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Communication

More up-to-date articles on Communication can be read here and here.

On July 9 2004, Shareholders received two flyers from the Board which were characterized by remarkable detail and directness. I commend the Board for producing them. I am hopeful that this the beginning of change at Seward Park, but it is too early to be sure.

I hope that it is remembered that communications is a process and not an event. In particular, I hope that these flyers will be followed up by information on other issues, that updates will be forthcoming, and that a framework is established for shareholders to provide input on the issues we face. The recommendations I made for regular communications I discussed in the earlier version of this article still apply:

  • All Board Members should be required to have published email addresses and to read messages that are received.
  • A regular newsletter by the Board which keeps us up to date on on-going and resolved issues.
  • Formal and timely means of notifying Shareholders of new issues.
  • Formal communication channels through which the community can respond to issues.
  • A formal mechanism for polling the community opinion on major issues.
  • Agenda of Board Meetings to be published well in advance
  • Board Meetings to strongly discourage discussion of items that do not appear on the agenda.
  • Board Meeting minutes to be comprehensive and made available within each building in a timely manner.
  • Board Meeting attendance and voting records to be compiled and made publicly available.

Such policies would establish a means for our community to learn about and weigh-in on the issues we face, and a means to guage how well our elected officials are representing our interests. And aside from such practical benefits, it is my contention that this would make the job of Board Members easier. Divisive issues will be sorted out by the community at-large, and priorities will be assigned based on community relevance. Putting these immense responsibilities on the shareholders will allow Board Members to drop the political subterfuge that has characterized Seward Park in the past and free them to focus their energies on developing creative solutions to the challenges we face as a community.