Plaza Scoping Report Released – February 1, 2012

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Humboldt Mediation Services facilitator Chip Sharpe. KLH | Eye

Note: Humboldt Mediation Services has released its compilation of ideas aired at last week’s Plaza scoping session on how to abate excessive behavior on Halloween and New Year’s Eve. These include initial thoughts of attendees – responses to “What would you like to see accomplished by this meeting?” reports from the five subcommittees and a synopsis of ideas expressed at the Jan. 24 meeting. – Ed.

 

ARCATA COMMUNITY PLAZA SOLUTIONS

The Arcata Plaza as the Center of the Arcata Community

January 24, 2012

General Themes of the Participants

*We need to assure SAFETY on the Arcata Plaza

*The Arcata Plaza is a valuable RESOURCE for the entire community

*We must establish a BALANCE of control between ‘law enforcement’ and the ‘people’ using the Arcata Plaza

*The Arcata Plaza belongs to the ENTIRE community and needs to embrace ALL people

*In order to sustain the unique and positive culture of Arcata the whole community needs to be an active participant in growing an attitude of RESPECT and APPROPRIATE behavior for all citizens who use the Arcata Plaza

*Solutions regarding Arcata Plaza use need to include a ‘BIG PICTURE’ perspective—multiple avenues of use need to be addressed and problem-solved.

 

Small Group Brainstorms and Suggestions

*Citizen Volunteers for Plaza Clean-up and Crowd Control

*Community Education Campaign to develop respect, pride and care (vested interest) of Plaza

*Review of Plaza Conduct ‘Ordinance’

*Look at Multiple Solutions for a healthy Arcata Plaza that serves the entire Community

*Spread activity out beyond the Plaza—multiple venues   (coordinate food/music)

*Create a Plaza Event to celebrate our Community Pride (like I St.)

*Make it ‘Fashionable to be Respectful and have Fun’

*Work in collaboration with police and other community groups to create a Happy and Safe Plaza

*Look at Plaza ‘Nightlife’ interests and issues

*Continue to have meetings that bring diverse ideas together with a focus on ACTION

 

Personal Solution Offerings

*Create and work in small action groups designed to address specific plans that resolve Plaza issues with meetings away from the Arcata City Hall  (Private homes—D St. Neighborhood Center—etc.)

>Volunteers >HSU >SAMBA >DRUMMERS (Pat, Robyn, Oliver, Eric)

*Arcata Police will work with ALL groups (Tom)

*Positive ‘Vibe Squad’—Spread the Joy

*Main Street collaboration (Jennifer)

*Nightlife committee (Susan)

*Within 2 weeks—City of Arcata needs to facilitate another inclusive community meeting to follow-up

on what we started at this meeting

 

Next Steps

*Develop Action groups/committees to discuss ‘today’s outcome’

>Survey/Assessment Committee >Nightlife Committee >General Idea/Action Committee

*Information about today’s meeting, all other small committee meetings and next larger community

meeting will be posted on City of Arcata website—a Facebook page will be developed for ‘The Plaza

Study Group’—Robyn Paschall from the Samba People will take responsibility for getting the info from our large meeting to participants—The Arcata Eye will be publishing information from the large group.

Future meetings to be announced!!

 

REPORT FROM FIVE GROUPS

January 24, 2012

No. 1

Balance—Review of ordinance of Plaza Behavior

Clean-up group of citizens, volunteers

Campaign of education-communicate in community with respect and pride and care of Arcata

 

 

No. 2

McKinley Statue (Donate/sell to museum)

Group regarding resources

Communicate ahead of time

Off-Plaza events

Use Samba/drummers for crowd control

Review/amend town sound ordinance

 

 

No. 3

Multiple solutions number one thing

Alternative event (like I Street event)

Other venues—overflow from Plaza (coordinated event, food/music)

Process/Task Force developed to get this going

Another future meeting later

Fashionable to have fun with respect

 

 

No. 4

Community Plan now

$

Space for performers

Community Center

Close off McKinley

Volunteers collect glass bottles, other projectiles, etc.

