Reception – 6pm
- Concert (free!) – 7-9pm

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Long Overdue: Long Branch Conversation

2010-11-04T07:56:00.000-07:00

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The Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board is holding a panel conversation on Long Branch at their next regularly scheduled meeting MONDAY NOVEMBER 8th , 7pm at the Civic Building.

Come share your stories about this vibrant Silver Spring neighborhood… Engage others about its history… Visualize the future…

There are definitively lots happening in Long Branch. One of the best source of information – and opportunity for input – is the on-going Long Branch Sector Plan being coordinated by the Planning Department. Their web-site is simply magnificent; check it out at:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/longbranch/index.shtm
(The Plan is also available in Spanish.)

What is Long Branch? This is a complicated question, with as many different answers as there are people being asked…

For those of us that frequent Long Branch, it is a place that radiates energy in the vitality of its residents and the offering of its economic and entrepreneur activities.

Of course there is the excellent food… Everything from fine dining in white table clothed restaurants with ample seating (and jazz music on Wednesday nights); to casual dining on the second story of a bar; to breakfast in a honky-tonk type diner straight out of the fifties; to those wonderful pupusa trucks.

And then there’s the shopping… Want fresh seafood? NO problema!; Want root plants (yucca, etc.)? Its available in any of Long Branch’s numerous groceries!; Want nick-nacks? They are everywhere!

Wanna a haircut or your hair done?... Take your pick from the many – many! – salons in the area.

Plus, don’t forget to stop by the library, get your car worked on, or enjoy one of its many nearby park areas.

For those of us that live close by, and have friends there, it is refreshing to know that Long Branch offers housing choices for most income levels. It is a mix of multi-family and single family homes across all price ranges.

Ok ok ok… Not everything is picture perfect Norman Rockwell (or George Lopez, for that matter.)… There are definitively ‘issues’… And that is exactly why we are working on a plan; that is exactly why we are working with the community on safety and security issues; that is exactly why the Neighbors Campaign is active there; and that is exactly why the SSCAB wants to have this conversation… But, let’s work from the ‘position of strength’; let’s start by affirming the community’s assets; let’s build on what is there.

Monday’s conversation may not resolve major issues nor convince naysayers that Long Branch is on a journey of constructive discovery… But, koodos to the SSCAB for having this conversation; for providing a space to advance fresh ideas; and, for supporting the many on-going efforts to work with the Long Branch community.

See you on Monday, November 8th, 7pm at the Civic Building!

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VOTE & MARKET: Great Combination Saturday October 23rd

2010-10-17T20:37:00.001-07:00

I vote today because yesterday a friend insisted I vote.

My friend explained that Jimmy Carter was running for President and it was our “local calling” to vote for him. (Being raised in Atlanta, GA Carter was our ‘home-town hero’.) This was the first election in which I could vote. The voting age had been lowered to 18 just a couple of years before and I – at the tender age of 19 - was ready, willing, and able to vote. And vote I did; proudly, enthusiastically, and nervously.

Now, over 30 years – and countless local, state, and national elections – later, I still get goose bumps every time I walk into a voting booth. The thought of realizing “the power of one” is still very awesome and awe inspiring… And contagious.

Through the years, I’ve made it a point to ‘talk up’ this wonderful opportunity we have in this country to exercise the privilege to vote.

While the act of voting is certainly an individual, private act, it is our civic responsibility to ensure all people have the opportunity to do so… And dare I say: It is our responsibility to ‘spread the word’ to our family, friends, and foes alike that voting is simply ‘the right thing to do’.

We are so incredibly fortunate to have made it so easy to vote here in Silver Spring. Our new Civic Building is an “Early Voting Site”. You don’t have to wait till November 2nd to vote. Every day (except Sunday) from Friday October 22nd through Thursday October 28th you can come by the Civic Building and vote. Polls are opened 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Want to have fun at the same time?
Come by SATURDAY OCTOBER 23rd AND JOIN IN ON THE FUN!

Our Veterans Plaza (right in front of the Civic Building) will be beaming with activity. Saturday, October 23rd is the first of two Saturdays that we’ll have the Fenton Street Market on the Plaza. (They will return every Saturday in the Spring.)

Saturday, October 23rd the Plaza will also come alive with a ‘Get Out The Vote’ rally.

Help us spread the word by posting and reposting the following message in your listservs and e-mailers:

COME BY THE SILVER SPRING CIVIC BUILDING AND VETERANS PLAZA ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 23rd FOR A FULL DAY OF FESTIVITIES… ENJOY THE FENTON STREET MARKET AND THE DOWNTOWN SILVER SPRING FARMERS MARKET; ENJOY MUSIC AND COMMUNITY; AND VOTE WHILE YOU ARE AT IT!... Early voting is easy & quick. Bring the family; bring a friend; enjoy & VOTE... POLLS OPEN 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

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Community Services Day for 2010 - October 23rd

2010-10-16T06:43:00.001-07:00

“Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.” ~Author Unknown

A SPECIAL 'GUEST' POSTING BY VICTOR SALAZAR, WEED & SEED COORDINATOR FOR THE SILVER SPRING REGIONAL CENTER

Greetings dear colleagues, friends and neighbors! Once again we find ourselves in the last 90 days of another year where thoughts of traveling to see loved ones at Thanksgiving and holiday cheer accompanying December begin to creep into our minds.

Whether it was intentional or accidental it seems appropriate that before our focus turns to close friends and family, 24 years ago a day had been set aside, an unofficial holiday of sorts, to draw our attention not to ourselves but instead on the needs of others within our community. That day IS Community Service Day.

While news outlets focus on the recent miraculous rescue of miners trapped under the Earth’s surface in a distant land, unheralded friends, neighbors and organizations are currently organizing and working to create their own miracles here in Montgomery County. Most activities and events will take place on October 23rd and October 24th. Some occur earlier.

An example of this work will took place last Saturday, October 16, 2010, at Broad Acres Park in Silver Spring. Annually for the past several years, partners of the Weed & Seed program that include Broad Acres Elementary School, the Broad Acres PTA, St. Camillus Church, Montgomery and Park Police, the State’s Attorney’s Office, the YMCA, the Long Branch Athletic Association, and various elected officials rolled up their sleeves and cleaned-up the park. Michael Avant, Director of Site Based Services, YMCA, led this great effort.

How about YOU supporting our troops? On October 23rd, 2010, Downtown Silver Spring is holding “Make-Your-Own” Thanksgiving Day Cards to help bring cheer to members of the military stationed overseas. Paper, Markers, Glitter, and glue are provided. You supply the creativity. This is a perfect event for children! This event runs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. near the water fountain. For more information email Lillian at lilliandowntownssp@gmail.com

AND DON'T FORGET: THAT SAME DAY (October 23rd) WILL BE THE 'GET-OUT-THE-VOTE' RALLY ON VETERANS PLAZA - AND THE INAUGURAL DAY OF THE FENTON STREET MARKET ON VETERANS PLAZA AS WELL. For more info visit the other posting on this blog HERE.

There are many worthwhile projects in need of your time. Make a commitment to participate. For a more complete listing of Community Service Day Projects in need of your talents and your time click the link below to the Volunteer Center website.

VOLUNTEER CENTER

Warmest regards,

Victor Salazar

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Resources for Ambulance Fee Issue

2010-10-11T05:38:00.000-07:00

From my peer, Ken Hartman (Director, Bethesda/Chevy-Chase Regional Center)

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As you know, the County Council approved the ambulance transport reimbursement legislation earlier this year, and included the anticipated revenue from it in the current (FY11) operating budget. Two weeks ago a court ruled that a question may be included in November’s general election ballot to affirm or repeal the law. Should the reimbursement fee be repealed the County will need to immediately account for the loss of revenue in the current fiscal year.

In light of a potential repeal, County Executive Leggett has proposed a savings plan for this current budget year that eliminates or reduces projects and services in order to make up the projected $14 million that would be realized with the implementation of the ambulance reimbursement fee.

Should ambulance reimbursement be repealed, the County Council will have the final approval on specific budget reductions. Below is a link to materials and facts that might be helpful as you talk with neighbors, friends and family about the ambulance reimbursement fee. You’ll find a brochure, a Washington Post editorial, and a flyer listing the pros and cons. Feel free to distribute the material.

Washington Post Editorial

Link to County's on-line information

Facts about the Ambulance Reimbursement Fee

Ambulance Reimbursement will raise $14-$17 million a year in revenue that will be dedicated to maintaining and enhancing Montgomery County’s world-class emergency medical services.

County residents will not pay anything. Ambulance reimbursement will be billed directly to residents’ insurance companies, which have already factored the cost of patient transport into their rate schedules. Ambulance reimbursement will be waived for uninsured residents and will be covered by their tax dollars.

Montgomery County is one of the few jurisdictions in the region that is not already collecting ambulance reimbursement from insurance companies. Fairfax County collects the fee, as well as Frederick, Prince George’s, Carroll, Charles, Arlington, Washington, and Prince William counties. Cities such as Alexandria, Baltimore, and the District of Columbia also collect ambulance reimbursement. (see maps)

There is no evidence that those in need of transport will be dissuaded from calling 911 because their insurance is going to be billed or because they are uninsured. In the jurisdictions that have been collecting ambulance reimbursement, there is no evidence of that happening. Montgomery County will fund a public education campaign to make sure that residents know there are no charges to them for emergency medical services and no changes in service.

There is no evidence that ambulance reimbursement will raise insurance rates. Ambulance bills are in the “hundreds” of dollars, compared to hospital, physician, surgeon, rehab, device, and drug bills, which are typically in the “thousands and tens of thousands.” Ambulance expenditures account for less than 1 percent of insurance expenditures. Since most insurance companies determine rates on a regional basis – and most jurisdictions in the region bill insurance companies for this charge – in most cases County residents may already be paying for ambulance service as a part of their premiums.

The quality of patient care will continue to be the highest priority for Montgomery County’s Fire & Rescue Service. A resident’s ability or non-ability to pay will never be considered when providing service.

