We already have something similar in Cowley First's Vision 20/20. Arkansas City is well represented and they have had many meetings to come up with problems that need focused attention as well as suggestions for other areas of improvements. A quick start might be for local individuals to work more closely with the 20/20 groups.
If you want to know more from the citizens, I suggest the city stay completely out of it. Local or citywide groups of volunteers could be formed to identify what is most important to them and as a bloc bring them to the city for remedy. You may find that the citizens actually have more power to solve localized problems than the city does. But nobody will know for sure until it gets off the ground.
I think it is a great idea, and as an individual and local merchant I would be glad to support it however I can. If people expect the city to do it, I will do what I can as a commissioner, but the results will always be in question because the people did not do it themselves. Right now it is working similarly in that complaints come in and prioritized by number or complaints as well as protection and service of the community. Everyone knows what hasn't been done (to their satisfaction), but you never hear anything about what has been done. I think it best the citizens choose their own priorities and decide the best way to accomplish them.
We just had a survey done earlier this year that pointed to the fact that most people are not happy with the way things are in this town. Unfortunately, I don't think anything more was done. Maybe there are plans in the works to address the survey results. I know the city spent quite a bit of money on getting the survey results, so hopefully they will eventually benefit us.
I honestly don't think the quality of life in this town will improve unless something is done to lower taxes and bring home values down where they belong. I see homes in Derby and Wichita that are priced the same as Ark City for the same quality of home. That is ridiculous. The housing bubble has burst people, it's time to stop thinking your homes are worth as much as they were a couple of years ago. Although people who own rental properties are cleaning up right now... if they speak spanish.
And it would also help if we could bring in some businesses with some decent paying jobs. And not just businesses who only want to hire prisoners or immigrants.
I would personally like to see the judges come down a little harder on youth in the courtroom, and I do not mean "fines". I have a 26 year old brother serving time in Missouri prison for drug charges. He started getting in trouble in Ark City when he was 14 and was a repeat offender. Granted, it started out as petty charges but he was never made to pay for his crimes. He always received slaps on the hand and fines. Guess who paid his fines? His loving family members who could not stand to see him in jail. I wish the judge would have never given him the opportunity. If he had been thrown in jail and scared from the get go, I wonder if he would be where he is today. If my family had not paid them, he probably would have found dishonest ways of raising the money. I'm sure that their are many in his current predicament as many of his classmates are also repeat offenders and have not grown up into responsible adults. Most of them have children who are now not receiving proper parenting or nuturing. I only hope they do not follow the same path as their parents. On a positive note, I am very pleased with the "after school" and "summer" programs being held by the ACRC. I think these are comparible to many YMCA and Boys and Girls clubs in larger cities. The high school students I have met who are assisting are wonderful influences on our youth and I love the controlled and positive atmosphere. I hope these programs continue! Many parents are either separated or both work and the time after school and before parents are able to pick them up is when the kids need this the most.
If someone was to get a group together, I would love to help! I have quit my job after 15 years of employment to stay home and keep my boys going down the right path. I know many mothers do not have this luxury! Anything I can do to help working mothers out, please let me know. Not everyone has seen a wonderful loving young boy destroyed by a drug addiction. My parents and grandparents did everything they knew how to help my brother, but these drugs are too powerful. I am scared to death for my children! I know it only takes "trying it out" one time and your life is ruined. I plan to put the fear of God in my boys friends and follow them everywhere they go. I do not know what else to do! Also, I would like to note... my other siblings and I were discussing our brother's situation one day after he was picked up in Orschelyn's for bad checks. When they arrested him, he had a loaded pistol in his pants and drug paraphanalia in his truck. He was let off on probation and fines and told to leave town. One of my brothers said, "What do you have to do to get thrown in jail in this town, kill someone?" Sad thing is, this was just weeks before Jodi Sanderholm went missing. I believe her killer had been in and out of the court system himself. I find this very disturbing, but it appears that is what it takes to land yourself in jail.
I have, for some time now, been keeping up on this forum. While I have not commented much, I find it important to see other's viewpoints about issues impacting Ark City and Cowley County. There seems to be an ongoing theme among the threads... people really aren't happy with the way things are going. I would like to make a suggestion especially geared to Commissioner McDonald that may help point us in the right direction.
Several years ago, the "No Child Left Behind" campaign engineered focus groups to address specific needs of our young people. As a result of this initiative, the teen center was created and years later it stands as a true asset to our community. It's long lasting success is due in part to the dedication of adults and young people (high school students) who wanted to see the project completed.
Along the same premise, a steering committee could be formed to define the underlying problems our community faces. This committee could, by ways of survey or similar means, address the top concerns among our citizens. That committee then could take action to appoint a group of people (volunteers) to explore each problem and brain storm ways to impact that particular issue. The steering committee should be made up of three or four people who are go getters for lack of better terms.
In my opinion, one of the top concerns for our community is the issues our young people are facing today such as educational and occupational opportunites, drug and alcohol abuse, drop out rates, lack of mentoring, etc. The steering committee could find parents, professionals, young leaders, and volunteers from diverse backgrounds to explore every facet of these issues to form a plan of action to impact the problems.
This approach seemed to work years ago and I don't see why it would not be successful now. Many people seem to be willing and ready to make an effort to see Ark City be better place to live and raise a family. We just have to give them the opportunity.
I am eager to hear some feedback on this.