Contact HSU student body

Local media

 

 

Report from Five Groups

Page Two

January 24, 2012

 

 

No. 5

Samba—as leaders, for crowd control, for clean-up

Ownership of community (volunteers?)

Combination of techniques (not just Police)

Create a planned/coordinated event

Survey of town for nightlife interests

Volunteer commission

Regulated entry points (wrist bands, fee)

City of Arcata

Bar/business owners

Samba/music/entertainment

Participants of celebration

Hotel Samba leads volunteer group to plan a  specific event or larger and smaller events

 

January 24, 2012

THE BIN

Facebook page:  Plaza Study Group, created by Hannah Joy

Robin Paschall→Main Contact Task Force (aka: Positive Vibes Squad)

HYPERLINK “mailto:aquafoxx210@gmail.com” aquafoxx210@gmail.com

SOLUTIONS/PERSONAL

Task Force—Coalition/Volunteer Effort

Peg—HSU

Robyn—Samba

Oliver—Samba

Eric—Drummer

City needs to facilitate process for another meeting (better time than 8:00 a.m.)

Meetings outside City Hall

My home

D Street Neighborhood Center

Positive Vibe Squad

Get word out to HSU

Tom/Police—work with all groups

Jennifer Main Street

Susan—sub-committee/night life

Spread the joy

 

EVALUATION

+ (good) Δ (suggested changes)
Inclusive Identify others whom we want to include
Facilitation on point Better announcement of large meeting
General/what we all wanted—let us hear we really want same thing More time in small groups
Safe-comfort-space Specialize/focus, small groups, consolidate.
Facebook page:  Plaza Study Groupcreated by Hannah Joy Make a plan/focus
Task Force needs to be action oriented
We need concrete leadership, whether that is one or two individuals, or a head committee of three to six

 

Task Force—Discuss today’s outcome

Survey Committee—Small group

→Assessments/Big Picture

Night life—Small group

Another general meeting/soon

>Flush out today’s ideas

Two weeks/afternoon

Who/Where/What to do from here

Communication among all

Arcata will post information

Robyn/Danger Drum Beat

Google Documents

Accessible to anyone—can be edited and changed

INITIAL ALL-GROUP GO-ROUND

January 24, 2012

Keep people safe

Spread concentration/policy shift

Sound ordinance revision

Build on positives of community

Find solution

Exploring other activities

Not happy with Halloween

Agreement for entertainment

Want balance—no free-for-all/no police state

High School perspective

Work on Plaza/workplace peace

Bar perspective/business

Property/people, safe/respect

Nighttime solution

Coalition/alcohol/drugs

Drummer/post happy atmosphere

Drummer/Police relationship

Peaceful resolutions

Keep positive atmosphere on Plaza

Agreement with using common Plaza

Access to Plaza

More coordinated activity—Police/businesses/Samba

Disappointed in overreaction—Access to commons

Peace

Protect plants and flowers

Recognize differences between attitude drummers

Creative solutions that include drummers

Balance—drumming/enforcement

Reasonable solution

Samba—creative solution

Maintain culture in safe way

Samba and protection on Plaza

Respect people who live on Plaza

Clear understanding of issues→Plan of action

Initial All-group Go-Round

Respectful party on Plaza

Teamwork

Back to balance of artists/drummers and City officials on Plaza

Drum “is not a weapon,” want safety, needs to be a common theme

Sound ordinance—Balance/safety & fun

Manage and enjoy Plaza resource

Celebrations and everyday community (nighttime economy)

HSU Police help with control

“Appropriate behavior in public places”

All people Plaza share

 

Keeping Plaza safe/accessible for celebration

Happy medium

Find ways to make night fun/safe

Communicate solutions with community

Keep privilege of access to Plaza year-round

Keep people off statue

Channel ideas to permanent solution

Fashionable to behave well

Move forward—festival/all-ages celebration

Look at other community solutions

INITIAL ALL-GROUP GO-ROUND

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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