THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 16, 1995 TAG: 9503140141
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: In The Neighborhoods
SOURCE: Mike Knepler
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
Mayor Paul Fraim is turning into a triple-threat player for Norfolk's neighborhoods.
First, he starts holding monthly open-door meetings with individual citizens.
Second, Fraim launches a program of quarterly ``citizen workshops'' on the theme of building partnerships between City Hall and neighborhoods. The first session, held Feb. 25, concerned fighting neighborhood blight.
Tonight, comes the third of the mayor's initiatives. He will host his first quarterly meeting with civic league presidents. The session is 7 to 8:30 p.m. in City Council chambers.
``It's to open up a fresh dialogue with the civic league presidents about their government and their role in the life of the city,'' Fraim explained. ``I'm going to do some of the talking, but I'm going to leave plenty of time for discussion.
``This is an opportunity for them to engage in direct discussions about the issues that are important to them.''
But Fraim has added an interesting wrinkle by inviting representatives of some Norfolk business organizations to attend. They include the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Norfolk Council and Greater Norfolk Corp.
Besides wanting better understanding and communication between City Hall and neighborhoods, the mayor desires a similar attitude of cooperation between the business sector and civic leagues.
``My sense is that they don't communicate at all. This will be just one opportunity to sit down together,'' he said.
Last month, for example, leaders of the Downtown Norfolk Council and Greater Norfolk Corp. told the Planning Commission that neighborhoods don't seem to appreciate the importance of downtown economic development.
Meanwhile, civic leagues chronically complain that downtown's advocates don't understand why neighborhoods often feel neglected by City Hall.
Fraim's move to invite business leaders as well as civic league presidents already is prompting discussion.
``To be honest with you, I think there's a heck of a lot more that brings us together than divides us,'' said Barry Bishop, executive vice president of Greater Norfolk.
A healthy city needs both economic development and good, livable neighborhoods, Bishop said. ``I welcome the opportunity to be there,'' he said. ``This is a darn good idea.''
Eloise LaBeau, president of the Norfolk Federation of Civic Leagues, called Fraim's latest foray ``long overdue.''
``It will be good for (business leaders) to see what we're doing. If we could interweave, it will be better for the entire city.''
Of course, civic league activists and business leaders will come to tonight's meeting still carrying long-held perceptions of each other.
``I think we're more common-sense folks than they are,'' LaBeau said, adding that maybe some ``common sense might rub off'' on business leaders who attend Fraim's quarterly meetings with civic league presidents.
On the other hand, downtowners will remember LaBeau as an organizer of an unsuccessful petition drive to force a public referendum on Nauticus and the Harbor Park baseball stadium.
Still, there are indications that downtown advocates as well as neighborhoods are willing to listen - to Mayor Fraim and to each other.
``Let's put it this way,'' Bishop said, ``rather than second-guess the past, this could be a good beginning.''
Or, as LaBeau said: ``Maybe this is a learning thing.'' by CNB