REPORT.99

 

OVERVIEW

This report summarizes activities during the first reporting period covering from October 1, 1998 to June 30, 1999 in Year One of the University of Illinois at Springfield Community Outreach Partnership Center (UIS/COPC)

As described in the Executive Summary, the UIS/COPC did not commence full activity until January 1999.   In the course of establishing a new COPC office, Larry Golden had to reschedule his time in the middle of a teaching semester to become the COPC Program Director.In turn, he hired Denise Rothenbach as the COPC Administrative Aide.A COPC office was set up with phones and staff.In the course of this activity, many initiatives were started to begin meeting COPC objectives.

During the early spring, Vice Chancellor Wayne Penn helped inform UIS faculty of the COPC with two lunch meetings.Professor Kenneth Reardon from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign spoke about his COPC role and the East Saint Louis Action Research Project at one of the meetings.These discussions informed faculty about the nature of COPC and helped to generate faculty interest on the campus.

Faculty who have been particularly active in the establishment and activity of the UIS COPC include: Professor Sandra Mills, who has helped organize the UIS participation in Neighborhood Enhancement; Professor Peter Boltuc, who has helped in Neighborhood Enhancement and will be playing a major role in Neighborhood Organizing; Professor Michael Ayers, who has assumed leadership of the Microenterprise Team; Professor Hazel Rozema, whose class has assisted with public relations material for the Adopt-A-Block program, Professor Dyanne Ferk, who has assumed a leadership role in the Trash and Refuse effort, and Professor William Warren, who has been leading the GIS research in the Trash and Refuse effort.

At the center of the COPC grant is support for the work of The Springfield Project.COPC and TSP often work as one unit.In all instances we work very closely together.Major accomplishments have been achieved during this first formative period.The Springfield Project and COPC have established a neighborhood office.Sister Norma Somers, O.P. whose time is donated by the Dominican Sisters, staffs the office.The Dominican Sisters have also been instrumental in the formation of a not-for-profit subsidiary of The Springfield Project, called TSP's HOPE - The Springfield Project's Home Ownership Program for Equity.This organizational development directly relates to the COPC activity on home ownership and has the potential for providing one community wide answer to housing deterioration in Springfield.

Important progress has been made with regard to the Trash and Refuse initiative.The UIS television office produced a video, which will be available in the COPC end of the year report.A study by Professor William Warren, using GIS as a means of analyzing garbage pickup will also be available in that report.

Important progress has also occurred with regard to the Microenterprise initiative, which will result in the establishment of a model microenterprise program in the target areas.A cooperative relationship with Lincoln Land Community College has allowed COPC to move forward quicker than expected in the establishment of a program.Public relations materials will be available shortly.Money is presently being committed from Springfield area banks and others to fund the program.We have already had inquiries for assistance from existing business owners.Our first recipients of assistance for the Program should be identified shortly.

As expected, particularly in the first few months we have encountered numerous challenges to our stated goals and time objectives.These have been clearly noted in the report.The UIS/COPC is making important strides towards involvement of faculty, students, and staff within the campus.We will be continually living with this challenge throughout the grant period.Professor Kenneth Reardon, from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign has been a helpful advisor in this process.A second challenge has been to keep a positive, helping relationship with our primary community partner The Springfield Project.It is particularly important to maintain a working relationship whereby we are seen as providing resources to TSP and not exercising control over Project activities.

In the following sections of this report, we describe our activities related to meeting the objectives specified in our original proposal to HUD.The language of the proposal is highlighted in Italics.We also note significant changes that have occurred or are being contemplated at this time.

1) Neighborhood Revitalization

The COPC working with The Springfield Project (TSP) proposes to conduct various activities to help revitalize a 27-block[sic: 21-block] area¡¦The COPC proposes to develop a model that can be replicated in other neighborhoods throughout our blighted areas of Springfield.The model involves an intensive focus on a concentrated geographical area to build neighborhood solidarity, leadership, and empowerment through consolidation of a variety of community resources with resident direction and control.

