After ten years, more than 3,000 threads, tens of thousands of comments, one lawsuit, and a lot of agonizing, it’s time for me to let Village 14 go.
Today is my final day as an administrator on this site.
I launched Village 14 in 2011 with Sean Roche, after many years of moderating a similar blog for the Newton TAB. I had left my job there and wanted to continue to provide a place for conversations about Newton.
This was before the proliferation of list serves. Before Facebook groups. Before Next Door and other online platforms. It was a time when us unelected proles primarily weighed in on public policy during (time restricted) comment periods, or through letters to the editor. It all felt horribly insufficient. Newton needed a forum where we could weigh in on our schedule, not City Hall’s.
There were two things Village 14 was never meant to be.
First, it wasn’t supposed to be my blog, although — for years — many saw it that way. Some still do.
Yes, there were times (weeks, months, years even) when I was overwhelmingly the most frequent poster and participant. (There was also a very unpleasant time when my family received threats and I found myself in court because of a blog post I had nothing to do with.)
Mostly, I was proud of the community we created here. I was proud of our revolving team of super smart “Village Idiots” who became my fellow posters. I was proud of the community of citizens who became thoughtful regulars and are every bit as essential to this site’s success as the Idiots.
Sometimes it was infuriating. I lost my cool plenty. I’m now qualified to teach a class on how to snark.
Sometimes I also got desperate, late night calls, emails and texts from folks demanding that I remove some offensive comment. Others wanted me to remove something they regretted writing. One participant blamed Village 14 for her inability to find a job because of things she wrote. She begged me to remove her comments and any others that mentioned her.
I also made lasting friendships with amazing people I first met on Village 14. My eyes were opened to different ways of thinking here. I laughed a ton. Cried some. Learned even more.
I’m proud of the role Village 14 played – and still plays – in shaping public policy; electing or unseating public officials; and becoming a part of the fabric of Newton.
The other thing I never wanted Village 14 to be was a news site. I wanted it to be a place where we discussed the news we learned about from professional journalists. That hasn’t worked as hoped. We should all remain fearful by the dearth of local journalism.
So why am I stepping back? I don’t have the time to keep up with it.
COVID-19 has motivated me to invest 18 hours days advocating for and supporting businesses and nonprofits in my role as president of the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber. I’m fearful for the men and women who’ve invested their livelihoods into building businesses that may not survive — as well as the impact this will have on our villages, our communities. Since March I’ve been writing a daily newsletter (sign up here if interested) that occupies the hours I used to spend contributing and reading your comments.
Lately, days go by when I haven’t looked here. And yet, just last week I was getting texts asking me to moderate threads I’ve never read. I have people refer to conversations I’ve never knew existed. People keep sending me news tips, press releases, campaign announcements, etc., stuff I once gladly published.
I’m uncomfortable not knowing what’s happening on a site that many people think of as my blog, even though I never wanted this to be seen that way. And honestly, I don’t want to end up back in court ever again for something here that I didn’t write. (That first lawsuit, by the way, was entirely frivolous and was dismissed. But it cost my family months and money.)
So, after a lot of agonizing, I need to let our community know that I’m no longer “the guy” you should call, text or email with your Village 14 requests, complaints or compliments.
The good news is Village 14 is in good hands. Some of your favorite Village Idiots have agreed to keep this site running. We have two municipal elections in 2021. No shortage of topics.
I look forward to reading, commenting and occasionally even posting. I’m just not the guy, ok?
Happy new year. And happy 10th anniversary Village 14.
Greg, as many of us know all too well it’s not common or easy to create something that truly resonates and provides value to a community.
So I just want to say thanks for creating this blog and participating as long as you have.
Like many here, I’m not a likely candidate to attend a public meeting. However, it is important for me personaly to participate in,and be known within my community
Village 14, in all its glorious imperfection, has provided this access. I’ve learned a ton and grown as a person, so, thanks for that.
Mike
Thank you for opening this forum and keeping open! It remains a must-read for me on Newton issues, and has been my primer for my 7 1:2 years here so far.
And thank you, too for the work you continue to do for our neighbors.
Take care!
Greg you and Sean created an integral Newton institution that has only become more valuable as the Tab has waned.
We’ve missed you already over this past year as your involvement dwindled. We’ll miss you more now that you’re making it official.
What many readers may not be aware of is that over the years the rest of us idiots posted thing sporadically, in bursts. Greg was the guy that always made sure that the site never went stale for long. If nobody posted he always came up with something to post. He poured his heart and a tremendous amount of energy into Village14, year in and year out.
We’re going to miss your sense of humor, your wide ranging interests, your passion for all things Newton and yes … your snark too.
Village14 will definitely continue going but your day to day involvement has already been sorely missed.
We’ve still got plenty of us idiots around here but none of us are half the idiot as you 🙂
Even though you’re turning in your administrator reins, please don’t be a stranger around here. Whenever the last person gets vaccinated, and Newton businesses get back on an even keel we’d love to get you get back.
