Can anyone imaging trying to run for office in a local election but not being able to contact registered voters? Or registered Democrats (if you were running in, say, a Democratic primary)? I know that civic association politics are not exactly high politics but there really needs to be more transparency.

ESSCA leadersgip should look to the future – and encourage more community participation. It is the responsibility of the Board to ensure that ESSCA will continue to have new blood, and an experienced corps of leaders for the future.

I ran for ESSCA Prez in 2005, and lost to Bob by 23 votes. The meeting looked like a box of q-Tips. The voting took place before Bob and I squared-off for questions and comments. The election was a trangely-run thing. “Vote for Bob” posters on the registration table, people I had never seen before, and Bob used the ESSCA membership list to send out flyers ( I had no idea this was possible).I never really had a chance.

I have been to exactly one ESSCA meeting since then. The meetings are excruciating. I have to admit that you can get some good info at ESSCA meetings, but they could be so much more efficient and informative.

Once again, ESSCA really needs to make an effort to reach out to the community better. Why is there no Membership person?? I tried to volunteer after I lost, but I think the leaershp generally regards new members as a mixed-bag – better to run slim and maintain control.

Finally, over the years I have had occassion to talk and work with a number of MC Gov officials and elected leaders. While most of them respect ESSCA, many of them regrd ESSCA as an exclusive organization that does not neccassarily represent tthe community as a whole. Low membership numbers sometimes give ESSCA a credibility problem. I’d go back more often if more people came and pushed for more progressive and welcoming organization.

I know that a lot of other organizations have similar problems, but to say that ESSCA is pretty much like all the rest is just not right. ESSCA has fallen into a comfort level that keeps it from growing and better serving our community.

ESSCA might consider surveying the members of itslistserv to find out more about what their priorities are for the neighborhood and whether they approve of the job that ESSCA leadership is doing. The survey could also ask respondents to identify some basic information about themselves (age, ethnicity, how long they have lived in the neighborhood, etc). It would be interesting to see if the demogrpahics of the ESSCA list mirrors the demographics of East Silver Spring as a whole. Websites like http://www.surveymonkey.com would allow one to design such a survey and administer it while keeping responses anonymous.

Somehow I don’t suspect this type of survey to be forthcoming from ESSCA leadership, so Eric, let me propose that http://www.thayeravenue.com develop such a survey, run it by someone who knows something about survey design and administration to minimize sources of error, and distribute it on the ESSCA listserv.

I think you should run for Vice President of ESSCA. East Silver Spring needs change in leadership. Ask someone to nominate you for the 18 May election. Get the experience and run for President in 2010.

The current president has his own motives and uses ESSCA’s well-established reputation in county government circles. There is generational rift now. Mr. Colvin and Mrs. Taylor has served us well but change is in order.

But if we can find a pool of, say, 12 regular attendees from our demographic and 3 or 4 or 5 of them could attend the monthly meeting (rotating people), that could be amazing for our say in ESSCA. I know it’s still a tall order and perhaps a bit idealistic, but that’s the thought.

No easy answers tonight, as I just watched a television show that blew my mind and have to spend some time twittering about it. Which also reminds me of the potential modernization of ESSCA…. *sweet dreams*