The biggest shortcoming for me in the current mayoral regime is not that Ron Dellums is not a good CEO. This is a democracy not a corporation, a business, or a factory; it’s a town of many neighborhoods and cultures. What I did expect from this administration, at the least, was a return to participatory democracy, something that should be possible at the local level.

Preliminary results are in from a survey about what types of businesses residents would like to see come to the Lakeshore Avenue business district. You can weigh in on this question right now by leaving a comment.

Council member Pat Kernighan reports today that Out of the Closet has withdrawn its pursuit of the GapKids space on Lakeshore Avenue. She invites the community to a public meeting on Sunday, March 2, at 2 PM, to discuss creation of a long-term plan for the neighborhood commercial areas in District 2.

Tile expert Riley Doty and historian Joe Taylor will discuss the new Golden Age of California tile this Thursday (Valentine’s Day) at 7:30 PM at Chapel of the Chimes. The lecture—open to the public—is part of Oakland Heritage Alliance’s Thursday Lecture Series.

Oakland Heritage Alliance seeks nominations for its 2008 Partners in Preservation Awards to honor those whose work and efforts have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in historic preservation. Nominations must be postmarked by April 21. Awards will be given on May 8.

Pat Kernighan—city council member for District 2, which includes the Grand Lake business district—writes that she does not believe the proposed Out of the Closet thrift store would be a good fit for Lakeshore Avenue. She is working with the broker to encourage a more suitable tenant. Council member Kernighan will convene a meeting to facilitate greater, and proactive, community involvement in the future of the business district.

An all-volunteer committee has prepared recommendations for pedestrian and traffic improvements at the intersections of Lakeshore/Lake Park Avenues and Lakeshore/MacArthur Blvd. and for northbound Lakeshore between MacArthur and Lake Park. Please read and weigh in. Your input is important!