When a resident makes that 911 call, the first priority will be to take care of that patient’s immediate medical needs. If deemed necessary, the patient will be transported to the hospital. If not, ambulance reimbursement will not be charged to the insurance company.

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Follow The Money: A Budget Conversation

2010-09-30T06:14:00.000-07:00

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On Monday, October 11th at 6pm in the Civic Building we are having a ‘Budget Conversation’ with a staff from Montgomery County’s Office of Management and Budget.

{We hope you'll stay for the regular monthly Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board meeting that will follow immediately after the Budget Conversation.}

This conversation is intended much more for folks that are not necessarily intensely engaged in our civic infrastructure and want to learn more about the basics of the process. (Nonetheless, “old timers” may also find it useful as a ‘refresher’ – all are welcome!)

This will be the type of conversation that is best attended with someone else you know - you'll want to make sure you talk about it afterwards! So bring a friend, family member, or that young person that is intrigued by our civic process.

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Budgeting for our personal, business, or public purposes sometimes can seem daunting. To some of us, life has never been the same since the dawn of spreadsheets – we live by them! They make our capacity to layout and understand budgets a near science – though we know budgeting remains an art… To other of us, even the thought of dealing with budgets makes us shiver… Most of us are somewhere in the middle.

In Montgomery County, budgeting is essentially a year round process with a clear beginning and end. “The 12-month period to account for revenues and expenditures in Montgomery County commences on July 1 of each year and ends on June 30 of the following year.” Simple enough, right? Well, lots of things happen in-between… For a graphic display of the process, go to page 12 and 14 of the document “Operating Budget Process”, found at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/omb/FY11/psprec/pdf/psp-process.pdf

After you glance at the chart, you may want to go back to page 1 and read the document carefully… It includes a wealth of useful information regarding how the process works; it has numbers galore; and it even explains some of the terminology that sometimes makes a glaze go over our eyes.

Details of the budget itself can be readily found at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ombtmpl.asp?url=/content/omb/fy11/psprec/index.asp

A recent update on the Status of the Budget submitted by the County Executive to the Council is at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ombtmpl.asp?url=/content/omb/fy11/psprec/index.asp

Viewing these documents can answer many of the questions anyone might have about our County’s budget process… But, there’s nothing like having the opportunity to talk through some of the intricacies and details to better understand the process and some of its nuances…

If you would like to join us in such a conversation, please come by the Civic Building OCTOBER 11 at 6pm. We’ll have with us a staff from the Office of Management and Budget to lead us on this conversation. (Remember that the conversation is meant to be for those that are new to the process; but, all are welcome.)

Note that the Budget Conversation is immediately prior to the monthly meeting of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board, which begins promptly at 7pm. We hope you’ll stay for that as well.

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When is a “Block Party” more than just a “Block Party”?

2010-09-24T04:25:00.000-07:00

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 25TH
SOUTH SILVER SPRING NEIGHBORHOOD

When is a “Block Party” more than just a “Block Party”? When it is in the South Silver Spring neighborhood!... This is certainly NOT your daddy’s block party… This is a major Silver Spring annual ‘event’!

The folks in the South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association have built this event over the last five years into a substantial, community-wide ‘fun-for-the-whole-family’ event. Their web-site is professionally presented; sponsors have signed up; and there’s even a beer garden… Check it out at: http://blockparty.southsilverspring.org/ for location and more information.

I happened to have worked through the years with neighborhoods throughout the Country that have done some good block parties. One of my favorite remains the Freret Street Festival in New Orleans http://www.freretstreet.com/fest.htm Milwaukee also has a fare share of successful block parties (NOT in the winter, of course.)

These ‘block parties’ serve a much higher purpose than just having a good time. They are true community building activities that help ferment the spirit of the community in the daily lives of residents – and convey a sense of pride to neighbors and visitors alike.

The process to bring the event together oftentimes is as important as the event itself. Pulling together these events brings the community together, creates new relationships, and gives neighborhood associations a tangible result that can truly be measured; something you can ‘touch and feel’. These events provide new members an easy way to connect – and old members a wonderful opportunity to remain engaged. When a ‘street party’ becomes a ‘broader community festival’, it offers the neighborhood the opportunity to present itself to nearby neighbors and other visitors as a welcoming, happening place.

In many ways, the SSSNA ‘block party’ is a result of the progressive activism, outreach, and involvement of the residents of South Silver Spring. They’ve truly sets a new standard for ‘what is possible’ in a 21st century neighborhood association. Their well attended monthly meetings are inviting with interesting varied speakers, presenters, and topical conversations… And then there’s the ‘block party’…

The ‘block party’ has really grown into a festival for the broader community around the intersection of Georgia Avenue and East West Highway, going up E/W Hwy and the many apartments and condominium along the way. It is inviting of folks through Silver Spring and beyond.

This South Silver Spring area is truly coming into its own as a ‘neighborhood of choice’ for younger folks from throughout the region. When you hear comments like ‘I moved here from Dupont Circle’ or ‘this is a higher quality of life than in Adams Morgan’, you know you’ve got something going. The quality of housing options, nearby amenities, and general ‘feel’ of the area makes it a very desirable place to live.

The neighborhood is technically in downtown Silver Spring – it is its southernmost point. It is very ‘walkable’. It is across the street from Montgomery College; you can walk to the Metro; Georgia Avenue restaurants give you plenty of culinary choices; and you can even stroll to downtown Silver Spring and around Fenton Village, do some quality shopping, and be back home within an hour.

The Block Party has become a staple of the South Silver Spring neighborhood – and well worth enjoying whether you live in the neighborhood, have a friend there, or just want to stop by for the fellowship and fun. (Last year, I found my dog-sitter at this Block Party!)

While there is no guide to ‘how-to-do-a-block-party’, the neighbors in South Silver Spring seem to ‘get it’ and do it ‘just right’. (It is interesting to note that there is no formal and official guide to how to do a neighborhood festival. A deep Google search provides no clue… Hmmm… Maybe we should create one!)

I invite you to join me this Saturday September 25th for the 4th Annual SSSNA Block Party! – Look for me in the beer garden:-)

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What can YOU say about DIVERSITY in 7 (seven!) minutes?!?

2010-09-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

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You are invited to join Montgomery County Planning Department’s Pecha Kucha Contest.

***DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTALS IS SEPTEMBER 27th!***

The event is October 7, 7:30 p.m.
20 Images about the Future:
Celebrating Diversity in MoCo Pecha Kucha Contest

This is part of the Planning Department’s fall 2010 speaker series which will focus on how we can connect the dots between health, knowledge, culture, food, energy, ecology, economy, resources and infrastructure — the elements of sustainability.

Don’t miss these free, informative, monthly sessions about ways to forge great communities. (Continuing education credits available for planning professionals for selected presentations.)

The series is co-sponsored by the Silver Spring Regional Center.

Learn more and submit your presentation idea by September 27 at http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/research/growth_policy/speaker_series/2010/

The contest and subsequent presentations will be held at the Silver Spring Civic Building in downtown Silver Spring October 7 at 7:30 p.m.

BACKGROUND

Demographers predict Montgomery County will soon become a majority-minority county. The changing face of the county brings a wealth of new ideas, services, products and languages.

Participants in the Pecha Kucha contest, who will describe MoCo’s diversity in images and words in a timed setting, will be judged on site using instant polling.

Winners will be featured on an upcoming episode of Montgomery Plans cable show, co-produced by the Planning Department and Montgomery County Council, and on the Planning Department homepage.

Devised in 2003 by a Tokyo architectural firm as a marketing technique, Pecha Kucha nights feature dynamic presentations that highlight a topic in a rapid-fire format. Pecha Kucha night kicks off the Planning Department’s Celebrating MoCo speaker series – free, informative, monthly sessions about ways to forge great communities.

Who:
Montgomery County Planning Department
Silver Spring Regional Center

What:
20 Images about the Future:
Celebrating Diversity in MoCo Pecha Kucha Contest

When:
7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 7, 2010

Where:
Silver Spring Regional Center,
One Veterans Plaza
(corner of Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street)
Silver Spring

DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTAL:
September 27

SUBMITTAL FORM:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/research/growth_policy/speaker_series/2010/documents/pecha-kucha-form.pdf

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¡Festival de Cine Latino Americano en el AFI de Silver Spring!

2010-09-17T04:23:00.000-07:00

Empezando el 21 de Septiembre, hasta el 13 de Octubre, el AFI de Silver Spring presentará una serie de películas del mundo Latino-Americano. Esta es una bella oportunidad de “visitar” la diversidad de culturas que se encuentra en este continente – y la península de Iberia en Europa – sin poner un pies en un avión.

Beginning September 21st and running through October 13th, the AFI in Silver Spring is presenting a series of Latin American films. This is a wonderful opportunity to ‘visit’ the diversity of the many cultures found in this continent – and the Iberian Peninsula – without setting foot in an airplane. For more info:
http://www.afi.com/silver/new/latinsplash10.aspx

The only ‘problem’ with this Festival is deciding what not to see! Every single movie, documentary, and short being offered is of the highest quality and worthy of viewing.

This is not just about the movies… This is about cultural enrichment; about community engagement; about economic development…

Movies reflect cultures; cultures reflect movies: Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Regardless, viewing the films will really expand our understanding and appreciation of our neighbors to the south (and immediate east – though they are across the Atlantic.)

Movies offers us an opportunity to create community: Come early and chat in anticipation. Hang out afterwards to discuss the philosophical deep meaning of that particular scene (knowing full well that the director was just trying to make you laugh or cry.)… [NOTE: On Thursdays and Fridays AFI offers ‘happy hours’ prior to the showing. See web link for details.]

Movies help the economy: Why not stroll downtown Silver Spring before coming to the movies? Great shopping, people watching, and just plain fun… And afterwards, why not grab a bite in one of the many, many, many fantastic restaurants and eateries?... (And maybe even stay late to catch that band playing down the street or around the block?)

GRACIAS AFI for pulling together such a fantastico program of excelente movies!

