The North Central Special Services District, a joint Temple-community board created in April to address quality of life issues off campus, has improved trash cleanup services from One Day At A Time, a local substance abuse recovery organization, and worked to expand Allied Universal’s security guard bike patrols in the district since its inception.
But in its seven months of operation, the district board has yet to host a public meeting or create subcommittees that involve residents who are not on the board. This seems to confirm some residents’ suspicions about the district when it was first announced: its structure might leave community members out of the decision-making process.
Having a majority-resident board that is dedicated to addressing trash, crime and other community issues off campus is a good idea. But it can’t take place without the input of everyday residents who represent the full, diverse experiences of the community.
The Editorial Board urges the SSD to begin hosting regular public meetings with community stakeholders, to hasten the formation of subcommittees that residents can join and continue to seek feedback and ideas from those who live in the area.
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