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Reform DVI Movement Gains Steam
Jerry Moran, and several others from the group Pioneers 4 Jax are scheduled to meet with the Sheriff tomorrow to introduce new ideas, air greviances and create a common agenda for the treatment of Downtown. Pioneers 4 Jax, composed heavily of the small businesses downtown are expected to make several stunning suggestions including: 1. the dissolution or partial dissolution of DVI, Downtown's BID instrument, in order to use the money instead for beefed up police patrols in the downtown area. 2. The replacement of Hemming Park squad cars with bike cops 3. The revival of the Traveller's Aid in order to purchase and obtain tickets back home for the various individuals who find themselves stranded in Downtown Jacksonville without a way to return home. Says one member of the group. Downtown is all about needing to feel safe, People will not move here when there are a bunch of bums and panhandlers scaring them to death every time they get out of the car. Maybe if the Sheriff had some of that money that DVI is spending on salaries, they could actually cover downtown the way they need to. And the subject of DVI is enough to make temperatures rise to fever pitch. I don't know if it needs to be dissolved or maybe if it could be restructured so that it works---then that would be money well spent. But the way it is set up right now, its NOT working. The Traveller's Aid idea came about partially through Tony Sleiman's manager, Janet. She has the same problem all the rest of us do downtown, she has over 400 trespassing warrants from the panhandlers. They came to our last meeting and offered to help fund it---this is something that we asked DVI to help reinstitute over a year ago, and NOTHING.....with Tony, the merchants are going to have to do it themselves. Updates after the meeting tomorrow night.
Published February 6, 2008 in News Digg
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stephendare
February 06, 2008, 05:44:01 PMWhile I definitely support reforming DVI, I wonder whether or not the real problem of all problems is the panhandling?
Main Street in Springfield definitely has its share of panhandlers, but my volume has increased during lunchtime.
Most of my customers are telling me that the reason they are coming more frequently simply because they dont have to deal with the parking nazis downtown.
stephendare
February 07, 2008, 08:43:58 AMThursday, February 7th at 6:32 PM in the Community Center of the 11 East Forsyth building located on the corner of Main and Forsyth.
stephendare
February 07, 2008, 10:25:56 AMAnd btw, Jerry Moran and Tony Sleiman need to be congratulated and recognized for their efforts to revive a jacksonville branch of Traveller's Aid.
If you have ever been stranded in a strange city for whatever reasons, these people are a beacon of civilization and one of the nobler operations in the country. They have been around an awfully long time, and I was very sad when Jacksonville lost our branch.
http://www.travelersaid.org/
Kudos guys. Godspeed and thank you.
stephendare
February 08, 2008, 12:52:55 PMMeeting went off as planned last night.
Sheriff wasnt there.
Several other community notables were.
Ran into Ron from Chamblin's and the merchants (even the slightly crazy ones) all agreed that the system needs to be revamped along the lines of of more artwalk style events and less politics on the part of the DVI administration.
More to come, but I would think this is a major milestone along the path of rediverting DVI.