COPC and TSP have met major objectives in this area during the past 6 months.An important achievement was the securing and opening of a neighborhood office, allowing TSP to have a base of operations and allowing COPC to have a presence within the borders of the neighborhood.COPC agreed to pay for telecommunications costs and occasional meeting costs in lieu of regular rent as the COPC contribution to the office.The existence of the office has provided a support mechanism for virtually all other aspects of the TSP/COPC operation: it has space for meetings; it has storage space for equipment and supplies; and it has office space.The office is serving as a headquarters for the Bud-to-Flowers Program inaugurated by TSP in summer, 1998 and now under the coordination of Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC).

The existence of the office space and the work of a graduate student from the UIS Social Work Department have facilitated the development of a "horticulturalclearinghouse" for not-for-profit organizations and a storage facility for materials needed in the neighborhood enhancement program.The presence in the neighborhood has also facilitated our student workers to partner with the residents to establish three community gardens.

The need to access low cost building materials for neighborhood revitalization is a critical issue on TSP's agenda.TSP began an exploration of starting a Re-Source Warehouse that would be able to accept donations of such materials, store them, and make them available to those engaged in renewal of housing.TSP has already received large donations of paint and lumber, which is being used for rehabilitation of properties in TSP's neighborhood.Within such a warehouse, it is envisioned there might be microenterprises for residents through which some residents can find employment and training opportunities.In recent months TSP has been engaged in discussions with the local Habitat For Humanity group, which is also interested in establishing a warehouse, to see if a partnership can be developed to achieve our mutual goals.Where available, COPC will provide any assistance TSP might need as this effort goes forward.

a) Development of a Neighborhood Plan.

COPC... will work with TSP, local residents, businesses, neighborhood organizations, and others to develop a comprehensive plan for revitalization of the 27-block area located within census tracks 15 and 17...

Early in the calendar year, COPC convened meetings of stakeholders in the community with the goal to have them constitute a Community Advisory Board. The initial meetings were held to discuss a planning process with the assistance of Walt Blackburn, an individual with planning background, and Robert Blackwell, a professional facilitator, both funded by COPC. Because there was a TSP resident Team already working on neighborhood issues, and because so many of the participants in the initial meetings were stakeholders and not residents, we became aware that this group might preempt the role of the residents. There needed to be more work on building community and establishing groundwork with and among the residents before an actual planning process can occur.

The TSP Team of residents was already into a process, coordinated by TSP Administrator Cheryl Briggs, of block by block change that was consuming their attention and energy.Questions involving the need for redevelopment of housing and the economy, and a neighborhood revitalization strategy were being addressed regularly by the team. (See enclosed neighborhood map).Given the demands of the scheduled activity in the neighborhood, attempts to move the resident's attention towards visioning and planning, plus attempts to put together an expanded advisory board, were not occurring during a time which allowed for resident participation.

The TSP Neighborhood Enhancement Team has particularly gelled and expanded during the past few months as the number of partners who have joined the Adopt-A-Block program and the activity level has increased.The Team itself has developed into a more vital and cohesive organizational unit for bringing residents together. The nature of the monthly work requires short term planning on a regular basis.This, in turn, allows for greater possibility for success for other TSP/COPC objectives, such as the development of a comprehensive neighborhood plan.

It appears an opportunity might arise to get resident focus on planning as the current round of spring/summer/fall enhancement activities draws to a close.In addition, the resident-based neighborhood enhancement team is considering a change to become a formally recognized neighborhood association.Once this happens there will be a greater opportunity to assess the objectives, process, and timelines of the planning process.

We find that engaging in the kind of planning that was initially proposed may require time and resource demands from the residents that can only occur once substantial groundwork is set. Thus, of the many neighborhood revitalization activities, the most rethinking may occur in this area.

Changes:

  • Because of the uncertainty at this time of the state of the resident interest and commitment to a planning process, we are reexamining how to best implement this objective with regard to content, scope and process.

b) "Adopt a Block" activities

The COPC will support neighborhood enhancement activities currently being undertaken by neighborhood residents under the auspices of The Springfield Project.The COPC will help develop and promote an "adopt-a-block" concept that involves finding sponsors to assume responsibility for working with residents to assess needs and provides resources for such efforts as cleaning up and maintaining on an ongoing basis specific blocks in the 27 block area.In addition, UIS and other COPC partners will formally "adopt" one or more blocks on an organizational basis.

