Dear Mayor Suthers, Chief of Staff Greene, and Deputy Chief of Staff Trujillo,

Creative Community Solutions, whose mission is to represent and protect the Westside Community, feels it is necessary to respond regarding the update from Councilwoman Fortune that was presented to attending Westside community members. 

In her update she presented the following:

-        Westside Community Center will remain a community center.

-        City will provide staffing and programming.

-        Multiple entities reached out who showed interest in operating the WCC.

-        Partnerships will matter.

-        Multiple revenue generating partnerships.

-        City will create an advisory board.

-        All communications sent through Kathy Perry.

   

We acknowledge and appreciate that Councilwoman Fortune visited our community to give an update of the previous day's meeting with the executive branch.  However, we find the information confusing and lacking clarity. 

Below are our responses to each of her points:

-        No clear definition of community center.

-        For over two years, our community has stated that it wants to control the programming and services for the WCC.

-        This should remain a community center, not operated by any for profit business or nonprofit that is not operating a broad community service.  All revenue above operation costs should support WCC growth.

-        Partnerships with services that impact our community will be determined by our community and not the city.

-        A community center is a community service.  No business should monetarily benefit from the city services.  To do this would be a conflict of use of taxpayer monies.

-        The community should determine its own governance system, chosen by the community, which may or may not be an advisory board.

-        By merely suggesting all communication be funneled through one community member is a gross suggestion and restriction of speech.  All government elected or appointed members are expected to serve all its citizens.

For over two years, our community has requested to sit at the decision-making table, to be involved, and to share open communication.  If a solution is what you are seeking, please start with this.  Once this is accomplished with sincerity, the results will be true progress and realistic solutions.

Over the last two years CCS has observed that many community members bring their own individual interests and concerns to the discussions rather than the broader perspective of the whole Westside community’s needs.  Individual interests do have particular bearing when programming and services are to be determined, but do not have immediate influence on the general decisions made about the operations of the center.  This distraction often leads to misrepresentation and misunderstanding of the fundamental wants and needs of our Westside community.  CCS is one of the two existing nonprofit groups; CCS was created specifically to represent our community regarding the WCC.  CCS believes we have particular insight into the understanding of our community’s wants and needs which will help bridge the apparent gap between the city and community, and CCS is offering our leadership and knowledge toward finding a solution to the disparities voiced by our community.  CCS board of directors’ goal would be to work toward an amicable solution that benefits and rebuilds the relationship between the city and the Westside community.  This can only happen with a sincere invitation to a seat at the table and open honest conversation.

Please reply to this email with a date and time that we can meet prior to June 30th, 2022.

 

Sincerely,

Board of Directors

Creative Community Solutions