In the seminal book, ‘Death and Life of Great American Cities’, Jane Jacobs pointed out the varied workings of cities and neighborhoods and what made them dangerous and what made them safe. Besides having a reasonable amount of usage of sidewalks by varied people at varied times, she wrote about the importance of the eyes on the street to watch what was going on, both by those users of the sidewalks (which compel the resident’s eyes to people watch) and the residents themselves. She wrote, “There must be eyes on the street, eyes belonging to those we might call the natural proprietors of the street.” She claimed these people, “…casually take care of the streets. They notice strangers. They observe everything going on. If they need to take action, whether to direct a stranger waiting in the wrong place or to call the police, they do so.” She understood the importance of the natural guardians of neighborhoods; the well-known, usually strong, caring sort who kept an eye on the street, monitoring who comes and goes, who’s causing trouble, knowing names and faces of those who live or pass through their section of a city and being a strong presence to the neighborhood. In other words, the unsung guardians of a community’s health and safety.

Being a devotee of Ms. Jacobs and understanding the framework of my own personality for guardianship, I have long been an advocate and appreciator of this precept. Now and in the past there has been much talk of ‘neighborhood watch groups’, people that walk the streets of their neighborhoods looking out for crime and, while that may fill a certain purpose at certain times and garners mine and others appreciation, I believe the ‘natural proprietors’ of the streets, those that keep an eye on them 24/7, are able to monitor and enforce the safety of things on a much wider basis. As such, I believe more strongly in their efficacy. Given that then, and given our current city administration’s business-centric focus over what I feel is our city’s true value, its citizens, I’ve decided it was high time to honor and publicly highlight those citizens in our town who fit this description. It is long overdue and my pleasure to promote.

Stewards of the Block #1

Meet the Leggetts; Royden and Stacey. They are the natural guardians of Duke Road in the Country Club Village area. Both have been here 62 years, 18 of them on Duke Road. Married 29 years, they live with their two dogs and two cats. Roy is a disabled Vietnam veteran and Minister. They tell me they simply want to live a ‘normal life’ and be of help and a good example to the neighborhood.

While there, Stacey had a strong hand on the dogs behavior and several times, as children and others came up and down the street and cars pulled up, they were alert to the varying situations that arose. One kid had lost control of his Pug dog’s leash and the dog came onto the Leggetts property chasing their cat. Roy was able to grab the leash and return the dog to the boy, gently reminding him to keep ahold of his dog. Stacey told me who on the block were also good neighbors, thereby signaling that there was a network of ‘proprietors’ on Duke who monitored its health and safety. As I sat there, it occurred to me that they were the natural guardians of their block and that is where the idea for this citizen promotion came to me.

Police monitor the community but they can’t be everywhere at all times. Legislation can be introduced and passed to monitor behavior and actions detrimental to the community’s quality of life but, in mine and Ms. Jacobs belief, it is citizens like the Leggetts who form the real spine and most effective tool for a community’s health and safety that we have. No amount of developers or code enforcement could buy or produce the kind of value they provide. For that, I salute Royden and Stacey Leggett as the first Stewards of the Block and thank them for their true civic contribution to Whitehall.

Thanks Roy and Stacey!