NHCA Links
North Hills Open Forum - Your Neighborhood Connection
Subscribe to North Hills Open Forum by clicking here and following the subscription instructions.
Stay informed! Be involved! The North Hills Community Association hosts two on-line discussion groups and invites you to join both.
North Hills Open Forum is ...
the place to read, report and discuss items of concern in our neighborhoods. Recent topics include Zoning Laws, Neighborhood Crime, Pending Construction, New Caldecott Tunnel Bore, Fire Prevention, Land Development, Drainage, Local Trails, Vegetation Management, Emergency Preparedness, and Traffic and Parking problems.
North Hills Open Forum is one of the best ways to know what is happening on our streets. Along the way, get to know your neighbors! North Hills Open Forum is also a platform for - Requesting or Providing Service Provider Recommendations, and Asking Questions of your Community. Subscribe to Open Forum
Announcements is ...
used for official communication and relevant announcements from the NHCA organization. Recent posts include: Wildfire Protection Assessment District meetings, CORE and CPR course schedules, NHCA meetings, and Immediate concerns, such as the June 12th Hiller Highlands fire in 2008. Subscribe to Announcements
What to expect
North Hills Open Forum averages 3 to 5 messages daily. Announcements produces an email every two weeks or so. In both cases, you can subscribe to immediate, individual emails or a daily digest.
Posting messages to Open Forum
To post to North Hills Open Forum, you must be a subscriber first. That is, the Open Forum will only accept submissions from subscribed email addresses. Once a subscriber, you may post by simply sending an email to openforum@northhillscommunity.org.
Changing your email address in Open Forum and Annoucements
To change your Open Forum email address, please follow these steps-
1. go to this page: http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/openforum
2. cursor down to the line that says: "To unsubscribe from OpenForum, get a password reminder, or change your subscription options enter your subscription email address:"
3. enter your currently subscribed email address that you plan to change
4. follow steps on the next page to change to your new email address
To change your Announcements email address, please follow these steps-
1. go to this page: http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/nhca_announcements
2. cursor down to the line that says: "To unsubscribe from OpenForum, get a password reminder, or change your subscription options enter your subscription email address:"
3. enter your currently subscribed email address that you plan to change
4. follow steps on the next page to change to your new email address
Communication Suggestions
Open Forum is a valuable neighborhood communication asset. And while neighbors may not always agree with each other, civility is a value that makes many things possible, a worthy pursuit among people who may find their lives depend on one another after a disaster or in an emergency.
To assure this neighborhood-wide email communication tool is of benefit to all, please consider the suggestions below.
1. Create a relevant Subject line and then change it, if needed, when the topic changes. This allows folks to delete emails on a given topic if they are not interested.
2. If responding to a post, delete the prior email string from your email, leaving only the most recent post.
3. Use upper and lower case text; messages typed in all upper case are considered shouting and are difficult to read. Note also that Open Forum will remove all formatting (e.g., bold, italics, etc.) from submissions, reducing all posts to plain text.
4. Open Forum does not allow large attachments. To refer others to a document, post a hyperlink to the document if possible or ask any interested people to send you an email and reply directly to them with the attachment.
5. Avoid postings that are repetitive endorsements ("me too" type emails), rebuttals or chastisements.
6. If you feel compelled to chastise someone for any reason, please reply privately to that individual.
7. Avoid commercial promotion and advertising unless it is specifically relevant to our neighborhood (e.g. a concert starring one of our neighbors or promoting Earth Day events in our area.)
Type Unto Others as ...
We recommend email communication adhere to the following general rules of etiquette, especially these ten rules: 1, 4, 7, 19, 51, 53, 54, 79, 85, and 101 (copied below). And if you only have time for three, read 4, 54 and 101.
1. Make sure your e-mail includes a courteous greeting and closing. Helps to make your e-mail not seem demanding or terse.
4. Read your email out loud to ensure the tone is that which you desire. Try to avoid relying on formatting for emphasis; rather choose the words that reflect your meaning instead. A few additions of the words "please" and "thank you" go a long way!
7. If your email is emotionally charged, walk away from the computer and wait to reply. Review the Sender's email again so that you are sure you are not reading anything into the email that simply isn't there.
19. Do not type in all caps. That's yelling or reflects shouting emphasis.
51. Try not to make assumptions when it comes to email. Always ask for clarification before you react.
53. Even though it isn't right; emails are forwarded to others. Keep this in mind when typing about emotional or controversial topics.
54. When there is a misunderstanding by email, don't hesitate to pick up the old fashioned telephone to work things out!
79. When discussions get out of control; don't stoop to name-calling or profanities. You are better than that!
85. Keep in mind there will always be differences of opinion. Try to remain objective and not personalize issues.
101. And finally . . . Type unto others as you would have them type unto you!
source: Judith Kallos 101 Email Etiquette Tips NetManners.com