President’s corner: 2023 in review
Hello West Towson friends,
Some may say that the end of January is a little late to be sharing the 2023 year end review. However, after taking the time to celebrate the holidays with family and neighbors, then gear up for 2024, I can see no better time than to share my thoughts on how 2023 went in West Towson.
What jumps to the top of my mind when thinking about the last year and the neighborhood is the energy in the streets, at our events, and within the Board. In 2023 I like to think we surpassed some of our old highwater marks. The momentum with the neighborhood is picking up This is all driven by our great neighbors and the work of our all-volunteer board. Here are a few highlights that I think are important to share with you:
We hosted our traditional events like Santa coming to West Towson, Trunk or Treat, the Egg Hunt. We even added new events like the community yard sale which I can only say is a resounding success. We took different approaches to events like the holiday decorating contest hope you’ll agree added some more fun to this yearly favorite.
We improved our communication with our neighbors by continuing to build our Facebook presence and by launching our refreshed website. Can you believe that we had over 5,000 visits to our website? Our neighbors came to stay up to date on neighborhood news, find information on our events, and pay annual dues.
We launched our first Neighborhood Pulse Survey where over 200 residents shared what they wanted from the neighborhood and the board. The Board felt that this was an important step to remain responsive to your needs.
We also started preparing for the next phase of the neighborhood board. We have been able to welcome the next generation of this neighborhood’s leaders to the board and asking our recent new joiner to take on increasing responsibility. They’ve brought a fresh perspective, new skills, and thoughts about how to improve on our great activities. It's this invaluable volunteerism that makes our community vibrant and allows us to serve the neighborhood.
We continue to be invested to be invested in political engagement and activism to maintain a high quality of life within the neighborhood. A very public example is how our political engagement ensured that Baltimore County prioritized resurfacing the multi-purpose courts at the dinosaur park. Though there was initial concern, I am hearted to see them getting constant use from very different parts of our community from the youngest basketball stars to the most veteran pickle ballers. On this front, our community shared its voice in the Elementary School boundary study.
Looking forward to 2024, I'm excited to see where this new energy takes the board and the neighborhood. I am personally thinking about how to bolster our advocacy efforts. At this point I have 4 asks of everyone reading this letter:
Make sure that we can stay in touch with you by signing up for our email list at the bottom of this page. If you are already signed up, please share this page with 1 or 2 of your neighbors and encourage them to join our mailing list.
Please continue to support the neighborhood and the Board through your recurring annual dues payments. The best way to support us is by setting a recurring dues payment up on our website. This ensures that I can avoid the unpleasant task of asking for money and you are able to automatically continue supporting us in the future.
Please consider joining in person to hear the results of the West Towson Pulse Survey and help set the Board’s agenda for the coming year. We aim to be responsive to your priorities and want to have you engaged in setting our path for the year.
Finally, please consider joining the board. I have seen the value and impact of new neighbors joining the Board and helping to shape our path forward. We especially need the expertise of a CPA, but welcome all skillsets.
I hope your year is off to a great start and I’m looking forward to a great 2024 in West Towson!
