A Better Tomorrow For Marion PDF

A BETTER TOMORROW FOR MARION By Mitch Jamison Marion Alabama Resident Small towns and rural communities just like Marion and throughout the United States are looking for ways to strengthen their economies, provide better quality of life, and build on local assets. Many rural communities and small towns are facing challenges just like Marion, including declining rural populations, and loss of farms and working lands Loss of Small Business and enterprise. Slow-growing and shrinking small town and rural areas might find that their policies are not bringing the prosperity they seek, while fast-growing rural areas at the edge of metropolitan regions face metropolitan-style development pressures. Smart growth strategies can help rural communities such as Marion achieve their goals for growth and development while maintaining their distinctive rural character. Planning where development should or should not go can help a rural community encourage growth in town, where businesses can thrive on a walkable main street and families can live close to their daily destinations. Policies that protect the rural landscape help preserve open space, protect air and water quality, provide places for recreation, and create tourist attractions that bring investments into the local economy. Policies that support walking, biking, and public transit help reduce air pollution from vehicles while saving people money. How does a small town turn around How does a struggling rural community move from economic decline to one that is growing and flourishing? Each community is unique and each context differs greatly from the next town over. Situations of each town is unique even if they are 10 miles from the next. However, I believe there is a blueprint at the heart of unlocking a town's potential to see a turnaround. Most often I stay away from prescriptions because they seem to do more harm than good. Again, context is everything. But there exists a few key elements of this blueprint that are universal. Love your community One of the most overlooked foundations is really the core. Why do you want to see your town turn around? While there are a lot of viable reasons ... better schools, more jobs and a stronger economy, increased livability improved infrastructure responsive local government, and more the core motivation needs to be simply this. \"I love my community.\" Why? Because love is not blind. It takes in and assesses everything, opportunities and obstacles, and sees all of the warts in the community but still loves nonetheless. It is this deep love that becomes the animating factor in seeking creative solutions. It means capitalizing on strengths, leveraging opportunities, and organizing assets. When roadblocks confront us we collaborate, brainstorm, and look for solutions to keep moving forward. It is our love that compels us.

Mobilize those in the community Every community has more assets, talent, skills, and resources needed to pull off this turnaround than we realize. There is this latent creativity and potential housed within the community, it just may need to be unlocked. Or even more basic than that, it just needs to be given permission and an opportunity to step out, experiment, stumble forward, and thrive. Its important for each of to understand that ad use it. Think about it; local high schools each year pumps out dozens, hundreds of highly gifted people. While some stay, many others go on to university where they will become lawyers, pharmacists, mechanics, Plumbers, Electricians, Home-Builders, Educators, Doctors ,Nurses Researchers, Film Producers, Business Owners, Religious Leaders Politicians and so much more. Those that stay often take over family businesses. The point, communities are incubators of talent. How do we mobilize, empower, and release it in our communities? So while this is a general prescription we cannot overlook it. It's easy to want to jump immediately into specifics like wooing industry, storefront remodels, striping bike lanes, and so on. But we need to start with actually loving our community and involving those already there who call it home. How is it that some small cities and towns are prospering, while many others are suffering disinvestment, loss of identity and even abandonment? Why are some communities able to maintain their historic character and quality of life in the face of a rapidly changing world, while others have lost the very features that once gave them distinction and appeal? How can communities, both big and small, grow without losing their heart and soul? How to we rebuild from a costly epidemic such as COVID and move forward in a new kind of world. From coast to coast, communities are struggling to answer these questions. After personally working in hundreds of communities in all regions of the country, I have come to some conclusions about why some communities succeed and others fail. Many communities have found ways to retain their small- town values, historic character, scenic beauty and sense of community, yet sustain a prosperous economy and they’ve done it without accepting the kind of cookie-cutter development that has turned many communities into faceless places that young people flee, tourists avoid and which no longer instill a sense of pride in residents. Every “successful” community has its own strengths and weaknesses, but they all share some common characteristics. It’s clear for instance that successful communities involve a broad cross- section of residents in determining and planning for the future. They also capitalize on their distinctive assets – their architecture, history, natural surroundings, and home grown businesses – rather than trying to adopt a new and different identity. Most successful communities also utilize a variety of private-sector and market incentives to influence new development, instead of relying solely on government regulations. Not every, successful community displays all of the following characteristics, but most have made use of at least three our four; Have a vision for the future / Inventory assets/ Build plans on the enhancement of existing assets/ Use education and incentives, not just regulation/ Pick and choose among development projects/ Cooperate with neighbors for mutual benefit/ Pay attention to community aesthetics/ Have strong leaders and committed citizens/ Have a Vision for the Future.

Successful communities always have a plan for the future. Unfortunately, “planning” is a dirty word in some communities its very obvious Marion suffers from this. I’ve seen this often up close and personal especially in small towns and rural areas. In some places, this is the result of today’s highly polarized political culture. In other places, it results from a misunderstanding of planning and its value, poor leadership that does not have the skills and education or willingness to make changes. The truth is, failing to plan, simply means planning to fail. It is difficult to name any successful individual, organization, corporation or community that doesn’t plan for the future. Try to imagine a company that didn’t have a business plan. It would have a very hard time attracting investors or staying competitive in the marketplace. The same is true of communities. A community plan is simply a blueprint for the future. People may differ on how to achieve the community’s vision, but without a blueprint, a community will flounder. Have any of you ever seen a written plan for the community know the details, contributed comments been asked to participate? All strong questions with Probably disappointing answers when it comes to Marion. Maybe a plan does exist but if it does then it has flaws and needs reexamination restructuring and making changes to the plan to address the needs of the community. Understandably, people in small towns don’t like change. But change is inevitable. Technology, the economy, demographics, population growth, market trends and consumer attitudes are always changing and they will affect a community whether people like it or not. There are really only two kinds of change in the world today: planned change and unplanned change. Communities can grow by choice or chance. Theirs a saying that “the best way to predict the future is to create it yourself.” Communities with a vision for the future will always be more successful than communities that just accept whatever comes along. Citizens must know and understand that wealthy individuals with hidden agendas, special interest and religious groups, civic organizations, lobby organizations have far too much power over city and county leaders over policy makers blocking people from receiving fair representation and responsive accountable governance. Leaders must fight for strong, creditable solutions that drive government to work for the people. Inventory Community Assets Creating a vision for the future begins by inventorying a community’s assets: natural, architectural, human, educational, economic, recreational, scenic, etc. Successful communities then build their plans whether a land use plan, a tourism plan or an economic development plan – around the enhancement of their existing assets. Twenty-first century economic development focuses on what a community has, rather than what it doesn’t have. Too many communities spend all their time and money on business recruitment. They build an industrial park and then they try like crazy to attract a plant, factory or distribution center to move there. The few communities that are successful at this strategy usually accomplish it by giving away the store. The old economic development paradigm was about cheap land, cheap gas and cheap labor. It was about shotgun recruitment and low cost positioning. In the old economy, the most important infrastructure investment was roads. Today, successful economic development is about laser