In the meantime, stop in when you can, stir the pot, inform, provoke, amuse, and rile us.
Best wishes in this new year. Let’s hope we turn a corner in 2021. Thanks so much for creating this community gathering spot and thanks for keeping it running and vital for all these years.
I wrote a long post, but then the page refreshed and I lost it. It’s late, so i’ll just simplify it by saying thank you Greg!
To the writers taking over, please keep the site going. A few stylesheet (CSS) edits are in need. I would much rather see V14 live on than be reliant on FB or Nextdoor.
Cheers
James
Thanks Greg. You created something that makes our community better.
Greg.
A beautifully written and heartfelt departure note. You and I didn’t agree on certain issues but my political mentor Adlai Stevenson once said “be wary of someone who agrees with everything you say”. Yeah, you could be snarky at times and some of your rejoinders to critics might have better been left unsaid but I can attest to the commitment I know you hold for freedom of the press and a robust local media. And every small business in Newton should be grateful for all you have done to communicate their plight and encouraging (almost mandating) residents to support them during this current crisis.
I can identify with the turmoil you and your family went through during the prolonged legal challenge. I went through similar turmoil when I was President of our Condo Association in New Hampshire. The suit was ultimately dismissed with a summary judgement, but it’s hell to go through it, but at least the Association handled the costs which the plaintiff was ordered to pay in full for bring such a frivolous case.
That said, I still believe that the benefits of transit oriented high density development in Newton have been vastly oversold and the move away from historical preservation a big mistake that we will come to regret. But this is a policy difference between me and people who believe otherwise. The merits of pro and con become muddied when personalities not principles become the issue and it makes win win situations that much harder to realize.
All the best Greg.
Thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do for our community, Greg. Village 14 will miss you.
And…get some sleep, man.
Sorry to see you stepping away, but I am very appreciative of the importance of the NNCC, especially now with small local businesses crushed by COVID. Thank you for your years of work creating and building V14.
Thank you, Greg, for all you have done. Despite its flaws (personal attacks and snarky comments) V14 provides different perspectives that are invaluable to shape one’s point of view. We are lucky to have such an amazing group of experts in their field participate.
Thank you to the “Idiots” who will continue this necessary blog. It’s often fun, too.
Thanks, Greg, for all that you have done. I do hope, however, that you do weigh in now and again if you have something to say about the substance of debate on Village 14. Also consider getting an ownership group together to purchase BSC Newton and bring it up to speed! Then we can chat again before or after workouts.
Happy New Year to all!
Simply thanks, Greg – you have ensured the First Amendment remains alive and kicking in Newton.
Greg. Thank you for your many years of service to Newton in this important role, providing a convenient way to share and debate ideas with the moderation not provided by FB, NextDoor or neighborhood list serves.Your professionalism will be missed.Thank you also for your leadership of the Chamber, especially at this very critical time for our local businesses.
Greg, I too thank you for creating and nurturing this venue and respect your reasons for handing it off. But you don’t mention which “Village Idiots” will be at the helm. Among them, is there any appetite to do some revamping. Two important and necessary improvements are, in my opinion, the ability for anyone to be able to initiate a post, and the like/dislike button. If not, why?
Without those, I have come to view this venue as very frustrating as it has the potential and has, at times, been a tool for particular political agendas. I have been more apt to participate in conversations on NextDoor and certain Facebook groups that are, I think, more representative and democratic.
@Claire: The remaining Village 14 moderators are listed on the About page.
The difficulty in allowing anyone to initiate a post is that without any editorial oversight, we’d have no ability to intervene in the case of inappropriate/libelous posts.It’s difficult enough to moderate comments.
Thank you, Greg, for all you have done for our virtual community and for everything you continue to do for our real one. One thing I particularly appreciate are the efforts you went through to bring others into the discussion with diverse viewpoints and experiences. I think that has often gone unnoticed, perhaps because you were never shy to share your own opinions or your first-rate snark.
I don’t know about idiots. Brendan Behan once quoted Vladimir Lenin as having said “I’ve come to abolish the Village Idiot”. Since we have 13 villages here, I wonder what Lenin would say about this.
Job well done Gweggy.
Next round is on me.
Greg I am so appreciative to you for all of your service to our community, from the TAB to V14 to the Chamber. Village 14 has been, in a way, both a source of news and a community, and a lot of it has to do with the great work you’ve done. It has been a pleasure to collaborate with you on V14 and I’m hoping to work with you and the Chamber as a councilor to support our small businesses.
Greg:
There is too much for me to say in a simple post, and for once I’ll be succinct.
I’ve truly enjoyed reading and responding to this forum since the beginning. I think it has been a huge asset to our community. This forum has allowed me to feel connected and a part of Newton more than anything else in our community. I know it hasn’t been easy to supervise and that it must have been a huge time/energy/monetary commitment. So a sincere thank you for all of your efforts on this and other endeavors as well. Your involvement and your voice here will be missed, and your efforts made Newton better.