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“Kojo In Your Community” comes to Silver Spring!

2010-09-14T04:33:00.000-07:00

“Kojo In Your Community” comes to Silver Spring!

Kojo Nmamdi’s special show, “Kojo In Your Community” will be in the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza on Tuesday, September 21st. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; show begins promptly at 6:15 p.m. Official web-site from the show:
http://thekojonnamdishow.org/about/kojo-your-community

This is a golden opportunity for our community to come celebrate, discuss, and engage in yet another innovative and constructive forum. You can even suggest topics ahead of time… As Kojo’s website says:

“What topics are heating up on your neighborhood blogs and listservs? Suggest a show-topic or a possible location for Kojo In Your Community by emailing us at kojoinyourcommunity@wamu.org”

It would be great if for this show we could bring together Silver Spring’s traditional civic engagement activists with others in the community that do not always come to participate in our established civic infrastructure.

If you are reading this blog, you are probably one of the folks that are ‘in the know’ and understand ‘how this civic stuff works’… Please consider inviting to the show others in your neighborhood, workplace, or house of worship that may not be as involved as you… {Maybe even consider inviting someone you don’t know!}

Our human capital in Silver Spring is indeed great. I am convinced that as active and engaged as we are, we have barely scratched the surface of this rich resource in our own community. For every person that comes to a traditional meeting, town hall, or political forum, there are literally hundreds of others that have equally vested interests and tremendous amount of energy to contribute. Yet for a variety of reasons some choose not to participate…

Let’s extend a sincere invite to these folks; let’s welcome them into our dialogue…

Invite them to come enjoy and participate with Kojo!... {And, hopefully, they’ll plug into our traditional civic engagement venues – and/or we in turn will join them in their non-traditional venues (whatever those may be)!}

c/u next Tuesday at the Civic Building for “Kojo In Your Community”!

{don’t forget to become a ‘follower’ of this blog so you can get future postings.}

So Much To Do - So Little Time!

2010-09-08T05:05:00.000-07:00

Summer is over. Fall is in the air. Silver Spring is buzzing with activity – and our Civic Building and Veterans Plaza is increasingly becoming the ‘center of it all’.

When is a civic building more than just a government building? When it is a public asset used to build community and spark economic activity.

If you have not been by the area lately, it is a scene truly worth checking out…

The Civic Building is doing its civic duty by being an early voting site (through Thursday, September 9th.) What an appropriate role for this facility! (The building as a backdrop to the numerous campaign signs makes for quite a visual message.)

This Saturday coming Saturday is our annual Jazz Festival. Featured headliner: Aaron Neville and his Quintet featuring Charles Neville. Included among our other performers, Silver Spring’s own superstar jazz pianist Marcus Johnson, as well as Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band, Rumba Club, and vocalist Janine Carter… It all starts at 3:30 p.m… More info at:
http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/event/7th-annual-silver-spring-jazz-festival

Coming later this month in your Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza – with more info to follow – are major events such as: A Kojo Nnambi Town Hall; a Pan-African Celebration; a small business & entrepreneurship lending workshop; and much more!... Stay tuned...

But, the Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza does not exist in a vacuum.

Our neighboring partners and institutions have an array of activities well worth checking out as well:

Chill out on Sunday, September 12th, at our neighbor’s own festival, the Takoma Park Folk Festival, at Takoma Park Middle School from 11 – 6:30… More info at: http://www.tpff.org/

See what’s coming to our still-very-new Performing Arts Center at the Takoma Park / Silver Spring Montgomery College Campus… “Endless Possibilities”!... (Hint: Talk on slavery; “Pistolero” Latin Folk)… Check it out at:
http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/campus.aspx?urlid=3

If it is film you like, the American Film Institute is doing its annual Latin American Film Festival later this month (and into October)… See:
http://www.afi.com/silver/new/nowplaying/2010/v7i4/latin10.aspx

And as always, Downtown Silver Spring continues its tradition of having something going on almost every weekend. Check out its offerings at:
http://www.downtownsilverspring.com/images/popup_images/dss_special_events.htm

There are many other worthy events I’ve probably left out… Please comment on your favorites by leaving a post…

{And, don’t forget to become a ‘follower’ of this blog so you can get future posting…}

The (imperfect) Table of Traditional Civic & Community Engagement

2010-09-02T05:18:00.000-07:00

Silver Spring is many things… And one thing we sure are is “active”!

It is really quite a blessing to live and work in a place where there are so many opportunities for engaging in our community. Among the many traditional venues for civic and community engagement, we have our:

- Associations (neighborhood associations, block clubs, business associations)

- Corporations (private for-profits and non-profits; from big to small)

- Institutions (educational institutions and faith institutions; from large, major institutions to the ones that are volunteer run)

- Instrumentalities (authorities, appointed boards, committees and commissions)

- Political sphere (local, county, state, and federal)

Our involvement in community through these traditional venues can be sparked by many things. It is usually a combination of:
- An incident
- A political situation
- A cause
- An issue

Why we chose to become involved in one or another of these traditional venue - or when we chose to become involved - is a complex, individual decision. How we chose to spend our precious personal time is a very personal decision. What drives us to participate is as varied as we are.

More often than not, our involvement is the result of person-to-person contact with a neighbor, a friend, or a co-worker. Generally, we get involved because - or a combination - of our:
- Personal commitment
- Altruism
- Faith
- Moral values
- Economic self interest

Opportunities for involvement in traditional civic venues abound. We go through our own version of a ‘cost benefit analysis’ using a personal matrix of what is important to us. Ultimately, the choice to participate is a totally personal, individual, decision.

When we choose to participate in a given venue, we come into an imperfect table with imperfect folks sitting around it. Sometime we are there when the venue is created; sometimes we step into a venue that has decades of tradition. Regardless, we join because we feel welcomed and believe we can make a difference by participating.

We also come into the venue respecting its intent and spirit – the “mission/vision” thing – and recognizing that there are established roles, responsibilities, rules, regulations, and protocols that are expected to be followed. That is, we implicitly acknowledge the limitations, framework and guidelines that define how the venue gets its job done. Sometime all of this “stuff” is clear, unambiguous, and written down. Sometimes the venue relies on tradition and word of mouth… Most often, the reality is somewhere in-between.

So, most often we become agents of change in the venue itself discussing, discerning, and being part of the decision process that amends ‘how things get done’. At times “how we get the job done” gets in the way of “getting the job done”. Yet, “getting it right” is critically important and merits focused attention… We end up spending countless hours on the by-laws; the procedures for election; the hard rules and regulations… And, that is not a bad thing – just painful.

How decisions are made; who makes them; and how they get operationalized is more an art than a science. It is a mix of relationships and facts; a mix of ‘left brain / right brain’ processes; a mix of relying on what is written and what is perceived.

We get frustrated because we are seeking to get something done and the venue in which we participate does not have the authority or “power” – real or implied - to do so. For example:

[1] We may sit on a board with a mission to help the homeless, and we know the link of this issue to education. Yet we must remain focused - in our work in this particular venue – and not tackle the Board of Education. (But we go home and write that personal letter to the Board anyway!)

[2] Or, we may feel passionate about war and peace. Yet we know that our neighborhood association is not the most efficient nor effective venue to tackle that issue. (But, we will talk to our neighbors till the wee hours about how wrong the war is or why peace is the only alternative!)

[3] Or, we are active in a political campaign. Yet accept that this is not the venue to talk faith. (But, surely we can invite our new found friends to our faith community’s carnival or cook-out!)

Then there’s the issue of ‘accountability’… Who exactly is the venue in which we choose to participate accountable to? The only true independent venue is when we act individually. In all other venues we are accountable to the group and its ‘constituents’… But, even identifying – and reaching consensus on – who exactly is the constituency is not always crystal clear… So, we ‘muddle through’, balancing the need to have a defined and definitive structure with the reality that this ‘community engagement’ business is not linear at all.

Yet with all this angst and ambiguity we ‘engage on’; we remain involved; we want to participate... We have the good will... We want to be part of the solution, not the problem... And, we celebrate when we get it right!

To those of you that already participate in our traditional civic and community venues: THANKS! (And please ‘keep on keeping on’.)

And, to those that are “looking for the right fit”, please JOIN US! (There’s plenty of room at the table.)

But, don’t expect the table to be perfectly square or round; or that the shape will ever remain the same over time…

COME HELP US BUILD THE TABLE!

{Please become a follower of this blog so you'll get future postings.}

Got Pixs? (Looking for a few good pictures)

2010-08-24T05:16:00.000-07:00

In our efforts to continue supporting and reaffirming on-going and traditional - as well as innovative and experimental - activities to ‘create community’, the Silver Spring Regional Center is asking our residents, businesses, passerbys, and visitors (i.e. all our community members) to submit positive pictures of Silver Spring for consideration to be displayed on the monitor behind our Welcome Desk in the Civic Building.

Contributing pictures is easy. There are two ways:

1. Bring us a thumb drive with .jpg pictures (with a minimum of 50 pictures.) Just drop it off in an envelope addressed to Gwen Haney at our Welcome Desk in the Civic Building. (Make sure identify the organization/institution and the contact info on the envelope.)

2. Upload your pictures to our FlickR account at http://www.flickr.com/groups/silverspringregionalcenter/ Here you can upload one picture or 100. (Make sure you identify your name and/or organization/institution on the label of the picture.)

Who can contribute? Anyone. Civic associations, neighborhood groups, block groups, businesses, business groups, companies, corporations, non-profit, faith communities, affinity groups, individuals, families, visitors, guests… Anyone!

What kind of pictures are we looking for? Positive pictures. Pictures that capture ‘what IS Silver Spring’:

- First priority will be given to pictures that depict how we create community; how our community celebrates life; how our businesses thrive…

- Second priority will be given to pictures that highlight the beauty of our natural environment and our built environment…

- Third priority will be given to pictures of artifacts and elements found in Silver Spring – be innovative with this!

(If you are submitting a thumb drive, you may want to include a picture that identifies the organization submitting the picture and/or include a tag line in each picture.)