recruitment and high value positioning. Today highly trained talent is more important than cheap labor and investing in education is far more valuable than widening the highway. This holds true as well for the type of elected officials we vote into office, what department directors and managers of local government hires. Another mistake is thinking that economic revival is about “the one big thing”. American communities are littered with projects that were sold as a “silver bullet” solution to a city’s economic woes. Whether it is a convention center, a casino, a new mall shopping center or factory, a sports arena or an aquarium, city after city has followed the copycat logic of competition. Festival marketplaces, for example, worked fine in cities like Boston and Baltimore, but similar projects went bankrupt in Toledo, Richmond, Jacksonville and a dozen other communities. Successful economic development is rarely about the one big thing. More likely, it is about lots of little things working synergistically together in plan that makes sense. It doesn’t matter the size of the city, the dynamics and process is the same. Shape Plans Around Existing Assets After communities have inventoried their assets, they shape their future around them. Whether it is a land use plan, a tourism plan or an economic development plan, savvy communities build on what they already have. Sometimes the assets of a community are obvious. Other times, they are not so obvious. Annapolis, Maryland, for example has obvious assets: the US Naval Academy, an abundance of historic buildings, an attractive and accessible waterfront and a long history of maritime activity. Given these assets, it is only natural that Annapolis has become the home of both the National Sailboat Show and the National Powerboat Show, which together attract almost 100,000 visitors a year. Jackson, Wyoming is another community with obvious assets: world class scenery, abundant wildlife and outdoor recreation resources. Bozeman, Jackson and Teton County Wyoming have built their economy around the marketing and promotion of these assets. However, they have also built their land use plans around the protection of these assets. For example, they prohibit outdoor advertising to ensure that the world class scenery is not degraded. They have mapped the wildlife migration corridors to ensure that new development does not block the large herds of elk and deer that attract visitors from all over the world, etc. In other communities, the assets are not so obvious. Consider Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1975 Lowell was a dying industrial city. It had an unemployment rate of over 20 percent; it was littered with abandoned factories and empty textile mills. It was hemorrhaging jobs and people. The common wisdom was that without manufacturing, it had few assets and a dim future. We see this closer to home in Birmingham Selma and other nearby towns today. Today, Lowell is one of the Rust Belt’s great success stories. The once empty mills have come back to life, not as factories, but as housing, offices, shops, restaurants, hotels and museums. Even the University of Massachusetts at Lowell -now the city’s largest employer moved downtown, into restored industrial buildings. This is just one of many examples that play-out all over the country. Sure some of these towns are larger than Marion with larger populations but size of a town is not the factor all the aforementioned principles are the same.

Use Education and Incentives not just Regulation Successful communities use education, incentives, partnerships and voluntary initiatives not just regulation. To be sure, land use regulations and ordinances are essential to protecting public health and to setting minimum standards of conduct in a community. Regulations protect the environment and prevent the worst in development, but they rarely bring out the best. Regulations are also subject to shifting political winds. Often one county commission or town council will enact tough regulations only to see them repealed or weakened by a future town council with a different ideology or viewpoint. If regulations aren’t the entire answer, how can a community encourage new development that is in harmony with local aspirations and values? Communities need to use carrots not just sticks. They need to identify creative ways to influence the development process outside of the regulatory process. For example, they might make it easier to develop in places where the town wants new development, like in downtown. They could also identify barriers to good development and use incentives like expedited permit review, conservation easements, purchase of development rights, tax abatement for rehabilitation of historic buildings, award and recognition programs, density bonuses for saving open space and other techniques. In Glenwood Springs Colorado, Glenwood Springs Historic Foundation offered free design assistance to any downtown business owner who would restore the facade of their building. They did this after the city council had rejected a measure to create an historic district in downtown Glenwood Springs. At first, only one business owner took advantage of the incentive, but then a second business owner restored his building facade, and then a third, and then many more. Today, there are four historic districts in Glenwood including the entire downtown, but it all began with an incentive. Successful communities also use education to encourage voluntary action by citizens. Why do cities and towns need to use education? Because, education reduces the need for regulation. Also, because people and businesses will not embrace what they don’t understand. Finally, community education is important because, citizens have a right to choose the future, but they need to know what the choices are. Pick and Choose Among Development Projects All development is not created equal. Some development projects will make a community a better place to live, work and visit. Other projects will not. The biggest impediment to better development in many communities is a fear of saying “no” to anything. In my experience, communities that will not say “no” to bad development, will get the worst of everything. The proof is everywhere. Communities that set low standards or no standards will compete to the bottom. On the other hand, communities that set high standards will compete to the top. This is because they know that if they say no to bad development they will always get better development in its place. We are seeing this manifest itself with our current water system. Is our plan for a long term solution and investment in our community right to clean water a well planned and throughout plan. Too many elected officials have an “it’ll do” attitude toward new development. Worse yet, they’ll accept anything that comes down the pike, even if the proposed project is completely at odds with the community’s well thought out vision for the future. They are simply afraid to place any demands on a

developer for fear that the developer will walk away if the community asks for too much. This is especially true when dealing with out of town developers or with national chain stores and franchises. The bottom line for most developers, especially chain stores and franchises, is securing access to profitable trade areas. They evaluate locations based on their economic potential. If they are asked to address local design, historic preservation, site planning or architectural concerns they will usually do so. Bob Gibbs, one of America’s successful leading development consultants I've worked with many times in the past says that “when a chain store developer comes to town they generally have three designs (A, B or C) ranging from Anywhere USA to Unique (sensitive to local character). Which one gets built depends heavily upon how much push back the company gets from local residents and officials about design and its importance.” Chain stores like CVS and Walgreens are proliferating across the country. They like to build featureless, single story buildings on downtown corners, usually surrounded by parking often after demolishing one or more historic downtown buildings. This is what CVS proposed in Carbondale Colorado. The town could have easily accepted the cookie cutter design (Plan A), but instead it insisted on a two-story brick building, pulled to the corner with parking in the rear. CVS protested, but eventually, they built what the town wanted because they recognized the economic value of being in a profitable location. The lesson learned is that successful communities have high expectations. They know that community identity is more important than corporate design preferences. Cooperate with Neighbors for Mutual Benefit Historically, elected officials have tended to view neighboring communities, the county government and even the managers of adjacent national and state parks or other public lands as adversaries rather than allies. Some community leaders see economic development as a “zero-sum” game: if you win, I lose. Successful communities know that today’s world requires cooperation for mutual benefit. They know that the real competition today is between regions. They also understand that very few small towns have the resources, by themselves, to attract tourists or to compete with larger communities. Regional cooperation does not mean giving up your autonomy. It simply recognizes that problems like air pollution, water pollution, traffic congestion and loss of green space do not respect jurisdictional boundaries. Regional problems require regional solutions. Even small rural communities can cooperate for mutual benefit. Small towns in Mississippi have worked together to organize and promote US 61 as “the Blue’s Highway,” linking Memphis with New Orleans. Similarly, five rural counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore collaborated with the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy to create a regional agreement to preserve farmland and open space. Pay Attention to Place During the development boom of the 1980’s, Time Magazine ran an article about what they called “America’s growing slow-growth movement.” The article began with a quote from a civic activist in Southern California, who said “we were in favor of progress, until we saw what it looked like.” Looks count! Place matters! We take stock of a city like we take stock of a man. The clothes or appearance are the externals by which we judge.

