What Is Your Vision for the Wicomico Neighborhood Congress?
April 16, 2007 by Cato
Filed under Fiscal Policy, Lobbying, Maryland, Neighborhoods, Wicomico Politics
When the Wicomico Neighborhood Congress was originally proposed by County Executive Rick Pollitt the idea was to have a grassroots organization where ordinary citizens from all areas of Wicomico County could come together and discuss ways to solve common problems. This was a great idea. Unfortunately, what is currently being proposed is anything but a grassroots organization.
Take a look at the proposed articles of incorporation. The proposal is to have an organization that is set-up to raise money from foundations, hire staff, and basically become a Washington-type “grassroots lobby“. A “grassroots lobby” is almost always a far cry from a grassroots organization. I am sure that steering committee co-chair Mike Pretl will argue that incorporating the WNC is just a legal mechanism to shield directors, officers and members from liability as well as being a vehicle to help the organization to raise money. This argument would hold some water until you examine the draft by-laws.
Let’s start with section 3 – “ the “Goals and Strategies”. Who can argue about education, organization, or even empowerment? What about “advocacy”? Mr. Pretl proposes that the WNC advocate to influence government on issues of “distributive justice”. What is “distributive justice”? That’s a nice lefty phrase for taking from the “haves” and giving to the “have-nots”. This sounds nice until someone, or some group, decides that you are one of the “haves”.
Examine section 4 – “Members”. When the WNC was originally proposed it was supposed to be an organization comprised of neighborhoods. As with all organizations the devil is in the details. How do you define “neighborhood” and who should represent those neighborhoods? Mr. Pretl proposes that a “neighborhood” be defined as a contiguous residential area consisting of 100 or more housing units. Hopefully this is an arbitrary proposal. I live in a neighborhood, but I don’t think we have 100 homes. Does that mean we can’t be represented?
The draft by-laws also propose two other classes of membership besides neighborhoods – affiliate members and individual members. There are actually good reasons behind the idea of these types of membership. There are also potential problems. First we have the problem of who decides who can be a member. Does the Chamber of Commerce get a membership? How about SAPOA (the landlord’s trade group)? They already have one officer and one ally on the steering committee. What about Mike Pretl’s group, the Wicomico Environmental Trust? The NAACP has expressed interest.
Mr. Pretl keeps stating that these groups can’t be “political”. Well Mike’s definition of “political” must be way outside the mainstream. No group is more political than SAPOA. Just look at their recent activity in the Salisbury Council election. The Chamber is certainly political. Mr. Pretl can claim until the cows come home that WET isn’t political, but such an assertion is ridiculous. They are just as political as the Democrat or Republican parties.
There are a myriad of smaller concerns in the proposed by-laws. There is, however, one HUGE problem. Like your typical grassroots lobby, Mr. Pretl proposes that the WNC have one annual membership meeting and that the officers and board take care of everything else. What, then, is the purpose of the Wicomico Neighborhood Congress? If the membership gets together just once a year to affirm the nominating committees recommendations for the board and for the officers what else will the membership do? I’m sure they’ll have some speakers, the officers will tell them what a great job they are doing representing their interests.
What will the officers be doing the rest of the year? I guess they will be applying for grants, hiring staff, and going to county and town council meetings. At these meetings they will tell our elected representatives that they represent us. They won’t be accountable to the membership (except in theory), because the membership will only know what is sent to them by the board (unless a member is actually at the council meeting). Personally, I don’t need the WNC representing me. That’s why we have elected representatives in government.
Now I’ve discussed some of the problems with the proposed structure of the WNC. Do I have any solutions? Of course. The WNC should be exactly what was originally proposed. We should have representatives from neighborhoods throughout the county. They should get together at least quarterly to discuss problems, and solutions. While there should be a few officers, there is no need for a board. At some time in the future, the WNC may decide that it does need to incorporate, but now is certainly not the time. As we have seen with the Council of Governments, this desire for structure and bureaucracy leads to little more than suspicion among the majority of our citizens.