Be well and visit often.
Well done, Greg! You more than deserve to move on from this and keep doing other great things for the community.
@Gail Spector, I am the sole moderator for a FB Group and haven’t found moderating a challenge at all. Most issues get flagged to me by members. So I don’t understand why it would be so challenging when you have so many moderators.
Also what about the like/unlike functionality? It used to exist so I assume it is available on the platform. There are often posts that I agree, or disagree with 100%. Why should someone have to write a reply to weigh in? Why was it disabled?
You’ve done good kid.
I have great respect for you and all that you do.
Thank you.
Greg, forever grateful for this blog. With the downfalls of Patch and The Tab, this is one of the only ways to stay in the loop with the community. Enjoy “retirement” from V14.
Looking forward to this new chapter with Gail and Jerry at the helm. (I hope)
MMQC This is why we need a like button! Why can’t I just like your comment? I would be good with Gail and Jerry at the helm, but I didn’t read that anywhere.
@Claire, certain Facebook groups that are more representative and democratic, do you mean Newton parents?
Greg, this has been a necessary and wonderful forum for community information and also creativity (April Fools, anyone?)
Thank you so much for this gift, we will see you very soon.
Greg – what a shock – and yet it shouldn’t be. I’ve been reading your daily posts from the Chamber for a while now. They are tremendously informative and supportive of the business community. I feel like I’ve known you for so long – from the days when you were the leader of the TAB. I’ll always remember coming to the TAB to be interviewed for its endorsement. You have become a central feature in Newton and I’m glad that even though you leave the leadership of the Blog you remain an important voice at the Chamber. You have provided a forum for disparate voices on all sides of any issue; and we need a place for that – so thank you. I know you haven’t gone far away and for that I’m grateful. Thanks for creating V14 and I’ll toast to its future.
@Greg,
While we have had our differences, I thank you (and Gail – your journalist comrade in arms) for providing a forum for public discourse. I seem to recall a comment Gail made once long ago in the days of the Tab – to the effect of “has the blog been fed?”. It’s quite a reflection and honor I do hope, that this Blog is now self/sustaining. Hardy an easy task, but you may rest easy in the knowledge that you have created something for the better good that will endure.
Rest easy worthy friend/foe; you have certainly earned your respite. My sincerest good wishes to you in your future endeavors. Or, as my Irish ancestors would say – may the sun be always on your back. Or – to quote Edward Murrow, good night and good luck.
Greg –
Thank you for all you’ve done for the City of Newton over the years, and continue to as president of the Newton-Needham Chamber. This has been a challenging year for everyone but must have been even more so for you. I receive your daily emails and they are extremely effective – the constant reminders to shop local and support Newton’s restaurants have resonated with this family.
So you’re certainly not going far and your time and energy are going to the right place at this critical time, and I thank you for that as well. I encourage anyone who wants to know what Greg is up to, to sign up for his emails.
@Greg – It’s been a wild ride since I met you way back about 2005. All the best and happy new year to everyone. Let’s not talk anymore about 2020.
Greg – thank you for your commitment to Newton, through the Tab, the Chamber and V14. It is much appreciated and admired. Hopefully you still pop by to comment. You could even pick a fake name to post under! Reg Greibman or Chamber Man, something difficult like that to guess your identity.
If folks don’t receive Greg’s Chamber email, you should sign up to receive it. It’s not just for business owners but for the whole community. Very informative.
Thank you, Greg, for creating V14 and all your hard work for so many years. Everything else I’d say has already been said.
You and your minions created something in Village 14 which seems sustainable, and I fully understand and empathize with you on the time constraints, and your dedication to the local businesses that make up the Chamber. I will miss the snark.
Thanks for all you have done Mr. Reibman. The loss of your oversight will severely degrade the quality and seriousness of this forum.
When words do not suffice …
Thank you Greg for an always interesting and informative 10 years. Your service brings together the community in an exchange of viewpoints and ideas, and that has become a very valuable resource for our Garden City.
As someone who has pulled less than my fair share as a contributor here, I am truly appreciative of the work you have put in, Greg. Thank you.
As for the rest of the (to steal a phrase from MAD Magazine) “usual gang of idiots,” this site remains in more than capable hands.
If people find they are missing Greg’s snark, maybe I could help with that! 😉
So, I not only got to write on this blog, but also got a chance to work with Greg (and argue with him daily). I’m very glad he built this… and that he’s continuing to inform the city daily through his regular emails.
Thank you, Greg, for your dedication to V14 this past decade. I am grateful for the forum you nurtured that allows all of us to hear voices and arguments outside our own Echo Chambers. The N-N Chamber and the businesses of Newton are fortunate to have you continue to advocate for them. I suspect we’ll still hear your opinions on V14. Otherwise, we may lose our reputation as the Snark Tank!