Richmond's First Schizophrenic Prescription

The business community that hired James Crupi to tell us what we already knew but needed a good reminder of, is now looking to hear from "everyone else."

Jim Dunn of the Chamber of Commerce said he wants to develop action plans over the next year and by January "hopes to organize one of Crupi's key recommendations: a task force to propose an overall vision for the area's future."

But he and other area leaders hope those plans won't be just a business wish list. For the next month, the 40 businesses and business leaders -- mostly anonymous -- plan to watch and listen for reaction to Crupi's review of the region's strengths and weaknesses.

Well, I plan to be part of that discussion in some fashion, and in the meantime, suggest several courses of action off the top of my hard headed noggin':

First off, the business owners and persons involved in hiring Dr. Crupi need to be identified. There can not be an honest discussion of our city's and region's future and needs if we do not know who wants to hear about them. If someone is interested enough in ponying up big bucks for Crupi's tab, then they should also not have a problem in letting us know they were a benefactor.

No one will be pilloried in this process if it is truly an honest discussion. Those that fear they or a company will be a lightening rod need know that the chronically hysterical will be marginalized in these discussions and there should be no fear of standing up and helping identify our shortcomings and needs.

It starts with honesty. If we continue to lie to ourselves like we have about our problems and issues for thirty years, this whole process is dead at the start and the suffocation ensues.


Second, I point to a post from nearly two years ago about listening to young folk and their ideas for their city's future. It didn't happen here, of course - silly rabbit, Trix are for kids - it happened in Roanoke.

[Roanoke officials} invited young people to a meeting...at the Roanoke Civic Center to hear their thoughts for making the city a better place for youths.

The ideas from the meeting and the ideas from another similar meeting next week will be put in a youth plan that will be presented to the planning commission and then to the city council before being incorporated into the city's overall comprehensive plan.

Roanoke booked their civic center for a forum to listen to the people that had the most at stake in the long term success of the city. If we can do that, then I'll start to believe our "leaders" are interested and making a broad effort to find out what we need to do, not just what they think is best for us. It is amazing what you can learn from listening to other generations - even if you don't understand their language.

Just because you travel to a foreign country and can't speak the language or read the signs, does not mean you don't learn anything. In fact, it is why you go. It is an incredible learning experience when you discover that despite the language and other barriers - people are the same and have the same interests and desires no matter where you are and you learn from each other. That certainly applies to different generations living in the same city.

Just because different generations have different interests, hobbies, and vernacular, does not mean they aren't concerned about the same issues and problems as other generations. Most every adult living here is generally worried about real estate taxes, weak city schools, crime, economic health of the city, and so on, and young minds can lead to and help develop new solutions.

I would be willing to bet that if the same leaders that rented out the Siegel Center for Dr. Crupi's presentation did the same (like Roanoke) for the younger generations (and anyone else), several things would happen - all of them good and proof of the spirit of wanting to listen.

~ One, there would be an impressive turnout;
~ Two, some solid ideas would flow from that other "more established" folk had not thought of or recognized;
~ Three, at least a few ideas from such a meeting would gain traction in our long term planning that would have otherwise been undiscovered or consigned to nowhere; and,
~ Four, it would show a commitment by the report's leaders that the future of this city is on all of our shoulders and we will all contribute to its success.

We must remember that our city's success will not be predetermined by those that have in the past considered it a best practice that no one else has anything to contribute. We have tried that and it hasn't worked. It will take an inclusive city to address the problems outlined by Crupi and forge ahead to treat and cure our "schizophrenic" condition.

It has taken two of Dr. Crupi's reports to inform us that our problems can not be solved by a few people that speak the same language and who expect others to just listen, understand, and follow. It will take more than that, and as of now all the talk among the "leaders" is that everyone will have a stake in our future.

Let's hope this time they mean it - and hold them to it - so that we don't have to hire Crupi a third time around. If it comes to that, then we will know we have failed and only pretended to listen.
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