Holy Trinity, the historic, twin-steepled, stone church facing I-70 and the Mississippi River in the city's Hyde Park neighborhood, Third Ward, will be the setting for a Metropolitan Congregations United ("MCU") meeting to discuss northside redevelopment efforts, including the ongoing activities of developer Paul McKee.
MCU has a history engaging civic issues in St. Louis. They started the "Holy Ground" movement, and worked to set a regional agenda on such issues as urban sprawl, economic development, and urban community development.
MCU's Holy Trinity meeting is set for 6:30 PM, October 25. From the intersection of Salisbury and Interstate 70, look southwest for the towering stone church. You can't miss it.
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Your use of the term discussion implies that there will be public comment time. Don't you think that a discussion of Paul McKee should include an opportunity for residents--whom MCU is asking to represent--to ask questions and make statements?
Turnouts at MCU meetings supported by member churches sometimes can get into the hundreds of persons.
This event is being billed as a "public meeting". If there's no opportunity for feedback, that doesn't sound like much of a "meeting".
The best thing to do is to attend and see what happens. Maybe McKee won't even show up.
MCU meetings are show pieces for congregation members (bused in) to applaud loudly as MCU leaders announce how they are holding political/civic/economic leaders accountable to their demands. There is nothing wrong with this, but they are not public discussions of issues.
In this case, the discussions that have occurred have been private discussions between MCU organizers/leaders and McKee around the principles that McKee has agreed to.
Having seen the principles, I don't think there are sufficient.
Nor do I think MCU, who has supported McKee's tax Credit, can act as a neutral party in this issue--which they are proposing to do.
That is why many residents and organizations who live and work around McKee's properties will not be showing up.
Because showing up and having the choice to not applaud is not real input.
And by showing up, you are participating in a media event that McKee can use in his publicity campaign to demonstrate that he has capitulated to the community's demands.
Shame on MCU and their leaders in this issue. And shame on member congregants of MCU who are participating in this shame of a public meeting.
The MCU meeting won't count for much on the floor of the Board of Aldermen. The community will have its say.
What has MCU done to engage the existing community organizations in the McKee target area, such as the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, the Hyde Park Alliance, the Neighborhood Council, and Community Renewal and Development, Inc?
If people don't attend this meeting, then they are sending the message they aren't interested in hearing what McKee has to say.
Wrong. If people don't attend this meeting it is because 1. MCU has not adequately notified residents of it (sorry, blog postings don't do it) 2. they refuse to participate in a charade.
Typical StL charade that once again proves that the public can be used to suppor what it doesn't understand.
What has MCU done to engage the existing community organizations in the McKee target area?
Hand them their script to read, and tell them when to applaud.
Why didn't McKee show up? Any reason given?
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