An Open Discussion with Mayor Ballard
City of Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard will meet with senior faith leaders of Marion County to expand the dialogue between the City and the faith-based community on current issues and challenges facing our youth, neighborhoods and communities. This will be an opportunity to respond to the questions of today and look to the future with a common goal of peace and unity among our citizens.
Mayor Ballard accepted a request by senior pastors to speak to a larger group. About 200 participants are expected. The meeting will include a Q&A with Mayor Ballard.
What: An Open Discussion with Mayor Ballard Faith-Based Leadership Meeting
Where: North United Methodist Church, 3808 N. Meridian St.
When: 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 17, 2010
For additional information please contact:
Andrea Velasco
Front Porch Alliance, Special Assistant
Office of Mayor Greg Ballard – City of Indianapolis
T: 317.327.2745
After reading this announcement we have three words: campaign photo op. Cynical you say? Not when you have the background info we have been provided. First the Front Porch Alliance the brainchild of former Mayor Stephen Goldsmith is a shadow of its former self. It is a staff of two (Doug Hairston) and an intern Ms. Velasco. Second the office has no financial resources, agreements or networks with any not-for-profits in Indianapolis. It has no record of accomplishments, partnerships or involvement with the neighborhoods. As amatter of fact the only presence the Front Porch Alliance has in many neighborhoods are the Adopt-A-Block signs put up during the Goldsmith administration. By all appearence there is neither substance or structure to this intiaitive and begs the question why have the office at all?
From our sources it appears that the community's overall perception is that the Front Porch Alliance is typical of this administration's community efforts- unfocused, underperforming and unremarkable.
That brings us to our conclusion that this meeting's only benefit is to give the illusion that Ballard is engaged in the community and also provides him with a chance to capture the image of hizzoner with a set of recognized leaders inoculating him against charges of working against the established urban pastors like Reverend Clay and the Black Ministerial Alliance.
Unfortunately we think that having this meeting only 14 months from his re-election bid is a bit disingenuous considering he has spent more time on globe-trotting junkets with Mrs. Ballard and insider horse-trading than working alongside community leaders. But this just our opinion of course, your conclusions may vary. And for the attendees just make sure that the Mayor's photographers get your good side.
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Posts
Welcome back IPSE! Another great post, nice scoop! And you are right Front Porch Alliance was a great program back in the day. These guys could screw up a wet dream. Keep it up!
ReplyDelete"Unfocused, Underperforming and unremarkable"
ReplyDeleteCLASSIC!
How desperate must a pastor or imam be if he would allow themselves to be photographed with the Accidental Mayor.
ReplyDelete"...Front Porch Alliance is typical of this administration's community efforts- unfocused, underperforming and unremarkable..."
ReplyDeleteThis is the broken record for much of Marion County government. You could lump the city, the sheriff, several others into this description.
As much as I dislike this Mayor I dont see this as a political deal. 14 months in politics is a life time.No one will remember this meeting six months from now.It's a great PR move on his part.If this would have happened this time next year I would have a big issue with it.
ReplyDeleteThe mayor has done a C job on the PR side,his only problem is that nothing he does is right in the court of public opinion.If he discoved a cure for cancer next week the media would still find a way to nail him.
Look, he is a dufis,and has some jerks like Huber around him.He probably will not get elected again..But,I have to give him kudos for trying harder in the past month.The best thing that he could do right hnow is fire Straub.But the Mayor is a Marine first and will follow the chain of command.He thinks Straub walks on water and if he fires him it will make the Mayor look bad. It will only make him look good,we all make mistakes.He should admit that he made a mistake with him.
Come on anon 3:44, A "C"????? They guy can't string together a coherent sentence about any topic. He doesn't have anyone on his staff who can communicate and even if he did he has absolutely no ideas to speak of. I think a solid D is the best he can hope for. While I didn't care for Goldsmith's arrogancy he was a smart guy who surrounded himself with smart individuals. Bart Peterson was the same way. This guy has nothing and I agree with IPSE without a policy directive this smacks of poorly constructed photo op.
ReplyDeleteI've said this before and I'll say it again.
ReplyDeleteBallard screwed up royally from day one when he allowed the city's slime (Brizzi, TOJO) to establish a perimeter around him immediately after the election to keep out the unpaid activists and volunteers who tirelessly worked the entire summer and fall to ensure his election.
Ballard screwed up when he didn't appoint us as an informal kitchen cabinet and sounding board. We were his only hope for solid common sense advice from citizens vested in his victory with no agenda except an honest, fiscally well managed city.
Instead of seeking advice from common sense people who have PROVEN we have no agenda except creating a better city, he surrounds himself with self-interested opportunists on all sides.
It is heartbreaking to watch. Our city deserves better than this.