Friday, July 10, 2009

In This Months Business Monthly

In my real job, I have been engaged by the Howard County Food Bank to assist them in their lease renewal. As with any of these types of assignments, over time I learn quite a bit about their operations. Last month, sitting in the client’s office, I was surprised to find out that the summer months are particularly stressful to both the food bank and their clients. For the food bank itself, food donations drop off precipitously during the summer months. There just aren’t that many food drives. For the clients of the food bank, particularly those with school age children, summer means that their kids, who might normally qualify for a free school lunch, are instead raiding the already stressed out home pantry.

Using my own convoluted logic, I was able to link this problem with the debate of the Columbia village center redevelopment legislation, CB 29. I wonder if these some of these community activists, who seem intent to play armchair quarterback on local development, channeled their energies towards the real problems of our community how much better place this might be.

You can read this month’s column here.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not following. You want those who have failed at controlling growth to now undertake an even more serious task?

This logic defies the written-in-stone peter principle.

Anonymous said...

I think you are right. People in Columbia seem to have difficulty with priorities. People are starving and homeless in Howard COunty and a great deal of energy and anger is focused on zoning. If these people spent that energy on helping a neighbor, it would do more to make a great community than fighting against more houses.

Anonymous said...

Of course not. They're too busy trying to get anyone low income out of the county, complaining about any sort of subsidized housing, and making veiled racist comments.

Anonymous said...

The truth is that many of the same citizens are activists in both village center development AND food security, as well as in making sure that housing is affordable. Your misguided sarcasm is deplorable and sinks your point, Dennia.