Seattle Commons 'Volunteer' Effort:
How 'Grassroots'?
The words on the brochure seduced this downtown office worker when he picked it up from a stand strategically located in the break room. What a great idea! he thought. A park just magically appears, along with a master-planned new neighborhood, in downtown Seattle!
Of course, he immediately fills out the response card stating that he "Shares the Vision" along with the rest of Seattle (who wouldn't back this amazing plan?). He checks the box indicating he would be willing to volunteer his time. He even fills out an interest/background form and faxes it in. Then, he waits for a response.
And waits. And waits.
But the Commons does not need him - it has a $20 million line of credit from Paul Allen. It has a million in cash from Craig McCaw. His name is there, should the Commons group need to produce evidence of "grassroots" support. He is most useful in the abstract, a line on a piece of paper used in a political campaign.
He visits the Commons office repeatedly. They are happy to give him information that their paid staff of 15 has prepared, but are vague about volunteer opportunities. "Next month," they say. "Come to a volunteer orientation," they say. He does, hears a nice talk, but no assignments are handed out. Having lost his office job to the recession, he has lots of time, but the Commons has nothing for him to work on.
While he waits for a task, he begins to learn more about the Commons plan, and the neighborhood it is planned for. He walks through the district of small businesses, many dating back 60 or more years, many family-owned. He reads of the defiant resident opposition in the nearby Cascade neighborhood. What will the rents be in the planned new housing? No one can say, but that's something to worry about down the road, right?
He meets the mayor, and chooses the Commons as the topic for his obligatory "concern." The Commons seems like a good thing, but what about affordable housing? he asks. "We'll get it done," the Mayor replies vacuously, flashing best "Re-elect me" smile.
During this time, he needs a part for his microwave. The dealer in Kent doesn't have it, but mentions a Seattle appliance store that does. The store is conveniently located in South Lake Union - right where the Commons park would be placed. When he goes to get the part (less than 3 bucks), he observes the anti-Commons signs posted there and at other nearby businesses.
Finally, he hears of a volunteer event: a clean-up of South Lake Union Park. He posts fliers for it and shows up on a Saturday morning. But there is precious little cleaning to be done, and most of the volunteers seem to be working hardest on the tons of free food. He pulls a few stakes from the ground, and gets lunch and a neat-o T-shirt in exchange.
"We have a lot more volunteers than we can use," a Commons spokesman tells him in a recent interview. Why is he not surprised to hear this? "But the City Council needs to see the support."
The public outreach campaign is just beginning, however. There are currently over 600 volunteers, "roughly," and 810 paying members ($5 makes you a "paying member"). The Commons hopes to have 5,000 "endorsements," 5,000 pieces of paper, by next spring.
If Barnum was right, they'll probably get 'em.
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