The WNC is a great idea. For it to get off the ground properly an emphasis needs to be placed on bringing people together for discussion. Despite the protestations of some this can be done without an elaborate and bureaucratic structure. Volunteers can bring together information and present ideas rather than raising money to pay speakers or seminar leaders who may (or not) have an agenda other than the WNC’s.
The choice is yours. Do you want a “grassroots lobby” or a truly grassroots organization?
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It’s really unfortunate that this has been sabotaged by Mr. Pretl, who is a “pro” at misusing public concerns to promote his personal agenda of no growth outside the so-called Metro Core (except where he lives — “Foxchase”) and the so-called Wal-Mart health insurance bill that he supported in court last year.
Cato:
Thanks for giving us an important warning about what Pretl is doing after being rejected by the voters in the County Council election last fall.
Not to mention the attempt by SAPOA (T. J. Maloney) to make it appear that the public actually supports their rape of single-family neighborhoods.
They are trying to fabricate a “public interest group” facade for what would be an apparatus to promote their personal political agendas, which are completely contrary to the public interest.
Please keep the spotlight on the vermin!
Good work, Cato — Pretl and T. J. Maloney are a clear and present danger to the rest of us.
I called Imus and asked him if he’d be interested in moving to Salisbury and join this Congress?
As usual, someone who choses not get involved in the process becomes the self-appointed critic. Incorporation is essential to shield participants from liability. It also paves the way for raising money. The steering comittee does not plan to pay for this operation out of its own pocket forever. It would not matter what was proposed, you would find some way to whine about it.
Sir,
Contrary to your belief, I have been to every meeting save one.
I am interested to know what expenses you have paid out of your own pocket to date. Do you expect to be compensated for attending meetings?
As to incorporation, what liability do you expect to incur? Incorporation is simply a step towards building an empire by a few people. To the best of my knowledge you are not one of them, but you are enabling them by agreeing to this proposal.
I have made my proposal. I do not whine. I listen, I argue and if need be I fight for what I believe to be the right thing. I certainly don’t buckle to pressure from a special interest group and put the past president of the Slumlord’s Guild on the steering committee in some false claim to diversity. Perhaps you didn’t know that Shanie Shields has been lobbying for putting T. J. Maloney on the Steering Committee ever since she pulled her little stunt in the newspaper. If you didn’t, shame on her. If you did, shame on you.
On Tuesday we’ll see how many no-white faces are at the table.
TO: “gerry58″
Cato’s objection is to the form — not the fact — of the incorporation. As you have (incorrectly)suggested that he has not been “involved in the process” of this charade how about telling us about your involvement — or are you simply a sniper?
And why is it so important that this group do fund raising?
Shanie Shields has put on her usual and disgusting performance that does nothing for her constituents.
So, I’m sure that you’re pleased with things.
To be fair – “gerry58″ is not a sniper. He has been involved in the WNC from the first meeting and simply disagrees with my POV. His views are welcome.
“Cato’s objection is to the form — not the fact — of the incorporation.”
I believe Cato is misenterpreting the “one meeting” clause. That does not mean that there is only going to be 1. That is a standard corp charter item, where it is a statutary requirement for there to be (at least)one meeting a year.
“As you have (incorrectly)suggested that he has not been “involved in the process†of this charade”
My point was the he could have joined the steering committee, when it was re-opened in an attempt to get more “diversity”. He chose not to get personally involved, but has been quick to critize those who have.
“how about telling us about your involvement — or are you simply a sniper?”
I AM on the steering committee.
“And why is it so important that this group do fund raising?”
Because it cost money to do anything! Right now the members of the steering committee are paying the administrative costs of running this out of their own pockets. Who is going to pay for copies when we need 500 ea– or more– instead of 25?
“Shanie Shields has put on her usual and disgusting performance that does nothing for her constituents.”
Shanie is Shanie. Some people love her, others do not. I am committed to working with her to make this work.
“So, I’m sure that you’re pleased with things.”
This is a work in progress– and will be for some time.
I agree with Cato’s POV on many things. In this instance, I think he has rushed to judgement. Give us some time to work this out and it will be a great thing for this county.
Whomever gerry is, Shannie has been a sell out to the constituents in district one since her lame butt got voted into office with just less than 300 votes. It won’t take much to wave bye-bye to Shannie. AMF