The Uptown Partnership, the advisory board responsible for administering parking meter revenue for Hillcrest, Bankers Hill/Park West, Mission Hills and Five Points held a workshop Saturday at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. The organization, embroiled in controversy for the last couple of years, set out to gain insight from Councilmembers Gloria and Faulconer about their concerns with the organization, develop steps for moving forward, align directors’ views on the Partnership’s place and purpose in the process, and develop a response to the city council’s 90-day contract with instructions for reform. (Here’s an interview with UP’s new leader Dave Gatzke.)
Councilmembers Faulconer and Gloria started the meeting (above) with comments supporting the organization. Then Councilmember Gloria covered five areas of concern that need to be addressed: 1) reduction in cost, 2) quicker deployment of projects, 3) greater representation on their board, 4) better constituent satisfaction and 5) more parking at less cost. The six UP boardmembers and attendees listed strengths and weaknesses of the Partnership’s operations. Compliance, staff and the Hillcrest Mobility Study were mentioned as their strengths (although many in the community rejected it). Weaknesses included advocacy, outreach, relationships with community organizations and the Partnership’s relationship with the city. Boardmember Jim Frost commented that the “city is dysfunctional”. The afternoon was spent defining a best method for moving forward. Boardmember Frost moved to send a 60-day notice to the city that the Partnership would terminate their contract. After a second by boardmember Greg Nowell and discussion, the motion failed.
Boardmembers agreed that the Uptown Partnership couldn’t comply with the city’s instructions to reform by December 28, 2010 leading to another motion to garner city support to use the time between now and the end of the year to step back and help transition the Uptown Partnership into a new organization. Tom Hall the facilitator from Albert Hall Associates led the group through a “planning the plan” exercise that included asking for city support, engaging professional help to achieve the reform and a group of assorted measures such as suspending all non-essential meetings of the Partnership, meet every other week to “plan the plan,” work to broaden the coalition and solicit public input. The work accomplished on Saturday is subject to full board approval at an upcoming meeting with the date to be determined.
