THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 15, 1995 TAG: 9502150016
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Surely you've heard it said, ``You can't fight City Hall.''
But around the nation, and in Hampton Roads, citizens are joining city halls in solving problems - with stunning success.
Some of their stories were told in Sunday's Virginian-Pilot/Ledger-Star. In Roanoke, a neighborhood's comeback began when an elderly woman borrowed a city lawn mower to clean up a weedy lot. In Norfolk, about 20 volunteers patrolling Fairmount Park, Lafayette-Winona and Ballentine Place are making life and property safer. An organization of 30 volunteers is working to revive the polluted Elizabeth River - truly a daunting task, but with visible progress.
Smart City Halls are (1) listening to their citizens and (2) empowering them to solve their own problems. Dumb City Halls are ignoring citizens while attempting to provide all services themselves. The second route leads to higher taxes and mounting discontent.
For public officials, listening can be painful, especially listening to the small number of citizens whose social lives revolve around complaining vehemently at city council meetings. Marilee A. Hawkins, director of environmental services for Portsmouth, said, ``At the City Council meeting there is this incredible sucking sound of energy being drained because of that citizen who wants instant gratification.''
On the other hand, a citizen's sincere suggestions for solutions and eager offers to help must be stringed music to an overburdened bureaucrat.
Empowering people may be harder, even, than listening to them. Matthew James, Portsmouth director of economic development, said, ``One of the things you have to do is, when you empower people, you've got to trust their judgment. You can't do it halfway. If you're going to tell the community they can do this, if you empower them, you can't change the rules.''
It is human nature to solve problems for which we are responsible, especially when given encouragement and help. Of the two - encouragement and help - the former might be the more important. It is also human nature to pass the buck, to leave problem-solving to the paid folks at city hall.
But we are not clients of a city hall. We are a city.
A cynic might argue, ``What's the use of trying? Apart, we are little; together, we disagree.''
But solutions have been found to common problems. Trying has worked.
Neglected neighborhoods decline as surely as neglected cars break down. Volunteers report immense satisfaction in seeing their efforts improve their neighborhoods.
In Roanoke, Florine Thornhill, 73, the woman who borrowed the lawn mower, has watched professionals return to her neighborhood to live.
``It's just wonderful to see the children coming home,'' she said. ``I know they care. They will keep this neighborhood going long after I'm gone.'' MEMO: Three of the five South Hampton Roads cities have designated specific
persons for volunteers to call. In Norfolk, Heather Stone at 441-5145.
In Virginia Beach, Carol Williams at 426-5753. In Portsmouth, Sheila
Pittman at 393-8639.
by CNB