Over 80 percent of everything ever built in America has been built since about 1940 and a lot of what we have built is just plain ugly. There are still many beautiful places in America, but to get to these places we must often drive through mile after mile of billboards, strip malls, junk yards, used car lots debilitated neighborhoods, empty building fry pits and endless clutter that has been termed “the geography of nowhere.” The problem is not development, per se; rather the problem is the patterns of development. Successful communities pay attention to where they put development, how it is arranged and what it looks like. In the old economy, quality of place didn’t really matter, but today communities are in a global competition to attract and retain talented workers. Increasingly, these workers, especially young people figure out where they want, to live and then they figure out their job situation. Creating a great place will pay dividends long after the initial investment. The unique characteristics of place may be the only truly defensible source of competitive advantage for cities and towns in a global world.” Consider tourism, for example; The more any community in America comes to look just like every other community, the less reason there is to visit. On the other hand, the more a community does to protect and enhance its unique character whether natural or architectural, the more people will want to visit. This is because tourism is about visiting places that are different, unusual and unique. If everyplace was just like everyplace else, there would be no reason to go anyplace. In today’s world, community differentiation is an economic development imperative. Successful communities pay attention to aesthetics. They control signs, they plant street trees, they protect scenic views and historic buildings and they encourage new construction to fit in with the existing community. Strong Leaders and Committed Citizens Successful communities have strong leaders and committed citizens. A small number of committed people can make a big difference in a community. Sometime these people are longtime residents upset with how un-managed growth has changed what they love about their hometown. Others times, the leaders might be newcomers who want to make sure that their adopted hometown doesn’t develop the same ugliness or congestion as the one they left. More often than not, they’re simply citizens who care a great deal about their community and often times are more effective and proactive. Leadership is critical, but often unappreciated. As the Mayor of one small town, once remarked to me, “if you don’t care who gets the credit, you can get an awful lot accomplished.” What about the Naysayers? Every community has naysayers. Whatever the civic or community leaders propose to do, some people will always say things like: “you can’t do it”, “it won’t work”, “it costs too much”, “we tried that already”. And, “no”, is a very powerful word in a small community, but leaders of successful communities know that “yes” is a more powerful word. Yes, we can make this town a better place to live in, to look at, to work in, to visit. A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. An optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.

Quality of Life is the Competitive Advantage We live in a rapidly changing world. The post-recession economy is reshaping the way we live, work, shop and move around. Communities that prepare for the future will prosper. Those that do not will decline. Today, people and businesses can choose to live or work anywhere. Communities that cannot differentiate themselves will simply have no competitive advantage. This means that quality of life is more important than ever. Successful communities set themselves apart. They know that communities that choose their future are always more successful than those that leave their future to chance. The importance of electing the right government officials our Mayors, Counsel members County Commissioners, Sheriffs, State and Federal Representatives is crucial for any community to survive and thrive. Its a responsibility of citizen voting is a very important part of democracy. By Voting citizens are participating in the democratic process, Citizen should vote for leader to represent them and their idea and the leaders support of the citizens. If we do not vote often times we will see unwanted elected officials get into office then under-perform or engage in corruptible or questionable activity because they don’t think anyone is watching. We should not vote for individuals base just on party lines or likability in the community, there race , gender and sexual preference. Understand the many politicians around America not all but many today are much like car salesman they will tell you anything just to close the deal they will use the office for their own personal gain and selfish interest. How many times have we all seen this and did nothing more that talk about it. Career Politicians more times than not are in this for nothing more than a paycheck and the glamour and fame and the need to feed there ego! not for the good of the people. Career Politicians like to keeps thing the way they are and not grow and change or serve the interest of the people but only serve themselves and their personal interest.. Voting these public officials is office should be about who can do the best job bring fresh ideas to the table who can offer realistic vision, justice and integrity for all who sees people as one and not racial divided interest who can perform and address the needs and desires of there community's city's and states they represent. They should have the skill sets and talent required to lead and perform. They should be able to stand up and fight for the citizen and not relent to high pressure demands from special interest groups or ranking politicians. They should be aware and responsive the needs of the community such as fighting for clean water, having safe streets and roads working sewer systems, taking care of the health safety and welfare of its citizens Home Owners and Businesses, working for a safe city that has law enforcement and emergency service protection to serve and protect our communities from crime drugs and other unlawful activity not looking away. Officials that actually are transparent and meet with the people, inform the people, listen the people instead of working behind closed door. As voters we need to hold our elected officials and there staffs accountable this includes the government employees and bureaucratic employees that typically working to support the agendas of these elected officials.

We need to proactively participate to make sure the our best interest are being cared for and represented the solving problems and managing our cities and towns are inpar with our expectations. We need to support, offer our help Ideas suggestions criticisms to demand the best of all these people that work for us. Ultimately local governments are accountable to citizens, and they must show that they are worthy of our trust. Creating a culture of accountability will help local governments build trust with its citizens, operate more effectively and better serve the public. This is not being done right now! Its important that we all understand the problems, that we participate, demand answers and results of our officials, if we are to expect change then we have to educate ourselves stand up and fight . We cant just stand by and gripe and groan from our lawn chairs and kitchen tables and facebook pages, we have to participate. Lets look at a mayors responsibility; Historical Note. Prior to 1907, mayors in Alabama were commonly referred to as “intendents.” They presided over council meetings, acted as ceremonial heads of their municipalities and served as justices of the peace. Generally, mayors possessed no recognized executive authority. The council not only determined policies but also endeavored to supervise and administer the affairs of the municipality. Since there was no coordination of activity, obvious inefficiencies resulted from the conflicts and confusion produced by this system. The Legislature recognized these problems and adopted the comprehensive Municipal Code of 1907, which has been handed down to us, with amendments and additions, as Title 11 of the Code of Alabama 1975. In Title 11, the Legislature recognizes the distinction between legislative and executive functions and designates the mayor as the “chief executive officer” of the municipality. The success achieved by this division of the legislative and executive functions is demonstrated by the vast predominance of the mayor-council form of government in Alabama. The Mayor as Political Leader. Today, the mayor in Alabama is recognized by the public as the chief executive of the municipality. That the mayor has been elected from the municipality at large demonstrates the confidence of the electors. The mayor is the political head of the municipality. The mayor, more than any other person, is in constant close contact with the programs and problems of the city or town and is looked to for guidance in all civic and municipal affairs. The office carries with it a trust, respect and prestige which gives the mayor considerable influence over public opinion. This influence over public opinion is probably the most effective power a mayor possesses to help accomplish the goals of his or her administration. It is the duty of the mayor to lead and the public expects leadership. Usually the success or failure of a municipal administration is regarded as the mayor’s responsibility. For this reason, if for no other, it is the mayor’s right and duty to exercise influence over public opinion to secure the support of the council and the public for the objectives of his or her administration. Mayor and Council are a Team. The working relationship between the mayor and the council usually determines the success of a mayor-council administration. The Legislature has given the council, in mayor-council municipalities, important powers essential to the government of the municipality. Mayors and council-members must recognize the fact that each is dedicated, for the next four years, to a common goal – providing the city or town with the best possible municipal government. Therefore,

