HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-02-24-2020-minTown of Lexington
20/20 Vision Committee Meeting
February 24, 2017
Parker Room, Town Office Building
1625 Massachusetts Avenue — 7:45am
Members Present: Fernando Quezada, Judith Crocker, Alan Wrigley, Carroll Ann Bottino, Margaret
Coppe
Members Absent: Bhumip Khasnabish, Peter Lee, Dan Krupka, Andrew Dixon, Joe Pato, Ginna Johnson,
Peter Enrich
Visitors: Elaine Ashton, Marian Cohen
Minutes: Claire Vanessa Goodwin
Call to order: 8:07am
Minutes: The group does not have a quorum. The minutes will be approved next meeting.
Action Items:
• Claire will ask Kathy Santos if she can help launch the survey on the website for midnight March
13.
• All those assigned to reaching out to groups should do that March 1 and March 13.
• Claire will consult with the Town Manager's Office to get a permit to advertise the survey using
signs and/or sandwich boards.
• Claire will send Fernando reminder to send a 'copy and paste' letter to all those who agreed to
reach out to the groups.
• Carroll will reach out to the World Affairs group to advertise to.
• Elaine will try and make a poster (time permitting).
• Fernando will reach out to Peter Enrich to locate drop boxes previously used (off-the-record)
Fernando said that the town -wide survey will help the group understand the social diversity of the
Town. To the extent that the Town can control housing costs, there is a required cultural attitude that is
needed. The survey should help us understand the attitudes.
Comments of presentation of the Sub -Committee on Asian Communities report to the Board of
Selectmen on 2/6/17: Fernando asked Judy's impressions of the presentation. Judy said Susie Lee Snell
did a great job. Some of the recommendations have been agreed to. The Diversity Think Tank needs to
find a home. The Human Rights Committee is small and may not be able to accommodate hosting the
think tank. Judy said there is more interest in the Human Rights Committee as a result from national
events. The school's Assistant Superintendent is shifting to a Human Resources role and that position
may be able to take the lead on the think tank. Judith said Susie is looking for another person to present
to the panel on the League of Women's Voters. Fernando said he would encourage all members of the
2020 Vision Committee to attend the League of Women Voters on March 3, 9:30am at the Library to
discuss the survey.
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Marian said she wanted to thank Claire for her help in getting the Chinese version of the survey to print.
Marian said there were many problems with the font and the various versions. Eventually, with the
guidance from the webmaster and Claire, the survey was able to be accurately converted.
The Social Diversity Committee is made up of Alan, Judy, Marian, Joe, Elaine, Peter Lee, Andrew, and
Peter Enrich. Fernando wants to discuss the steps for what comes next. Marian said come March 1, it
would be appropriate to follow up with messages to the groups people committed to: sending them a
message on March 12 with the survey link. If we don't send email messages people will forget.
Claire will ask Kathy Santos if the survey can be launched midnight Sunday night/Monday morning
March 13. Marian said that the social diversity task force, is to send something they can cut and paste
into an email: describing what the survey is, embed the link to the survey, it can be sent to all the
groups. Elaine said she could do a poster for the library. Marian asked if we can use a sandwich board
in front of Cary Hall, Claire will ask Cathy.
Claire will remind Fernando that he said he will compose the letter for sending to all the members who
agreed to reach out to the various groups.
Carroll said the World Affairs group at the Community Center would be a good group to advertise to and
she would be willing to do that.
Marian asked that when Fernando reaches out to the members, that they respond with a paragraph
letting him know how much of what they agreed to has been completed.
Judy wanted Donna McIntosh to contact all the Boards and Committees. Elaine said she could make a
poster. Marian said let's put it in Town Hall, Cary Library, and the Community Center.
Marian said when we sit down to analyze the results, she suspects that the responses will be tainted by
the national scene — people's feelings on how Lexington is doing, may be shaped by people's responses.
Fernando wonders if the interpretation of the survey results in the school related responses may be
tainted by the education secretary who is not friendly to public schools. Fernando says that members
from other viewpoints should be represented on the committee.
Marian asked how they could encourage people to join the focus groups (the option to join at the end of
the survey). Marian said they may need more funding for the focus groups. You would need the
facilitators to get training, and pay the trainers. Marian says when Fernando sends out the reminder to
members, include at the end, that there is a link to join a focus group.
Alan said reaching out to Citizens' Academy would be helpful.
Claire will reach out to Kathy Santos and connect her to Marian Cohen to create link for focus group sign
up: name, address, phone, email and a message: "Focus groups will likely convene in fall of 2017. Thank
you for signing up, we look forward to talking to you."
Adjourn: 9:OOam
Next meeting:
• Friday, March 24, 2017, 7:45am, Parker Room, Town Office Building
• Friday, April 28, 2017, 7:45am, Parker Room, Town Office Building
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