Developing partnerships in The Adopt-A-Block program is a vital component in the strategy for neighborhood revitalization.It allows us to build a bridge between various socio-economic and religious groupings while bringing resources to a neglected neighborhood within our community.The number of partnering organizations increased from 4 to 8 this year.The University of Illinois at Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield College of Illinois and Little Flower Church this year joined First Presbyterian Church, Cherry Hills Baptist Church, the Springfield Dominican Sisters, and TSP who were partners last year.

Among the many accomplishments during this reporting period in this area, a class of students at UIS led by Professor Hazel Rozema produced a number of drafts of a brochure to be considered for use in approaching organizations to join in the Adopt-A-Block program.That brochure will be finalized in the coming months so that it is available for recruiting more organizations during the winter months.

Important to the effort this year has been the leadership of Professor Sandra Mills, from the UIS Social Work Department. Professor Mills has worked tirelessly to mobilize support within the UIS community to partner with residents of the neighborhood. The partnership that is developing with students and faculty in the Social Work Department is very important to the success of COPC. Professor Mills has involved students from her Social Work classes both as volunteers and interns in the neighborhood. One of her graduate students is serving this summer as an important partner to TSP Administrator Cheryl Briggs in neighborhood revitalization. Within the larger campus, Professor Mills has also recruited other faculty to work in a variety of capacities within the neighborhood.

Another faculty member who is an important contributor is Professor Peter Boltuc.Professor Boltuc is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at UIS.He is a native of Poland.He has experience in political organizing as well as a scholarly background in political and social philosophy and an analytical eye for issues needing to be addressed.Professor Boltuc brings an important perspective on the dynamics and challenges within the neighborhood rooted in his research interests in "social capital.¡±His involvement will be central to the work we are doing on resident organizing and community building.

As the number of partners has increased the size and activity of the Neighborhood Enhancement Team have expanded.Liaisons from both the blocks and the partnering organizations join in monthly team meetings to plan upcoming work in the neighborhood.As a result, the Team itself is now a more vital and cohesive organizational unit for bringing residents together.This, in turn, allows for greater possibility for success for other TSP/COPC objectives, such as the development of a neighborhood plan.

A major kickoff called "spring Into Spring" signaled the beginning of large amounts of activity in the neighborhood this year.The residents and partners regularly prioritize the needs and develop schedules for work to be done within the area.Workdays each month increased from one to two.Partners spend the first workday working towards improvements in their respective blocks.This includes such activities as cleaning alleys, pruning trees, planting flowers, mowing vacant lots, and assisting individual homeowners. The second day is spent on agreed upon improvements throughout the target area. While the initial focus was on beautification, folllow up work includes painting, home repairs, and home infrastructure improvement such as concrete work.To this point we have done painting on seven homes and concrete work on 8 homes.A variety of other homes have had miscellaneous work.

As we move toward the end of this year's work cycle, we will approach additional organizations to join in partnering in the Adopt-A -Block program.COPC will again take the lead to develop a video, a brochure, and a speaker's bureau to solicit new partners.

We are pleased at the progress made in meeting the objectives in the grant proposal.In each case the objectives are in the process of being met or exceeded.

Changes:

  • The success of obtaining partners and organizing this year's spring activity leads us to delay the finalization of the public relations materials from year one to year two of the grant period.This includes work on the adopt-a-block brochure and the video and PSAs
  • A staff person from UIS and a faculty person from LLCC will be named during year two to help coordinate sponsorship of those two schools in the adopt-a-block program

c) Garbage and Refuse Removal

COPC working in partnership with TSP, neighborhood residents, and others will seek to reduce or eliminate three problems that threaten the health and well-being of residents in the 27 block area, as well as residents in the other target census tracks: fly dumping, abandoned property/items left by residents/ landlords, and the ineffective disposal of household waste and garbage.

Major accomplishments in this area have occurred during the reporting period.

