Seat at the Table: How Lake Como Residents Protect Representation
- Miss Peacock
- Jan 24
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 24
(Quietly, Clearly, On Record)
There are moments when a neighborhood doesn’t need a loud argument—just a clean record.
Right now, Lake Como residents are in a season of quiet information gathering.
We’re collecting names, contacts, and documentation because too often the neighborhood gets treated like it has one “official” voice—and everyone else is expected to accept decisions they weren’t notified about.
Why KLCB is Doing This (And Why It’s On-Mission)
Keep Lake Como Beautiful (KLCB) is a program of Proof of Life Community Development Corporation (PLCDC), a nonprofit community development corporation. PLCDC’s work includes dismantling barriers that obstruct progress in historically under-resourced communities. One significant barrier is when neighborhoods are treated like they have only one “official” voice. This leads to a lack of localized and citizen political power.
In practice, this barrier appears when residents and stakeholders lack clear access to information, participation lanes, and documentation. Decision-makers often rely on a narrow channel that does not consistently reach the people most impacted.
That’s why this Seat at the Table effort is intentionally quiet, clear, and on record. It’s a practical, governance-focused request that strengthens resident representation. We want to ensure that City-financed neighborhood work leaves an accessible documentation trail.
Our Tone and Our Goal
Because KLCB is governed by PLCDC, we’re approaching this the way our mission requires: calm, documented, and focused on barriers and solutions—not personalities. This is not anti-anyone. It’s pro-resident representation focused on process integrity, records access, and making sure Lake Como isn’t misrepresented by default. This is especially important when decisions affect residents who never received notice, updates, or a clear way to participate.
What’s the Issue?
When City departments treat a single organization as the primary point of contact, it creates predictable problems:
Information funnels through one channel (or doesn’t reach residents at all).
Notices don’t reach everyone impacted.
Residents find out late.
“We coordinated with the neighborhood” becomes a shortcut phrase—even when many residents never knew anything was happening.
Lake Como is bigger than any one table.
What We’re Asking For (Simple. Practical. Defensible.)
1) Multi-Organization Engagement
City departments can work with long-standing community groups—and still practice something fair:
When an issue affects Lake Como, share notices and updates with all City-registered community organizations operating within the neighborhood boundary. This includes churches, apartments, nonprofits, and neighborhood groups.
That’s how you prevent gatekeeping without picking a fight.
2) Public Records and “Receipts” for City-Staff–Supported Work
When City staff time, City-coordinated committees, or City-administered processes are involved, residents should be able to locate a clear documentation trail:
Meeting notices or agendas (when applicable).
Summaries/minutes (or documented outcomes).
Decks and handouts.
Deliverables (drafts + final).
The custodian pathway (who holds it and where it lives).
Close-out/acceptance documentation (or the City’s close-out process).
This protects residents, partners, and the City.
Working definition: “City-resourced” means neighborhood efforts that are supported, facilitated, convened, or administered by City staff—regardless of which community entity requested the work.
Why This Matters Right Now
Lake Como is facing real pressure—development activity, land-use decisions, infrastructure needs, public safety coordination, and quality-of-life issues that don’t pause just because communication systems are outdated.
When notice and representation are narrow, residents are forced into reaction mode. When engagement is broad and documented, residents can participate early—and solutions move faster.
What We Are NOT Doing
Because this matters, we’re staying disciplined:
We are not targeting individuals.
We are not spreading rumors.
We are not asking the City to dissolve any group.
We are not encouraging harassment or disrespect.
We are building a clean record—so Lake Como residents can be heard clearly and fairly.
3 Ways to Support Right Now (From the Deck)
1) Sign the Stakeholder Sign-On Form
This documents resident consent around representation and records access. Your name matters. Your block matters.
2) Register Your Organization with the City
If your organization serves Lake Como—especially churches, multifamily communities, and nonprofits—City registration helps ensure you receive outreach and can show up as a recognized stakeholder.
City of Fort Worth Community Engagement Department
Tracy L. Edwards, Community Engagement Liaison (City Council, District 6)
tracy.edwards@fortworthtexas.gov | 817-392-7503
3) Share This Video with One Neighbor
Not ten. Not a debate thread. Just one neighbor who cares about process, transparency, and Lake Como having more than one civic lane.
Want Help or Want to Stay in the Loop?
If you’re a building manager, pastor, nonprofit leader, tenant leader, community organization, or resident who wants to be included as this develops:
Contact:
Shavina “Miss Peacock” Taylor
Program Director, Keep Lake Como Beautiful (KLCB) 💜🦁💛
info@KeepLakeComoBeautiful.org | 682.382.1224
Closing
This is what community power looks like when it’s serious:
Organized contacts → clean requests → receipts → and a calm insistence that Lake Como is not a one-voice neighborhood.
Seat at the table—on record. 🪑
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