Comments on: Ojai Fire Watch: Day Fire – 9/26 Tuesday Thread

By: Tyler

Tyler — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 08:28:59 +0000

Staci -
I am happy to provide the service – its not a large sum of money to keep the site running.
I will have a very worthy project for you to directly donate to, hopefully tomorrow.

By: Staci

Staci — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 06:29:19 +0000

Hi Tyler,
Wow, you’re doing this without an established revenue stream? I’m even more grateful and amazed! Do you take donations? What address could they be sent to?
Thanks for the great public service!!
Staci

By: Tyler

Tyler — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 02:28:14 +0000

Hi Staci -
Well, its after-the-fact now. Fire coverage will slowly diminish as the 3,508-person effort gains control.
The decision for the City of Ojai to finally put links up on Monday, day 21 of the fire, was made late last week. The decision to place those links, and what links were placed, were made at the highest levels. The City had plenty of top representatives, including multiple City Council members, who were at the Community Meeting and thus were made very well aware of our coverage. In fact, I have received some very positive feedback from Council members on a personal basis who found us to be their most valuable resource for information.
I provide the Ojai Post as a community service – its a non-profit in an unofficial sense. If at some point we decide to pursue revenue streams, I have committed 50% to Ojai charities.
Thanks for contributing!
Tyler

By: Staci

Staci — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 23:41:17 +0000

Hi Tyler,
I think you should explicitly ask the City to link to you.
I realize they should have thought of it themselves, but you have to realize the people who heard about your efforts at the Community meeting and/or who have read it on the web are probably NOT the same people who put the links on the city website. I think the city website is administered not by the elected officials but by paid staff who may or may not be very attentive.
If you ask and they still don’t include you, and they can’t provide an acceptable reason why they refuse, then you have every right to be ticked off and in fact I would encourage a campaign for the community to complain to them on your behalf!!
But until then, I would avoid assuming this was a conscious snub rather than mere bureaucratic oversight.
There may also be some kind of city policy that prohibits promotion of “for-profit” enterprises. (I assume the Ojai Post is for-profit?)
With respect to the Fire Watch itself – Great job!! Thanks so much, I’ve been checking your updates every couple of hours. It has definitely been the best, most reliable, most timely, and most complete source of information!!

By: Tyler

Tyler — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 23:08:52 +0000

Thanks Don, much obliged.

By: Don Jones

Don Jones — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 22:50:58 +0000

Tyler and all. A heartfelt “Thank You” from Wisconsin. I have family living in Ojai. Your coverage has been exceptional. What a task to take on for a community blog and what a terrific product! You’re doing a great community service — to a community that stretches across the country and beyond.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 22:24:01 +0000

Lisa – the person who is normally responsible for posting on the website is out of the office until October. Members of the City Council, and I assume many city employees, are well aware of our efforts, since it was announced at the Community Meeting on September 21. I have also received an email of appreciation from one of the City Council members. So when, after 21 days of the Day Fire, the City decided to post links to three resources, and then after 22 days, they added three more links, they were well aware of who was and was not providing important information to the community, and consciously made the decision to not include The Ojai Post.

By: Lisa Snider

Lisa Snider — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 20:38:09 +0000

Tyler, what did the City say when you asked them to link to Ojai Post?