Visioning: Steering Committee!

Dear People: This notice is appearing in this week's YS News, which I'm sure some of you have already seen:

"The Yellow Springs Village Council and Miami Township Trustees have begun a Visioning/Planning Process in conjunction with the consultant ACP that will help us develop a roadmap for the future of the community. The first order of business is to form a Steering Committee that is representative of the community to lead and coordinate the process. The Steering Committee will meet a minimum of once a month for a period of nine months. If you are interested in being involved or have questions, please provide a brief statement of interest to Len Kramer via email at lenkramer@earthlink.net or by calling 767- 2324."

I'd like you to think about who would be good members for this committee--including you yourself?--and for the other committees that will be formed (most of which will require less time than this Steering Committee). Bear in mind that we want people, maybe about 24?, who represent (or are connected with and trusted by) the widest possible variety of constituencies--in terms of the standard demographic groups (by ages, genders, races, abilities, orientations, etc.), geographic locations (around the village and the township), and roles in the community (young adults, people who work here, people who work outside town/township, people with children and child-free, artists, business people, people who may be not so visible).

The other committees (logistics--helping line up meeting locations, etc.; advertising, etc.) will be formed soon as well, so feel free to notify Len or me if you think you'd like to play a role, but maybe a more short-term, less intensive one than the steering committee would be. I bet we can find a role for you.

Many of us, many of you, are already active and engaged in the community, but some of us are not so engaged. The Visioning process could be very important in helping us to better understand what the community wants, and helping to direct the way we direct funds and make decisions, but the value of the information we get will be directly proportional to the participation in the process by the widest possible variety of people--including people who are feeling somewhat disenfranchised.

I am concerned that if only the people who are already vocal are included, the information will be seriously skewed in a way that would be detrimental to the whole process, possibly for years to come.

The task force that helped us to choose a consultant is now helping to collect names for this effort, and to consider how we will get broad representation on board. Please help us think of good people to ask to be a part of this--and/or groups who you think might be forgotten or fall through the cracks.

You can contact me or go directly to Len Kramer via the contact info listed above.

Best,
Lori