From the President Feb 29, 2016
It has been my pleasure to serve as President of INC for the past four years and a member of the INC Board since 2007. In agreeing to serve it has been my goal to fundamentally move the organization to actively advocate for neighborhood interests and to empower neighborhood organizations to effect municipal public policy. I believe that this is the role that INC has increasingly served as part of our City’s democratic process.
However, with some recent exceptions, our City officials, appointed, career and elected, have resisted recognizing the importance of citizen involvement at the very early stages of the planning process and do not acknowledge the important role that our system of Registered Neighborhood Organizations should play as part of democracy at the local level. Rather than embracing RNO input and ideas and encouraging others to join RNOs to give voice to their concerns, neighborhoods are viewed as a hurdle around and over which predetermined plans must be maneuvered.
I have decided to run for a last two-year term as INC President. First, it will be my goal to continue to grow INC internally through organizational development and as an institution. Second, as a capstone to my tenure on the INC Board, it will be a goal to change the culture of Denver City Government, to recognize the RNO system as the most legitimate and ongoing voice of grassroots concerns on city public policy. To do this, it will be necessary to effect systematic acceptance of neighborhood representatives not just on boards and commissions, but also in regularly providing meaningful public involvement in the planning process.
There is resistance to these concepts, however, my continued leadership goal is to advocate for INC’s increasingly effective civic role. No matter the outcome of the March elections, I am so very grateful for the support I have received for these efforts over these past years from INC delegates, committee chairs, co-chairs and committee members. It has been an honor to serve.
Dear Larry,
You have been a wonderful support for the community and a great leader for INC.
For example, in our neighborhood alone, your leadership at INC helped save our neighborhood from a polluting, potentially very dangerous experimental, prototype incinerator that the misguided Denver Zoo tried to install so that it could, it seems , go into the incinerator selling business.
Your personal encouragement to a small group of engaged citizens, helped the Denver Zoo to comply with the USDA’s Animal Welfare Act and feed animals potable water instead of controversial recycled water. I am sure that the elephants and other animals thank you as well.
Recently, you took the lead with INC to ask the city to slow down and go back to the drawing board, with citizen input, to find solutions to the storm water run off problems that will affect I 70, the Western Stock show and the new Enterprise Zone from downtown to DIA. If the city proceeds on the course that it is now advocating, it will have a massive negative impact City Park Golf Course that is on the National Register of Historic Places, and our neighbors who live in the historic Cole Neighborhood. The disruptive storm water plans that the city is proposing will do nothing to little to alleviate chronic flooding in established neighborhoods.
Larry, you have made a huge difference in INC’s role as community advocate , not just as a rubber stamp for the city administration. We have enough of those. Being an advocate can sometimes cause controversy and make some people uncomfortable when they have to stand up and question authority. Under your leadership, INC has done a fine job as a true community advocate while maintaining a respectful, dignified, businesslike relationship with all parties.
I look forward to working with you as INC’s president over the next two years as you continue to lead INC to improve, protect and enhance the lives of neighbors and as you help INC to shape a city government that is more responsive to the needs and opinions of citizens and neighborhoods.
Thank you for your selfless, intelligent leadership. When do you find time to sleep?
Bridget Walsh
Larry,you are a very effective leader. Thank you for seeking another term.
Thank you for your continued efforts but I am pleased to see your planned retirement. The world and needs are changing beyond local desires/concerns to global impact. best