The Uptown Partnership, our community’s parking advisory board, met Thursday at their monthly board meeting to discuss the future of the organization. The board elected David Gatzke president filling the vacancy left by the resignation of Anne Rast. Hillcrest property owner Ron Baranov, volunteered to assume the responsibilities of vice president in addition to his role as treasurer.
Following the elections, a message and proposal from community leaders was presented to the Partnership board. The community leaders from Mission Hills, Hillcrest and Bankers Hill/Park West met Wednesday to discuss the future of the parking advisory board and the role of neighborhoods in the restructure of the Partnership. The leadership group agreed with the Partnership that a neutral third party should facilitate the reform and that all neighborhoods and all constituents should drive the restructured of the organization. The leadership group stated that despite the efforts of the Partnership 
board to make recent positive changes, the Partnership’s involvement in the selection of a facilitator or management of that contract will not have the support or the confidence of neighborhood organizations.
The Uptown Partnership was strongly urged to step aside and allow City Planning and Community Investment (CPCI) manage the contract and affairs of the Uptown Partnership for a period of time. The CPCI’s role would be to solicit proposals for a facilitator as soon as possible and work with a task force of individuals from each segment of the community to select the facilitator and assist with the outreach to constituents to obtain input used in re-structuring the organization. The board discussed the proposal and proceeded to make a motion to request the CPCI retain and manage the contract of a facilitator.
Later in the meeting board member Jim Frost (above) made a motion to notify the city that the Partnership has no intention to contract with them after their contract expires next month, then passed both motions. UP’s next board meeting will be at 4:30pm on November 17.
