Southeast Neighbors board to evaluate future of 75-member preparedness committee

from Southeast Neighbors and staff reports

Heather Sielicki, longtime resident of Southeast Neighbors and a professional in emergency management, recently announced her resignation as chair of the neighborhood’s disaster preparedness committee.

In a statement, Sielicki explained that she could no longer commit to leading local efforts due to her responsibilities covering emergencies across Oregon. “By the very nature of being in an emergency management job, I’m not the right person for this,” she stated. “I have to follow where the emergency is, and we need someone here who can make this their priority.”

Sielicki emphasized that the current scope and scale of the neighborhood’s disaster preparedness plan might be too ambitious given the available volunteer resources. “I think we have a great plan if we had hundreds more volunteer hours,” she noted, highlighting the challenges citizen responders face in meeting such expectations.

The neighborhood built out the city-sponsored “Map Your Neighborhood” block captain program to enhance local readiness. However, Sielicki questioned the necessity of expanding these efforts without clear priorities. “We need 50 more block captains. Well, why, though? We haven’t had time to reflect on what a neighborhood association is really capable of doing,” she said, urging a more focused approach.

Sielicki praised the existing radio check-in initiative established over the past decade by Larry Kirkpatrick, David Monk, Dennis Hebert, and others, which has seen participation from as many as 75 residents. She suggested that the board consider maintaining and expanding this successful program rather than overextending it into new areas.

“I recommended to the board that they focus on what they’re doing well, which is maintaining that radio check-in that’s kind of running itself,” she said.

As Southeast Neighbors prepare for their Sept. 3 board meeting, the future of the Disaster Preparedness Committee remains uncertain. One approach under discussion would integrate disaster preparedness more broadly into the board’s responsibilities, rather than treating it as a separate committee.

Sielicki also advocated that the neighborhood collaborate more closely with city boards and commissions, such as the Human Rights Commission and the Sustainability Commission.

“The board has to get involved: Everybody’s affected by a disaster!” Sielicki emphasized, highlighting the importance of local networks and community ties in enhancing disaster resilience. “Neighborhood associations and emergency management are such a great partnership. It’s a great excuse to get your foot in the door with other people in your community.”

The board acknowledged the need to “reassess their commitments and better define their goals in collaboration with the community,” she said.

Sielicki said that as the city of Eugene navigates changes in its emergency management landscape and transitions from Map Your Neighborhood to new programs, Southeast Neighbors will look to the board for guidance on the future.

Southeast Neighbors host their annual Tugman Park picnic Saturday, Sept. 7 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Neighbors are invited to enjoy the music, food trucks, and free popcorn while meeting the board and learning more about the neighborhood organization.

Tugman Park is named for Register-Guard editor (and community builder) William M. Tugman. A monument in the park states: “He served the public by always seeing beyond tomorrow.”

Images courtesy Be 2 Weeks Ready and Southeast Neighbors website, April 2017: “Heather Sielicki served on the Southeast Neighbors Board from 2013-2017 in Secretary, Webmaster/Social Media Manager, Newsletter Editor, Chair, and Meeting Facilitator roles. She is currently a member of the Neighborhood Leaders Council, the Community Development Block Grant Advisory Board, the Vulnerable Populations Working Group, the 4J Parent Leaders Network, and the Human Rights Commission Homelessness Work Group.”