Originally Posted by Chris142
Several years ago I started a neighborhood watch on face book. Its come in handy when an outsider is dumping trash illegally or someones dog got lost.
Lately there has been a lot of bickering between neighbors on my site. Most of it is started by a lady thats kookoo.
Now when someone gets into an argument one or both sides start asking me for help. Asking me to go talk to the other person etc. I don't have time for that!
I'm just a nobody. Although I have lived in my area longer (45 yrs) than most others. Im not a judge,mayor or cop lol
People naturally turn to those who exhibit traits like sanity, strength and stability when there is someone who, for lack of a better word, "infests" an otherwise functional community; be that a real-life community or a virtual one (where people are more emboldened, as you have observed, by the cloak of disconnection from direct contact with others). Someone who DOESN'T get sucked in emotionally to bickering in some given community can often times quickly find themselves the anchor of that community.
Whether that's a burden or an honour is up to you; but your community clearly needs your activity in that role.
I am a Neighbourhood Watch block captain and I also moderate about a dozen Facebook Groups, ranging from Neighbourhood Watches to community groups to school parent councils to community gardens, etc. All of these have some discord that arises from the disparate personalities that constitute them. I strongly suggest placing a "Sticky" post atop your Group that stipulates the standards to which your members' conduct will be expected to meet. Here is the one I use for a neighbourhood group (serving pretty much the same function as yours) I moderate all by my lonesome:
Quote
Welcome, neighbours!
This forum is here for us to share and discuss information pertinent to our neighbourhood. Our participation makes this work. It works best when we agree that:
1) Discussions remain cordial. Insults and derogatory language will be removed.
2) Language must be family-friendly. We never know who is reading this and watching us. The example we set for them here will be free of f-bombs.
3) Discussions involving politics and religion, beyond the scope of our neighbourhood's immediate concerns, rarely end well. You have a personal platform on Facebook, but this is not it.
If something about a post lowers our forum below these standards, please report it and someone's phone will ding and they will fix it.
I deal with lots of reported posts and I have to remove a lot of content. It doesn't take all that much time. I am always polite and clear in my communications with the involved parties and I think the Groups I moderate are better off from my efforts.
Failing effort's effectiveness, you can always just remove the kookoo lady member. Else you may find yourself facing an exodus of the quality members.