I was planning on taking a picture of the new Five Rivers MetroParks [1] billboards that are popping up all over town- to say- yeah! someone in Dayton finally understands the difference between an ad- and a grocery list posing as an ad. Then I saw in today’s DDN Neighbors section that Beth Miller, formerly of the local ad agency “The Agency Group” [2] had been named the new marketing director for MetroParks – and it all made sense.
[3](I’ll grab a picture soon- and share, there is a billboard at the end of Adams St.)
Then I thought of the $50K the City is spending on hiring a Cincinnati placement firm [4] to find a new police chief- and thought- that’s another officer on the street for a year. And while it seems like small potatoes, I think about how long it takes a cop to learn a local beat- never mind the whole City’s beat- and wonder why- why aren’t we prepared to hire one of our own, someone who knows the neighborhoods, the problems, the people and their way around? If Wanda Davis isn’t ready to be Chief, she shouldn’t still be on the force. At some point, we have to stop the madness- and look to home grown talent.
There is another group in town considering hiring Richard Florida’s consulting team to help us move forward- yet, there are people in town who have ideas and a vision, we just haven’t got an environment that welcomes change or leadership from the front.
It’s often said, if you want change, the first place to look is inside ourselves. If you are thinking global, start local; that’s where the Gem City may find its true gems.
Richard Florida’s consulting group? More Creative Class stuff? Please.
If one was to hire an outside consultant with some solid work on urban affairs I’d pick the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy unit. They are a think tank on big urban policy issues, but they have done local and regional studies and consulting, too.
http://www.brookings.edu/metro/metro.htm
There is some sort of urban studies group at WSU, but I’m not sure what they do.
http://www.wright.edu/cupa/
I do think its funny hiring an outside consultant to select top administrators. This is something one could do by just impaneling a collection of local (county and suburban) police chiefs to go over resumes and make some recommendations. You keep impartiality by doing the selection from outside the city, but also have it someowhat local as you are using local top cops (who are familiar with the law enforcement situation here) to make the picks. It is sort of a relationship building thing too, between the city and suburban/county jurisdictions.
Jeff-
Grassroots Dayton is well aware of the Brookings unit- and was passing around their findings last night.
Florida has moved “beyond” creative class- to talk about “place” – but are still carpetbaggers.
We can do this with local talent. The vision is here, the thinkers are here- and they even know the difference between Washington Township and Centerville without having to study at our expense.
Plan. Spin Wheels. Plan some more. Spin Wheels a lot more. Plan revision. Spinning Wheels become more than habit, rather has taken over normal brain funtions and we just PLAN and SPIN WHEELS. Treading water into 2148 makes great sense to me…… or we clean are act up and get moving. I have another idea, blah blah blah blah………. more of spinning wheels, treading water, and waiting waiting waiting.
WE DONT NEED PLANS – WE HAVE 98769 of THEM – HOW “BOUT PICK ONE AND GO FORWARD> %^& STILLS SMELLS LIKE ^&*( UNTIL SOMEONE CLEANS IT UP.
Like NIKE – just do it.
Thanks for posting the new MetroParks billboard. Their campaigns (IMHO) have always had the most spark in the region. The other government campaigns could be so much better. The next good one I would like to see is a compelling anti-litter campaign.