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Show Ralph A. Nelson, President of Region VIII Citizens Council tendered his resignation on December 31 . His letter to the Board follows: Dear Fellow Board Members: This letter will very likely come as a shock to most of you. I hope that everyone will understand. As of this date, December 31, 1971, am requesting that you tender my resignation as President of Region VIII Citizens Council of the Region 1 VIII Model Cities Program. have a family to help raise and support and find that this is I becoming more difficult every day. Being the Chairman of the Central Neighborhood Board of the Fargo Model Cities Program, the President of Region VIII Citizens Council, and now being requested to run for the treasurers position in the National organization, has gotten to be a little bit to much. am sure that everyone can see that the Model City work I that have been doing no longer a part time volunteer job but a full time job with no pay. As an example, during the week of November 29th, found that when came to the end of I is I I had spent only three the week, hours at my own job and better than 40 hours on Model City work. work I I for a wonderful and very understanding company, however a good thing can go too far. I wouldn't Brothers and Sisters: Please include our center on your mailing list for the Model Neighborhood News. am interested in the work your agency involves itself with and look forward to getting to know the members of your staff, as well as have you learn about the Community Drug Crisis Center. I reductions in living level made by the loss of food stamps and Medicaid benefits that are part of this bill are considered, the loss for a large family, that is, one of eight or more members, will be more than fifty The incentives to work, as blame them at all if they said you are percent. are called in the bill, are, in fact, spending too much time on Model they when examined closely, City work and it will have to stop. I have always believed in the disincentives to work. They are incentives to work on a part-tim- e concept of the Model Cities Program but penalize a person who as it was instituted by Congress in basis, a full-tim- e job. The 1968. fully believe that it is high takes work are, time that the people tell the requirements that one take in fact, rather a poor joke both in government what they want rather view of the jobless situation than the government telling the throughout the country and the fact people this is what you are going to that FAP recipients are required to have. This goes for everything take jobs that pay below minimum whether it is in your local city, on wage which, if offered, must be the state level, or at the national level. accepted. firmly believe that unless there is It is the hope of people such as some money made available to pay myself that the Senate will not people especially on the National promptly act on this bill. We hope and Regional level for holding that the Senate will move very officers positions and to do the job slowly and explore in depth the that they are delegated to do that the effect this ghastly piece of legislation program is going to have a rough will have on the lives of the poor in time succeeding. the United States. We hope the have truly enjoyed working Senate will amend the bill to make it with everyone in the program and provide an assistance payment level have learned a great deal about that is a reasonable one so that want to thank Government. people who are receiving assistance everyone from the bottom of my under the act are not literally forced heart for the wonderful support that to the verge of starvation, will be you have given me. May God be with given a positive incentive to work you and Bless you on your journey and will be provided decent ahead. will close now and join the opportunities for work, rather than ranks of people that have so often being forced to accept any job at talked about, "The fellow that sits in below minimum wage pay. In the backyard with a drink in his hand the current version and watches as the world goes by." addition, preserves no right of immediate Sincerely, or I I I I I I situation, if and as that situation changes. This can only be done on a three to six month basis. Thus, if you were employed and lost the job, you would have to be unemployed for Editor: many months to be eligible In the issue of January 6, 1972, for assistance rather than the current you published an article entitled days. "Lawmakers Concerned About thirty think it doesn't take too much Welfare," in which it stated that the before one begins to realize bill passed by the House of thought what would be the impact if a job Representatives was a welfare were lost and three months had to reform bill, which provided work would before I the family pass incentives, work training and become eligible for assistance, requiring welfare recipients to particularly, since the job could be accept certain responsibility in order one that would not qualify the to obtain benefits. In