Take a look at the notice below. I wonder who in city government came up with this idea? I am sure one of the council will take credit for it, lots of credit if it goes through, as council members always do. Never will you find them giving credit to anyone else, unless of course, it buys them votes or money. Too many good ideas have I seen come from the general public, and far too often selfishly co-opted and claimed by someone on council. So let me give you history behind this.
Many years ago, when Coble first ran for mayor, he faced 3 opponents: incumbent Adams, Ligon, and a fellow named Rick Baty. Rick was quite an unusual fellow, ahead of his time in many ways. Besides being a graphic artist, he was a roller skater, a musician, and an environmentalist, among others. He pushed for recycling, his big issue. When it came to a runoff between Coble & Adams, Coble told Rick that he would institute city recycling if Rick would swing his supporters behind him, which Rick did. That is how Coble got elected, and the only real blemish on Rick’s record.
But Rick had many other good ideas, which he shared with me over the times I ran. One I really found quite interesting and doable was his agriculture in the city idea. Take bare city land and let the homeless and poor use it to plant fruits and vegetables for their own use. Or flowers for sale. Use any property, whether right of ways that had barren areas, around city buildings, in parks, anywhere land could be found and used for agriculture. I liked it so much that I promised Rick I would promote it every time I ran, and institute it when I won. Rick passed away many years ago, and I promised him before he did I would keep after it, which I have.
In thinking about it over many years, I came up with embellishments, the primary one being to do this by a river in the government area, meaning the areas not allowed for any construction due to potential flooding. Areas I promoted were either by Elmwood Cemetery, or in the Bluff Road area. I was told, repeatedly, that in town was totally unacceptable as that area was to be developed and the rich that would occupy the area would never allow it. Nor would the people on Governor’s Hill, or the neighborhoods near by. When I promoted the Bluff Rd. area, I was told that was insensitive as A) the people out there were burdened enough with low socio-economic issues, B) as the homeless needed to be close to services that were available only in town, and C) the homeless should not be shuttled away from town and out of sight, as out of sight, out of mind.
My proposal, which grew out of Rick’s idea, grew into fields for agriculture, fields for recreation, a day shelter with showers, telephone, laundromat, lockers, mail stop, and other needs of the homeless. I also promoted building facilities so the helping agencies could all locate satellite services there, along with job training of all sorts. I strongly suggested the city give the land to Oliver Gospel and provide economic assistance for night shelters. Doing all of these would help to keep the homeless off Main St., where there was much anguish, and anger, over many of the homeless that panhandled customers and merchants, along with using the street and store fronts for restroom facilities. It also gave the homeless somewhere else to spend the day rather than the library during intolerable weather. My proposal was to give more help to the homeless and their needs, helping them to find ways to get help more easily, and to help themselves, building a sense of worth rather than resentment and anger. It also was designed to help with the development of Main St. business, especially retail, as downtown people were complaining of the homeless and how they ran off customers, especially ladies who were intimidated, and even more so if they had small children in tow.
This concept I have promoted for nearly 20 years, adding to it as I discovered more embellishments, and as many of you have given me more ideas. There is plenty of available land by the cemetery, the railroad tracks, in the industrial area to the right of I-126 as you exit to Huger, and under the Elmwood overpass (I have seen buildings under highway bridges elsewhere). This area is on the bus line (until it goes bankrupt shortly), is close to agencies, has suitable land and plenty of space, is not desirable for housing due to the road noise and dirt (OK, in California it would be suitable, or Manhattan, but we do not have their problems that require that, either), and gives the homeless an opportunity to create and develop. It also allows the homeless to stay out of sight if they want. Some who are homeless DO NOT want to be seen as homeless as they are afraid of losing a job if discovered. Besides, they want to maintain some dignity, and being branded as homeless does not.
There is more, but this is the nutshell history of it. It has taken almost 2 decades of promoting this concept to see this happen. I am not sure who and where else this is coming from, but I am sure it will have some “study” behind it, or some “focus group” or some politician claiming it.
The political egotists as they are, never give due credit to the average citizen for good ideas, but steal them instead and claim them as their own, trying to show “vision” on their part in order to gain votes. If they only understood people, especially the ones they represent, and gave them public credit, imagine how many more good ideas we would get, and how much more cooperation and energy there would be to accomplish them. Ego, greed, selfishness. So damaging, and so dangerous. It holds Columbia back.
Just remember where the good idea came from-Rick Baty.
________________________________________
From: RhettAnders@aol.com [mailto:RhettAnders@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, September 22, 2008 9:37 PM
To: theazarnewsletter+owner@googlegroups.com
Subject: Joe..please post.
Hello Everyone!
Columbia City Council will take up the homeless issue this Wednesday. The City is looking for alternatives to the Salvation Army Site in Downtown. The front runner to this is to build a permanent facility near the Water/Hydro Plant in the Vista.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE try to come to this very important meeting and express your thoughts for this or any other idea as to how we finally solve this problem in Columbia. Please forward this to anyone who works or lives downtown. Everyone's opinion matters and we must have resolution to this. Please come be heard.
Wednesday September 24th @ 2:00 PM in City Council Chambers in City Hall.
Thanks!
Rhett Anders
President
Windemere Spring N.A.
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