no offense taken

besides, i'm married and have two teenagers... and use to be cab driver

i can handle a pope or two

no offense taken

besides, i'm married and have two teenagers... and use to be cab driver

i can handle a pope or two

 

that's heresy, there's only one pope.

I think there's been a few more than that.

 

So what's the discussion agenda, or are we just going to wing it? I'll be there either way.

6:30's tough, although I think I can make it too.  Anyway, as for a discussion agenda, here are a few starting thoughts.  Basic idea presented has been to explore forming some sort of non-profit to promote urban issues.  So, things to discuss would seem to include:

- What's the group's actual mission/purpose?

- What guiding principles can we agree on?

- What kind of activities would this organization undertake?  What kind of activities wouldn't it undertake?

- next steps

 

Other stuff?

BTW - I've never been to AJ Rocco's - is it going to be packed on Thursday b/c of the opening night of the NCAA's?

Everyone still on for 6:30 tonight at A.J. Rocco's, right?

I won't be able to make it, but if someone could take notes, that'd be much appreciated! :-)

I'm getting my butt kicked at work today

 

(yes, i know, "pope, quit slacking on UO then")

I plan to be there.

KJP and j73 are here.

Where are the rest of you?

 

...and newbie, redbrick.

I'm sure more people would have turned out if it were planned out with more time to make arrangements.  Anyway, how did it go?

Glad you asked.

I think it went well. We are going to need lots of input in order to figure out where everyone thinks this train needs to go.

 

And now for the rambling (I encourage the others to add things I missed - I'm sure there are lots):

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

#Advocacy, information/educational, retail, all of the above?

 

#17% of gross revenue can be used for lobbying (IRS)

 

#Sales of any kind can be used for organization operation – as long as the operation is defined within the bylaws

#Can take up to you years for irs to recognize 501c3

#Can get a statutory agent to represent UO until finished:

-Ecocity Cleveland

-All Aboard Ohio

-RealNEO

-OPC  (APA)

-AIA

-Cleveland Film Commission

 

#Does are mission match theirs?

 

#Need to determine what we really want to do.

#Advocacy: Will developers come to us for feedback, direction… focus group?

#Act as a “focus group” to clients first as we get our collective feet wet.

#This will help us focus our direction toward policy and advocacy

 

#Tours: Visibility

#Would it be better to hook-up with an established org (emerging Cleveland, city prowl) instead of re-inventing the touring wheel?

 

 

#Should we focus our collective efforts acting as constituency as opposed to an advocacy group? Or is both possible?

 

#Developing talking points

#On website: place for action

 

#Membership fees: What do you get out of it? Newsletter (area specific)

 

#If there is an out of town company that is looking for a unbiased, non-financially based opinion on where there business could and should locate for a much lower cost then traditional property brokers would charge. Neighborhood Brokerage.

 

#Development Website:

#Conceptual ideas for potential development

#“This would be a good location for a …”

#Graphical representations

#Possible conceptual site plans

 

Thanks for taking notes last night, Musky. I thought it was a good meeting and a good start. I'll comment more later.

Ok so I missed the meeting; obviously most of you have far more experience in Cleveland 'stuff' than I do, but I was a pretty good lobbyist in my day and grassroots worker. I have a standing thursday evening meeting that i could probably miss once in a while but not on a regular basis. But but but....count me  in. I love the idea of urban ohio news; I love the idea of us going to websites of retailers like Trader Joe's to lobby; and I think if enough of us were involved, we could have people at important meetings where our representation would get noticed and we wouldn't miss any news we needed. So, whatever way you guys would see me useful, I'm in. 

First of all, we should definately look into Cleveland Bridge Builders as a statutory agent. They already act as a statutory agent for a number of initiatives and emerging organizations: http://www.clevelandbridgebuilders.org/index.asp, and I think their mission matches ours.

 

Second of all, I think ideally what we really want to do is establish local chapters of the organizations to

1. Promote what's happening in urban neighborhoods through a website, newsletter, and tours.

2. Lead specific campaigns of public interest by attending meetings and writing letters to area government officials, other non-profits, CDCs, and developers.

 

Here are a couple organizations that come to mind that I think we could look to as providing some kind of model:

 

Ohio Citizen Action - A statewide public interest group with specific chapters that each lead a regional campaign to promote awareness and organize communities around environmental issues. Urban Ohio could be a similar organization, but instead of "environemntal issues" the focus would be "sustainable neighborhoods". On a side note, non-profits like Ohio Citizen Action that influence public policy have a 501c4 designation and private contributions are not tax decuctible. http://www.ohiocitizen.org/

 

Cool Cleveland - Promotes what's "cool and happening" in Cleveland through a website and newsletter. They also organize their own events and sell their own merchandise, which provides some revenue as well. Urban Ohio could do something similar by maintaining a website and newsletter that promotes "sustainable neighborhood development". We could also look at ways to generate revenue through sponsorship, merchandise, and tours.  http://www.coolcleveland.com/

Cincinnati and SW Ohio peeps ... are we going to plan a meeting?

