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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-03-05-2020-min (Initiating Committee) Initiating Committee March 5, 1999 Minutes Members Present: Marjorie Platt, Clark Cowen, Chuck Benson, Robin DiGiammarino, Fred Merrill, Peggy Perry, and Fernando Quezada Staff Present: Michael Baker, Candy McLaughlin, Rick White and Beth Anne Sobieszczyk CALL TO ORDER Introduction of Candy McLaughlin who will be the project manager for the strategic planning process. DISCUSSION CITIZEN PARTICIPATION Members voiced concern that some residents did not receive the Townwide mailing and that coverage in the Minuteman was not adequate. The IC concluded that they fulfilled their charge in reaching out to citizens. UPDATE ON CONSULTANT SEARCH Beth Anne reported on the status of the RfP: The proposals are due on March 12. She will email the list of consultants to the IC. Consultant Search Timeline Members agreed upon the following timeline for selecting a consultant: All proposals that arrive before the deadline at the end of the day on Friday, March 12, will be mailed to members. th Members will read them over the course of the week. At the March 19 meeting, members will agree upon four candidates to interview. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for the morning of March 27 (pending consultant availability), with the intention that a consultant will be selected by April 1. Interview Timeline The Committee agreed to schedule one-hour and fifteen-minute meetings with the four candidates for the morning of March 27. This allows the consultants 30 minutes for presentation and the remaining time to ask 4-5 standard questions and then to evaluate the chemistry between they and the consultant. Issue: Who on the Steering Committee will participate in this selection? AGREEMENT ON TENTATIVE TIMETABLE FOR MARCH-JUNE 1999 A timeline for this purpose was handed out to IC members. Report to Boards: The IC agreed to prepare a report for a Multi-board presentation. This presentation is scheduled for March 24 at 7pm (before Town Meeting). Group Meetings: Stakeholders in the beginning of May Issue Groups in June or July REVIEW OF IC DECISIONS TO DATE Fernando presented a summary of the principle Initiating Committee decisions to date. The IC approved the decisions, on the condition that a mistyped date be changed from 1999 to 1998 and that the word “threat” be changed to “challenge” in the “Expert” Subcommittee section. AGREEMENT ON OUTLINE OF REPORT TO BOARDS Agreed to schedule a multi-board meeting. The IC needs to get approval from the three, equally important Boards: 1. Board of Selectmen, 2. Planning Board, and 3. School Committee. The report should be general yet precise. Report Outline a. State the problem - extract excerpts from Rick’s original letter to IC members (Attach it too?) b. The IC’s Charge c. Overall timeline d. Demonstrate accomplishments - the outcomes and how they fit into the timeline e. Motives and approach – i.e. include methods and a justification of how the IC was formed and how subcommittees met nights and weekends to fulfill their charge. f. Next steps – future oriented timeline of what we anticipate will happen in the short-run. Appendices letter and survey to citizens - chart - description of the Steering Committee duties as composed by Fernando and accepted - by the IC. Chucks outline of the Community model - the process organizational chart - Reference List on Disk all minutes - list of respondents - AGREE UPON EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS POLICY Ideas for external communications for maintaining interest and momentum for the process: letters, newspaper articles, web page, kick-off meeting, multi-board meeting. Use the consultant to determine what areas the IC should focus on: pick the process for getting stakeholders, ask them to join, and get others involved in task oriented Subcommittees. PRESENTATION OF STEERING COMMITTEE CANDIDATES Below is a list of the potential nominations for inclusion on the Steering Committee. Candidates: 1. Jay Kauffman – The consensus from this meeting is that Jay’s expertise and interest could enrich the planning process, however, some were concerned that including him on the Steering Committee may give the impression of politicizing the process. 2. Big Business Representative – i.e. Striderite or Ratheon Representative - (Ted Austin, Public Affairs for Ratheon). 3. Todd Burger – Works in transportation planning and visioning at Author D. Little. Fred Merrill met this man at SHARE a meeting this past weekend and discussed the possibility of his working with the process. Fred gave the staff Mr. Burger’s information should Rick and the other IC members choose to invite him. 4. Lexington Center Committee representative - Ted Hansbury, Banker, USTRUST. Members expressed concern that this is not the answer to the IC objective of getting a smaller business involved in the process. USTRUST is now a national chain, as opposed to the local Lexington Savings Bank (which it was before the buy-out). 5. Paul Mamola – Rick talked with him and could not read his level of interest. 6. Leona Martin – Leona is highly active working with diversity issues in town. She works at MIT. Rick will approach these candidates are report back to the IC. OTHER BUSINESS Steering Committee tasks: 1. Form two subcommittees: a. Consultant Selection, and b. Publicity Committee, 2. elect a Chair for the SC (wait until additional members come aboard). ADJOURN