Is the ACBA a "Secret Card Game"?
So last night the Mayor went to Commerce Bank on Gravois looking for the Community Betterment Assn. meeting. No one was there. On closer inspection of their web site, the ACBA tells us:
REGULAR MEETINGS:3rd Thurdsay of the month at 9:00 AM at Commerce Bank on Gravois, except when evening meetings are scheduled.
Evening meetings are held quarterly in Feb., May, Aug., and Nov. at 7pm. Locations to be announced.
Evening meetings are held quarterly in Feb., May, Aug., and Nov. at 7pm. Locations to be announced.
ALL WELCOME!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Contact ACBA for currently scheduled activities or check the Affton Chamber of Commerce web site at www.afftonchamber.com/communitynews.htm.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Contact ACBA for currently scheduled activities or check the Affton Chamber of Commerce web site at www.afftonchamber.com/communitynews.htm.
So, I click the link to the Chamber's site and it tells me this...
Affton Community Betterment Association (ACBA) meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at the NEW Commerce Bank (10185 Gravois) at 9 a.m. The meetings in February, May, August, and November will be held at 7 p.m. to accommodate residents who are unable to attend meetings in the morning. Location of these meetings will be listed on their web site (www.afftonacba.com).
This is what Microsoft Excel calls a "circular reference" because it sends logical thinking in a fruitless pursuit of answers. One site refers you back to the other for answers and the circle if formed! Now I ASSUMED it was going to be at Commerce, so shame on me for assuming, but no posting on the sites? No note on the door at the bank? WTF? I'M THE FREAKING MAYOR! You think someone would make sure I was in the right place at the right time! If it's not on the web, what does that mean? The ACBA and the Chamber are communicating on soup cans with a string attached? Perhaps, but maybe they are actually preventing the public from going to the meeting. Perhaps they are only giving us lip service. More importantly, I'm dying to know how many people attend the evening meetings vs. the day meetings. If the numbers go up, shouldn't they move the meetings to the nights permanently? I suppose it will be another three months before I find out for you as they only do this quarterly. I have emailed the ACBA and they have not yet responded. I'll let you know.
posted by Mayor of Affton @ 4:36 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Fwiw, I heard from an Affton Chamber of Commerce birdy that the Betterment Committee is a 'joke'. It is run by the Chamber but no one at the Chamber wants to run it because they are too busy running businesses. My understanding is that nothing actually comes out of the Betterment Committee.
Perhaps you can try getting in touch with someone directly and communicating to them that you are interested in the committee and the latest happenings.
Personally, I think an Affton Betterment Committee should be conducted by an Affton resident. Someone that has an interest in seeing it succeed and has the heart and soul to see it through. Also, someone without an ulterior motive.
I think you'd be perfect! lol.
I would consider attending meetings for the Betterment Committee if it meant Affton citizens getting involved to see results. I'm not interested in meetings filled with complaining ala the meeting you recently attended at OHS.
Hmm. I have heard this before as well. I find it funny that the County plan for the Affton area makes the ACBA very responsible for a lot of proposed improvements, funding these improvements and the like. Since you imply that the Chamber and the ACBA are, in fact nearly the same folks, you would think they could figure out whether it was the 2nd or 3rd Thursday of the month that they meet. The two web sites don't seem to agree.
I would also join up and get some action going in Affton. That's what this is about...getting folks talking about AFFTON ISSUES! People do care, but there is just no avenue for citizen input.
I also wanted to point out that none of these points have been brought out by the crack journalism staff at the South County Journal. Why is it that the Mayor is the investigative reporter for the area? Is it becuase I've only lived here for 3 1/2 years and it's all fun, new stuff to me? Are the reporters suffering from learned helplessness after being here too long? Is it time for an overthrow of the paper?
If I did, I would however retain the newly appointed Crystal Franke. Not only is she what we would describe as a "hot mom" but as a mother of children, I would consider her in the target market I want to reach with my "rebranding of Affton" as a great place to have a family.
I might also suggest attending an affton alumni meeting. They are open to the public. Many community issues are also discussed at these events. So, there are some professionals with strong affton ties a thtese things.
They are held in the affton high school auditorium lobby. The next one is MAy 17th at 7:30 pm.
Post a Comment
<< Home