Putting Baltimore Back Together Again

BELIEVE? – One Baltimore? – Don’t Let This be a Warmed-over Version!!! – Part IV

 Matthews W. Wright, M.ED

 

This week, the Mayor announced a campaign she's calling "One Baltimore" to tackle persistent city ills. She stated, "This is an opportunity for us to focus more intensely on systemic problems that have faced our city for decades, if not generations".  Further, she said, the city wants to partner with philanthropic organizations, neighborhood groups and church leaders in the effort.

At the news conference, it was also stated by Mayor Rawlings-Blake that the "One Baltimore" campaign has no concrete plans yet.  I can only say at this point if the mayor is truly considering systemic change to issues that have plagued Baltimore for many, many, many decades then all of the cards on and under the table must be in play!!!  Please do not let this be a replayed warmed-over version of the “Believe” campaign of Mayor O’Malley!!!  Since Mayor Schmoke’s administration to the present day we currently have a combination of 47,000 vacant houses and lots in Baltimore!!! In other words, the efforts needed to remedy the lack of deliberate and strategic investment in many communities requires a minimum 20-year plan of totally re-arranged thinking from the business and non-profit sectors. Additionally, all levels of government will need to revise their policies and legislative enactment involving capital planning, development and investment to embrace and actualize the executed New Vision of Urbanism in the City of Baltimore.  To truly do this all of us will need to think Honestly, Bold and BIG!!!  It’s always done in Caton, Federal Hill, Bolton Hill, Locust Point and Roland Park!!!  Why not Sharp Leadenhall (oh sure, I’m aware of Caves Valley Partners intent), Park Heights, Sandtown-Winchester, Harlem Park, Oliver, Pigtown and Old Town?  This work requires unambiguous transparency, detail and collaboration similar to what is now being considered once again on the Lexington Market’s 36 million dollar facelift.  Not like what was done previously by the city’s lack of intent, details, collaborations and resources on the 4 million dollar bust of the Lafayette Market re-opening!!! 

While waiting for my 1^st cup of morning coffee at one vendor’s stall in the Lafayette Market, I still hear the police officer yelling at 8:30 a.m., and shaking high in the air his plastic handcuffs,  “Ok, who’s ready to get locked up this morning?”  That greeting doesn’t bode well at the start of a day anywhere!  Everything in Baltimore other than the communities previously mentioned, and others get detailed city/private sector collaboration including community sustainability and real anchor planning assistance, public safety and transportation enhancements along with infrastructure improvements!!!  When will master plans in these communities be seriously reviewed and executed with intent and good will? When will Bond Issues be tied to development in these areas?  With these and other systemic corrections to current issues as stated by Michael Cryor, the appointed head of One Baltimore suggested, "In the long term, we believe truly changing the trajectory of a community will require a comprehensive plan with multiple but complementary priorities”. 

Now, I don’t propose to be a mind reader, but let me promote what I think his statement should mean regarding the execution of “One Baltimore”. In order to “change the trajectory of a community”, there needs to be a contract or Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) established where all involved parties and cluster participants generally state their intentions, responsibilities and commitments by signing the MOA.  This MOA must also include the contracted and real financial investment amounts of all participants in the project.  The MOA needs to contain the phases required to cover the 20-year plan with essential sections for all stakeholders to include their specific intentions, responsibilities and commitments to the plan.  Reflected in each stakeholder’s section should be specific goals, strategies, activities, milestones, outcomes, evaluation assessments and on-going report monitoring aligned with the major points reflected in the MOA. Based on needs and results, financial infusion points should line up with milestones as part of their commitment to financially support the plan.  Finally, to maintain overall project transparency and alignment, an inclusion of Logic and Theory of Change models encapsulating the necessary broad strokes of the project plan (inputs, activities, & outcomes) expected to be accomplished and the important details of change are required noting all that is needed to achieve the desired result(s). The Theory of Change should align with inputs, activities and outcomes.  Good logic models and a clearly expressed theory of change contribute to good evaluation design, the last phase.  Let’s see what resources, stakeholder commitments and details will come out of One Baltimore.  Anything resembling a warmed-over Believe campaign is doomed prior to its start!!!  Remember, to avert the warmed-over version, all cards, with Honesty, Bold and BIG RESULTS!!!