Why don't you plan one and throw out dates.

Cincinnati and SW Ohio peeps ... are we going to plan a meeting?

 

See the Events. I might be coming up this Friday.

VIA: all UO users as interpreted by me

 

After reading and participating on UO for the last 25 months, I humbly offer you my suggestions for the future role of UO.

 

 

 

I propose that the future of UO embraces and exploits the current expertise inherent on UO.  UO has created a community during a period that marks the infancy of the information age.  UO brings a context/framework to this information based on the knowledge inherent in its users.  This context generates value.

 

Therefore, in order for UO to exploit its knowledge to create value-added information that can produce revenue, UO should rely on its natural strengths, which I would identify as:

-photography

-mapping

-websites

-writing/blogging

-video?

-graphic design?

 

As for an organizational model, I think a non-profit heterarchy makes the most sense with a physical presence manifesting itself once revenue begins to trickle in.

 

Thank you for your time.

 

 

 

We have a few planners and architects on here too!

jpop-sicle.  this bumps for you!

Nice :)

Since urbanohio is worth millions, we're probably going to sell out!

"photography

-mapping

-websites

-writing/blogging

-video?

-graphic design?"

 

The great thing about UrbanOhio is that there are so many smart creative people with expertise in different areas. I can't believe how much I've learned in the past year from people on this site. I'm sure if we channeled our energy and creativity we could accomplish a lot but it's a matter of whether or not people on UrbanOhio are the the types to get things done.

 

Very few people in this world are leaders.

David?  Inspiring?

 

The Day After Tomorrow indeed.

Im being serious Chris. How many message boards have this many smart people?! Do you realize how influential we could be?

Im being serious Chris. How many message boards have this many smart people?! Do you realize how influential we could be?

 

apparently you haven't met ColDayMan..........

BANNED!

Head Narcissist In Charge!

 

JK. Chris is my brother from another mother

 

:)!

Are you saying that all black men are "brothers?"

 

RACIST!  BANNED!

Are you saying that all black men are "brothers?"

 

RACIST!  BANNED!

 

We'll you know we all look alike? :roll: :roll:

I have to agree with TheGuv a non-profit and all the expertise. I learn so much from all of you and one thing we need in this City is to nurture leaders. I have a feeling you might all agree. I would be very interested in that. This site was down for a day or two and I thought I might go through withdrawals lol.  How about the idea of UO being the Core as TheGuv suggests (with added categories as suggested) and then get other groups like Bridge Builders to work along with us?  What do you think?

Hey, I'm all for cooperation (we do so with other city-related sites such as CincyImages, Building-Cincinnati, and ClevelandSkyscrapers.com).  The more groups, the greater urban initiative this state can get!

#Advocacy, information/educational, retail, all of the above?

 

#17% of gross revenue can be used for lobbying (IRS)

 

#Sales of any kind can be used for organization operation – as long as the operation is defined within the bylaws

#Can take up to you years for irs to recognize 501c3

#Can get a statutory agent to represent UO until finished:

  -Ecocity Cleveland

  -All Aboard Ohio

  -RealNEO

  -OPC  (APA)

  -AIA

  -Cleveland Film Commission

 

#Does are mission match theirs?

 

#Need to determine what we really want to do.

#Advocacy: Will developers come to us for feedback, direction… focus group?

#Act as a “focus group” to clients first as we get our collective feet wet.

#This will help us focus our direction toward policy and advocacy

 

#Tours: Visibility

#Would it be better to hook-up with an established org (emerging Cleveland, city prowl) instead of re-inventing the touring wheel?

 

 

#Should we focus our collective efforts acting as constituency as opposed to an advocacy group? Or is both possible?

 

#Developing talking points

#On website: place for action

 

#Membership fees: What do you get out of it? Newsletter (area specific)

 

#If there is an out of town company that is looking for a unbiased, non-financially based opinion on where there business could and should locate for a much lower cost then traditional property brokers would charge. Neighborhood Brokerage.

 

#Development Website:

#Conceptual ideas for potential development

#“This would be a good location for a …”

#Graphical representations

#Possible conceptual site plans

 

Just looking through some old threads...Did anything more come of this meeting?  Seems like a great idea, just being curious...

 

I always thought an UrbanCleveland newspaper would be a great idea...