A COPC/TSP team started working on this issue early in spring, 1999.Members include COPC Director Larry Golden, Professor Dyanne Ferk, Professor William Warren and his GIS assistant Bill Knorr, Professor Peter Boltuc, Director of the UIS Television Office Jo Warfield and her staff member David Antoine, TSP Administrator Cheryl Briggs, COPC staffperson, Denise Rothenbach, and community member Bill Clutter.

Prominent among the achievements, the UIS Television Office produced an educational video to portray the garbage and refuse problems within the community.That video was shown for the first time at a public meeting in early July, with a discussion facilitated by COPC leader, Dyanne Ferk.Along with the showing, there was focused media attention on the meeting and the garbage problems (see enclosed articles).

UIS researchers, led by Professor William Warren, have been collecting data from the garbage haulers and inputting it into a GIS system.The final data sets should be available shortly, allowing the researchers to provide an analysis of the problems.GIS allows the researchers to correlate the garbage problem with a variety of socio-economic variables.Most importantly, it will unveil the extent of the problem to the community and help to educate the citizenry in ways that will assist policy makers to find solutions.

Plans are being made to move forward in a twofold direction.First, will be education of the public through showings of the video and the facilitation of discussion about the problems.A schedule of showings before various civic groups is being put together.

Second, a variety of steps will occur to bring this issue to the policy makers. One of those steps is to hold at least one summit meeting in the fall with stakeholders and city officials to begin discussions of possible solutions. A UIS student is undertaking research to provide models from comparable communities at those meetings.

Work has been ongoing within the neighborhood to deal with the garbage problem.Pallets have been provided and some bushes have been planted.Partners have worked with residents to clean alleys and to provide opportunities for residents in this area to dispose of unwanted refuse items.

Changes:

  • The accomplishments are on target given the lag time in the starting of the COCP activity.Moreover, the changes here primarily involve the calendar of objectives, i.e.; they are a few weeks or months behind.
  • Some monies have been shifted to make available the assistance of Bill Knorr in the GIS research of Professor William Warren.Mr. Knorr has been assisting in the lengthy inputting of data into GIS, and he will be helping in the analysis once that task is finished.

2) Housing

a) Housing Code Enforcement

...providing assistance in monitoring administrative hearings and following up on specific cases, reformulating in code form newly proposed recommendations for amending the existing Springfield housing code, and developing educational materials that help both the public and policymakers understand the nature of the problems posed by the existing housing code.

Some of the work with regard to the Springfield housing code had already begun prior to establishment of the COPC Office: a TSP initiative team had already engaged in an analysis of the City Code;  and a series of recommendations were drafted to present to the City. Discussions were held with the head of the Division of Community Services, Mr. Keith Haynes, and with the Mayor, Karen Hasara. Because of a municipal election during the spring, those discussions were discontinued. Since then, individual meetings with members of the newly elected City Council have begun. Meetings with the Mayor and executive officers will recommence soon.

During the past months, student interns attended administrative housing hearings and monitored the complaints.An intern also documented violations in TSP neighborhood and assisted residents in filing complaints and following up on individual cases.  A case study of City enforcement of these violations is emerging from this information.It will be used as a basis for discussion with City officials regarding changes needed in the enforcement process.

Since this spring the focus of the work of the Television office was on the video regarding trash problems, the video on code enforcement will commence later than time lined in the original proposal.

Changes:

  • Plans are for the video on code enforcement to be produced within the next 12 months of the grant
  • Much of the preliminary work on code enforcement was in process when we received the grant.That, plus an illness at the beginning of the summer, will result in a reexamination of the role of Kathryn Eisenhart . We will evaluate how those resources will be spent during the next few months.

b. Home Ownership

COPC is proposing to work with TSP and community residents to identify individuals in the community who have unfavorable, unenforceable, or poorly drafted CFD (Contract For Deed) arrangements; match them with volunteer attorneys who will provide them with legal advice and assist in renegotiating CFD's develop a pool of attorneys who will initiate legal proceedings on their behalf should that be necessary; prepare a model CFD that is written in understandable language by the residents; conduct workshops for community residents to educate them about CFD arrangements; assist potential home buyers in their attempt to obtain conventional/alternative financing and, if that fails, to assist them in buying homes by CFD; develop a pool of carpenters, electricians, and plumbers who will conduct non-certified inspections for potential home buyers; explore the benefits and costs of requiring by law that CFDs be recorded with the county.