You are right, a lot of the things we had going on years ago had very positive results. We had more things for all ages to do. We still need things for adults as well as kids to look forward to having here and different types of jobs $ and extra community physical activities wouild help. What kid wants to see or think all they are going to do is sit around here like there parent or mentor getting old and fat. Not able to take an eveing stroll with out being stop by ACPD and ticketed for just walking or having to alway's show an ID. Somewhere and sometime new leadership in this community is going to have to stop putting thier own agenda first and follow through with what is already on the table. When you stop one thing it cost money and then you pay twice to start something new. A new survey, new community forums, more time lost cause they always want to stop something first and not add or create another outlet for positive energy. Oh the thought that someone likes what was going on years ago. Some people around here just do not get it , when new people step into local goverment office in other places they keep the displaced folks around for input and clarification of policy, grants, tax breaks and stuff like that just in case the minutes are not correct or understood. (Pride can hurt a person and a community). I just saying part of the cure here is to stop social and class discrimination first!!!!
We already have something similar in Cowley First's Vision 20/20. Arkansas City is well represented and they have had many meetings to come up with problems that need focused attention as well as suggestions for other areas of improvements. A quick start might be for local individuals to work more closely with the 20/20 groups.
If you want to know more from the citizens, I suggest the city stay completely out of it. Local or citywide groups of volunteers could be formed to identify what is most important to them and as a bloc bring them to the city for remedy. You may find that the citizens actually have more power to solve localized problems than the city does. But nobody will know for sure until it gets off the ground.
I think it is a great idea, and as an individual and local merchant I would be glad to support it however I can. If people expect the city to do it, I will do what I can as a commissioner, but the results will always be in question because the people did not do it themselves. Right now it is working similarly in that complaints come in and prioritized by number or complaints as well as protection and service of the community. Everyone knows what hasn't been done (to their satisfaction), but you never hear anything about what has been done. I think it best the citizens choose their own priorities and decide the best way to accomplish them.
You must first get those who call these forum or groups to respect regular community folks input. By treating as equals all throughout the whole process, wheather educated with or without formal degrees, but have degree's of commen sense and the interest of their kids and not the cities profit line!!!
Callus wrote: I just saying part of the cure here is to stop social and class discrimination first!!!!
I agree with this whole heartedly, It is time to talk too the people, and not down to the people. To listen to the people and let them give their suggestions then go the way the few want to go. When suggestions are given, see them as constructive statments, instead of seeing them as critical. You can learn alot from listening.
I have, for some time now, been keeping up on this forum. While I have not commented much, I find it important to see other's viewpoints about issues impacting Ark City and Cowley County. There seems to be an ongoing theme among the threads... people really aren't happy with the way things are going. I would like to make a suggestion especially geared to Commissioner McDonald that may help point us in the right direction.
Several years ago, the "No Child Left Behind" campaign engineered focus groups to address specific needs of our young people. As a result of this initiative, the teen center was created and years later it stands as a true asset to our community. It's long lasting success is due in part to the dedication of adults and young people (high school students) who wanted to see the project completed.
Along the same premise, a steering committee could be formed to define the underlying problems our community faces. This committee could, by ways of survey or similar means, address the top concerns among our citizens. That committee then could take action to appoint a group of people (volunteers) to explore each problem and brain storm ways to impact that particular issue. The steering committee should be made up of three or four people who are go getters for lack of better terms.
In my opinion, one of the top concerns for our community is the issues our young people are facing today such as educational and occupational opportunites, drug and alcohol abuse, drop out rates, lack of mentoring, etc. The steering committee could find parents, professionals, young leaders, and volunteers from diverse backgrounds to explore every facet of these issues to form a plan of action to impact the problems.
This approach seemed to work years ago and I don't see why it would not be successful now. Many people seem to be willing and ready to make an effort to see Ark City be better place to live and raise a family. We just have to give them the opportunity.
I for one would love my children to have what my parents did growing up. I often hear my father talk of his childhood in Ark City. He and his friends were never trapped inside their homes watching TV or playing video games. They would all meet in the "sandlot" and play baseball all day. To me, there is no better way to build relationship and community than a good game of hard ball. He told me they would not come home until supper and had a great time! He has many interesting stories to tell! Sure, they found some mischief, but they were not out doing drugs or worrying about being kidnapped, etc. Now days, a parent does not dare let their child run the streets. It just isn't safe! How does a community get back to that? Is it possible? My children have access to a local park, but I wouldn't dare let them go alone. I'm not even sure I'd trust them with the neighborhood gang, or if their parents would let them go out. You never know these days! Perhaps, I just need to make an effort to get to know them and initiate some kind of group play. Any one have suggestions?
Bruce wrote: If you want to make sure something doesn't get done, turn the item over to a committee
So Bruce, can you give any other idea that would be helpful in this case?We would all be more than happy to hear your suggestions.If those that see a need and are willing to do what it takes to at least try to make things better for the youth, elderly, poor, handicapped, I say for them to try it. To brainstorm would be a good idea in my opinion. I believe in a different way what we do on this forum is brainstorming. Ideas from many different walks of life, classes of people are evident. If they would like to see some changes made by getting some diverse citizens together and make a difference, I say go for it!!!
I for one, wish the yard Nazi's would turn into community watch Nazi's. I would feel much safer about my children being out and about if I knew they were keeping tabs! Ha-ha! Question for you all... How many of you participated in your local "night out block party" this year? This was my first one. Not a bad concept, but I'm wondering if once a year is enough to keep the block united. Perhaps I will initiate a neighborhood barbecue or two at the nearby park or in my own back yard.
