View the matrix at: https://bit.ly/pso-confident-concerned
As I've heard from residents about the PSO Model, lots of phrases get thrown out -- that someone is "Pro-PSO"or "Pro-Firefighter" and similar labels. These labels typically lump people into either "Pro" or "Anti" factions. That's not particularly helpful, especially when some residents are simply "unsure".
As we move forward this year with addressing the PSO Model, I'll be referring to the below scale instead, which is a spectrum between "very concerned" and "very confident".
Of course, there's a whole lot more nuance to this -- for instance, you could be at a "3" on the scale for how the organization chart looks, and a 5 for your confidence in a great response by individual officers when you're in trouble. That's OK...the goal is just to help you, as a resident, communicate your own comfort level, and so you can start thinking of what it might take to get you to a higher level of confidence. That's what I've been doing for myself now, too.
Some residents want the program to end completely -- they're definitely at a "1". Others like the concept, but have questions about the execution and communication -- perhaps a "2" or "3". Others think the model is great and want no changes at all -- likely a "5". So this scale doesn't force someone into being "pro-firefighter" or "pro-PSO" when that's not really the crux of the issue.
As I work on meetings and discussions in the coming weeks, I'll be asking for the "Confident" perspectives and the "Concerned" perspectives, both from experts and laypeople like you and me. I just wanted you to know that I'm using this language.
View the matrix at: https://bit.ly/pso-confident-concerned
In the link above, you can see the collection of resident concerns I've been collecting since January 2018, and which I brought forward to my predecessor for discussion. Even a simple discussion was rejected. That unwillingness to talk about resident concerns was a key reason I ran for mayor against him. I look forward to hosting an expert forum this term to finally address these concerns.
Thanks for reading, and for taking an interest in civics here in Cedar Falls.