This has been an area of major accomplishment this spring.Substantial work had been accomplished regarding the use of contract-for-deed including the development of contract guidelines and assistance to individuals with regard to their contracts.

With a contribution of a $200,000 grant to TSP from the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, a not-for-profit corporation has been established as part of TSP's oganization.Called TSP's Home Ownership Program for Equity (TSP's HOPE), it will provide for the purchase and rehabilitation of vacant houses in the TSP neighborhood and assist residents who are presently renting and unable to obtain conventional financing to move to home ownership.Where necessary, such residents will obtain financing through a Contract for Deed (CFD) arrangement with TSP's HOPE.

As a result of the work on TSP's HOPE, a major shift occurred moving our attention from strictly focusing on CFD to helping renters move towards home ownership.We determined that people who own and reside in the houses account for only 28% of the properties in the neighborhood area (see enclosed map of neighborhood area).The other 72% include vacant properties and lots, rental property, etc.

A requirement of TSP's HOPE will be that homeowners who are buying homes through the program participate in an educational and mentoring system for new homebuyers.COPC is helping the education coordinator, Jennifer Johnson, to put together a model education/mentoring process.That includes a partnership with Linley White, Executive Director of the Center for Business and Professional Development at Lincoln Land Community College to hold workshops on home maintenance.

As TSP's HOPE is established, we will revisit the CFD process to see what needs remain in that area.It is anticipated that during year two of the grant we will accomplish many of the objectives associated with Contract For Deed.

Changes:

  • The focus moved from CFD to establishing HOPE
  • The use of attorneys will be delayed until year 2.
  • The HOPE organization provides an opportunity for COPC to provide skills to homeownership in a way that the focus of CFD did not.
  • COPC is working with HOPE to assist in the mentoring/educational program for prospective buyers.This includes a partnership with LLCC to provide workshops on home maintenance.COPC will also be exploring ways that UIS and LLCC can partner in the mentoring process.In each case, we may reallocate funds within the grant to support these activities.

3) Microenterprise Development

...COPC will... engage in technical assistance and outreach Microenterprise activities... that benefit the residents of the nine census tracks... by providing educational and technical assistance, as well as access to capital, to interested persons from the target community.Individuals seeking to set up small businesses may need training in financial, human resource and sales management and in marketing techniques¡¦

This is another area containing major accomplishments this spring.Faculty and staff from UIS and LLCC are working on the establishment of a Microenterprise program that can serve as a model for similar programs around the country.The program will build upon work already being done by LLCC's small Business Development Center.Professor Michael Ayers is providing leadership from UIS, along with Linley White, Executive Director of the Center for Business and Professional Development and Frieda Shreck, Director of the Small Business Development Center from LLCC.

Investigation took place even before the COPC grant with regard to the need for a Microenterprise program and the degree to which such a program or similar resources are already available in the targeted community.The groundwork this spring included attendance by Frieda Schreck at a major microenterprise conference and the gathering of information about programs in other communities.

Work began to determine what resources and organization were needed to develop a "model" pogram for our community (see enclosed chart).Most important in our proposed program is a "mentoring" process that takes the individual from discussions regarding familial and social implications of establishing a microenterprise to follow up with regard to business decisions.

Having decided on the dimensions of the program, a brochure to publicize it to the targeted community is being developed and will be available for distribution very soon (see enclosed draft). Members of the Microenterprise Team are presently approaching various resource holders to obtain the financial base for the loan program.

We have been able to move in the establishment of a Microenterprise program much faster than originally thought.Given the start on this project, we are very optimistic that the partnership between LLCC and UIS will have positive results with regard to the development, sustenance, and expansion of Microenterprise in the Springfield community.We believe this partnership exemplifies the best of COPC.We are bringing the skills of the two colleges together and finding the leadership and acumen in the work of Professor Michael Ayers.

