[NENA] More on proposal to build a bridge across arroyo at Barstow

Tue Mar 11 10:22:50 CDT 2008

Please take this discussion off-line.  Thank you.

Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:25:18 -0600
From: Stuart.Maxon at afotec.af.mil
To: members at noreste.org
Subject: Re: [NENA] More on proposal to build a bridge across arroyo at	Barstow

Re: [NENA] More on proposal to build a bridge across arroyo at Barstow

Lisa,

God bless you all for your dedication and service to the community...You are a better person than I...

However, since this is the first time I heard of a NENA position to oppose the bridge, when and where did the open dialog and democratic vote take place?  Did it include all property owners within the NENA boundary, members only, of just some folks that happened to show up for a meeting? 

The last truly democratic vote I remember was about 5 years ago when our former neighbors Paul and Barbara Hewitt ran the petition to barricade Betty Sabo.  The petition included all property owners regardless of NENA membership (I was a member at that time). When NENA forms positions without a full property owner survey, it runs the risk of becoming an activist group wrapped in the mantle of a neighborhood association.

Since membership is not mandatory, and less than half of all residents belong, how can NENA form any position with confidence?  As a former NENA member, I lost interest when I assessed that the only voices counted were at the poorly attended meetings...I think more people would participate and remain active if you created a simple, consistent, and reliable process to assess public sentiment; a periodic petition, survey, webpage vote, maybe a response page attached to the news letter...As you saw this week, it doesn't take much to get folks to jump into the e-mail pool as well... 

On the other hand, if NENA is for members only and does not intend to represent all property owners, I wish remain a non-member...Please take my name off the NENA bounce list so I am unaware of future NENA positions.

V/R Stu Maxon

-----Original Message-----

From: members-bounces at noreste.org <mailto:members-bounces at noreste.org>  [mailto:members-bounces at noreste.org <mailto:members-bounces at noreste.org> ] On Behalf Of Lisa Abeyta

Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 2:27 PM

To: members at noreste.org <mailto:members at noreste.org> ; Nor Este Neighborhood Association Board

Subject: Re: [NENA] More on proposal to build a bridge across arroyo atBarstow

As the membership chair of NENA and an active participant in the defense NENA mounted over the past two years against a loophole in the La Cueva Sector Plan allowing development in some areas at twice the stated density (which we were able to close with the help of Couselor Winter), I can say that the way NENA decides to take a stand on an issue is through open dialogue and democratic vote.

I can also say that when NENA takes a stand either way on this issue, it will need active members who are willing to attend city meetings, and the dues that the members pay will be needed for any legal advice or defense.  If you haven't paid your dues and reside within NENA's boundaries, please consider writing the check for $25.  You can find the mailing address at www.noreste.org.  It is money well-spent.

At this point, we need more members to pay their dues simply for NENA to be able to send out timely newsletters with updates on issues such at this.

I am glad to see the dialogue beginning here and will request from our President that we place the Barstow and Wyoming bridge issues on the agenda for the next NENA meeting, which I believe will be the first Tuesday in June at 7 PM at the Firestation.

It was requested at the previous meeting that I follow up with Counselor Winter,  with Development Review Board member Brad Bingham, and with AMAFCA to find out the exact status of both bridges.  I plan to have as much information as possible by our next meeting and will see about getting pertinent speakers for our next meeting to answer questions.

I live at the intersection of the arroyo and Barstow, so whatever happens, it will have significant impact on our household.  I, like all of you, want as many facts as possible.

Sincerely,

Lisa Abeyta

Membership Chair, NENA

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