Neighborhood association puts on social event

The Council of Neighborhood Association’s social gathering at the Fountain Square Ballroom on Monday night was an incredible success, according to Jon Lawrence, executive committee member of the Association.
“It actually surpassed everything we expected,” Lawrence said.
“We had about 150 people show up. The mayor, deputy mayor and seven of the nine city council members showed up. We also had at least 25 neighborhood associations.”
CONA has been in existence since the 1970s, but the event was a reminder that the organization is still alive and thriving.
The Association is an umbrella organization that represents Monroe County’s neighborhoods and serves as a forum for expertise and exchange of ideas between leaders.
About 45 minutes into the event, Lawrence got up to speak.
After introducing the various dignitaries, he talked about the importance of neighborhood associations banding together to achieve a powerful voice and making themselves heard by the government.
Soon after, Mayor Mark Kruzan talked about his support for CONA and its necessity, especially in specific situations linked to Monroe County neighborhoods.
 He said he wants an active organization that can work with the city, even if they do not always see eye to eye.
Kruzan then introduced the new Deputy Mayor John Whikehart.
Whikehart, Lawrence said, will also take on the task of being the liaison for the association and help deal with neighborhood issues.
Lawrence said one phrase that resonated at the gathering was the image of CONA as the chamber of commerce for neighborhoods.
Small businesses have little power when isolated, he said, but when banded together they are strong. It’s the same for neighborhood associations.
At the back of the ballroom, Lawrence and his team set up an idea board on which individuals could write their concerns and expectations for the future of neighborhoods.
“CONA connects neighborhoods to neighborhoods and helps work to educate and bring people together,” said Sandy Clothier, member of the Near West Side Neighborhood Association.
“We need to be taking input from neighborhood associations. We need to figure out what neighborhoods want.”
Clothier and other CONA members at the gathering said they were very happy with the active feedback they were receiving from various neighborhood members.
 Jan Sorby, president of the Bryan Park Neighborhood Association, agreed, commenting that policy change works itself from the bottom up, so it’s important to inform the city about the neighborhood associations’ concerns.
“Without a neighborhood association, a neighborhood is nothing more than just a group of contiguous houses,” Lawrence said.
“Neighborhood associations create soul and give neighborhoods the ability to communicate. Things don’t happen in isolated neighborhoods without organizations to make those things happen.”

Follow reporter Kate Starr on Twitter @kastarr7.