Potter Longway group discusses restructuring Nov. 21

President Rob Gill presented an organizational restructure for members to consider at the Potter Longway Neighborhood Association meeting Nov. 21. He said that the current traditional structure of president, vice president, secretary and treasurer had made it necessary for him and his family to do 75 percent of the planning.

"This new structure will give our group more balance," Gill said. "It will put more people into leadership positions."

Carol-Anne Blower explained that this new model calls for a small committee of four to seven people with talent, resources and commitment.

"This could be a temporary steering committee or a long-term solution to fill the voids in the organization. Each person would have a role like meeting organizer to deal with meetings and agenda. Another member would be communication director setting up Facebook, promotion, signs and flyers. Still another would write grants and raise money," Blower said.

According to Gill and Blower each person on the executive steering board would have specific jobs. They would meet once a month and discuss overall issues. General memberships meetings would be informational in nature with community speakers.

"We might decide to meet every other month instead of monthly," Gill added.

Members discussed the need to develop new bylaws that reflect a newly structured organization and acceptable timing to implement the changes.

"The current board comes up for re-election in February," Vice President Eric Pruitt said.

Members said they hope to have the steering committee structure defined with volunteers to fill the positions by its January meeting.

The group also discussed having a suggestion box for residents to drop off their written concerns.

"This drop box plan would take very little money and time, but potentially it would solve problems," Blower remarked.

She described the suggestion box as a drop box in a set location where one or two people would compile the concerns, write them up and pass them along to the people that have the resources to solve the issues.

The group agreed to cancel the December meeting. The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Jan. 16 at Eastwood United Methodist Church, 3312 Whittier St.