It seems Argenta News may have started something in North Little Rock.  Since we started this site Levy has started a blog site (Click here for a link to the Levy blog) and it seems today that someone in Rose City has started a blog site.  (Click here for the link to the Rose City site). 

In general neighborhood web sites are a good idea.  However both the Levy and Rose City site appear to overlook several important pieces of the Argenta News site that make it work so well..  These mssing pieces are

1. The site CANNOT be run anonymously.  City officials need to work with people and neighborhoods not unkowns.  Anonymity also does not help with a lack of strong leadership in many neighborhoods.  You can't change a neighborhood if you aren't willing to step up and be counted. Anonymity also breeds a certain lack of responsibility in postings.
2. These sites do not appear to be working within the or closely with the neighborhood groups, often creating friction within the neighborhood at the specific time when these neighborhoods need unity and strength to adress their problems
3. These sites appear only to be adressing police, code or safety problems in the neighborhoods.  There are many good things going on in these neighborhoods, yet very few make the blog sites.  Where are the new business announcements and activities at the community centers?  Just to list a few examples.  Only listing problems is not neighborhood building.  Sooner or later the City will tire of having somebody poking them in the eye and the City may go partially blind to the neighborhood problems.
4. These sites miss the opportunity to raise money for the neighborhoods through the site.  Neighborhood building requires outreach to those who normally don't participate through block parties or other social events funded through the web site.
5. These sites appear to expect the City to take care of their problems.  Neighborhood clean up and crime fighting is just as a much a neighborhood responsibility as it is a City responsibility.The Levy site in particular appears to want to divide the City into the have and have not neighborhoods instead of reaching out to the other neighborhoods for help.

Bottom line....neighborhood rebuilding is a 5+ year committment and requires more than just a few code issues resolved or ditches filled in.  This kind of committment requires leadership and leadership requires a big neighborhood picture view.  Not anonymous complainers. 

I will undoubtably catch grief on this from other bloggers, but we have turned the corner here here in Argenta and it has been the result of many people over the years putting their name on the line in what they believe.  I have reached out to some of these neighborhood groups and I make the same offer again

I will help you do the things we do here in Argenta, just ask.  I will give you a web site like Argenta News.....free, just ask.  I will help you raise thousands of dollars each year for your neighbohood, just ask. Just remember though...to step up and take me up on this offer, you will have to step out from behind the curtain and be a leader.  Trust me, the rewards far outweigh the fears. 

Tag it:

Comments (1)

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved