It’s come to this. With budget cuts axing the neighborhood service center he was part of in the Capitol Hill library, East Neighborhood District Coordinator Thomas Whittemore has announced his own layoff in his monthly newsletter:
East District Council Meeting
Date: Monday December 6th, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 7:50 PM
Location: Capitol Hill Library, (425 Harvard Avenue East)
Room: Main Conference Room.
NEWS FLASH: So it appears to be official that ,due to the budget cuts and as of January 4th, I will no longer be serving as your Neighborhood District Coordinator. And the Show must go on- Our December meeting will be devoted to developing a work plan since a critical topic in 2011 will be an evaluation of the District Council system and the mission of the Department of Neighborhoods. A Statement of Legislative Intent (SLI) reads: “The City Council requests the Executive evaluate the Department of Neighborhoods (DON) community outreach and engagement functions and the resources used to support them.” The SLI goes on to state, “As part of its evaluation, the Executive should solicit feedback from the public using a variety of mediums, such as community meetings, online surveys, and focus groups.”
For an arbitrary opinion on the man — not necessarily the role — one local neighborhood activist told us Whittemore is “the most competent local government employee” in Seattle.
We first reported that Whittemore’s job might be in jeopardy as the mayor submitted his budget proposal in September. The City Council restored some of the cuts the mayor’s office was pushing for in the Department of Neighborhoods but Capitol Hill’s neighborhood service center and the coordinator role didn’t make the list, apparently. We wrote about Whittemore taking over the job in March 2010.
In March, we wrote that the coordinator’s role was to act as a liaison between the general public and city officials.
Whittemore’s office is a resource for groups or individuals who want to plan local events, make changes in politics or get involved in different events or groups around the city. He can act as a Capitol Hill representative to anyone new to the neighborhood or ready to begin their career as a civil servant. He can also help find interpreters and arrange for public officials to attend important community meetings if needed.
Whatever his rank in the Seattle competency list, you can stop by the December meeting of the East District Council on Monday night to thank Whittemore for his work, wish him well and, heck, maybe offer him a job.
On the agenda for the East District Council? Sounds like everything — they’ll be cracking open the nut of a process to figure out why the Council and the Department of Neighborhoods exist.
Our December meeting will be devoted to developing a work plan since a critical topic in 2011 will be an evaluation of the District Council system and the mission of the Department of Neighborhoods. A Statement of Legislative Intent (SLI) reads: “The City Council requests the Executive evaluate the Department of Neighborhoods (DON) community outreach and engagement functions and the resources used to support them.” The SLI goes on to state, “As part of its evaluation, the Executive should solicit feedback from the public using a variety of mediums, such as community meetings, online surveys, and focus groups.”
The City and DON need to hear from YOU!
This graphic from the Department of Neighborhoods outlines the structure of the City’s District Council system. Its most visible output is the guidance on the Neighborhood Matching Fund grant process. Beyond that, we’ve only reported on the body’s activity a handful of times in the past year.
I work at the Capitol Hill Library where Thomas Whittemore’s office is co-located. We started there last year at about the same time. Thomas is a great guy and a strong community advocate. Thomas approaches his work with passion and commitment. Did you know that he CREATED the Small Sparks matching neighborhood funds grant program? A friend of mine was his neighbor in Ballard and regaled me with stories of his community involvement there as well. There may a retirement or two in the ranks of the Neighborhood Service Center coordinators sometime in the near future, in which case, Thomas may be recalled. At least we can hope. That guy’s a gem.
Agreed, I’ve conversed with him a few times. Class act.
It is difficult to see this cutback take place. C. Hill has amazing community resources, almost all volunteer, and Thomas had emerged as a great guide to the programs and assets of the city to help all the ongoing projects.
Of all the neighborhoods to short change, it should not be the Hill, where we face so much change and there is important work underway on transportation, community art, housing and on down a long list.
We all need to work to get him back.
I’ve lived on the Hill 18 years and have never heard of this individual nor his office.
Well, that technically isn’t an opinion, is it? If you weren’t involved in community planning and the like, then fair enough, you wouldn’t have heard of him. Was there a point you wish to make?
Sad to hear this is happening- tough times indeed. We need community organizers more than ever before.
I have lived on the hill for 5 years and have never heard of you, c-doom.
Whenever something good is happening in the neighborhood, Thomas is there helping. I hope he finds a great new spot to fill!