Letter to the Editor
By STEVE SANDBERG
I am writing to call for support of a formal, transparent dialogue and mediation process between the board of the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) and the Community Advisory Council.
Recent termination of staff positions and subsequent staff resignations have led to concerns about the EPNI board’s commitment to community governance and ownership. Such a commitment, over the past many years, was an essential part of the success and financial support that has brought the project within reach of a purchase agreement for the southern half of the Roof Depot property.
As a result of the upheaval surrounding this rapid loss of EPNI staff, financial backers are taking a wait-and-see approach. This puts the entire project in jeopardy.
Community involvement in the decisions being made is essential. Community stakeholders have offered mediation services, and the board of EPNI needs to accept and thereby establish a new roadmap to community governance and ownership. Such a roadmap had been developed by staff and needs to be implemented.
Community ownership has been the driving force behind the years of effort and dreams by so many! EPNI board; take the step of entering into dialogue and mediation so that the community led Roof Depot project can continue to move forward with the support that it needs!
Thank you,
Steve Sandberg
East Phillips resident and former EPNI board member
