Menino back in Bowdoin/Geneva neighborhood to unveil Community Engagement Plan

November 04, 2011|By Patrick D. Rosso, Town Correspondent, Globe Staff

Mayor Thomas M. Menino joined by community members to address community… ((Patrick D. Rosso/Boston.com/2011) )

(Patrick D. Rosso/Boston.com/2011)

Mayor Thomas M. Menino joined by community members to address community concerns.

By Patrick D. Rosso, Town Correspondent

Mayor Thomas M. Menino was back in Dorchester’s Bowdoin/Geneva neighborhood today for his second meeting with members of the crime-ridden community.

The Mayor along with other city officials met two weeks ago with the same group of area residents to work on creating a Community Engagement Plan.

“There are a lot of great people here. We need to check our egos at the door and sit down at the table,” said Menino.

The group, which was formed to address community concerns in the neighborhood, regarding crime and quality of life issues, will soon with the help of the city be putting together a coalition that will work to address resident concerns.

To aid in the neighbor’s work, Menino and the city have come up with four core neighborhood priorities: a neighborhood response team that will work with the city to expand services in the area, education and job training programs to better serve the youth and unemployed of the community, health and wellness aid where the city will hire an additional youth worker for the neighborhood and enhanced youth programming to address the neighborhood’s youth’s involvement with the community.

Many at the meeting of 30 or so community members seemed excited that the conversation was starting.

“Anything we see, we are willing to try,” said Sandra Kennedy, executive director of the Bowdoin/Geneva Main Streets.

“This can work as long as we stay focused on the issues. No one group can do it alone, we need the support of everyone,” added Kennedy.

Along community and city representatives, State Representative Carlos Henriquez was also in attendance to lend his support of the program.

“This is empowering the residents,” said Henriquez.

“Asking what kind of response the residents want to see is what builds community,” added Henriquez.

To further garner community involvement, the Mayor’s Neighborhood Response Team will be holding bi-weekly meetings to hear from residents and get them involved in the process and their community.

The group’s next meeting will be held Nov. 15th at 2 p.m. at the Bowdoin Street Health Center.

Email Patrick D. Rosso, patrick.d.rosso@gmail.com. Follow him @PDRosso, or friend him on Facebook.