Word is the usual Northeast Greensboro community organizers are talking a co-op approach to bringing a grocery store to the former Winn-Dixie location located in the little green circle next door to my home. Word is, Mayor Robme Perkins will even support it. It's indeed a noble calling but experience with co-ops has taught me the co-op grocery store model is fraught with huge problems.
*A handful of people end up doing most of the work.
*Most of the workers are older, retired types who won't be pushed by management types or kids who spend more time playing than working.
*Most of your time will be spent in meetings where little or nothing gets done.
*You will always be short handed. Even when lots of people show up simply because most people won't know what to do.
*80 year old volunteers aren't good at chasing down shop lifters. (Look, I'll be honest, I've said many times that our crime rate is now on par with New Irving Park and while that is true, shop lifting still goes on in Greensboro's highest end retailers so we've no need to deny it won't happen here too.)
*There will always be too many chiefs and not enough indians. Don't believe me? Ask any indian?
*The project will require funding via the City of Greensboro which will enrage the rest of the citizens of Greensboro and pit them against East Greensboro-- again, just like the battle of the White Street Landfill from which they are still angry and still wanting revenge. And remember: even though we won that battle, we are still in the minority.
But what if there were a way we could get that grocery store without those problems? Or as least as many of those problems? What if there was a way that we could get that grocery store with the support and blessing of the rest of Greensboro by doing it in such a way as to benefit not only my Northeast Greensboro neighborhood but their neighborhoods as well? What if the money to fund the project was to come from funds that Mayor Robme Perkins and his developer cronies have already stolen from the City of Greensboro and hidden away with plans to line their own fat wallets? That's right, money that we're already lost but have the chance to force them to give back-- what if we could fund it with that money-- would that not be best for Greensboro?
And what if the Real Progress For Greensboro model could then be used in every Greensboro neighborhood in need?
Put me on that stage at the Mayor's East Greensboro Summit where the first Gathering of the Trolls will take place on October 29th 6-8 PM at Dudley High School and I will tell Greensboro how we can make that happen.
And should the Mayor deny the Trolls our rights to present our plan that night this blog will automatically post the plan at 6PM on October 29th so that all the world can see what Greensboro's "leaders" denied all the citizens of Greensboro. No amount of advertising and public relations budgeting will be able to overcome the damage that will come of allowing that to happen. Consider it blackmail. On that you have my word.
By the way, have you noticed the City street sweepers have been working the little green circle about twice, maybe three times as often as usual lately? I wonder what that's all about? Is somebody important coming to visit or are we just being buttered up before they put us in the oven to bake?