Changes:

  • We determined that there was not sufficient value for a formal needs assessment survey because the information was already available through the LLCC Center.  The resources designated for the survey will be reallocated for other parts of the COPC programming.
  • The Springfield Urban League indicated that it presently did not have the resources to commit to work on this program.We remain in discussions with them about how they might participate as the program is developed.
  • Since one UIS faculty member, Professor Richard Judd has been unable to participate in the program, it is likely that the resources designated in the grant for his time will be reallocated to other COPC projects.

4) Education

a) Serve as a Clearinghouse for Dissemination of Information Locally and Regionally

COPC... wll cooperatively administer a clearinghouse for dissemination with the targeted community... information about COPC activities, future plans, opportunities, and the availability of resources for use by interested persons¡¦

While important progress has occurred, this is an area in which the late start of the COPC has had an effect on how much could be accomplished, particularly with regard to the residents.

A COPC newsletter format has been designed and the first issue has been distributed (see copy enclosed).A second issue is in process.A webpage has been developed and we are working on ways to include as much of the UIS/COPC work products in it.

We continue to receive inquiries about our COPC, particularly from prospective COPC institutions.We have provided assistance to them by phone and fax and particularly through providing them copies of the UIS proposal.

The COPC has provided assistance to The Springfield Project to establish an office in TSP neighborhood by paying for the telecommunications operation of the office and occasionally paying a fee for use of the facility for large meetings.COPC maintains a presence in that office and conducts meetings there on an as needed basis.At this point TSP has only a six-month lease for the facility.COPC has offered assistance to TSP to find a permanent space.If it is determined that TSP will maintain the facility for a longer time, COPC will explore ways that the office can be used for other types of information access and dissemination.

Changes:

  • The UIS television office no longer has an individual with the expertise to maintain our webpage.We made alternative arrangements for maintenance of the COPC webpage that will result in a reallocation of some of the money from webpage to other COPC activities.
  • The format and scheduling for some COPC materials is still in process.For example, there has only been one COPC newsletter.

b) Exchange of Information with Other Centers

The COPC will provide information to the University Partnership Clearinghouse and exchange information with other COPC centers and interested parties.

The UIS COPC is providing regular reports to HUD as required or requested.Most importantly, UIS has established an important working relationship with faculty from the other two campuses at the Great Cities Initiative at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and the East St. Louis Action Research Project (ESLARP) at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign (UIUC).

Despite the time required during Spring 1999 to establish the COPC office, Larry Golden and others associated with the COPC have been involved in conferences to exchange information on related activities.This includes the following:

  • Larry Golden participated in the planning and development of an Illinois Campus Compact conference at the UIUC.The conference focused on service learning and included individuals associated with COPC from around the country.Numerous faculty and students from UIS attended the conference.Professor Sandra Mills and two students from her Social Work class presented a discussion of their work in the TSP neighborhood.
  • UIS maintained close contact with members of the UIUC campus who have been involved in COPC.In particular, Professor Kenneth Reardon provided counsel and inspiration to us as we established our COPC effort.Professor Reardon served as a guest speaker at a UIS COPC event in March 1999 in which he talked with a number of faculty on this campus about the ESLARP and faculty involvement in COPC activities (see enclosed announcement).
  • Attendance at the national conference of Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) in Madison, Wisconsin.This conference has provided ideas for neighborhood activity and partnering with other organizations including universities that has proved helpful to TSP in the past.
  • Sending a delegate (Professor Peter Boltuc) to the HUD Best Practices conference in Kansas City in July 1999.
  • Professor Sandra Mills and Nancy Ford, Director of the UIS Institute for Public Affairs attended a conference on University outreach at the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
  • Larry Golden attended the national meeting of new COPC's in Washington, D.C.

5) Community Organizing/Empowerment

a) Community Advisory Board

The COPC will set up a Community Advisory Board [and] constitute functional area advisory committees to help provide direction in two areas - Home Ownership Enhancement and Microenterprise Development.

Early in the year, a community advisory board was constituted composed of major stakeholders in the neighborhood where TSP and COPC are working.After three meetings, it became apparent that the Board as constituted would conflict with a more primary goal of resident control and direction when it came to neighborhood issues.

