MCA Meeting Recap: Q3 2022
Hello, and welcome to the Third Quarter (Q3) Central Park Master Community Association (MCA) meeting recap. My name is John B. Holt, and I am the current Community Delegate for Central Park District 11, the North End, located due North of 56th Avenue and East of Dallas Street in Denver, Colorado.
My Second and Final Term
My second and final Community Delegate term ends on Saturday, December 31, 2022, and as I am not seeking reelection to this post, I am happily endorsing my friend and neighbor, Josh Dembicki, a fellow North End resident and small business owner for the elected position. Please read on for details regarding the forthcoming MCA election process, and to learn more about Josh, who I believe is an excellent fit for the District 11 Delegate role based on a number of qualifying factors.
General Overview & Open Seats
Central Park has twelve neighborhoods, with eleven districts represented by an equal number of Community Delegates, and five Executive Board Members, who may serve concurrently as Delegates, as some do. As of today, five Community Delegate positions are open for one-year terms starting in January 2023: District 3 (Westerly Creek); District 7 (Centerfield/RTD); District 9 (Willow Park East & Wicker Park); District 10 (Beeler Park); and District 11 (North End).
Monthly Delegate Forum Meeting Schedule
Community Delegates meet the on the third Wednesday of each month at 12:00 PM inside The Cube, the MCA’s headquarters, located at 8371 E. Northfield Boulevard, Denver, CO 80238, alongside the Executive Board Members. In February (Q1), May (Q2), August (Q3), and November (Q4) these monthly delegate forums are combined with the Executive Board’s quarterly meetings.
Delegate Responsibilities & Opportunities
Serving as a Community Delegate affords civic minded individuals an opportunity to give back to their respective neighborhood, and the Central Park community at large, in a number of ways, helping to make decisions by consensus that impact all twelve neighborhoods, North and South of I-70.
Basic Expectations
The basic expectation for any Community Delegate is to actively participate in monthly MCA meetings, be it in-person or online, in which a variety of topics are presented and discussed, from routine maintenance of Central Park’s pools, parks, and programs, to budgeting for long-term expenditures and capital improvements, e.g., ally repairs, playground modifications, etc.
The Draws of Holding Office
One of the main draws of holding elected office in the Central Park MCA is the ability to facilitate positive change for the community. Whether one volunteers to serve as a Community Delegate, a person who champions initiatives on behalf of his or her neighborhood and the community at large, or a Board Member, a person elected by the Delegates to formally vote on and thereby ratify matters brought forth by the Delegates, there is a sense that your time is well spent.
Working Collaboratively With The MCA
Personally, I have found great satisfaction working collaboratively with my MCA peers to make our pools more affordable for income-qualified residents, our community better funded for planned repairs and future maintenance, and our volunteer leadership team more diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
While there is much to learn in the initial months of any volunteer role, regardless of one’s prior HOA experience, the process is smooth. This is due, in part, to the trained staff at the MCA, who take great care in educating newcomers, making them feel welcome and appreciated, and, in part, to the support of existing Delegates and Board Members, who openly share their knowledge and experience, outlining the organization’s structure and procedural protocols.
Delegate Elections for the 2023 Session
There are currently five Community Delegate positions open for one-year terms starting in January 2023. Voting begins this November, and concludes at the annual meeting in December, unless quorum is not met in which case the voting will stay open for several more weeks.
Ownership Qualification
If you own property within a given district, and wish to apply for the open seat, please submit a Delegate Nomination Form on or before Friday, November 09, 2022, thank you.
Note: A person can only represent the district in which s/he owns property. For example, only a person who owns property, e.g., condominium, single family home, commercial building, etc., in District 7 (D7) can represent D7.
Nominating a Delegate
All nominations received by November 09, 2022 will be included on the official ballot as part of the annual members meeting wherein prospective Delegates may address the audience, and audience members can ask questions and cast their votes in person, if they have not already done so via mail.
Note: Anyone who owns property in Central Park, whether they live in the neighborhood or not, can self-nominate for an elected role.
Contested Districts
Any district with one or more nominations at the printing of the annual meeting notice will be listed as "contested" and all the voting for that seat will occur up through the annual members meeting on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 6:00 PM, unless quorum (minimum participation requirement) is not met, in which case voting will continue for several more weeks until the first forum of the new year, held on Wednesday, January 18, 2023.
Meeting Quorum
If quorum for a given district, or set of districts, is not met via ballots, proxies, and or attendance at the annual members meeting on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, voting will continue for several more weeks, during which time the standard for quorum is incrementally lowered.
Note: The longer the voting stays open, the lower the threshold for meeting quorum, and ultimately the candidate with the most votes wins in each district. That said, every vote counts, as sometimes quorum is missed by a single vote, so please participate in this year’s election, and all that follow, thank you.
Open Districts:
The following districts are currently open for election. Anyone who owns property in Central Park, and is interested in serving will run for election in November, 2022, and if duly elected will begin serving in January, 2023.
District 3 (Westerly Creek)
District 7 (Centerfield/RTD)
District 9 (Willow Park East & Wicker Park)
District 10 (Beeler Park)
District 11 (North End)
Election Endorsement:
Josh Dembicki for District 11
“After two consecutive years of serving the Central Park community as the District 11 Delegate in the North End Neighborhood, I am pleased to endorse my friend and neighbor, Josh Dembicki, for the Community Delegate role starting in January 2023.
A small business owner, Josh, has made a positive impact in the North End for years, hosting annual block parties with his wife, Tanisha. With their two young boys attending Inspire Elementary, Josh is well positioned to understand the diverse needs of our community, including those of parents.
In addition to serving as President of Bellwether (Colorado Siding Repair), Josh holds a Masters in Ethics & Social Change from Denver’s Iliff School of Theology. He is also military veteran, having served with the US Air Force, and brings a range of interpersonal skills and business acumen.”
Introducing Josh Dembicki:
District 11 Delegate Candidate
“First and foremost, I am interested in serving as a Community Delegate to represent the voice of my fellow North End residents. I love this neighborhood and this community and I want to serve it with my skills and experience.
My children attend Inspire Elementary, we take advantage of the neighborhood amenities, pools, parks, trails, events, and I think this a great place to live.
In 2019 my family and I built our first home in North End and we absolutely fell in love. We just built and moved to our second home here, electing to stay in the same neighborhood.
In my professional life, I have built a very successful home services business over the last five years, serving communities all over the Front Range.
My business experience, as well as prior nonprofit experience, lend me many skills and experiences that would be of great service to this community in this role.”