it is imperative that a harmonious working relationship develops between the mayor and the council. The ultimate goal is to produce a team on which every member is recognized as a necessary part. The mayor must take the initiative to establish a working relationship between the council and the office of the mayor. Open communication, within the bounds of the Open Meetings Act, will be key but the mayor need not compromise honest viewpoints or surrender leadership. At times, the council will express divergent views. As the old saying goes, “If two people think alike all the time, one is unnecessary.” In most cases, common ground can be found to develop workable programs. The mayor should not hesitate to indicate a willingness to seek this common ground. Mayor’s Report to Council as chief executive, the mayor must present a written statement to the council at least once every six months to show the financial condition of the city or town – particularly the temporary floating indebtedness of the municipality and the purpose for which this temporary debt was incurred and proposals to protect the credit of the city or town. The same law which requires the mayor to make these periodic financial reports – Section 11-43-84, Code of Alabama 1975 – further provides that “The mayor shall require reports to be made to him by any officer of the city or town at such times as he may direct or as may be prescribed by the council.” This authority is intended to facilitate supervision of the activities of the various departments and officials of the municipality and to assist the mayor in making reports to the council. 28 Return to Table of Contents Sec. 27. Mayor Responsible for Municipal Audit at least once a year, the mayor shall appoint an accountant to make a detailed examination of all books and accounts of the city or town to cover the period since the preceding examination and make a full report thereof, in writing, under oath to be submitted to the council at its first meeting after the completion of the report. The audit report shall be spread upon the minutes of the council. The mayor is required to employ either an independent public accountant or the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts to conduct this annual audit. There is no prohibition against employing the same accountant for successive years. For services rendered, the accountant shall be paid such sum as may be agreed upon. Section 11-43-85, Code of Alabama 1975. Upon request by the mayor, the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts is required to perform an audit of a city or town pursuant to section 11-43-85 of the Code of Alabama. A town cannot waive the requirement of a yearly audit and at least once a year the town must secure an audit and pay an agreed upon sum for the services rendered by either the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts or an independent auditor. AGO 2010-068. The mayor must secure an audit at least once a year. The council may not appoint the accountant. Section 11- 43-85 authorizes the mayor to enter into a contract fixing the accountant’s fee at a reasonable amount without the approval of the council. The council is legally obligated to pay a reasonable fee for such services, although it did not authorize or take part in the agreement. AGO to the League of Municipalities, November 4, 1959. However, if annual audits have been made for previous years and were accepted by the council, the mayor may not employ, without the consent of the council, an auditor to re-audit the books of the city for such years. AGO to Hon. E. R. Caldwell, June 15, 1965. If the council is not satisfied with the audit provided by the mayor’s auditor, the council may order an additional audit to be made by the auditor of its choice. Section 36-25-4(a)(7), Code of Alabama 1975, authorizes the Ethics Commission to direct the state director of the Examiners of Public Accounts to audit a municipality. Also, Act 2019-449, known as the Municipal Audit Accountability Act, gives the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts authority to perform an audit of a municipality when fraud or mismanagement of funds is suspected.

The Act also gives the Department authority to access financial penalties up to $250 per week against municipal officials or municipal councils for failure or refusal to perform audits or submit audits requested by the Department. Section 11-43-85 authorizes the mayor to request the Examiners of Public Accounts to audit the municipality. AGO 1992-322. But here's the thing, audits are extremely important. They can be a crucial last line of defense that guards against corruption and misspending, or the mechanism that catches it. Audits ensure that your hard-earned money is being tracked and spent on the right thing, or at least that's how it's supposed to work. Understanding that our particular community and many communities around America are tired of not being listen to, tired of seeing there roads and bridges falling part, there access to healthcare limited, business closing high unemployment, low incomes having enough police officer responding to a life threatening call watching there local business, favorite restaurants shut down watch the very essences and core of the city fall apart. Its because of those who choose not to vote or participate in the process just lay down and do nothing. We the people have more power than you realize to control our destiny our homes our towns and cities of work for successful solutions and proper management. You just have to know how to use that power for the greater good you have to be willing to stand up and join the fight. A smart Man we all know said “We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools.” “No community can survive being divided into opposing groups. There must be one over-arching set of values that everyone agrees to first. Without this, the whole house falls into itself because of the lack of defining tenants We know that to bring justice, love and friendship. We must build strong communities that foster these things” (Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.) Its your choice of how you choose to participate, if you choose not to participate do not blame others that are not afraid to stand up and fight instead offer your support. If you are that unhappy with your community and do not want to do nothing to contribute toward change then move away or stay out of the way of progress, its a free country no one forcing you to live here. The bottom line of how We The People will affect change is to start with the Love of our Community. Its not just your Town, Its Our Town and together we can and will make positive proactive changes for the better good of our community. I know I plan to stand up and fight for our community 100% all in, I hope you will too! Marion Deserve better that what we are Getting Save Marion Its worth it. There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about. The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members. Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Lets Look back about Marions Future. 20 years ago Published In the Tuscaloosa News Aug 4 2002- At the place where the foothills of the Appalachians, the upper coastal plains and the Black Hill plains converge sits the sleepy town of Marion. “It is the greatest place in the world to raise kids,” said Thomas Wilson, manager of the Donavan Lakes Fishing Club and biology instructor at Judson College. “And the hunting and fishing here is fantastic. Geologically there is tremendous diversity.”

Tucked away in the trees off Alabama highways 5 and 14, Marion is the county seat of Perry County as well as home to the Perry Lakes Park Wildlife Sanctuary and Barton’s Beach Cahaba River Preserve. “Because of Marion’s location, it has great possibilities for eco-tourism,” Wilson said. Settled in 1817 by Michael Muckle, who cleared an acre of land and built a cabin on what is now the site of the Perry County Jail, Marion was then known as Muckle’s Ridge. But in 1822, Muckle’s Ridge was renamed in honor of Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox.” Many a visitor would think that Marion, with its grand antebellum homes and quaint town square, is the new “Gone With the Wind,” but residents ask people to take a closer look. Despite its location in rural Alabama, Marion is home to many people and places of historical significance to Alabama and the nation. “Marion is a historical town. The first thing I tell people, when they come to Marion, is that Martin Luther King found a wife in Marion,” said Mayor Edward Daniels. “So did Andrew Young and Gen. Sam Houston.” “Then I tell them that Marion is the home of Judson College and Marion Military Institute,” he said. It also was the home of Lincoln Normal School, which in its 103-year history produced more African Americans who would go on to earn doctoral degrees than any other institution, Daniels said. The school closed in 1970, but Patterson’s Plantation Home for Teachers, once a division of Lincoln, relocated to Montgomery in 1887 and eventually became what is now Alabama State University. There are many historical tales about Marion, and proud residents know the good ones. But, as in most tales of the Black Belt, Marion is a city struggling to live happily ever after. Part of a region labeled by some as “Alabama’s Third World,” Marion, with all its possibilities, is fighting to jumpstart its economy. “Our biggest struggle in Perry County is economic development,” Daniels said. “If we could improve in this area we could do more in other areas.” The landscape of Marion’s economy wasn’t always this bleak. It was established during a time when/agriculture was the profession and cotton was king, so business was good. However, machines replaced sharecroppers, and farmers became factory workers. And when the factories left, many residents did, too. Daniels said Marion has seen about an 8 percent drop in its population in the past decade. But with more than a third of Perry County residents living in poverty, the city is under pressure to transform its sleepy community into an economically viable entity. Daniels said one of the biggest barriers to economic development in Marion is the negative perception of the Black Belt region.

