2000 Work Group Orientation Agenda

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An Environmental Scan is a written document that identifies and describes, to the extent possible, the external forces, pressures, and trends that, both currently and in the future, are likely to impact and have an effect on the issue of interest. These impacts can be global, national, state, or community-based. Much of the Environmental Scan will focus on the areas directly within the control of the community but it is also important to identify factors that are not within the immediate control of the community so that strategies to mitigate the effects of these factors can be considered. The Environmental Scan written by the group should be no longer than 5 pages long. It should present broad trends and specific information relevant to your topic. If appropriate, graphs and charts are a good vehicle for presenting data and expressing trends. Please provide a listing of references for the information provided in your Scan. The group should spend no more than 3 to 4 weeks researching, reading, digesting, and writing it's Environmental Scan. Everyone involved will acknowledge that this is not enough time to answer all the questions about what the future holds and even to identify and digest much more than a cursory sense of the information available. The goal here is to get a handle on the predictable major influences and trends relating to your topic area over the next 20 years, and then to move on to addressing the specific questions and issues pertaining to your topical area. You should rely heavily on the assistance you can get from town officials and the materials they have. Following this, the Internet, personal contacts, and professional organizations are likely to be the most helpful resources. Appendix E Vision Statement Task 5: Develop a draft Lexington 2020 Vision for the topic area. The Vision should be no longer than 1 typed page. A Vision is an expression of possibility, based in reality yet far enough of a "stretch" that people are inspired to help make it happen despite the challenge and uncertain prospects for success. A Vision provides the basis from which the community determines priorities and establishes targets for performance. It sets the stage for what is desired in the broadest sense. The Vision Statement should be based upon the collective values and beliefs of the members of the community. It should represent the best projections of the future and what that future means to the community. It assumes that all the resources required to implement the vision can be secured. 7