As we reviewed the grant, we concluded that the kind of community advisory board described is already in existence in the form of the TSP Neighborhood Enhancement Team.That team is composed of residents of the target neighborhood and sponsors who are partnering with them to change the neighborhood.They are in the process of formalizing their organization as a neighborhood association.It is clear that this group should be the core of an advisory team for neighborhood planning purposes.

A secondary question, not yet answered, is whether it would be worthwhile to maintain the Community Advisory Board, as initially established, to review and advise COPC and possibly to serve in an "advisory" capacity to the TSP Neighborhood Enhancement Team.

Functional area advisory committees also exist in support of a number of COPC activities:

The Microenterprise Team includes:

Michael Ayers, UIS Professor of Economics and Associate Chancello

Larry Golden, UIS Professor of Political Studies and Legal Studies

Director, UIS/COPC and President, The Springfield Project

Linley White, LLCC Executive Director, Center for Business and Professional Development

Frieda Schreck, LLCC Director, Small Business Development Center

Peter Boltuc, UIS Professor of Philosophy

Denise Rothenbach, UIS/COPC Administrative Clerk

The Garbage and Refuse Team includes:

Dyanne Ferk, UIS Professor of Management

Larry Golden, UIS Professor of Political Studies and Legal Studies

Director, UIS/COPC and President, The Springfield Project

Peter Boltuc, UIS Professor of Philosophy

William Warren, UIS Professor of Environmental Studies

William Knorr, Graduate Assistant to Dr. Warren

Cheryl Briggs, Administrator, The Springfield Project

William Clutter, Community member

Jo Warfield, Director, UIS Television Office

Dave Antoine, UIS Television Office

Denise Rothenbach, UIS/COPC Administrative Clerk

 

In addition to these Teams, the COPC regularly reports its work to the Community Council and the Board of Directors of The Springfield Project.  The Community Council provides a monthly open forum for residents of the City at large to participate and become informed of TSP activities.TSP Board of Directors, which includes private resource people and residents, oversees the work of TSP and its various committees and is the "steward" of the organization's resources.All of these groups have input and review of COPC activities.

Changes:

  • TSP neighborhood Enhancement Team is about to formalize its organization as a neighborhood association.¡±When that occurs, we will assess whether that group should serve as the advisory board to COPC with regard to neighborhood enhancement.Discussion will continue with regard to the role and status of the Community Advisory Board.

b) Neighborhood Improvement Structure

Objective:Foster lasting change in the targeted community by helping residents establish an ongoing structure to enhance their own assets, remedy their own problems, acquire new skills, and continue to pursue neighborhood revitalization activities.

As we have met with residents to determine direction and identify and clarify needs, it is apparent that the next step in the process of control is for them to "formalize" their organizational structure.A proposal is now before them to change from a TSP Team to become an official Neighborhood Association within the context of the City's rules.A likely corollary will be for them to apply for 501 c3 - not-for-profit status.This structure will allow the residents to receive money from the City of Springfield, to apply for grants, and to exercise more formal control over their neighborhood.

Once this transition is consummated, discussion can be reopened regarding future ways in which the neighborhood can exercise control over property and equipment, and to initiate businesses and hire employees.The development of a land trust and/or a Cooperative remain possible ways in which this might occur.

An example of an important issue facing the neighborhood group that can be impacted upon by assisting them with regard to a structure is the determination of control and direction of a three-lot area central to the neighborhood area.The residents have expressed a desire to have that area turned into a "park" for common usage by those living in the neighborhood.One possibility is for the neighborhood to assume some kind of ownership of the property.If that were to occur, then there would need to be some very direct discussion about the structure that could lead to ownership and control.

Key to the achievement of these objectives is to find a place to serve as a neighborhood center.This would also provide COPC the opportunity to provide resources for information and education within the neighborhood.

Changes:

  • The evolution of discussions regarding the formalization of the Neighborhood Enhancement Initiative and the development of the Home Ownership Program for Equity have put the discussion of land trust on the back burner.We will be examining the options during the next six months to determine if and how we wish to proceed on that issue.
  • A corollary goal is to provide leadership training and education/resources for empowerment of residents.We will be assessing what kinds of resources COPC can generate to assist in these activities.