“There is the perception that the Black Belt can’t be productive, that it is a Third World type of environment,” he said. “Perceptions like these stop people and industries from coming to Marion.” Though Marion is nicknamed the College City, Daniels said many of the people educated here have to look for jobs outside Perry County. “What people don’t know is that we have done what most have said needed to be done to attract industry. I feel we are a prepared city,” he said. “They also don’t know that people in this community are committed to working together to help each other.” And it is this spirit of working together that residents hope will thrust Marion and Perry County into the 21st century. Sowing Seeds of Hope is a nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to the eradication of poverty in Marion and Perry County. “Because of this program, 300 children in this county now have medical insurance, and 60 of them have glasses,” said John Martin, coordinator for Sowing Seeds of Hope. “Through our housing initiatives 40 homes have been built.” Local volunteers operate the project with help from experts throughout the state. With a focus on the areas of arts and humanities, education, economic development, housing, health care, spiritual and social development, tourism, and transportation, Martin said the community is making inroads on solving problems. Daniels said the help of local faith-based organizations like Sowing Seeds and outside partners like the University of Alabama can restore faith in Perry County. “Partnerships have broadened what little resources we have, and these partnerships are important because people believe counties in the Black Belt have given up on themselves,” he said. “That is simply not so. We are teaming up with what’s out there.” More alliances are forthcoming as Perry County prepares to capitalize on its historic past. In 1994, the Perry County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center was established in Marion to promote a growing interest in the tourist industry. Diane Harrison, executive director of the chamber and native of Marion, said there are plans to partner with Hale, Sumter, Marengo and Greene counties to attract tour groups and vacationers to this historical region. Marion is also relying on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Renewal Communities program and the Delta Authority to attract more manufacturing industries to the area. Perry County is one of only 40 communities in the nation designated as a renewal community. This designation allows Marion to offer prospective industries lucrative tax incentives in hopes of making Marion more attractive. It also offers local businesses the opportunity to expand and provide more jobs. Merrell Ketchum, a local businessman and president of TekPak Inc., said he almost thought it was too good to be true.

“When I first started reading about it, I thought, There is no way we are going to qualify for this; you must have to be some major industry with 500 employees,′ ” he said. “But I kept reading and realized it is for everyone, even the local store with three employees.” Ketchum said, because of the renewal community program, his company was able to acquire another business and provide more local jobs. Daniels said incentive programs are what Marion needs to boost its economy. “There is not a big pool of jobs here,” he said. “But give the same incentives, as any other place, to Perry County and we can attract more industry.” Judson College, the nation’s sixth-oldest women’s college, and Marion Military Institute, the oldest military junior college and preparatory school in the United States, attract students to Marion, but they haven’t been enough to keep them here after graduation. However, faculty and staff at both institutions are committed to helping Marion fill the gaps. “Judson has been here for 165 years, and most of those years the community has helped Judson,” said Dr. David Potts, president of the college. “We have an opportunity now to help Marion and Perry County, and our students and staff are interested in helping the community.” Potts said students at the college have started a Habitat for Humanity chapter and tutoring programs at a local church. He said faculty and alumni contribute books and time to the community and are continuously challenged to think of new ways to help. “We are aware of the extraordinary need in this community,” Potts said. “What good is education if it doesn’t help you help others?” he asked. “In spite of what people read about our college and this community, we are experiencing growth, and this is home.” Gen. Robert Foley, president of Marion Military Institute, agreed with Potts; Marion is home. But in 1999, MMI’s board of trustees considered finding a more prosperous location. Once again, the community pulled together to keep the school in Marion. “There is no talk of leaving,” Foley said. “The thought of leaving doesn’t exist anymore.” Foley said the school’s location in a rural community allows the cadets to remain focused on their goals and provide service to the community. Education has long been an avenue for success in Marion and Perry County, and it is one reason Audrey Hamilton is leaving behind the fast pace of Los Angeles to teach at Francis Marion High School. “I never had a lifelong dream of living in Marion,” she said, jokingly. “But I have a brother in Marengo County, so I broadened my search for a teaching position to include places close to him.” Accustomed to the indifference of life in a big city, Hamilton said she was overwhelmed by the hospitality she has been shown in Marion.

“Every person I’ve met has been so helpful and genuine,” she said. “I am so thankful that they have been honest, but positive, about the problems in the community.” Hamilton said Diane Harrison has taken her under her wing and helped her navigate her new home. “I couldn’t believe it. She found me a place to live and took me out there in her car,” she said. “After living in L.A. and not knowing a soul, I can’t believe how open-armed and trusting everyone has been. I feel indebted.” Roy Barnett, who returned to Marion in 1963 and is the former owner of College City Drugs, sums up the situation best. “This is a quiet but active community where we know people, good and bad, on a first-name basis,” he said. “This community has been mighty good to us, and it is blessed with a lot of good folks who work together.” Though Marionites aren’t sure what the outcome of their tale will be, they will continue to work at it ó together. So my fellow citizens that was 20 years ago!!!! What happened to progress as a city? why have our political elected leaders not lead us to a better future and better economy.? Where is the vision to transform our community. Is this truly the best we can expect in 2021 and 2022 and forward. Things are not right people. Time to wake up. Time to stop all this nonsense, time to bring our elected leaders accountable. If they cant stand the pressure then resign and move out of the way. The Importance of Strong Communication in Local Government In personally speaking with 50 plus residents and business owners current and former in our city one of the biggest issues mentioned that causes a lot of stress and lack of trust ,the lack of communication between the city and county government and the citizens. Communication is always part of the conversation everywhere I go as is we don’t trust our elected leaders. Local governments should publish essential data on a host of issues such as community development, community health, education, recreation, crime, and interesting stories about its citizens. Despite the efforts of most local governments to get news out to their communities, public trust continues to decline. According to Pew Research, less than 20% of Americans trust their government to “do what is right.” This statistic is an indication of the importance of communication in local government. Strong communication in local government creates trust in its citizens. The hope is that this trust will inspire citizens to become involved in their communities. As the relationship builds between governments and citizens, over time, citizens will come to realize that their concerns matter. Community engagement keeps citizens informed on the projects that affect their taxes and their lives. Citizens gain assurance that their local government is well-prepared to handle emergencies. Engagement also helps to inform voters about their choices at the polls. Fortunately, technology gives local governments a multitude of ways to communicate. Print, television, radio, online media, social media, text, and e-alerts are all communication channels for local governments to consider using. Realizing our particular city doesn’t enjoy some of these tech vehicles to communicate such as a local TV station, Local Radio, Daily Print Newspaper it presents deliverer issues however I propose several phase 1 solutions to address these items to assure a robust delivery vehicle to the citizens of our community which will be later discussed.

