Where Went Richardson's Neighborhoods?

Remember the good old days before the Richardson City Council abandoned discussion of neighborhoods in its biennial goals statements and its annual State of the City addresses? You know, like this excerpt from the 2011-2013 Statement of Goals:

• Support neighborhoods in their development of Homeowner and Neighborhood Associations and other community-based organizations such as Crime Watches, Crime Patrols, and Beautification Committees.
• Promote a well-informed network of Homeowner and Neighborhood Associations and encourage constructive dialogue between this network, residents, and the City.
• Develop and maintain community vitality and neighborhood integrity strategies to foster, preserve and promote desirable neighborhoods within the City.

Source: City of Richardson.

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Now that I think of it, it's not just neighborhoods that's been absent from the council's statement of goals for the last few years. It's been goals, period. Lately, the statement has just been a collection of motherhood and apple pie attributes of all good cities. The statement used to contain steps the council planned to take in the next two years that were specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. You know, S.M.A.R.T. .

We're about to elect a new City Council. Voters should press the candidates on what specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based goals they will pursue as council members in the next two years. Then the council as a whole should adopt a shared set of such goals. Enough with the motherhood and apple pie statements. We're not Peoria.