So tonight was my first meeting with the Greektown Community Development Corporation (from now on the GCDC).
Most Baltimore City neighborhoods have organizations like this one which basically serves as the homeowners association for the community. They handle items including sanitation complaints, crime, infrastructure issues, parking and more. Together with the community, the CDCs work with Baltimore City to enhance each area of the city.
The meeting was held at St Nikolas Church, which is the main church in the community; the church is responsible for a large number of events in Greektown and is very active in the community. I came to the meeting straight from work and arrived a little early. I was greeted by Connie, a Greektown resident that I could tell was quite involved. She gave me the basic run down of life in the city, about trash and recycle days (something I'm still trying to figure out because every week it seems a little different) and opportunities for me to get involved in the community. She quickly introduced me to Jason, who I believe is the Director of the GCDC. Jason seemed pretty excited to have a younger member of Greektown that wanted to be active in the community. He eagerly told me of a number of positions that were available for me to fill. I gave him my contact info and told him to let me know how to help.
The guest speaker, Senator John Sarbanes, was running a little late so I had the chance to mingle with my new neighbors. I ran into Erma, my neighbor across the street, and we chatted for a bit about the GCDC, the history of the neighborhood and about the BaltimoreSun.com article about Greektown. She gave me the rundown on what the community has been like, past drug problems and soo much more. I guess it helps that she's lived in the neighborhood almost her whole life.
Senator Sarbanes spoke and it was great to hear about what is going on in D.C. especially with all the financial crisis happening. There were, of course, some very heated residents that seemed very mad about it all... but who isn't these days?
The meeting adjourned at about 8pm and I spent a few more minutes talking to my new neighbors and then headed home.
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3 comments:
I want some more juicy information about what was discussed at the meeting. Anything pertaining to Greektown or was it just about D.C.? I know D.C. affects us all but still
Not too much about Greektown at this meeting. They did briefly discuss the potential Red Line as well as the WalMart opposition. At first I was pissed they were opposing WalMart but they have this big Greektown master plan that I want to read about before I get pissed.
I think there are a lot of subcommittee meetings where more stuff happens at.
And also, from what I heard from Connie, the meetings used to have really poor attendance... so I think having the guest speaker was a way for them to get more people to come.
I'll let you know after I talk to Jason.
We went to a Cromwell Fountain board meeting once, and it was literally just the 5 or 6 board members. Maybe we have to go up a layer to the glen burnie town meetings haha
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