Tom Champion

[brewso.livejournal.com]

So, I noticed all activity ceased on this board once Tom's account appeared to have been deleted, so I'll say it:

Tom! Come back! Please!

Getting things wrong once in a while is part of being human, and you being human is what makes you so cool. I really never would have expected a public figure to be so down-to-earth and eager to help individual citizens. Seeing your posts on here made me love Davis Square that much more. This LJ community will lose a lot if you go.

Comments

YES, PLEASE.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

I will miss Tom's participation on LJ.

Also, on a related point, as various social networking uses of the net get increasingly more popular, the idea of some kind of "city internet ombudsman" as a position seems like a great idea.

So even if Tom can't or doesn't wish to return, I'd love to see the city start reaching with things like RSS feeds and participation on social networking sites including LJ.

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

Adding my thanks to Tom and wish that he will come back! I live across the line in M'f'd and the idea that one of our town officials would dare approach something like LJ and be so informative and good humored seems completely impossible here. We need a Tom Champion of our own (doesn't everyone).

I'm worried that he was pressured by his boss to quit here.

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

Man, I'll miss Tom Champion's posts, and I don't even live in Somerville(I live just outside, across the border in Cambridge). You're consistently informative and polite, and any flak you catch is definitely undeserved, Tom. You rock.

[chumbolly.livejournal.com]

And thus, the Legend of Tom Champion took flight.

Mr. Champion, in the hopes that you remain a lurker, let me add my voice to the chorus that thinks the improved communication you've brought to Somerville, both via robo-calls and this journal, has been nothing short of terrific. It has really changed my view of this city's government, and been incredibly helpful to boot. Though I can certainly appreciate that contributing to this forum in an ad hoc manner is perilous to say the least.

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

Here, here! And for the record, it's not Tom that was wrong -- it was Katzuba. Tom, I'll take that up with him directly, myself.

Like I said on your earlier post -- the fact that Katzuba gave you bad info (that I then reacted to angrily) in *no way* negates that we really appreciate all the poking, prodding, investigating and advocating that you do on our behalf.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

TOM CHAMPION! NOOOOOOOO! COME BACK! COME BACK!

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Wait, no sooner had I posted this than he seemed to be back. Hooray!

[leko.livejournal.com]

I was quite saddened when I read that Tom had deleted his account. Having someone who's able and willing to look into our questions and issues with the city really makes a huge difference not only in the quality of this group, but also in my opinion of the city government as a whole. It reminds me that there are reasonable people working behind the scenes and that actually makes me eager to work with the city on issues rather than simply bitching and moaning about how horrible something is.

If Tom does leave for good, it will be a huge loss for everyone.

[leko.livejournal.com]

what? where?

[lbmango.livejournal.com]

Really? When I check he looks still deleted...

I'll add my voice to the chorus. Come back Tom!

[daft.livejournal.com]

Please come back, Tom!

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

FALSE ALARM. Boo, hiss, my mistake.

COME BACK TOM!

[ad-lib.livejournal.com]

i never knew he was real!

[inahandbasket]

adding my voice to the chorus.

Unlike Santa ...

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

Tom Champion is very real (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/03/09/tom_champion_has_a_voice_that_carries/)!

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

Poor Tom. He's been very patient and full of goodwill.

Maybe at the next meetup, folks can pass around a big thank you card or something? E-mails and comments are nice, but something tangible he can put on his desk as proof that real physical people root for him and appreciate what he does might be even better.

[pearlythebunny.livejournal.com]

Do you think there is some way to ask him to come back?
apologize profusely?
bake him cookies?
tell him how much we appreciate him?
send letters to him at City Hall?
call 311 (which I’ve learned from Mr. Champion is the solution to most issues in this city)?
start a petition?
mob his office and beg him in person to return?
go to the next mayor’s meeting (which isn’t for a month, so that’s kind of a long wait)?
write haikus?

[ellf.livejournal.com]

I am incredibly disheartened. I truly wish we could do -something- to convince him that his work here was unbelievably valuable and valued.

please, please, please Mr. Champion come back.

[firepail.livejournal.com]

Dear Tom,

Your posts provide clarity and context to the ways of local government and remind us that the government is people and not a machine. I'll miss your posts. Thank you for your participation in this space, your contribution was valuable to me and many others here.

Please come back.

[aquastar.livejournal.com]

I'm bad at haikus but I'll bake cookies :(

[aquastar.livejournal.com]

Although I don't post often here I read the entries every day. :( Tom always had useful information. I hope he comes back. (Not to mention I *heart* his user image)

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Toooooooooooooooooooooooom!

Please?

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

Who will have the first Tom Champion homage lj user name? Perhaps Ghost of Tom Champion or Tom Champion Lives...

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way about the boss thing.

I know I would never be allowed to say a lot of the stuff he has said online here. My boss would kill me.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

I can make ice cream!
Even with no heat wave, bet
Tom goes om nom nom.

[chaiya.livejournal.com]

I will send a card.
I have no time for cooking,
But I still love Tom!