What kind of pictures are a no-nos? The obvious. Pictures that will not be shown include, but are not limited to, pictures with political connotations, obscenity, illegal activities, porn, etc… (Remember, we are trying to show off the positive aspects of our community.)

The fine print: This is purely an experiment at this time. Eventually, we’ll like to have a volunteer group make the determination of what is shown. (If you would like to take on this task, and are willing to pull a team of volunteers to help you, contact us.) In the meantime, the Silver Spring Regional Center will be doing the selection. We do not guarantee that your pictures will be shown. Our determination will be final.

That’s it!... We look forward to seeing your pictures!

(Please become a ‘follower’ of this blog so you can get future postings.)

What is going on elsewhere - Learning from others

2010-08-20T03:57:00.000-07:00

Learning from others is critical to personal, institutional, professional, and business growth. In the field of 'building community' we are certainly ahead of many others here in Silver Spring; yet, we can still learn much from what is going on in other places... It is in that spirit that I share with you the following...

This blog posting is an "e-Bulletin" from the Deliberative Democracy Consortium, a group devoted to fermenting constructive dialogue in communities throughout the world... Comb it carefully; there's something here for everybody!...enJoy.

www.deliberative-democracy.net

For a copy of The Next Form of Democracy, see www.vanderbiltuniversitypress.com
View the DDC Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/mattleighningerddc

NEWS

**DDC, NLC release Civic Engagement and Recent Immigrant Communities**

The DDC has worked with the National League of Cities (NLC) to develop a guide for public officials and other local leaders about developing strategies to engage recent immigrants. "Civic Engagement and Recent Immigrant Communities" is a planning guide to help leaders (including leaders who are themselves recent immigrants) set goals, agree on expectations, and decide what kinds of engagement will work best for their community. While it looks at public engagement through the lens of immigration, the planning recommendations and meeting agendas may be useful for leaders working on a variety of issues. Supported by a grant from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the guide will be used as part of NLC's Municipal Action for Immigrant Integration project. The guide is available on the DDC Resources page.

**“Our Budget, Our Economy” links 3,500 people in budget deliberations **

Over 3,500 people gathered together at 57 sites across the country to deliberate about our nation’s fiscal future on Saturday, June 26, 2010. “Our Budget, Our Economy,” which was organized by AmericaSpeaks with support from the Peterson, Kellogg, and MacArthur Foundations, was one of the largest and most high-profile public deliberations in the U.S. to date. One session was even held in the virtual world Second Life. The sites were connected by live streaming video and keypad polling. At http://usabudgetdiscussion.org/national-town-meeting-results/ you can download the interim report to Congress, and a slideshow summarizing the report, to learn about how the process worked and what preferences were expressed by participants. The event generated a lively debate, including criticisms from both left and right and equally spirited commentary from proponents of public deliberation. Read Archon Fung’s “The Left Should Learn to Trust Americans” at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/archon-fung/public-deliberation-the-l_b_627983.html and Carolyn Lukensmeyer’s “America Speaks on Long-Term Deficit Reduction” at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carolyn-lukensmeyer/america-speaks-on-long-te_b_660602.html

**CDC’s pioneering National Conversation reaches a crescendo**

The National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures was launched earlier this year by a coalition led by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As part of this effort, more than 1000 people participated in 52 community conversations during May and June. Input from these discussions is now being incorporated into an action agenda with recommendations that can help government agencies and other organizations strengthen their efforts to protect the public from harmful chemical exposures. Reports from the Community Conversations are now available; an overall summary highlighting key themes, issues, and ideas will soon be released. You can view a map with information on each conversation and links to the reports that conveners submitted. More information is available at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/nationalconversation/

**Thanking Becker, welcoming Procter and Steffensmeier as new editors of JPD**

A major transition is underway at the Journal of Public Deliberation, the flagship publication in its field and an important catalyst for the rapid growth of interest in democracy, citizenship, and participation. The JPD was initiated through DDC seed grants in 2003, 2005, and 2007, supported in part by Auburn University, and sustained by the energy of its founding editor, Dr. Ted Becker. After five years of leading the journal, Becker is moving on to other pursuits, notably his new e-book The Last, Lost Empire. After an extensive search, the DDC executive committee is thrilled to announce that David Procter and Tim Steffensmeier will be taking the helm of JPD. Procter and Steffensmeier lead the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy at Kansas State University (see www.k-state.edu/icdd/ ). They will be working on a number of priorities, including raising the JPD rate of publication to two issues a year, and finding new venues for broadening the readership of the journal. Over the five years since JPD began publishing, the download rate for the journal’s articles has risen from 234 in 2005 to almost 7,000 in 2010. Visit JPD at http://services.bepress.com/jpd/

**Kettering: Participate in national conversation on economic security**

The Kettering Foundation, in partnership with the National Issues Forums Institute, is seeking innovative ways to communicate the results of forums to policy makers. The public thinking that emerges from forums can provide valuable insights to policy makers about the kinds of things the public is ready to act on, and where the public might need further thinking. The results of forums might be more useful to state policy makers if they are analyzed regionally. This year, Kettering is promoting a national conversation on economic security, with national, state and local implications. Five regional coordinators are working to encourage forums, analyze the results, and share their insights with each region and with Washington, D.C. policy makers at events in the spring, 2011. They are focusing on how ready the public is to act on various aspects of this issue. The guide and questionnaire, available at www.nifi.org , are both intended to encourage moderators and participants to emphasize a strong focus on the tensions the public wrestles with, and the tensions where the public has decided.

**2010 All-America City Award Winners announced by National Civic League**

The National Civic League announced the winners of the 61st annual All-America City award in July. The 2010 All-America Cities are: Chandler, Arizona; Lynwood, California; Rancho Cordova, California; North Miami, Florida; Acworth, Georgia; Des Moines, Iowa; Salisbury, Maryland; Gastonia, North Carolina; Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; and El Paso, Texas. The awards program recognizes neighborhoods, villages, towns, cities, counties and metro regions for outstanding civic accomplishments. To win, communities have to demonstrate an ability to address serious challenges with innovative, grassroots strategies that promote civic engagement and cooperation between the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Underwriting the All-America City Awards this year was the Sprint Foundation. “These All-America Cities represent what is working in American communities,” said National Civic League President Gloria Rubio Cortйs. “They are taking on challenging issues and finding innovative ways of creating a better future. We are inspired by their stories every year.” To qualify for the award, communities submit a detailed application listing three examples of successful community-based problem-solving. This year’s winners addressed such issues as homelessness, obesity, economic development, low-income housing, improving schools and diversity and inclusion. For more information, see www.ncl.org

**Common Sense California creates Davenport Institute, launches new seminars**

Common Sense California has joined with the School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University to create the new Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership. Pete Peterson will assume the role of executive director of the Institute, which will continue and expand the three roles assumed originally by Common Sense California in supporting public participation in local policy-making: consulting on projects; funding them through grant programs and relationships with concerned foundations; and promoting the ever-growing field of public engagement through training, writing, and public speaking. “If these last few years have taught us anything,” said Peterson, “it is that local and regional leaders throughout California are confronting more and more difficult policy decisions in new and creative ways, reaching out to their residents for ideas and actual participation in ‘common sense’ solutions. Through the new Davenport Institute we will continue to support them as they lead in the ‘new normal’ of tight budgets and tough land use decisions.”

As part of this support, Peterson and former Redwood City (CA) city manager Ed Everett have developed a new public engagement training seminar geared towards local residents and civic leaders. The "Public Engagement: The Vital Leadership Skill in Difficult Times" seminar will be held on:
September 30: City of Fremont (lunch included)
October 16: ICMA University @ ICMA Conference, San Jose
October 17: ICMA University @ ICMA Conference, San Jose

**Transition from Ashworth to Lang at Wosk Centre for Dialogue**

After eight rewarding years as the Director of Dialogue Programs at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University, Dr. Joanna Ashworth is excited to be moving to a Research Associate appointment at the university’s Centre for Sustainable Community Development. "It has been a huge adventure and an honour to be part of the 'Dialogue' community at Simon Fraser University and to have met and worked with so many incredibly talented and inspired people within the university and in the community who care so much about creating a culture of dialogue. My experience here will continue to be woven into my professional and personal life." Dr. Amy Lang will be managing the Certificate in Dialogue and Engagement and the Diploma in Dialogue in Negotiation during this time of transition.

**Friday is deadline to nominate participation projects for Mohn Prize**

The search for a winner of the Reinhard Mohn Prize 2011 is in full swing. 20,000 people from all around the world have visited the website and submitted more than 50 projects from 22 different countries so-far. On the 22nd of August the submissions phase will end! In just 3 brief months more than 50 nominations for the Reinhard Mohn Prize 2011 have been submitted. Not only can you take part in the selection process by nominating projects – you are also invited to rate projects and help determine which ones make it through to the next stage. After the submission phase has ended, the 20 leading projects will be selected based on your ratings, comments and additional information. The 5-7 finalists will be presented to 10,000 representatively selected citizens – citizens who will then select the ultimate winner of the Reinhard Mohn Prize 2011. For more, see www.vitalizing-democracy.org

**New Australian project to use public deliberation on sustainability issues**

A team of Australian practitioners and researchers led by Dr. Janette Hartz-Karp has won a grant from the Australian Research Council for a project on “Co-creating sustainability through civic deliberation and social media.” Over the next four years, the project will (i) collaboratively design, implement, and assess inclusive deliberations; (ii) develop an innovative social media platform that can assist informed public deliberation, translating scientific findings into easy-to-understand formats; (iii) research the transformative effects of this deliberation on individual, community and city-wide carbon footprints. For more information, email Dr. Hartz-Karp at j.hartz-karp@curtin.edu.au