fact, this receive salt lake worker to unemployment is, at least in my compensation. opinion, a giant step backward into Many of these problems are the past. In terms of a Utah family being worked on in the Senate. This on Welfare, it would cut their is one of the reasons for the delayed assistance grant, and if the action. Senator Moss is of the Ribicoff Amendments which free - not for sale have been proposed to this bill. reform so-call- Peace, Power to All People, Chaya Zarit Assistant Director, Resources appeal right of immediate adjustment of the recipient's Ralph A. Nelson mods! nalghborhood news volume one NEIGHBORHOOD is a publication of the Salt Lake Model Cities Agency under the of the Joint Board of and County Commissioners With editorial offices located at 1 19 East 21st South, Bldg. 5, Salt Lake C'y, Utah 841 15. The Model Publication of the Model Neigh-Newborhood News is made possible through a grant from the ment of Housing and Urban Devel-CitDepart-supervisio- Donetta Fluker, Editorial Assistant Joint Board of Commissioners Conrad Harrison Jennings Phillips William E. Dunn from the Fargo, and many other variables prohibit (Reprinted North Dakota Cities our attendance, but when the latter Model Newsletter. The article was written by Deputy Director A. J. Floyd and seems to fit some of the problems in Salt Lake City. Residents are most cordially invited to visit our offices at 119 East 21st South, Building 5.) true would it be wise to realize that one is not properly informed or would it be wiser to pass along information that isn't quite true? is There are those who are impatient with our progress, because some specific desired actions have not occurred in s n y There are perils of being too actively involved. There are and will continue to be those who choose not to be involved in any kind of structured process, but continue to paragraphs: be very active in an unstructured, 1. Make up your mind to communicate. unproductive fashion. Those who have an overriding This kind of involvement serves its purpose, too. The question is concern to share with others rather "Which is more meaningful to the than merely calling attention to community?" The question can only themselves have a better chance of be answered by each participant winning their hearers. Technical skill I individually. As a personal opinion think it's a question that should not be taken lightly in determining one's own roll in the participating phenomena. I've heardvarious comments and some have been, "We don't see anything that Model Cities is doing." This is a legitimate comment for maybe they don't see what we are doing. am inviting any who do not, to come into our offices and we can show them, pictorially, graphically, statistically in a few minutes exactly what is being done, what was planned and how well we are keeping pace with the plan. Some do not read the newspaper; others don't have opportunities to watch T.V., and too there are those who do not read or for some reason do not receive our weekly publication. One of the best ways to be informed is to be present at task force meetings. realize sometimes our jobs, our schedules I I I valuable tool is a 2. Know what you want to say. To communicate with others is a privilege as much as it is a right. Don't abuse either by Attorney for Utah -- 3. Be prepared. Benjamin Franklin put Rights Organization it succinctly, "By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail." Immediate preparation: for an important talk or discussion usually marshals your thoughts in an orderly manner while remote preparation serves in reverse. t, Welfare vague, utterances. Be simple, forth right and constructive and God's assistance will give wing to your words. half-bake- d Got a question about housing? Any question in effective conversation or writing, but it is the sincere desire to be of service that puts flesh on the bare bones of technique. self-relian- Sincerely, David S. Dolowitz their respective neighborhoods. Would it be of any value to first determine the reasons why by looking upon facts and figures? One of the best ways in my own opinion, to get facts and figures is to go to the source, know what you want and communicate. There are many barriers to effective communication which will deal with briefly in the following What Kind Of Involvement Is Most Meaningful? I self-respec- opment. Marjene Marie Young, Editor Roy Lauritzen, Circulation Manager Ralph Y. McClure, Chairman Phillip R. Blomquist Stephen Harmsen These amendments would correct have many of the abuses that described above. It is to be hoped that all persons who consider that human welfare and dignity (which would be insured most by a program that provides a decent standard of benefits and promotes and encourage family unity) are important will express their support of the Ribicoff Amendments to Senator Moss and his colleagues who are working for a fair reform, so that the reform act will, in fact, provide a reform, rather than a step into the dismal past. Comments on Model Cities at all, call |