What do you expect from our association?
Give us your thoughts about what you think the association should be doing.
Hints: Neighborhood Plan; Art Festivals; Voting on priorities; Marketing to community; Education of community; Lobbying the City for improvements to infrastructure;..

By Deb C

Expectations of HRPNA in 2005:

Before it does one single thing more, HRPNA needs to sit itself down and answer the following quesitons: How does it function? How does it conduct its business? How is it accountable and responsible to itself and those it represents? How does it establish its goals and formalize its commitments? How does it actively evaluates its progress? HRPNA does not do an effective job when it comes to such basic operating principles, which leads directly to break down and disorder. If HRPNA accomplishes nothing else this year, addressing these fundamental problems would be a huge step in the right direction. I think we all agree that things need to change for the better, but let's make sure we are really moving forward, and not in circles.

Wherever HRPNA decides to direct its efforts this year, it probably ought to be decided democratically, and with prioritizing in mind. The establishment of formal action plans for each item with specific deadlines prescribed is key. Greater accountability is also needed, both personal and overall. Individual committees need to be more accountable to the board, and their reporting to it standardized and formalized (IE typed), with agreements as to the what's, how's, when's and why's of a committee's planned monthly activities formally communicated, the results then being assessed by the board in subsequent reports. Only then will progress start to become a regular as opposed to a haphazard occurrence.

As far as WHAT should be on the 05 agenda itself, the general membership ought to nominate, or should at least be invited to vote upon the items and their order of importance. The items themselves and their importance are far less critical than the process of actually carrying them out. Once and IF we have gotten the process right, it shouldn't take us long at all to accomplish ALL the things we aim to do.


By Wayne

Review Neighborhood Plan

With so many enthusiastic new people getting involved with the association I can?’t think of a better idea then to get a basic understanding of our past accomplishments and the diversification of our goals as seen through the Neighborhood Plan.

It will give members an understanding and respect for the hard work of earlier neighbor?’s (I wasn?’t one of those that worked on the plan) and maybe an idea of how to expand on it. In the short run it is interesting reading; in the long run it could prevent a lot of ?“reinventing the wheel.?”

Barb has taken a great initiative by looking into it herself and making copies for other board members.

Ideally, once the association has a better understanding of what has already been accomplished a new plan can be drawn up for future goals. This should be done, at least as a basic guideline, for the association to figure out what they ?“should be doing next.?’ If everyone decided to make it more official they could use the old plan as an outline and make a new one, or, they could get a grant to hire someone to do a professional job of it.

This could be done with a few committed volunteers using the table of contents as an outline - but a pro would get it done faster. Upon completion it could be given to City Council to approve. This kind of approval would give greater clout to our efforts to get city backing for future endeavors. As a tool to help guide us and as a document that gives testimony to our intentions, it can?’t be overvalued.