Several years ago, the City of Springfield established the Great Neighborhoods program to recognize registered neighborhoods that meet benchmarks in three core areas – clean, safe, and friendly. They are not specific qualities because it is the role of the neighborhood residents to define what is appropriate for their neighborhood. We believe that most of the issues that challenge residents are common in any given neighborhood. By coming together, neighbors can work proactively to resolve issues that will improve the quality of life.
The Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) includes representatives from every registered neighborhood within the city limits. The group has grown from 16 neighborhoods just a decade ago to 23 with another on the way.
NAC will be following the Great Neighborhoods model to serve as a roadmap out of the past two years of the isolation of the pandemic to address our shared challenges. Three neighborhood leaders have stepped up to chair the following subcommittees:
Clean
Eric Pauly, Phelps Grove, chair
The Clean Subcommittee will be working with Building Development Services and Planning to coordinate new strategies to address chronic nuisance properties, collaborate with multiple civic groups to propose a new rental inspection program, and create revisions to the neighborhood teams process.
Safe
Jeff Barber, Rountree, chair
Recent incidents in the Rountree and Delaware neighborhoods, were visible examples of the ongoing frustrations with criminal activity throughout Springfield. This includes assaults, gun violence, property thefts, noise disturbances and more. NAC will be working with the Police Area Representatives (PARs) to restart Neighborhood Watch trainings, identify public areas to request additional lighting from City Utilities, encourage residents to be more active on their sidewalks, and to utilize new digital tools such as doorbell cameras and social media.
Friendly
Jan Peterson, University Heights, chair
After the COVID-19-induced hibernation, neighborhoods are eager to resume general membership meetings, social get-togethers, holiday traditions, and block parties. SGF Neighborhood News is a point of pride and a valuable tool to tell stories across Springfield’s neighborhoods and the City’s support of public engagement. The Friendly subcommittee will guide neighborhoods in finding new ways to reach out to their residents, to share successes and learn from shortcomings, and to promote their respective history and strengths to attract the next generation of neighbors.
NAC representatives will have the opportunity to serve on one or more of these subcommittees based on their areas of passion and expertise. Meetings will be held regularly with reports out to the full NAC at its quarterly meetings. City Council will be updated on our progress.
The challenges Springfield neighborhoods face are not new. But they require different ways of thinking to overcome decades of inertia, apathy and bureaucracy. I am excited to work alongside your NAC leaders, City Council and City staff to achieve long-awaited progress on making Springfield cleaner, safer and friendlier.