HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-01-15-2020-minTown of Lexington
20/20 Vision Committee Meeting
January 15, 2016
Parker Room, Town Office Building
Members Present: Fernando Quezada, Dan Krupka, Joe Pato, Bhumip Khasnabish, Peter Enrich, Peter
Lee
Visitors: Marian Cohen
Staff: Claire Vanessa Goodwin
Members Absent: Margaret Coppe, Andrew Dixon, Carroll Anne Bottino, Ginna Johnson, Alan Wrigley
Meeting Began: 7:56am
Action Items
1. Fernando and Bhumip meet with Emily Smith
2. Claire will reach out to Candy to get mock -up of requested changes for website and to convey
urgency of changes in -line with Demographic Change project
3. Fernando will reach out to Ginna regarding Social Diversity Group
Minutes from December
• Include "Members Absent" as Peter Lee.
• Minutes approved with the change and will be filed.
Subcommittee on Asian Communities
• Dan Krupa reported the next step is to give the survey to Marian to put in Survey Monkey. Dan
said the project was taking more time than expected. They are interested in Asian Counselors
and their road to office. There is an urgency to complete this step to provide Marian's students
with the survey questions by May. Marian said Dan may want to do all the work in a batch.
• Dan told the group that he was having trouble defining "inclusion." What does this mean?
Fernando said that promoting a balance of diversity without forcing homogenization is a tricky
thing. Certain topics can be agreed upon: e.g. no one favors violence. Marian stated that
example is easy. But how do we create the greatest good for the greatest number?
• Dan stated that the trouble is even if a town has an Asian Counselor, it doesn't mean the Asian
population is involved.
• Fernando stated there needs to be a motion for disclosure regarding his affiliation to the
organization related to this matter.
E- Government
• The group started the discussion by deciding if this was a working group, scoping group, task
force or other. Joe stated that a scoping group is a working group and is not subject to open
meeting law. Once the Committee decides to move forward with this working group, it
becomes an official subcommittee with the blessing of the larger 20/20 Vision Committee.
• Fernando said that Koren put him and Bhumip in touch with Emily Smith for a meeting next
week. Bhumip would like to meet with Candy after the meeting with Emily.
• Fernando said there is a gap: when mobile devices become the rule when interacting with
government that could lead us to users of non - users. Bhumip said wearable technology is next.
• Fernando said he is trying to define the scope of the project. Bhumip said they are in the
research phases. The plan is to work with the library and Town to see what they are doing to
address the issues. How do we become an innovative city? We will look at where we are,
identify the gaps, and decide what can be done given our current resources.
• Peter E. asked at this point who is involved on the committee side. Fernando said hopefully
Emily Smith will join the scoping group but for now it is just Fernando and Bhumip. Peter E. said
this feels like a topic where it would be a good opportunity to bring members of the community
to the conversation. The next step is to define the scope of the group and bring in other people
from Town. Joe said residents would likely be interested going to a morning workshop. Joe said
a conference workshop on a Saturday morning would draw residents.
• Peter and Joe stated that the worry is that technology will become inaccessible to older
populations.
• Fernando said the electronic communities are influential players and agendas get set by these
communities. His concern is these "other worlds" will have weight in government and leave
others behind.
• Center Streetscape presentation at Cary Hall on Tuesday night had a large turnout. Fernando
said there is a community consensus that events like these are important and this was televised.
How could you make an event like this virtually? Fernando said it wouldn't be the same if it was
completely virtual. Marian said she uses Blackboard which is a way to host online events.
• Peter E. said the tech conversation is unlimited with this group. But there are restrictions for
the capacity of the Town.
• Fernando said Candy mentioned a Public Communications Plan. Fernando said the topic of
overrides is an exercise of consensus building. Peter said it gets confusing between municipal
and citizens groups. Joe said the Town cannot act in an advocacy way: hiring consultants to
develop strategy. But they can put info out to the public. Joe said the Town and the individual
can be liable legally.
• Working group: open meeting on a Saturday would be good. Joe said that the MMMA annual
meeting is next week and Joe will grab relevant materials
Issues of Social Diversity
• Peter said there has been an increasing conversation on a potential loss of social diversity due to
the future debt exclusion votes and increased taxes. Peter said there is an appetite for it, but it
is moving slow and the group may miss the boat in engaging in the conversation.
• Peter said we have support from Marian, Inku, and Joe. Having additional people would be
helpful.
• Marian sent the data to Inku. Inku said the data needs a lot of work on updating. They will
make the charts to show trends over time where there is comparability. Marian said they will
have it sometime soon. Marian said Andrew would put together some real- estate info. Marian
said they need someone to act as project leader. Peter is willing to act as "facilitator" for now
but will hand position over once group becomes official subcommittee.
• Fernando will reach out to Ginna.
Town wide Survey
• Marian said the scoping group should reach out to the community and learn about community
priorities.
• Peter said it is important to keep up to date with current trends and issues and the state of the
Town as it is right now.
• Timing issue: the instrument needs to be ready in the fall. There is a funding issue.
• Marian will submit an Institutional Review Board request for approval (required when university
uses human subjects as research entities — federal requirement). Peter said they cannot
conduct the project without outside funding. Fernando said they should consider fundraising.
Vacancies
• Joe stated the Minuteman ad can be adjusted to reflect specific needs of the group.
• Dan stated we need someone who can "run with projects."
Website
• Fernando, Andrew, Peter, and Claire met last week to discuss improvements.
• Claire met with Candy and presented feedback.
• Fernando said the group needs to consider who will be in charge of future website issues.
• Convey to Candy that the Subcommittee is needing the updates as soon as possible.
Adjourn: 9:02am