What a year. Who could/would have predicted the bizarre twists and turns we experienced riding the rails of the 2011 Old Town Triangle Association roller coaster which so severely disrupted the Board?
Make no mistake: as an organization, we have suffered a trauma. Every OTTA director and officer who sat on the Board after last years general election has either resigned before the expiration of their term on the Board or (as in my case) decided against running for re-election. It is a shame but the shrill relentless voices of a few, lobbing unfounded accusations impugning the integrity of well-meaning volunteer Board members, took a breathtaking toll.
Especially for this reason, I want and need to express my gratitude to all of the staff and Board members with whom I have had the honor to serve and pleasure to know over past the six years. Through their considerable efforts we have done well and we have done good. |
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Despite last year’s noise, I am proud to tell you that we have accomplished a lot.
In 2011 alone we:
• Launched a wildly successful membership perk: “I Buy Old Town”, or the iBot program, offering members and merchants value: discounts to members and customer loyalty to merchants.
• Ramped up programming in new directions hosting nationally recognized writers e.g. NPR’s Scott Simon, Thelma Reyna, Judith Martin (aka Miss Manners) and her daughter, Bina Martin who teaches at Second City, as well as MacArthur recipient, Stuart Dybek, who did a reading and spoke to a packed house just this month.
• Purchased a large screen television, that has already been used by our art gallery, to show movies to Triangle small fry, and (just last week) at our first in what we hope is a series of movie nights. Special thanks to Monika Betts, Mitch Cobey and Milos Stehlik of Facets Multimedia for helping us get this off the ground.
• Replaced the tile floors at the Triangle Center.
• We have sold out the first-ever (again, in what we hope will be of a series of) Old Town Triangle doggie calendars.
• The Historic District Committee hosted an architectural boat tour, led by the Triangle’s own Diane Gonzalez, following by a mini Octoberfest of beer and brats.
• We had our first ever Shred and Shed event of community catharsis where neighbors unloaded old records and personal papers; watching as a truck-sized shredder destroyed them – kind of a modern day bonfire. Neighbors cleaned their closets in a community-wide yard sale. Much of what was not purchased was donated to the Salvation Army. At the end of the day we filled an entire large Salvation Army truck. Despite the rainy, cold weather, association members declared it a success and we are planning a repeat event tentatively in July.
• And then of course, there was the jewel in our crown, the Annual Old Town Art Fair; despite foul weather on Saturday, declared a huge success by exhibiting artists. The First Sight event was well attended as was the volunteer party.
• We have increased our voting membership by 93 (or 26%) and set the stage for even further growth in programming and membership in the coming year.
At the end of the day (year), I would think most would consider this a success despite the obstacles.
On Sunday, December 11th I announced that I would not seek re-election as the OTTA Nominating Committee’s slated candidate for Old Town Triangle Association’s President. At the same time, Dan Barson also declined to run as the Association’s Secretary, and Jacqui Thames announced her intention to resign from the Board a year before the end of her term.
While there is no contention between Vi and me; I couldn’t see any possibility of conducting a competitive campaign without risking revisiting the acrimony which I had hoped we had put behind us. I sincerely wish Vi and the OTTA well and I intend to offer my support and remain involved, continuing to serve on the various committees and look forward to helping Debbie Day and John Knoche put together one “Kick Ass” Art Fair. (our life blood, after all.)
It has been my honor to have served on the Old Town Triangle Association’s Board of Directors for 6 tremendously rewarding years: three as a director, two as Vice President, and this past year as its President. Thank you all for affording me the privilege of getting involved and learning about so many facets of this gem of a neighborhood in which we are so fortunate to live. I have been enriched in more ways than I can easily express. I applaud each and every board member with whom I’ve shared this experience and am humbled by the efforts and contributions that all of you: neighbors, friends, and colleagues have made in pursuit of the OTTA mission namely to enhance the quality of life for our residents.
See you 'round the hood!
-- Phil Graff
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