Potlucks. Block parties. Ice cream socials.
After more than a year of social distancing and Zoom meetings, it is good to be back in the company of neighbors. Associations are convening once again in person to engage with one another and find new ways of how to strengthen the quality of life in their respective areas of Springfield.
The Neighborhood Advisory Council consists of the presidents and representatives of Springfield’s 22 registered neighborhoods. NAC meets quarterly with members of City Council and City departments.
Here are six highlights from the May quarterly Neighborhood Advisory Council meeting:
Neighborhood Works recommendations
A NAC subcommittee led by Pete Radecki of the Bissett Neighborhood worked closely with Public Works to review applications for Neighborhood Works. A total of 14 capital projects spread across 11 neighborhoods and valued at $516,450 were recommended for approval to the City. A second application round will be opened up in 2022 to allow neighborhoods to modify the four applications that were determined to be not feasible and bring other initiatives to the table for consideration for the remaining $483,550 in Neighborhood Works capital funding.
Safety and decurity
Lt. Mike Lucas of the Springfield Police Department shared that the City has identified four additional community-oriented policing (COP) officers and the COP officers will be returning to in-person neighborhood meetings at the Covid-19 restrictions are phased out as a part of the Road to Recovery protocols.
Clean Green Springfield
Due to the effects of the pandemic and other factors, the City of Springfield and its community partners have received lot of comments and complaints about the amount of trash along roadways. Through interaction with neighborhoods and other civic groups, City staff sensed a burst of energy from the community and willingness to get out, be active and make an impact. To leverage this momentum and give Springfield a boost of positivity coming out of the pandemic, the City formed a multi-departmental team this spring to work alongside community partners and sponsors to develop a menu of ways the community can help clean up and green up Springfield. This initiative has the potential to connect neighborhoods with hundreds of new volunteers to enhance visible corridors throughout Springfield.
Building Development Services update
New BDS Director Dwayne Shmel provided an update on how the department has been actively filling several new full-time and contracted staff positions to more proactively address chronic nuisance properties. More to come from this critical City department in its partnerships with NAC on addressing blight and problem properties.
Restore SGF
Brendan Griesemer shared the progress underway with the new Restore SGF effort to increase the home ownership rate and enhance the quality of the housing stock in Springfield’s historic neighborhoods. 131st District State Rep. Bill Owen worked diligently this spring in Jefferson City for approval of a new land bank for the City to assemble tax-delinquent properties and return them to the property tax base. Unfortunately, t the legislative session ended before the land bank bill could be presented in either chamber.
“We will gear up and go for it next year,” Owen said.
A trip is planned this summer for stakeholders to visit Des Moines, Iowa, to learn of their progress in reinvesting in center city neighborhoods.
NAC leadership for 2021-22
The group unanimously approved the proposed slate of officers for the 2021-22 fiscal year. I will continue as chair and Becky Volz of Woodland Heights will be the vice chair. She is slated to step into the chair position in July 2022. The NAC Nominating Committee will be recruiting candidates for the vice chair position next spring.
As NAC emerges from over a year in the virtual realm, it looks forward to accomplishing even more as its representatives and civic advocates reap the benefits of interacting directly with their fellow neighbors and citizens this summer!