Participants in Thursday’s Community Conversations discussion expressed that a community’s success rests on the shoulders of its citizens. About nine people gathered around a table at Old Soul at 40 Acres to engage in a civic discussion centered around the question; “What should government do for you?” Facilitator Brian Fischer prefaced the meeting’s purpose by saying, “the most important thing is to listen and learn from each other.” Community Conversations organizers are hoping to create an open forum where citizens of all stripes can engage one another in a thoughtful discussion that would help improve the quality of life in Sacramento communities. Thursday’s meeting was Community C

Midtown residents have been dealing for years with the impacts of a City led campaign to "Bring People Downtown" that ignored the fact that people are already here. Media and Midtown Business Association boosters have contributed by consistently disparaging the existing mixed-use neighborhoods as a desolate, disgusting and scary wasteland; a "dead zone" with invisible/irrelevant residents. Yet, Midtown's now-attractive and lucrative historic neighborhoods ONLY exist, due to the diligent, hard work and determination of residents, preservationists and neighborhoods associations, over the past few decades. Residents met with the MBA and other stakeholders in 2009 as part of MBA's Regional

City of Sacramento residents are invited to apply for a position on the Utilities Rate Advisory Commission. Established by the Sacramento City Council in 2008, this commission is a sounding board for proposed rate changes and serves as an expert advisory panel to the Mayor and City Council. Members also serve as a community liaison, providing information about utility service rates and collecting feedback. “We understand that customer input in the rate setting process is vital to balancing service levels set by the City Council with competitive rates,” said Department of Utilities Director Marty Hanneman. “The Rate Advisory Commission provides an avenue for residents to actively participa

Improving a neighborhood can feel like trying to resurrect the Titanic, but in reality it’s more like flipping a burger with a family next door. When our prime focus is only on the problems in a community, it can start to feel discouraging and we give up, thinking “I don’t have the time or energy,” or “I can’t do this by myself”, or “I don’t even know where to begin.” I’d like to suggest though that the beginning point for strengthening a neighborhood is really about small every day choices rather than planning big events or programs. Strengthening a community simply recognizes that relationships rather than high fences are what is most important. The truth is you do not need ample time,