**Portland city council adopts public involvement principles**

The City Council of Portland, Oregon, one of the leading American cities for innovation in democratic governance, unanimously adopted principles to guide the City’s public involvement processes on August 4, 2010. The principles are designed to explain what the public can expect from City government. Principles include partnership, early involvement, building relationships and community capacity, inclusiveness and equity, good quality process design and implementation, transparency, and accountability. Mayor Sam Adams commented that the principles would “allow for a higher quality and more consistent level of public outreach.” Portland City Council also adopted an initiative to create a public involvement report that will be submitted each time a measure is considered at City Council. In addition, City Council agreed to conduct a baseline assessment of public involvement across City bureaus. The principles were developed by the City’s Public Involvement Advisory Council (PIAC). This 34-member advisory council includes both community members from a broad diversity of backgrounds as well as City staff members, representing thirteen different City bureaus. Commissioner Amanda Fritz commented that she is “very pleased with how diligently the PIAC has worked together and that so many bureaus and community members working together exemplifies the principles of citizen involvement we want to carry forward.” The public involvement principles and accompanying documents can be viewed at: www.portlandonline.com/oni/piac

**McCoy: “Strengthening democracy is URGENT and DOABLE”**

Martha McCoy of Everyday Democracy was on a Governance Reform panel at the Brookings Institution on June 1, 2010, as part of a half-day conference entitled “How Broken is Our Democracy? And How Should We Fix It?” McCoy provided perspectives on the place of participation and collaboration in a strong democracy. Her remarks are available at http://www.everyday-democracy.org/en/Article.1177.aspx

**Mansbridge, Fishkin, Rheingold on “Government as if listening mattered”**

At the recent Personal Democracy Forum, one of the keynote sessions was a conversation among Stanford communications professor James Fishkin, Harvard public policy professor Jane Mansbridge, Internet theorist Howard Rheingold, and moderator David Weinberger entitled “Government as if listening mattered." Video of the full session is available at http://techpresident.com/blog-entry/more-pdf-10-video-government-if-listening-mattered

**Participatory Budgeting having a positive impact in the United Kingdom**

Ten years ago, some British community activists went to Porto Alegre in Brazil to find out about Participatory Budgeting (PB) and adapt the model for the UK. Today, there are over 120 projects in England, more than 20 in Wales and six in Scotland. Over Ј23million has been allocated through PB processes by thousands of people across the country. The Participatory Budgeting Unit, a project of Church Action on Poverty, has produced a paper demonstrating the impacts that PB has been having on community cohesion, empowering citizens and improving relationships. PB initiatives in the UK range from small grant processes designed to involve the community in allocating funds to the local third sector, to ward-based projects led by ward councilors, to police-led initiatives on community safety and antisocial behaviour, to local authority-wide projects allocating mainstream budgets for mainstream services. To download the paper, see http://www.facebook.com/l/eb2f01s5dEuNNdBSeAjyh9794cQ;tiny.cc/pbunitreport

CONFERENCES AND WEBINARS

**“BIG Citizenship: Citizens as Catalysts and Innovators” at NCoC**

The 65th Annual National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) will be held September 17, 2010 at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. NCoC brings together 400 civic leaders, educators, CEOs, and representatives from each of the three branches of government to address issues related to our nation’s civic health. Entitled "BIG Citizenship: Citizens as Catalysts and Innovators,” this year’s conference will explore the powerful role civic innovators are playing in fostering societies that are informed, engaged, giving and trusting. Speakers will include Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Time editor Rick Stengel. The “Civic Health Assessment,” produced for the first time in partnership between NCoC and the Corporation for National and Community Service, will highlight progress and challenges facing our country’s civic life. Registration is complimentary; go to http://ncoc.net/conference

**Reinventing Governance conference in Boulder in October 2010**

“Reinventing Governance: Breaking Down Silos, Building Up Relations” is a conference to promote new forms of collaboration among community, business, and governmental leaders through engaged dialogue and case-study analysis. Held at the University of Colorado on October 8-10, 2010, the conference will bring together professionals in conflict studies, collaborative processes, public deliberation, and community planning with business and community leaders. “Reinventing Governance” will explore issues of community planning, environmental management, sustainable business growth, international development, and global politics. For details, see http://3cg.colorado.edu/drupal_3cg/reinventing-governance

**Participation or Deliberation? Strasbourg, France in September 2011**

In describing the theme for the 2011 French Political Science Association conference, conveners Paula Cossart and Julien Delpin argue that “The last two decades have been marked by the proliferation of political and scientific discourses on the virtues of deliberative and participatory democracy. In parallel, procedures and devices sharing the ambition to intensify or enlarge the participation of the citizenry in the collective discussion of public issues have spread and been institutionalized. They are often seen as a remedy to the crisis representative government is undergoing. While not coined participatory or deliberative democracy at the time, we can find in the past discourses and experiences praising public and reasoned exchanges of arguments among citizens aiming at building a consensus on the common good. This workshop is devoted to these discourses and experiences. Who promoted them? What did they become? Our aim is to track down the common grounds between the questions raised by the deliberative arenas of the past and present times.” Send paper proposals for “Participation or Deliberation? Towards a historical sociology of citizens inclusion in democracy” to cossart.paula@free.fr.

NEW PUBLICATIONS

**Report from John Gaventa maps outcomes of citizen engagement in 20 countries**

So What Difference Does it Make? Mapping the Outcomes of Citizen Engagement presents the results from a meta-case study analysis of a non-randomised sample of 100 research studies of citizen engagement in 20 countries. It is based on the work of the Development Research Centre on Citizenship, Participation and Accountability, and was written by John Gaventa and Gregory Barrett. The authors find that “Citizen engagement can be linked positively in a number of instances to achieving development outcomes, such as health, water, sanitation and education, as well as to democratic outcomes, such as building accountable institutions and making real national and international human rights frameworks.” Gaventa and Barrett also list negative consequences of participation, and conclude that “A large percentage of the negative outcomes observed [had] to do as much with state behaviour as the ability of citizens to engage.” And perhaps surprisingly, the research shows that “engagement can make positive differences, even in the least democratic settings – a proposition that challenges those who would argue for building states or institutions in these settings first and leaving the support of citizen engagement until later.” The full report, and a 4-page Executive Summary, can be downloaded at http://www.research4development.info/SearchResearchDatabase.asp?OutPutId=183274

**Empathy and Democracy: Thinking, Feeling, and Deliberation – Michael Morell**

Democracy harbors within it fundamental tensions between the ideal of giving everyone equal consideration and the reality of having to make legitimate, binding collective decisions. Democracies have granted political rights to more groups of people, but formal rights have not always guaranteed equal consideration or democratic legitimacy. It is Michael Morrell’s argument in this book that empathy plays a crucial role in enabling democratic deliberation to function the way it should. Drawing on empirical studies of empathy, including his own, Morrell offers a “process model of empathy” that incorporates both affect and cognition. He shows how this model can help democratic theorists who emphasize the importance of deliberation answer their critics. See http://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-03659-5.html

**Pearce and Pearce on Aligning the Work of Government and Citizens**

Written by Barnett and Kim Pearce of the Public Dialogue Consortium, a new Kettering Foundation report focuses on “Aligning the Work of Government to Strengthen the Work of Citizens: A Study of Public Administrators in Local and Regional Government.” The report surveys California administrative leaders from cities and counties, noting their changing views of “public engagement.” Among the conclusions:

• Public administrators question the public’s will or ability to communicate responsibly in civic engagement.

• Public administrators think of civic engagement in the context of their professional responsibilities.

• Public administrators are reassured by the experience of their peers and adaptable examples.

• Civic engagement involves “culture change” and “authenticity.”

• Public administrators have powerful motivations to support civic engagement.

• Public administrators know that they need to develop new skills for supporting civic engagement, but are not sure what those skills are.
Find it on the NCDD Resource Page at www.ncdd.org/rc

**New NLC-YEF report on Authentic Youth Civic Engagement**

A new publication provides a step-by-step guide for local leaders who want to create meaningful opportunities for youth participation in local government. Authentic Youth Civic Engagement: A Guide for Municipal Leaders was produced by the Institute for Youth, Education and Families of the National League of Cities, with support from the Surdna Foundation. It includes examples from communities with robust youth civic engagement initiatives, along with a broad array of tools and resources to help cities and towns engage young people in local policy, planning and decision-making. Written by Cindy Carlson, longtime leader of public engagement efforts in Hampton, Virginia, the report was informed by a year-long process in which the YEF Institute gathered and synthesized the knowledge and expertise of more than 300 youth development experts, academics, municipal leaders, community organization partners and young adult and youth leaders from across the nation through a series of focus groups, surveys and interviews conducted in 2008-09. For more information, contact Leon Andrews at andrews@nlc.org; download the guide at http://www.nlc.org/iyef/

**“When the Watering Hole Dries Up” – conversation with school superintendents**

From the Santa Rita Collaborative, “When the Watering Hole Dries Up” reports on a meeting of Ohio school superintendents. The financial crisis facing school districts, the superintendents conclude, only reinforces the need to create “networks of civic-minded citizens.” Download it at http://www.santaritacollaborative.com/

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

**Alberta Climate Dialogue seeking a project manager and postdoctoral fellow**

The Alberta Climate Dialogue (ABCD) is working with municipalities across Alberta and partners at the provincial level to engage citizens in climate change policy and planning, using tools of deliberative democracy. ABCD, which was initiated with a seed grant from the DDC, is premised on the conviction that well-designed citizen deliberations can play a pivotal role in transforming the politics of climate change in Alberta. Citizens taking part in ABCD-partnered deliberations will become informed, hear each other's perspectives, work through tough decisions with each other and their elected officials, and to use democratic processes to figure out how to solve the problems that face us. Provincial and municipal elected officials and municipal administrators will learn which tough choices and policy directions the public is willing to support, build public ownership for action, and uncover new solutions for complex problems. The Project Manager will work closely with interdisciplinary researchers and practitioners to support this community-university research initiative (with current funding of $990K from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, with over $3 million in matching cash and in-kind funding from partners). The Project Manager position is based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. See www.albertaclimatedialogue.ca for more information on the project, and http://www.thataway.org/?p=2403 for the job announcement.

