I have observed a number of community based organizations over the years, but the most effective and precise was the Miami Citizens Against Crime (“MCAC”) formed in the early 1980′s by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. As with most organizations, the most important decision was on the leadership, and MCAC had as its’ head, the late Chairman of the Board of Miami Herald, Alvah Chapman. Alvah was a military man from the south, and in running a major national media organization, he commanded attention and respect–and got it. I was involved in the organization by virtue of being the Chairman of the Miami-Dade Legislative Delegation (with 32 members, it was by far the largest delegation in the state). Chapman selected equally strong leadership behind him on the MCAC, Developer David Blumberg of Planned Development Corporation and former County Manager Ray Goode of the Babcock Corporation. I have often felt the MCAC was the template for the community based, grass roots, organizations.