In moving forward, it will help local government staff and officials to remember the basics of good communication. Communication has three parts—the sender, the message, and the receiver. Messages can easily be distorted or changed when noise interferes with them. The challenge for local governments is how to cut through the noise and get clear, effective messages across to the community. In light of technology, good practices for communications are still evolving. As they continue to take shape, citizens still want communication that’s available, honest, responsive, and genuine. Sending Strong Communication Through Social Media. In many ways, social media is a new outlet for local governments. It’s also one that can have great benefits for them or turn into a disaster depending on how its used. Social media outlets likeN extdoor Neighborhood Facebook, Twitter and other can help get out important news like school closures, road detours, emergency power outages, floods, fires, and other vital information. Social media is also a great way for local governments to resound the truth when necessary. Timely, genuine messages through social media can dispel rumors, resolve inaccuracies, and provide a venue for local governments to post rebuttals about important issues. Local governments can also effectively use social media to respond quickly in the event of a crisis or emergency. Communication is vitally important during times of emergencies. Having a channel like social media to get the truth out to the community helps to keep rumors at bay and helps prevent unnecessary panics. When a local community uses social media successfully to handle a crisis, the public will remember and seek out that same media outlets when they need information again. This is part of the process of creating trust between local governments and its citizens. Its important that among its city employees and or volunteers that someone be assigned the task to stay on top of a these platforms and vehicles to lead a proactive communications policy. Social media outlets can also be used to generate goodwill with local citizens. It’s a good place to post information about community-sponsored events. Another way that local governments can tap into communication with their citizens is to take advantage of unexpected opportunities. We saw this in action when the Police Department Lip Sync Challenge went viral on youtube. (h ps://youtu.be/NZO7ADSwXAc) Within weeks, police departments which were often joined by fire departments and other local government staff choreographed and taped videos to popular songs. The original idea was to show the general public that their first responders are just ordinary people who work at extraordinary jobs. This is the kind of situation where local governments have an opportunity to be innovative and draw more attention to their local government websites. The question that local governments need to be asking themselves if this type of situation should present itself again is how can they use it to attract citizens to the other areas of the local government’s work. How can they use this type of good public relations to reach their objectives? This is a much needed tool in this community to unite us all as as a community and nurture our relationships between the citizens and the local government.

To make communications strong between the local government and its citizens, staff needs training on how to be effective and they need to know what their expectations are for managing social media and other types of communications. Communication of today is different than just writing a news story or clearing a press release. New communication channels such as blogs and social media outlets bring a measure of accuracy and accountability with them. To have strong communication, writers will need to match the writing style to the platform. Just as technology is opening up new outlets for communication, one of the long-time communication channels is shutting down in many places and that is the local newspaper. News is now highly accessible by electronic means and hard copies of newspapers aren’t as popular. Many local newspapers can no longer sustain themselves because of low sales. Some local governments have dabbled in allowing citizens to serve as bloggers for their communities. Other communities rely on a resident’s newsletter. For these types of initiatives to be successful, staff needs to share updated information so that writers can write meaningful content. It’s important to have strong communications in local government because we live in a representative democracy where citizens have the freedom to make their voices heard. Our government structure is designed where we elect people to speak for our wishes in local government. There’s no question that technology makes it easier for local governments to get messages directly to their citizens. Local governments also have to remember that communication is a two-way street and they must also listen to their constituents and create channels to gain feedback from them. Input from citizens is part of the diversity that helps local government councils make good decisions. Advances in technology have opened up new channels for communication in local government. Staff and elected officials still have some work to do in many cases to utilize them in the best way to actively engage with citizens. When they succeed it shows respect for constituents and helps to earn their trust. So where do we start First lets define an important word Proactive: (of person, policy, or action) creating or controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than responding to it after its happened. “ be proactive in identifying and preventing potential problems” As there are many things to do to get organized as a community sill offer the first few steps we must take to move forward with a proactive agenda to turn things around. Improve and offer communication platforms between the government and the people. One of the biggest issues local governments battle is maintaining communication with their citizens. Luckily, the rise in digital government solutions is making community engagement easier to accomplish, as long as you have the right tools. Here are four of the best solutions you can employ for better and more proactive communication; 1. Citizen Request System provides citizens with an easy way to report issues and a streamlined way for government staff to provide updates. This type of solution improves two- way communication between citizens and government because it allows residents to send reports and information to the correct government entity through any digital means (desktop, laptop and mobile device). The best part about a CRS is that it allows citizens to track the reports they send, so they can follow them all the way through to completion.

2. Community Engagement Solutions Community Engagement Solutions (CES) encourage ongoing discussion, are inclusive and allow citizens to make their voices heard on important issues such as upcoming city planning or changes. (CES) provides our municipality with a safe and secure location-based engagement tool that makes it easy for decision makers to connect with citizens as they take part in public consultations and discussions. geo-verification technology allows municipalities to conduct discussions within a specific area, zeroing in on the residents in a neighborhood or borough for whom the topic is most relevant, ultimately creating a more personalized experience. 3. Polls & Surveys Get ahead on hot topics by engaging citizens with polls and surveys. Both are great for getting feedback and giving your residents an opportunity to share their opinions on city matters. Polls and surveys are easy to put together and can be shared on your website, in emails and via social media. In fact several social media sites, such as Nextdoor Neighborhood, Facebook, Instagram have options that let you easily incorporate simple polls in your posts. 4. Social Media The success of social media is that it makes connecting so simple. It’s easy to update your constituents and engage with them on a regular basis when you incorporate social media into your governance strategy. Sites like Nextdoor Neighborhood Twitter, Facebook and Instagram allow local governments to make fast updates and spread information quickly to anyone following your account or page. Social media is evolving today many government leaders are finding it difficult to keep up with all the different social media platforms that are available, they lack the staff, training and funds to maintain a robust social media platform. Therefore, I have a single platform to propose that address all those needs and requires very little monies to participate. A platform with multiple layers to address alll these communication initiatives. 5. City Counsel Meeting Onsite meeting tools: In personally attending the City Counsel meetings and in speaking to many others attending there are several issues the make it difficult f or the public to participate or to get property informed. (a) To start with because the Mayor and Counsel members are not using microphones and speakers, its make it challenging to hear the conversation. Its important that it recognized that we always struggle to hear the city's business. If they do have such equipment they need to use it every time at such a volume wear the citizens in the chamber can hear the conversation. (b) Visibility; Its very difficult to see all the members of the city counsel from the Gallery. I would suggest installing two TV Monitoring devices one on each side of the Chamber and a camera that videos the members of the counsel. Although I see this being used with Zoom meeting. an enhancement is needed to upgrade what happens inside the chamber and what is broadcasted. The zoom meetings have terrible visual reference of the counsel members and the volume is even worse. With the proper equipment a recorder device can be added to the audiovisual system so that the meetings are recorded and published for public consumption on internet media platforms.