ABCD is also seeking candidates to apply for a Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship, a new two-year award from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The ABCD research team is highly interdisciplinary, so we would welcome candidates from diverse research backgrounds so long as their work dovetailed with our project. The Fellowship is open to Canadian and international candidates who complete doctoral degrees between November 2007 and December 2010. The SSHRC deadline for Banting applications (with referee assessments) is November 3, 2010, but the University of Alberta's internal deadline is end of September. Contact Dr. David Kahane, the Principal Investigator for ABCD, at abcd@ualberta.ca.

**Sustained Dialogue Campus Network seeking research partners**

The Sustained Dialogue Campus Network (www.sdcampusnetwork.org) is looking for an experienced researcher to assist with data analysis. Projects include both analyzing data that has recently been collected and designing future evaluation measures. If you are interested in learning more about the projects, please contact Amy Lazarus (SDCN Executive Director): amy@sdcampusnetwork.org. Compensation is available.

**Public Agenda seeking Public and Stakeholder Engagement Associate**

Public Agenda, a national non-profit, non-partisan research and civic engagement organization, is seeking a public & stakeholder engagement associate. Public Agenda’s engagement methodologies and practices include issue framing, community forums, leadership dialogues, and on-line engagement strategies. Current projects involve work with community-based organizations and leaders at all levels across the United States to build capacity for engaging critical stakeholders in problem solving on issues around K-12 and higher education reform, economic development/regional planning, the environment/energy use, health care and others. The associate will work on a variety of research and writing tasks, on field-based work on diverse projects, and will assist with organizational tasks in support of a busy department. The job description calls for a highly motivated, collaborative fully bi-lingual (Spanish/English) individual for a New York City-based position. More info at http://www.publicagenda.org/pages/career-opportunities

FOR MORE INFO ON DDC:

Matt Leighninger
Executive Director
Deliberative Democracy Consortium (Washington, DC)
131 Chedoke Avenue
Hamilton, ON
L8P 4P2
Canada
905-972-0550
www.deliberative-democracy.net

For a copy of The Next Form of Democracy, see www.vanderbiltuniversitypress.com
View the DDC Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/mattleighningerddc

Space - The Next Frontier

2010-08-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

Less than two weeks after the Civic Building and Veterans Plaza were opened (on Wednesday July 21st, 2010) a consortium of community groups held a gathering in the Great Hall to address the issue of space for community-serving organizations. Over 120 people attended.

The gathering was facilitated using an “open space” approach. Topics were decided up front by the participants. They were discussed in sub-groups. And then each group reported.

In any other community, that’d be the end of that… People would go in their merry way, grumbling that nothing got done; no decisions were taken; there’s no follow up… Not in Silver Spring!

Continuing to demonstrate the insatiable pursuit of innovative ways to ‘connect to community’, participants of the gathering committed to following through in tangible, results-oriented, practical ways. Of course, there’ll be a next (and a next and a next) gathering. But more importantly, a venue for instant dialogue, input, and conversation has been created.

A new blog has been seeded. THE BIG ACORN: The Seeds of Democracy in Silver Spring. It can be found at http://BigAcorn.com/

This blog provides the opportunity for anyone to chime in on the many sub-topics identified in the gathering. It’s tag line reads:

“This page is a community conversation about public space in Silver Spring, Maryland. The primary emphasis is on the Silver Spring Town Center that embraces a Civic Building and an outdoor plaza. This conversation needs your voice. In the header are links to various parts of the site. The forums are divided into various threads by topics.”

I hope you will visit the blog and add your comments to this critical conversation.

And, don't forget to become a 'follower' of this blog to get future postings!

Amazing People All Around Us

2010-08-13T04:17:00.000-07:00

On August 12, 2010 there was a ‘reunion’ of some of the folks that have been involved in the efforts to make the Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza happen. The stormy weather kept many away; but some did venture in and joined us. Amazing. Simply amazing.

The stories of the trials and tribulations, the false starts, the meetings every Wednesday nights … And through it all folks stuck it out; were there when needed; and made consensus decisions to get us to where we are today… Wow… What a commitment!

It is evidently clear that those efforts a decade ago made an imprint in the political and social fabric of this community, not just on the physical development. Many of those involved then are our leaders now. Some opted for political leadership; others for civic leadership… And many others quietly work in their neighborhoods, putting in their 2-cents worth when it matters…

To all of you who had anything to do with making this place come to fruition, we say “THANK YOU”… And we invite you to come join those of us who have come into this picture more recently – come and help us paint this canvas; as the saying goes “We ain't done yet!”

We invite you to continue sharing your stories.

“If we don’t know where we come from, we don’t know where we are going; and, if we don't know where we are going, any road will take us there.”…

WE NEED IDEAS ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR STORIES ALIVE… HERE ARE SOME POSSIBILITIES WE'VE HEARD:

- COURTYARD CONVERSATIONS?

- BLOGS?

- IS THERE A PLAY IN THE MAKING?

- GOOD OLD FASHION STORY-TELLING SESSIONS?

- HAS THE DEFINITIVE ARTICLE BEEN WRITTEN?

- COULD WE CAPTURE VIGNETTES OF STORIES IN A FLIP CAMERA?

ANYONE OUT THERE WILLING TO TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE ON THIS or VOLUNTEER ON THIS EFFORT?

Please share your ideas with us… Chime in with your comments!

And, don’t forget to become a ‘follower’ of this blog so you get future postings.

Community-Based Planning: Leading the charge!

2010-08-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of developing a 3-hour workshop for community leaders throughout the country that will be attending a NeighborWorks America "Community Leadership Institute" later in the Fall. The name of the workshop will be "Community-Based Planning: Leading the charge!"

The description is below... My questions to folks that are reading this blog are:

1. What are your thoughts on this topic?

2. What leads and/or experience would you like to share?

3. What are some of your favorite web-sites and/or blogs that most effectively address this issue?

Please share your comments on this blog... I'll post a link to the workshop material when it is completed in the future.

HERE'S THE WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

Cities plan. Counties plan. It seems everybody plans! But, how does a community plan?

Who is involved when the need for a plan is identified? How is the affected constituency — the people that live, work, play and worship — in the neighborhoods impacted by the ‘plan’ engage in the process?

When and where are the meetings or planning sessions held? Why is it that so often the community feels ‘left out’? What if ‘the community’initiated — and led — the process?

In this workshop participants will learn the tools and techniques necessary to lead planning efforts that affect their community. Emphasis will be placed in understanding the existing system so the community can most effectively influence — and indeed,lead! — the process.

Come ready to share your particular situation and how your organization’s involvement in the planning process of your community can lead to measurable, accountable and concrete results.

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Don't forget to become a 'follower' of this blog if you'd like to be informed of future postings...

WHY WE MADE THE DECISION TO PUT A “NO SKATEBOARDING” SIGN ON VETERANS PLAZA

2010-07-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

Skateboarding on Veterans Plaza has become the subject of much heated debate. The skateboarding community has embraced the Plaza as a place to skateboard. This has created tension in our community among many of our community members. There is no easy or perfect solution to this situation. Different groups in our community have very different opinions of “what is the right thing to do”. We have listened to many voices. We have had countless conversations and sought input from all segments of the community.

Our decision may not be the perfect decision; but, hopefully, it is a decision that most community members can live with. We commit to continue dialoging with all community members wanting to do so. Some issues remain unresolved – and we want to continue working on those issues.

We want to make sure that Veterans Plaza is a place welcoming of all community members. The Plaza is a place for all to come to, to gather, to enjoy. It is our public square. All community members should feel equally comfortable and equally welcomed in this shared space.

We all agree that skateboarding is a good, healthy activity. Our skateboarding community includes some of our finest youth, adults, and children of all ages. We want our skateboarding community to embrace Veterans Plaza. However, the activity of skateboarding itself is simply not an acceptable activity on the Plaza. The same could be said for many other perfectly good, healthy activities that other community members may engage in elsewhere. The activities themselves are ok - but not on the Plaza… Again, all community members are welcome on the Plaza. However, the activities that community members engage in on the Plaza must be regulated.

The activities that community members sharing the space engage in on the Plaza should be activities that are embracing of other community members. Of course, criminal activity – or activity that is intentionally disruptive and/or destructive - has no place on our Plaza and will be dealt with expediently. (Let’s be clear: Skateboarding is neither a criminal activity nor intentionally disruptive or destructive.)

Activities that are unintentionally disruptive or destructive are more difficult to deal with, and pose a different challenge. Beyond that, even activities that claim a particular part of the Plaza for exclusive daily use by a segment of the community can create unwarranted tension among community groups with different interests.

In the short time since the Plaza opened, skateboarding on the Plaza has been viewed by some as a harmless, welcomed ‘free entertainment’. This has been evidenced by the crowds of ‘spectators’ seating around the steps of the ice-rink enjoying the skateboarders doing their thing. Others have seen it as a hindrance to their enjoyment of the Plaza because of the constant loud pounding noise of skateboards on the cement and the use of the brick and pavers areas as a runway to jump onto the ice-rink area, impeding pedestrian flow. Many skateboarders have respected this and have limited their skateboarding to the ice-rink area. However, not all skateboarders have embraced this limitation.

An unfortunate unintentional consequence of skateboarding on the Plaza is the physical damage being caused to the facility. Skateboarding on the Plaza has –unintentionally - caused damage to the handrails; has already begun to wear down the wooden benches; and have chipped away some of the concrete steps. We are sure that it is not the intent of the skateboarders to cause this damage. Yet, allowing the activity of skateboarding everywhere on the Plaza inevitably leads to damage of certain parts of the facility. Most skateboarders have respected staying away from the rails and benches. However, it is simply impossible to monitor or regulate this on an on-going basis, or get this message to all new skateboarders consistently in time to avoid this unintended damage.

The safety of the skateboarders is another issue. The Plaza was simply not designed as a skate park. Therefore, skateboarders have ingeniously found ‘challenges’ that may put them at risk of serious injury. Some have tried to ‘jump’ from the wall above the ‘skatehouse’, which is at least 10 feet tall. This is simply a very dangerous thing. Again, consistently and successfully regulating this activity goes well beyond the scope of what the operation of this Plaza was ever intended to be.

