This might be a long-shot, but is there any way that the community could take the concept of a NID/BID and "steal" John Fenton? It would be an administrative nightmare for someone (would I do it?? I'm not sure). My objections to the NID/BID were with the organizational structure and its control by the larger entities around us who, I felt, were trying to force "little" guys to pay while they continued to run it to their own pleasure. I feel like now is the idea time to act-- here's a guy (John Fenton) who has proven that he can provide "clean and safe". I've seen large companies run with a whole new business concept based on the presence of a highly competent employee before. In addition there is a structure in place to form a new "clean and safe" company -- the NID/BID. I'm not sure exactly how it would work, but we could form our own entity (call it a "CID") funded by the promises to pay of community people and businesses that would have been the source of the NID/BID. We have 300 signatures in favor of John right now. We could "hire/rent" from the current UCD as many ambassadors and machines that we needed (as long as the UCD agreed to have this quasi-partnership with us). We would hire John to run the CID entity. I am certain that we could do it less expensively and more inclusively (even truly serving the outer-lying areas of our boundaries). I think it could work for two reasons: first, the moderates (as I consider myself) could step up and show support for an entity that provides clean and safe in UC. Our self-run and self-funded would overcome all of my objections to the NID/BID (relating to control by the larger entities and their proclivity to overspend and mismanage). I feel as if it's time to show real support for the good aspects of UCD (most specifically their excellent hire of John Fenton). Secondly, if Penn/UCD/Drexel/Campus Apts really want to push off some of the operating expense of the UCD on the residents/beneficiaries then they would, in the end, support our new community based and funded "CID". (They would balk initially at the concept of losing control, but in the end it will accomplish what they're really after at the same time that it might operate more efficiently without the U of P restrictions and requirements). It's a long-shot and I'm not sure it works without John Fenton. He would have to sign his future on with a crazy dis-functional community, but the time to do it would be now (I'll bet he's looking and will find a new job within a week or two). I personally feel that there is a strong support (as Nixon used to say "the silent majority") for this kind of entity, but we've all been waiting for the chance to support it without the baggage that the "Big Boys" bring to the table.
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