(c) Adding hearing impaired tools in chamber. I’ve observed that may elderly and persons with hearing disability struggle to hear what the conversation is of the counsel. Nothing is currently provided to address this issue therefore compliance with the American Disability Act could be questioned. I recommend using the aforementioned TV monitors with close caption capability and or Transcription broadcasting to the screens, so that there is a means for impaired persons to engage on the on the meeting. (d) Publish the meetings minutes within 24 hours after meeting is adjourned consistently. Its is the right of the people for its government to provide clear transcription of the peoples business within the government Whether or not its Local State or Federal. Its been since April 2021 that the minutes have been made available. Assigning an employee, intern or volunteer to see to this task. This should be a priority to the city to maintain the appearance of transparency There are many meeting software programs available to immediately transcribe these conversations in real time. I am happy to purchase and provide such Transcription programs for the city government to assure the citizens of a timely report of the Meeting Minutes of the City Counsel. As a proactive member of this community, I am willing to fund the monies needed to place and utilize things TV monitors, speakers audiovisual equipment hearing impaired technology if the city does not have the immediate funds to dedicate to these initiatives. Additionally If the city will loan me the use of one firetruck with fireman aboard to be positioned in different parts of the city strategically. I will show the city how to raise the funds in a very short period of time to pay for these things. So its on the table my fellow citizens and city elected officials! Proactive solutions to move the city ahead with its communications platform. What Say You! Are you ready! The Key to Proactive Communication There’s no one right way to be proactive in your communication. There are however, a variety of strategies and digital solutions available to local governments that help foster different types of communication—from emergencies to city updates to sharing news and gaining insight from constituents. The key to proactive communication is for local governments to focus on building a well- rounded eGovernment solution that helps meet the different communication demands of a thriving municipality. I have this digital solution to propose to the city and county government. Phase 1 I will payout my action plan to move us forward. There are 4 phases but we will start with Phase 1. My first objective is form a formal Community Watch-Dog Advocate Group. Community Watchdogs and Advocates are those individuals that have vested interest in the development and redevelopment of our neighborhoods and community. Watch-Dog is the arm of the people to the acting local government the interactive arm and consolidated voice of the people for the people. As a community we have to stop the finger pointing and setting the stage for our elected officials to fight between themselves and the citizens of the community. To engage with a better and stronger communications tool for the citizens of the community we will find that a much more productive and proactive local government relationship we will build and maintain to get things done. These committed individuals know there community and are not afraid to meet the challenges before them. To act as the direct extension of the community directly to our mayor our councilman, our county

commissioners state and federal government as a representative voice for all. Promoting the right of the people within the community with diverse range of interests and goals. Build a coalition to use social pressure to affect change, hold people accountable. To represent and bring forth valid creative ideas plans and proposals for consideration. To bring about change and reform raising public awareness, increasing support, or influencing policy for certain issues. Watching out for corruption and negligence calling out those public officials not working for the people but for themselves. Insisting on Accountability Every town or city should have a known authority to which or to whom citizens can report suspicions of fraud or corruption. Each area is at liberty to make their own decisions about who or what body has the authority to investigate and address allegations of fraud and corruption. These persons should be independent of city positions in order to avoid a conflict of interest. Their job descriptions should include overseeing city officials, management and staff. They should also be responsible for conducting investigations of ethics violations and make all ethics decisions public via public postings. Ethics officers usually also coordinate ethics training classes and ensure that all public officials are compliant with ethics education. The use of a city auditor isn’t always the best solution, as city auditors usually limit their investigations to allegations regarding financial issues. For very small communities like Marion with extremely limited finances, it may not be possible to hire an Ethics Officer or an equivalent. In that case, at a minimum, citizens should verify that their local government has a system of internal controls, such as having more than one person open the mail and having more than one person check over the accounting records. There’s another way that citizens can encourage their local officials to step up and demonstrate their commitment to ethical leadership, and that’s by implementing a Transparency Portal is a seamless extension of a local government website that’s designed with the accountability and transparency of local government in mind. Citizens can use the portal to view council meeting agendas and minutes. They can even view a council meeting in progress in real time, which makes access to local government convenient for shut- ins and disabled people, as well as all citizens. Using a simple search box, citizens can retrieve all public documents within seconds. There’s no better investment of tax dollars or a sure way to ensure accountability and transparency of local government than by implementing a Transparency Portal. Did you know you don’t need to be an elected official to make a difference in our local government. Citizen watchdogs and community advocates are an essential part of protecting the freedoms we enjoy everyday. Watchdogs hold elected officials accountable, protect taxpayers dollars and identify waste, fraud and abuse. Community advocates joins and listens to the people of the community they act as the liaison arm between the people of the community and the governments advocating as one voice initiatives and matters of interests to the members of our communities. In joining our Watchdog advocacy group we will provide you free no cost Grassroots Leadership Academy Training and Certification programs. This multi-level program en-powers you with the tools, tactics, techniques, and strategies to effectively advocate for the values of a good society based on equal rights and mutual benefit, like individual liberty and free speech. We will offer 3 levels of certification starting with fundamentals coarse.

Our plan is to provide your the training and education to be a proactive advocate in our community. Training will be online in Levels one and two level three is our final certification level it is a three day boot-camp for committed grassroots leaders. This is where you’ll put all your training together and handle real-life grassroots organizing scenarios. Once you’re done, you’ll be equipped to run an issue campaign become a community leader, or pursue a career in grassroots activism and community advocacy. If you are one of those in our community that are interested in becoming a member of our community watch-dog, advocate group, your ready to do more than make comments on social media and representative of this community group and make a difference then please contact me at [email protected] we can discuss more details of how you can get involved. My next objective is offer a clear communications platform to the city so that there is a means directly to inform the community of events activities warnings alerts and other means of communications. A platform to have communication in both directions that that serves the interest of the community as well as the Local Government. The platform provides an open communication forum that connect public safety, municipalities, schools, businesses and the communities they serve. The program enables real-time, two-way communication through text, email, voice messages, social media, and the mobile app. The notification system is relied on by over 8000 agencies, fire and police departments, schools, hospitals and is used for critical situations such as Severe Weather Events, Evacuations, Safety Hazards, Security Threats, Facilities Problems, Employee Notifications, and IT/Telecom Disruptions. I have such proposal prepared to present to our leaders. Being that Facebook is only reaching hardly 1/3 of our community its long overdue that a more resourceful tool be deployed that will reach the entire community. As we objectively look at all our issues in this community the biggest breakdown we have is clear communication vehicles that meets the needs of all the people and our government, Facebook, unmanned unprofessional websites, twitter and so on are not accomplishing resolving the problem its only adding layers to the issue and problems before us. so this is why I have proposed and have started to move forward on the two plans I have laid out. Its the starting point for us as a community to begin. .Im not suggesting we abandon using social media platforms such as Facebook but enhancing a social media platform that work for both the government and the citizens Our next step is establishing ( NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS) Neighborhood Councils will be created to connect Marion’s diverse communities to City Hall. While Neighborhood Council board members are volunteers, they are public officials elected to office by the members of their community. As a result, each Council is unique. Though every Neighborhood Council is held to the local, state, and federal standards that other City officials and agencies must observe, each Council has its own board structure, with seats representing the particular type of stakeholders which that Council serves. For example, some Councils have seats for renters, while some have seats for equestrians. Others have seats that represent internal districts. Boards range in size from 3 to 6 members. Most board members serve two-year terms; a few Councils have four-year terms, staggered so that half the board is elected every two years.