Fortunately, as of Friday, July 30th , a new skate spot opens in Woodside Park, less than ½ mile from Veterans Plaza (a comfortable 5 minute ‘skateboard’-walk away.) This new skate spot is adjacent to other athletic opportunities, including basketball, handball, and tennis – as well as areas in which to simply sit and enjoy the ambiance. Additionally, there is a skate park being planned in Takoma Park, about a mile south of Veterans Plaza.

We understand that some may view the Woodside Park new skate spot as an incomplete solution. If you feel this way, we want to continue working with you on a broader, more comprehensive solution to the issue of skateboarding in Silver Spring. If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions, (or want to get together as a group) please contact me anytime. To start, I invite you to come by the Civic Building this Wednesday, July 28th at 6:30 p.m. to discuss ‘where we go from here’.

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Center
240-777-3507
e-mail: SilverSpringRegionalCenter@gmail.com

Top Ten NO COST Plaza Possibilities

2010-07-22T06:31:00.001-07:00

To paraphrase Tina Turner, “now that we’ve found the Plaza, what are we going to do with it?”

Rest assured we have big events planned: Summer Concerts with Community Celebrations; Jazz Festival; Thanksgiving Parade… But, what happens day-to-day on the Plaza?... How can we come together and activate this new public square in a way that reflects of our community – and is welcoming of all?

No government initiative can do this. No institution or organization can be expected to solely lead the charge… No one person can lead... This is something that must grow organically, from within the community, for the community, by the community.

In the short time since the Plaza opened, we’ve seen two great examples of possibilities (see #1 and #2 below.)… We’ve come up with a list of other possibilities; but, these are just “one person’s opinion”… What is YOUR idea?... How can YOU make it happen?... And, to paraphrase Nike: “Just do it”!

1. Performormances by local talent on the Portico Silver Spring Town Center Inc., together with Round House Theatre, organized 5 hours of free entertainment for the Opening Ceremony of the Civic Building at Veterans Plaza. They were able to get over 10 acts to come perform free of charge.

2 Drumming Circles IMPACT Silver Spring has invited the community to come ‘drum’ every Saturday night at 7pm. Last Saturday, there were was quite a crowd drumming, dancing, and clapping away; making beautiful noise and joyfully engaging each other.

3 Poetry Reading

4 Acoustic guitar playing

5 Free style dance/movement

6 Group exercise / fitness workout

7 Topical conversations

8 Open air debate / soap box opportunities

9 Board game playing (chess, checkers, dominoes, cards)

10 Hang out

Other ideas? Chime in and become a follower of this blog to see what others are saying... or better yet, come out to the Plaza and 'do your thing'!

Incident at Piney Branch & Univ. Blvd. Friday, July 16th

2010-07-21T04:11:00.000-07:00

TO OUR SILVER SPRING COMMUNITY LEADERS:

As you may have heard, there was a serious incident last Friday night in the area of Piney Branch and University Blvd. of Silver Spring. Unfortunately, a Silver Spring community member died in the incident and rumors are rampant about how the death occurred.

A vigil was held on site on Monday night. Over 100 community members attended to mourn the death, better understand what happened, and begin a healing process. Our Police, our Crisis Unit, and the Regional Center - and the Guatemalan Consulate - were there at the vigil, answering questions and talking with the community.

The individual that died left three children and his wife back in Guatemala, his homeland. The community has already begun to see how the body can be returned to Guatemala; you may hear more about this effort soon.

It is critically important in moments like this to come together as one community. A first step is a better, thorough understanding of what happened. Below is a statement from our Police Department with a level of detail that hopefully will clarify much.

I ASK A FAVOR OF YOU: Rather than simply 'forwarding this on' to listservs and blast e-mails, I ask you take the time to read this carefully so you can succinctly inform others that may not take the time to do read it as carefully.

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POLICE STATEMENT

1) Once the identity of Mr. Simone is confirmed (that has still not been completed), the body may be released immediately to a family member or person representing the family who has the power of attorney. The autopsy is complete and their staff has completed the task of examining the body itself. There will be another 3-6 weeks until the laboratory results are completed and that includes toxicology and other tests that will assist the medical examiner’s office reach a final conclusion as to the actual cause of death.

2) A senior supervisor in our major crimes investigation office, who is available to assist in connecting the family member or representative with the medical examiner’s office and help in navigating release of the body, is Sergeant John Sheridan at cell number 240-876-7153. He is familiar with the system, has some contacts in the examiner’s office and is familiar with this case enough to help with getting the body released to an authorized person.

3) Facts that are now available to share regarding the medical examiner’s initial findings upon review of the body are as follows:

a) There is no sign of trauma to the body which is recognized as a cause of death

b) There were no gunshot wounds to the body, either self-inflicted or by the police

The police genuinely wanted to help in securing and keeping the neighborhood safe and any persons who may have been in the apartment at the time of this event. Patrol Officers responded to complaints from citizens about the erratic and scary behavior of a person throwing objects out of his apartment (i.e. furniture, clothes, CD’s, anything he could get his hands on), in an agitated manner. Initial responding patrol officers arrived at this emergency and tried to make contact with the person responsible for this event (later determined we believe to be Mr. Simone). The door to the apartment was locked and they tried to gain entry and talk to the person inside but he had barricaded the front door from the inside and they smelled a strong odor of gas and felt that he may be attempting to blow up the building. At that point, they evacuated some of the neighbors and our emergency response team responded that includes incident command, negotiators, tactical members, logistical support, and a strong corps of medical support. We brought with us a medical doctor and an advanced paramedic, an ambulance and a fire command person who was able to assist in getting the gas line to this building shut off.

We had many assets on the scene of this event. At the command level we discuss options and make decisions as to our best means to deal with these difficult situations. In this case, although the suspect had been seen at that front window acting in an agitated state and throwing objects outside, he had not been seen for some time since the beginning. Following hours of trying to contact the suspect via telephone, loudspeaker and calling out to him (in both Spanish and English) and not having seen him for a couple hours, a decision to enter was made – for his benefit and others who may be affected by his actions. A gas meter was utilized to determine if there was still gas fumes in the air and it was determined they were not (there was an open window and the gas had been cut off for some time). After multiple attempts were made to reach him, a decision was made to enter. The apartment front door was a heavy wood door with metal frame and the roomate said he thought it was barricaded cause he could not get in with his key. When we breach a heavy duty door such as this, there is a lot of noise and commotion that is scary to those not familiar with what we do and why we do certain things.

Immediately upon entering the residence it was noted there were other interior doors that required securing and checking on and that led to more loud noises. We had a responsibility to check all persons inside the apartment that could have caused him or others harm. Mr. Simone, who had been throwing the objects out the window, was the only person located in the residence and he was laying under the window where he had last been seen by the initial police and complaining citizens. He was deceased and it appeared that he had been for a period of time. Despite that fact, our medical doctor and advanced paramedic responded inside and immediately upon our initial entry assessed the body and did an EKG on his heart to determine if any life-saving efforts could be initiated. There were no signs of life and no such efforts were appropriate.

To conclude, Mr. Simone was deceased prior to the entry of police into the apartment and once the laboratory results are returned there will be more information to discuss regarding the cause(s) of his death. We know that his death is unrelated to any actions taken by the police.

In terms of trust with the community it is important to note that all the units involved in this investigation are independent and impartial. For example, the medical examiner’s officer is a separate state agency from Montgomery County and our police department. By law, their findings are independent and not subject to our rules or influence. Our major crimes investigators are not related to our emergency response team and investigate cases like this independent of the ERT actions. They received statements from all involved, took pictures, collected evidence and continue their interviews of involved entities, internal and external to our agency. Their mission is to conduct an independent and neutral investigation.

As you can see, we brought a significant amount of expertise and resources to this challenging problem and situation, in an attempt to insure the safety of all occupants and persons affected by this event. We are saddened by the death of any community member and also, by the mistrust this event has caused among some community members. We care foremost about the truth of what occurred and will continue to work with those affected by this event. We hope to continue to meet to build the bond and trust between our department and the communities we serve. Perhaps we can build a positive and lasting bond through this tragedy and how we are handling this among our agencies and the communities so affected by this event.

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As always, you are invited to join this blog by simply becoming a 'follower'... You may also want to leave your comments below.

Common Values for Sharing Veterans Plaza

2010-07-11T05:41:00.000-07:00

(An Evolving Conversation)
as of July 28th, 2010 Moderated by Reemberto Rodriguez, Director

This simple list of ‘common values’ is intended to be positive, constructive, and self regulated rather than negative, restrictive or enforced. This carries no legal weight or implication… It is simply a community statement of our desires, expectations, and commitment for public behavior… This is simply an attempt to reach consensus on shared values to facilitate us sharing this beautiful new community asset for the enjoyment of all - today and for a long time to come.

[1] Be welcoming: Engage others. Start conversations. Share your talents.

[2] Be inviting: Bring family, friends, neighbors, and visitors.

[3] Be respectful: Treat others as you would like to be treated.

[4] Be playful: Without being disruptive or destructive.

[5] Be aware: Look around. Enjoy the scenery. Stay alert.

[6] Be safe: Safety first. Use common sense.

[7] Keep it clean: Pick up after yourself – and others.

[8] Share what you see: Let us know* about incidents and what can be improved.

[9] Share ideas: Be inventive! Think without inhibitions. Let us know.*

[10] Be appreciative: It belongs to all of you.

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*e-mail CBatVP@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov

Please join this blog to get future posting – and leave your comments here so others can see them.

A Call to Volunteer at the Civic Building at Veterans Plaza

2010-07-10T04:49:00.000-07:00

HEADLINE (or, “Twitter Post”)
Our Welcome Desk needs volunteers. The qualifications are simple: Be welcoming of our community as they enter the building. That is it. Really.

