THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 17, 1995 TAG: 9508150109
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: In The Neighborhoods
SOURCE: Mike Knepler
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
When a federal official gave Middle Towne Arch residents an update on a nearby hazardous-materials site, she didn't know the neighborhood had its own environmental specialist.
Soon, Lesa Archie-Barnes was closely questioning Leanne Smith-Nurse about the durability of containers used in the clean up of the Fine Petroleum Co. site.
Smith-Nurse, of the Environmental Protection Agency, had to improve her explanations. Later, she exclaimed that the neighborhood was fortunate to have someone like Archie-Barnes.
Archie-Barnes works in hazardous waste management at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Her husband, Willie, also is an environmental-protection specialist.
In this age of complex issues, it's important for neighborhoods to find good resource people who can cut through the jargon or supply wisdom from their experience.
You needn't look very far.
How do you find these resource people? More civic leagues are looking within their neighborhoods or networking with others.
It called taking an inventory of neighborhood skills.
It's not just for dealing with highly technical issues, Archie-Barnes said. Bob Armstrong, president of the Middle Towne Arch Civic League, has law-enforcement knowledge from a former job.
Neighborhoods also can look within for accountants to translate the city budget or for English teachers to help write reports.
Perhaps there's a green thumb to guide a landscaping project. If you can't find an in-house expert, check other civic leagues. That's what Middle Towne Arch may do as it launches a gardening program for kids, Archie-Barnes said.
Inventories are recommended by Dave Blackburn, coordinator of Hampton's Neighborhood College, and Robert Woodson, president of the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise in Washington.
Hampton's neighborhood services department has an asset exchange to help neighborhoods list skills and talents of residents. The information will help communities swap volunteers on projects.
A skills inventory is a must for nonprofit community development corporations, Woodson says. His outfit helps low-income grassroots groups build on their strengths for social and economic revitalization.
Any inventory, he says, should include the men and women to whom kids turn in times of trouble.
Woodson, who helped the Park Place Community Development Corp., also advises: Don't just call on folks when you need their help.
``People sometimes like for you to talk about things that are important to them. That's what relationships are all about,'' he said. ``They don't want you to always call them when you need something.''
Grass-roots regionalism. The Norfolk Federation of Civic Leagues soon may resume its participation in the Hampton Roads Coalition of Civic Organizations.
Tommy White, the federation's new president, favors civic leagues across Hampton Roads getting together to trade ideas. ``City lines are invisible on a lot of issues,'' he said. ``Crime crosses the lines. Social problems cross the lines.''
But White is less certain about the role of civic leagues in the formation of regional policies. That's the job of duly elected city governments, he said.
White said he'll put the question of grass-roots regionalism before his executive committee - maybe this week - before committing.
Eloise LaBeau, the federation's interim president after Jim Janata resigned, put regionalism on the back burner. by CNB