As I reflect upon 2011, I want to personally thank all DSNC members, downtown and east downtown residents, stakeholder organizations, Mayor Parker, Chief of Police-Charles McClelland, HPD Captain-Jonathan Zera, HPD Officers, City Council Member-James Rodriguez; and, City of Houston Leaders, Catherine Flowers, Donald Perkins and Conya Barreras for your tireless work and efforts to ensure that the DSNC has support, tools and resources to address needs and concerns of the community. It is our goal to solve for ourselves, which will free up local government to concentrate on other objectives.
I’m pleased to report the achievement of DSNC 2011 milestones and performance:
1. Elected a DSNC Council.
2. Created and adopted DSNC organizational structure, bylaws, mission statement and parliamentary procedures.
3. DSNC recognized before City Council by Mayor Parker and Council Member-James Rodriguez.
4. Participated in National Night Out and attended HPD Positive Interaction Program meetings.
5. Working closely with east downtown residents, Council Member-James Rodriguez, METRO and City of Houston employees to address concerns relative to the METRO rail line construction.
6. Worked with residents of downtown high-rise buildings to resolve complaints relative to Toc bar. HPD deserves the credit here for responding accordingly and being an excellent community partner.
7. Working with Bayou Lofts residents relative to freight train noise complaints.
8. Supported the Civilian Ordinance proposed by Tina Araujo, East Downtown Management District, and east end Community Leaders, Hershel Donny and Linda Cantu.
9. Participated in Super Neighbor Alliance meetings and partnered with a number of Super Neighborhood Councils and Community Leaders to support and assist with initiatives such as the Rufus Cage Elementary project and me meeting with Midtown residents to create a Super Neighborhood Council.
I wanted to also update you relative to where the DSNC stands regarding change management because the DSNC is new to downtown and east downtown. I believe that we are making significant progress to becoming a high-performing Council. I believe there are four stages we will go through:
1. Forming – This is a comfortable stage to be in, but the avoidance of conflict and threat means that not much actually gets done.
2. Storming – The Council addresses issues such as what problems we are really supposed to solve for, how we will function independently and together and what leadership model we will accept. The Council members open up to each other and confront each others ideas and perspectives.
3. Norming - In this stage, all Council members take the responsibility and have the ambition to work for the success of the Council’s goals.
4. Performing - The Council members are now competent, autonomous and able to handle the decision-making process without supervision. Dissent is expected and allowed as long as it is channeled through means acceptable to the Council.
I believe that the DSNC is in the norming stage and we are working diligently to move into the performing stage in an effort to best serve downtown and east downtown residents and stakeholder organizations.
The DSNC 2012 strategy is forthcoming.
Happy Holidays and thanks for all your support!
