MPNC Community Priorities
The current priorities are:
1. BOOKDALE TRAFFIC- Speeding, stop sign running, reckless driving.
2. WALGREENS- Blight in back lot, trask, illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles.
3.PROBLEM PROPERTIES-abandoned, blighted etc.
Community priorities and your Neighborhood Council itself, originate from the Oakland Police Department’s and City’s community policing approach to public safety. Maxwell Park is assigned an OPD Community Resource Officer and a Neighborhood Services Coordinator. These two individuals work in partnership with this council and Maxwell Park residents to develop and implement a strategy to address and solve our priority problems. Both of these individuals attend and report on issues and priorities at our Monthly neighborhood meeting.
HOW WE ESTABLISH PRIORITIES
1. Suggested priorities can be nominated during the networking portion of each NCPC general neighborhood meeting. Neighborhood issues or concerns should be brought to a Council Board Member who will add it to the list of nominations for Board consideration.
2. Following each meeting, a posting will be placed on NextDoor and our Yahoo listserve asking the neighborhood for additional nominations. The postings will indicate how to communicate a priority nomination to the Board and how to frame the issue.
3. A detailed written description of the issue or concern, using the SMART test( shown below), is necessary in order to properly relay the information to the Oakland Police Department. Assistance in preparing this description can be requested from our Neighborhood Services Coordinator (NSC) or Board Chairman. Issues that may not warrant elevation to the priority process will be addressed by the Board, our Community Resources Officer (CDO) or our NSC as appropriate.
4. The Board will monitor the listserve(s) to identify any issue or concern that may rise to the level of a priority. Any issue that a community member has identified to our Neighborhood Services Officer(NSC), will be communicated to the Board Chairman by our NSC for priority consideration.
5. At the monthly NCPC Board meetings, the Board will discuss all nominated priorities identified by the means discussed above. The Board will, by majority vote, select three (3) priorities that will be
delivered to the NCPC’s Neighborhood Services Coordinator and our CRO. Often the existing three priorities will remain in place if they have not been adequately resolved.
6. Within one (1) week of the Board Meeting, a memo listing these three priorities (unless priorities have not been changed) will be distributed to our NSC, CRO, and Current District Council Member via email. These priorities will be distributed at our general meetings and posted on Nextdoor, Yahoo and on our website: www.maxwellparknc.com.
What Are Priorities?
• NCPC’s are empowered by Oakland City Council Resolution 79235 “…to identify problems, prioritize concerns and develop solutions which are implemented through cooperation and collaboration of neighborhood residents, public employees, and public officials.”
• The NSC, CRO, beat officer, Sergeants, Lieutenant, OPD special units and other City agencies work together and with the NCPC to develop and implement a strategy for addressing the priorities using the SARA process.
• The NSC is responsible for keeping a list of NCPC priorities and their status.
• Regular updates about the priorities and their real time status in the SARA process shall be provided to the NCPC, by the NSC, until the problems are resolved.
SMART TEST
1. “Specific” means the priority issues are well defined and typically include a location. The priority is written so you know exactly what needs to be accomplished. It is unambiguous and clear. “close down the drug house at 1294 Story Land” is an example of a specific, well defined priority.
2. “Measurable” means the priority is stated in such a way so you know if and when it was completed. It can be quantified. Given the example above, you will know if he drug house was closed down or not.
3. “accountable” means your priority has been broken down into smaller parts so everyone knows what needs to be accomplished and staff and community have been assigned specific tasks toward solving the problem.
4. “realistic” means given the type and frequency of crime in Oakland, there is a realistic expectation that this issue will be addressed.
5. “Attainable” means although your priority may be a challenge, there is a reasonable expectation, given the power and authority of the Police Department, that OPD can succeed in solving this problem.
6. ‘Time line” means there are deadlines by when those accountable will report back with specific information and action. Goals must have a clearly defined time frame including a target date. If you don’t have time limit, then there is no urgency to start taking action towards achieving your goals.