Neighborhood Councils advocate on issues like homelessness, housing, land use, emergency preparedness, public safety, parks, transportation, crime and sustainability. They also provide local expertise and a local voice on the delivery of City services to their communities. Each Council holds monthly meetings of their full board, in addition to monthly Committee meetings with a more targeted focus on key issues or projects, like public safety, transportation, homelessness, or land use. All meetings are open to the public. WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? Another unique feature of Marion’s Neighborhood Council system is its broad, inclusive definition of stakeholdership. Unlike other government officials, who are elected by residential stakeholders of the area they serve, Neighborhood Councils are open to participation by anyone who is part of the fabric of daily life in a community. This includes those who live, work, or own property or a business there. Also included are “community interest stakeholders,” who have some type of ongoing, substantial involvement within a Council’s boundaries, such as students of a local school, or the congregation of a local church. Board members – and candidates, and voters – need not be US citizens or legal US residents to qualify. Participation is also open to the formerly incarcerated. WHAT DO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS DO Since Neighborhood Councils hold their meetings in the communities they serve, they are an important avenue for public participation in the City of Marion, and give the members of a community the chance to have input on decisions that affect their quality of life, and the services they receive from the City. Neighborhood Councils play an advisory/advocate role in the local city and county government. They gather, vet, debate, and come to a consensus on matters that impact City life and policy, and deliver their official stance on these issues in letters called “Community Impact Statements” (CIS), which are shared with City decision-makers, such as the Mayor, City Council, or City Departments such as City Planning. The Neighborhood Council may also attend meetings of these decision-making officials in person, to advocate for their board’s position on a matter. Neighborhood Councils members take action as a board, and not as individuals, so they do not take an official position without a majority vote first. Our next plan is launching a News Podcast and Radio Station Platform Completing our First Phase is establishing a local Community News Podcast and Radio Station Cast; Think of it much like a news station you may tune into on your TV. We will present our local Podcast working up to a daily broadcast that will include news of the day, government and politics, community programs and forums. Seminars and dialogue that will serve all the community. It will be broadcast to several platforms and posted for days following the broadcast for viewers to take in on their own time. Prerecorded programming. All will be accessible from your computer screen, steaming TV and or mobile device. Digital technologies have transformed nearly every aspect of our lives, and community members now expect dynamically integrated technology from their local government. But digital transformation is about more than just solving immediate processing needs. It is about transforming how citizens interact, relate to one another, and lift each other up to create a more equitable community.

Even with local governments facing intense pressure, competing priorities and shrinking budgets, they must prioritize digitally transforming citizen engagement. The global pandemic and civic unrest highlighted the importance of local government leaders connecting with constituents to foster a sense of trust and transparency within local communities. “Local governments are realizing that they can’t stick with what they have always done, that their residents are demanding new ways to receive engaging content from them and they have to keep up with the times, We will launch a City Cast. The podcast will explores how we can financially strengthen our city and neighborhoods. features the stories of the Strong Towns movement in actionable will tell the story about how regular people have stepped up to make their community more economically resilient, and how others can implement these ideas in their own places. We’ll talk about taking concrete action steps, connecting with fellow advocates to build power, and surviving the bumps along the way—all in the pursuit of creating stronger town. We will include in our programming hot new stories that will cross our desks that we need to talk about right away. Occasional surprise guests to talk in depth about just one big story from the week in the Strong Towns conversation, right when you want it: now. We will feature segments involving our local government and local business and community leaders to keep the public informed. Next will be our internet based Community Radio. The first thing to know about community radio is that it is different from commercial radio in three key ways, because it is: 1.Local 2.Nonprofit 3.Independent Community radio is a labor of love: something you have to be passionate about. Thats something we know about and want to bring to our community. . You’ll hear music ranging from jazz and blues to underground hip-hop, classic rock to experimental modern music, island sounds and more along with local news, quiz shows, feature segments and interviews and even some types of theater on community radio stations. If you are looking for a way to share your interests and concerns with others in your area, community radio offers an unrivaled platform for creativity. Sometimes community means a community of interest, like a specific musical genre, artist, politics or hobby. But most of the time, community means a local area. However you define community, the station’s programming will serve the people in it. What do they need to know? What stories are not being told by other media outlets? How our station can be a voice for those who don’t have one? (Another key principle of radio is that it is probably the most democratic medium in the world: Our plan is to bring this to you late winter to early spring. Summary These communication platforms will be powerful in keeping the community engaged on multiple levels from the grassroots level and filling the void our community is lacking. My position is to actively get involved and dedicate my time and resources to bring solutions that work to our community. It will require engagement and participation and we realize it may not be for everyone. But its time to give new things a try. Its time to address the core issues that surround us and make this a better community and Better Tomorrow for Marion. Its a way for our citizens to

engage and participate and become a proactive participant of our goals and initiatives that serve all the people of Marion. We welcome any suggestions or input you may have however you must understand that we need to get organized to become a powerful force that will watch out for everyone in our community not just a select few. What I have outlined is (Phase 1), our starting point to address the immediate issues of communication within our community and to engage with our local government in an effective way that organized serious and proactive approach to better serve the needs of our community. Phase 2 will be even be more exciting but first things first. Building community: how sharing ideas can bring us all together As the world grows more connected, digitally and physically, people are living closer together and interacting in ways they never have before. As a result, the process of building communities – coming together with people across cultures to share goals and ideas – is more important than ever before. When it comes to joining together to make our neighborhoods, our cities, and our world better, one of the most important things we can do is to find out what we have in common. When we share something with the people around us – no matter how small or insignificant it seems – it can help us make connections we never realized we could. I look forward to launching of these solutions and working with serious minded citizens and leaders to begin improving our community, providing solutions and address its needs and concerns in a proactive and positive way. If you have a serious interest in actively participating in any of our initiatives and programs please get in contact with me. Mitch Jamison [email protected]