THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 26, 1995 TAG: 9502260071
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Long : 110 lines
For years, civic league leaders have denounced City Hall for not doing a good enough job in fighting neighborhood blight.
On Saturday, neighborhoods got to share center stage with city officials, and both sides left calling each other family.
``Sometimes we disagree like all families do, but I think we're a family,'' said John Roger, president of the Bayview Civic League, which created a volunteer program to help City Hall control blight.
Roger was one of several neighborhood panelists at City Hall's first citizen-outreach workshop aimed at bridging Norfolk government with residents.
About 200 people attended the session, ``Community Partnerships for Effective Neighborhood Code Enforcement,'' at Lafayette-Winona Middle School.
They discussed City Hall's efforts to enforce laws against rundown houses, overgrown weeds, junk cars, garbage in the streets and other blight.
Forums on other subjects will be scheduled later, along with quarterly meetings between Mayor Paul D. Fraim and civic league presidents.
But Norfolk officials and civic league leaders hope something more develops from the workshops than better city services. Both sides said they want a true partnership, in which neighborhoods have a voice and some responsibility in community improvement.
George Crawley, an assistant city manager, acknowledged that City Hall had missed opportunities to work more closely with neighborhoods. ``In some respects, city staff was guilty of that,'' he said,
``The concern has to come from the top down, but citizens also have to be involved,'' said Junior Johnson, vice president of the Titustown Civic League. ``It has to be a total involvement.''
For example, the Bayview program was held as a model. Each quarter, eight to 12 resident volunteers scour the neighborhood, taking note of problems. The civic league then sends letters to owners, asking that they take better care of their property.
City agencies trained the neighborhood volunteers and promise to follow up with strong enforcement against property owners who donot comply with civic league notices.
``We have proven that partnerships work,'' Roger said. ``So far, all but one case has been completely resolved. But believe me, folks, his day is coming.''
Terry Smith of Bromley praised the Bayview Civic League for helping solve neighborhood problems ``instead of dumping them on the city.''
In another example, Harold ``Butch'' Schupska, a Fairmount Park resident, told of an anti-crime citizens patrol that watches for suspicious activity in his neighborhood, Lafayette-Winona and Ballentine Place. Volunteers walk, ride bicycles and drive through the streets.
``If you just sit behind closed doors and complain,'' Schupska said, ``then you have nobody to blame but yourselves.''
Leonard Parker of Lafayette-Winona praised the citizen patrol and said it helped him get to know his neighbors.
Neighborhood leaders also talked about the purpose of civic leagues.
Many civic leagues begin in response to neighborhood crises, but successful groups have a more important purpose, said B.J. Stancel, president of the Park Place Civic League.
The roles include being the voice of neighborhoods, boosting citizen participation in community affairs and resolving problems before asking City Hall for help, she said.
Civic leagues also promote and maintain community standards, said Eloise LaBeau, president of the Norfolk Federation of Civic League, a coalition of 42 neighborhood groups.
``Crime and blight flourishes as long as they are socially acceptable to the community,'' she said. ``If you don't have a civic league in your area, it's time to get one.''
Workshop participants acknowledged that government must improve its services. Besides the mayor, city officials included Councilmen Mason C. Andrews, G. Conoly Phillips, W. Randy Wright and department directors. They offered help for specific problems.
Aimed at Norfolk citizens, the workshop also drew residents and government officials from other cities. They included Carolyn Lincoln of Bellamy Woods and Stephanie Stetson of Larkspur Greens in Virginia Beach; Suffolk former-Mayor Andrew Damiani; Marilee A. Hawkins, Portsmouth director of environmental services; and Ed Hayden, a Portsmouth inspection supervisor.
Many Norfolk residents who attended said they will come to future partnership workshops.
Carl Meredith, president of the Lafayette-Winona Civic League, said he had had doubts about the program.
``But this was refreshing,'' he said. ``It was wonderful to see us connect. It was like a family reunion, of sorts.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
D. KEVIN ELLIOTT/Staff
Virginia Roger switches slides on an overhead projector while her
husband, John, president of the Bayview Civic League, speaks.
RESIDENTS SPEAK OUT
Therman Ames Jr., who lives in the Berkley section of Norfolk,
speaks about crime in his community. Residents and the city want a
partnership, in which neighborhoods have some role in community
improvement.
Photo
D. KEVIN ELLIOTT/Staff
Former Suffolk Mayor Andrew Damiani asks a question at the gathering
of civic league and Norfolk officials at Lafayette-Winona Middle
School. Citizens discussed how to enforce laws against rundown
houses, junk cars, garbage in the streets and other blight.
by CNB