THE LONGER STORY

Our Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza had its Grand Opening Thursday July 8th . It was a success beyond expectations. The Portico came alive in the early afternoon with entertainment provided by the community. By the time of the official ribbon cutting (6:30 p.m.) there were hundreds of people mingling around Veterans Plaza. And then the big moment came: All were invited into the building. Onlookers and passerbys found the building beaming with art and activities and were greeted by community stakeholders exemplifying our vibrant and diverse Silver Spring. It felt very good indeed… As I heard someone said, it felt “comfortably crowded; welcoming; and chaotically constructive.”

The first day of official operation (Friday, July 9th) was simply incredible. There was not a single moment of ‘quiet’ at the Welcome Desk. People were coming inside in a constant flow simply wanting to see the building, check out the spaces, inquire about access, or just ‘walk around’. Later at night the Veterans Plaza became an ‘instant success’. It felt like it should have always been there; it felt so natural. I was full of folks sitting around the benches and enjoying the open air pavilion for all sorts of impromptu activities. I was amazed at the range of people there. Walking around and talking to some of the people, it was very neat to hear comments from “I’ve been waiting for this a long time” to “What is this place? Whatever it is, it is cool!”

Now reality sinks in. We now must deliver. And, we need your help.

Our Welcome Desk needs volunteers. The qualifications are simple: Be welcoming of our community as they enter the building. That is it. Really.

We want to try to have our Welcome Desk functioning 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. weekdays and Saturday morning at least through noon… But, we simply can not do that without a strong volunteer corp… So, we need your help. Now.

Please 'cut-&-paste' and e-mail Gwen.Haney@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov indicating the hours you might be available and for further information. It is that simple. Thanks!

SILVER SPRING REGIONAL CENTER ACCOMPLISHMENTS for FY2010

2010-06-29T06:39:00.000-07:00

Reemberto Rodríguez, July 1st 2010

July 2010 represents a major milestone for our community – and for the Silver Spring Regional Center. On July 8th, 2010 we’ll be having our grand opening for the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza. We’ll continue celebrating this new community asset throughout the summer with our concert series every Thursday night through August 12th.

July is also the start of our fiscal year; a fiscal year that promises to be one of the most challenging in our County’s recent memory. The budget cuts and constraints are real. They will impact the way we operate. Our challenge remains to connect to community and build on our assets even in these trying times… Indeed, sometimes it is “trying times” that spark innovation and discoveries. I am confident we will face our challenge ahead practical and pragmatic ways, building on relationships that have been instrumental in helping us get here; and, embarking on new paths that we have yet to uncover.

This July also represents the one year mark of my tenure as Regional Center Director. It has been quite a ride, to say the least. I am honored to have been able to meet so many people from all walks of life in our community. I am honored to have learned so much – and, the more I learn, the more I realize I remains to be learned. The work has been exhilarating and challenging. And, we are just getting started!

Thus, a brief reflection of where we are at seems in order… I hope you enJoy reading it… (And, if you have additions, corrections – whatever! – please leave us a “comment”.)
Since its inception, the Silver Spring Regional Center was instrumental in providing the indispensible local county government link to the successful redevelopment of Downtown Silver Spring.

Through much of the last decade, the Regional Center focused with a laser-sharp tenacity on ensuring that Downtown Silver Spring became the area’s economic engine and one of Montgomery County’s premier commercial core. This required extensive engagement in the redevelopment process. The Regional Center worked in true partnership with the major development interests to create an exemplary, award winning, urban space that has become the pride of the County.

Today’s vibrant Downtown Silver Spring owes much of its success to the many vibrant community members that have relentlessly remained engaged in civic discourse; exemplary private sector business partners; the visionary leadership of Montgomery County elected officials; and, the technical expertise of the staff at the Regional Center during the challenging redevelopment process.

In the last year, the Silver Spring Regional Center has gone through extensive transitions. The Director responsible for much of the redevelopment success moved on in early 2009. An interim Director was in place for a few months. The current Director was appointed in late July 2009.

During the on-going transition, the County has experienced a budget shortfall of historic proportion. Even in this difficult environment the Silver Spring Regional Center accomplished much in FY2010. The “Top Ten” accomplishments include:

1. Reconnected and reestablished strong, sustainable relations with the broader Silver Spring community well beyond the downtown area, reaffirming the County’s commitment to all of Silver Spring.

(i.e.: highlighting the successful Weed & Seed Program; working with the Long Branch Sector Plan and the Langley Park area; facilitating youth engagement; and reaching out to other segments of our community not customarily engaged in the traditional civic process.)

2. Worked in partnership with businesses in downtown Silver Spring, from large corporations to small entrepreneurs in a variety of initiatives, programs, and events.

(i.e.: working in close partnership with Peterson Co. as they bring ‘feet to the streets’ in downtown with their 150+ events per year; convening regularly with the Chamber of Commerce; involved with the smaller entrepreneurs in Fenton Village and the buy-local effort as they come together to ensure local businesses thrive; and, facilitating countless development presentations to ensure appropriate input; and, staying in close contact with all major stakeholders.)

3. Emphasized the ‘community connection’ opportunities of local, County-wide and National efforts to ‘connect community assets to community opportunities’ by establishing sustainable, results oriented relationships that will serve the County – and the Regional Center – well into the future.

(The Census; Community Services Day; MLK Service Day; National Nights Out; Neighbors Campaign; and others.)

4. Continued front-line, local engagement, and provided policy guidance for the major public investment in the area.

(i.e.: the Civic Building and Veterans Plaza; the new library; the Fillmore/Live Nation; and the new Transit Station.)

5. Began managing the ‘move-in’ phase for the Civic Building and Veterans Plaza.

(i.e.: Involvement in the details of the physical completion of the facility; defining the protocol for use with CUPF; and, working with the various community members, organizations, businesses and institutions to ensure the facility meets expectations and is publicly embraced as a true value added asset for all community members.)

6. Working with the leadership offered by the new Urban District Manager, improved the internal systems operations of the Silver Spring Urban District to more efficiently focus on its core mission to keep downtown ‘clean and safe’.

(i.e.: established new personnel protoco; delivery of services; and effective scheduling.)

7. Continued successfully delivering marquee, traditional events and marketing to ensure we sustain economic viability while supporting new innovative ventures.

(i.e.: Thanksgiving Parade; Jazz Festival; Summer Concerts; ‘community celebrations’; Amnesty International Human Rights Art Festival; Fenton Street Market; and others.)

8. Provided countless resolution to specific constituency problems.

(i.e.: Responding to requests for ‘green tape’ support; providing access to the appropriate government offices to resolve simple issues; collaborating with other County, State and Federal agencies to ‘make things happen’ in public – and private - projects; etc.)

9. Provided support and policy guidance to the various advisory groups, bringing them together to work on common issues.

(i.e.: The Advisory Board and its three standing committees, Neighborhood, Commercial Economic Development, Transportation and Pedestrian Safety; the Urban District Committee; Arts and Entertainment Committee; and Transportation Management District Committee.)

10. Began the restructuring of the Regional Center to respond to four major factors:

(a) the changing economic climate and its impact on municipal finances and governance, including substantial budget cuts;

(b) the operational requirements of our new town center (Civic Building and Veterans Plaza) and maximizing the community building potential of this facility;

(c) the reality that development in downtown Silver Spring – as successful as it has been - “is not done yet”, and continues to require intensive partnership building efforts; and,

(d) the need to continue – and expand - the major relationship initiatives started over the last year to connect to the neighborhoods, commercial centers, and communities throughout the greater Silver Spring Regional Center area.

Meeting the challenges ahead will require continuing strengthening the relationship with our advisory groups; development, business and entrepreneur community; traditional civic networks as well as the many non-traditional civic activities; and, our robust community serving non-profits, youth, faith, and arts communities. Over the course of the next year, we should expect more aggressive community engagement “calls to action” promoting volunteer opportunities to “serve local”. We will also continue working relentlessly – and indeed enhance our efforts - to ensure quality commercial activity continues to serve as the base of our economic vitality, and that Silver Spring shines as ‘the place to do business’.

We look forward to working with all of you as we seek to more effectively and efficiently meet our County’s mission.

Please leave your comments below - and become a 'follower' of this blog so you get future postings!

3 Things You Really Ought To Know (about Silver Spring)

2010-06-21T05:43:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, the Silver Spring Regional Center is going through some major restructuring. Part of this restructuring is welcoming two new staff to our team.

Gwen Haney will be managing the Civic Building and Veterans Plaza; and, Jewru Bandeh will be the Program Manager for the Regional Center. We will soon introduce these two wonderful individuals to the community and invite all to give them a warm welcome.

I would like to use this opportunity to begin a new list of “Things You Ought To Know About Silver Spring”.

Help us with this, please: If you had a few minutes with either of these two new staff and you were asked to share with them what they ought to know about Silver Spring as they begin their new job here in our mist, what would you say? What would be the ‘top three’ things that you would want to make sure Gwen and/or Jewru know about our community?

Be bold! Be daring! But please, most of all, be brief :-)

Please enter your ‘top three’ things as a ‘comment’ on this blog… (I also encourage you to become a follower of the blog so you get notices of others’ responses and re-enter the conversation.)

See Click Fix – Yet another cool tool

2010-06-16T04:26:00.000-07:00

Have you checked out this amazing web-site?
www.seeclickfix.com
It is a ‘user-driven’ tool to identify community stuff that needs fixing… Pot holes, broken lights, missing signs… whatever!

{Needless to say, this tool is but another tool in our community’s tool box… It is not intended to replace – but rather augment – existing systems to get things fixed.}

SeeClickFix is NOT a County – or government – initiative. It is a national social entrepreneur initiative. (Think along the lines of Face Book for activists.)

Check it out!... The Silver Spring Regional Center area has already been ‘mapped’. You can find it under:
http://seeclickfix.com/silver-spring

Folks have already begun inputting requests – and getting things resolved. (You may want to check out the site’s FAQ to get a better sense of the details.)

I invite you to register on the site and begin using it… Let’s see where this takes us!

[Also: Don't forget to become a 'follower' of this blog so you automatically get future postings!]