Putting together my last post, a chronology of crime in Pottstown in 2014, was much more difficult than I’d anticipated. It tugged at my heart and filled me with sadness. With the help of a friend, who has lived his whole life in the area, I forged ahead as memories of better times in the Pottstown area were not far from my friends own heart.
Many comments from Facebook acknowledged that the chronology was an emotional and disheartening enumeration for them as well.
Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.
Donald Trump
Toward the latter part of 2014 Police Chief Drumheller has been speaking to council and (most importantly) to residents, at monthly council meetings…. he’s communicated with the press about his plans as well.
He announced that he is reorganizing the department for maximum efficiency in 2015 and is actively exploring possibilities for video surveillance systems in various locations in town. The Chief has asked the community to participate in these efforts – THAT IS KEY – Chief Drumheller is setting the best example of leadership I have seen since I’ve lived in Pottstown. But…
The battle with crime, violence and mayhem in Pottstown will not be won by the efforts of one leader and area law enforcement alone.
The leaders of this town, the leaders of surrounding areas, the county officials, the state, the citizens, the businesses, the schools, the non-profit organizations, the churches, the press – ALL OF US – have an opportunity to learn and grow from the experience of 2014.
I BELIEVE WE CAN RESOLVE to work together and make every effort to understand each other in the coming year and beyond. Put one foot in front of the other.
Not one of the entities listed above can make that happen in a vacuum, it will not happen without a tacit agreement from every one of us to accept responsibility to communicate openly and honestly, with the greater good of Pottstown – – our primary motive.
The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
Max DePree
There has been a lot of good information shared among residents and non-residents alike on Facebook this past year. This September 2014 article, written by Barry Cassidy for the 422 Business Advisor, was posted to my timeline:
clik >>> Can Something Be So Bad It Is Good? In the following excerpt, founded on years of experience and wisdom, Barry said:
“When housing deteriorates, how can the neighborhood turn it around? The government cannot make the only effort toward revitalization. There is a need for a public private partnership to effectuate change.
Citizens have to be an active part of the process. People usually get involved in the process by complaining about the conditions of their neighborhood and seemingly become involved in the public sector merry-go round. Of course, it is just the process at work as there are rules and regulations. It is an understanding of the process by the residents that make the process effective. If there is mistrust or misunderstandings between the groups, a public private partnership will never work.”
My New Year’s commitment, (I don’t do resolutions just to break them): I am going to follow in the leadership footsteps of Police Chief Richard Drumheller, (Pottstown’s very own Dancing Guy/video below) **with all due respect**
- I will go straight to the source: organizations, businesses, schools, the press, government at the local, county, state and federal levels to ask hard questions when they arise, to share ideas and to listen. I will do my best to learn the lessons of the past year, keep an open mind to give everyone the opportunity to speak from their own perspective.
- I will continue to blog and share information and ideas, to expose those who take advantage of the taxpayers and the vulnerabilities of Pottstown, (ie: particularly rapacious income investors, property managers, etc). I will press forward with the People’s Video Project on Youtube and remain active on Facebook where ideas, vital connections with the community, (and other communities), are fostered.
- I will maintain trust and confidence in every effort put forth by others to work toward better understanding and to create a better story line for Pottstown.
- In the spirit of co-operation, I will do my part to foster goodwill but the truth will always prevail. As a member of Citizens Action Committee for Pottstown I will encourage participants and Facebook friends to extend the same effort to create a space for all of us to begin to forge a public private partnership that is founded in trust and honesty…
In lipstick, on my bathroom mirror, (as a reminder), I have written this time honored aphorism, courtesy of the wisdom of the great Albert Einstein:
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Please think about that statement and…
Ask yourselves if you can make a commitment, in the new year, to take the first step to foster communication with one another and help forge a strong public/private partnership.
Here’s two interesting reads on leadership that have made it into my favorites this year:
http://improvingpolice.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/principles-of-leadership/
http://www.governing.com/columns/mgmt-insights/col-cities-making-citizens-part-of-government.html
Happy New Year Friends.
Please enjoy my favorite quick lesson in leadership: Dancing Guy….
