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Home My WebLink About1999 Fall Forum AgendaLexington's : F T RE? Ali that s missingIS "U" And YOU can make a difference! Join fellow residents and the Lexington 20/20 Vision Steering Committee - - share your input and your vision of what Lexington will be in the year 2020. Opportunities exist for all residents to participate in this important and on-going look into the future. Tell your friends and neighbors! Join us! Lexington 20/20 Vision is a town -wide effort to use "20/20 Vision" in a process that empowers residents to help determine what this community will look like in the year 2020. We'd like your help in deciding what the town should be like and setting goals to get us there. For more information, e-mail Michael Baker at mbaker@ci.lexington.ma.us or call 862-0500, ext. 297. 0 0 LEXINGTON Fall Forum Agenda October 2, 1999 ZoIa') V i s i o N Diamond Middle School Issues Browsing 1:00 Lobby Introduction 1:30 Auditorium Breakout Group Discussions 2:00 Classrooms I. Imagine that it's the year 2020 and you have just accepted a great job in the Boston area. You look at houses in Newton, Winchester, Concord and Wellesley, but you keep coming back to Lexington. What are the things that are most attractive about Lexington's (fi11 in the name ofyour group's topic), that distinguish it positively from other towns? What challenges will we face as a community in achieving this vision? What issues could get in the way? 3. What will we need to do to reach our desired future? How will we measure success? 4. What things don't you see included in any of the topics that need to be considered in future planning? 5. Prepare a report of your group's discussion to share with the larger group. Sharing of Individual Group Products 3:45 Auditorium Wrap-up and Next Steps 4:45 Auditorium Questions and Answers about ... Lexington's 20/20 Vision WHAT'S THIS 20/20 VISION PROCESS ALL ABOUT? Lexington 2020 Vision is a town -wide effort to use "20.'20 Vision" in a process that empowers residents to help and determine what this community will look like in the year 2020. The Lexington 20/20 Vision Steering Committee was created by the Board of Selectmen, in consultation with the School Committee and the Planning Board, to undertake this community visioning and strategic planning process. Building on previous efforts — community-based focus groups, discussions, and a core values survey — the Committee is leading a process of community involvement to plan for the future of Lexington. WHY SHOULD A TOWN DO A STRATEGIC PLAN? Towns do not operate in a vacuum. We are susceptible to stresses and forces — economic, social, political, and managerial — that are constantly changing. Strategic planning can help a town to make sound long-term decisions about a wide range of issues that reflect not only where the world is, but where we think it is going. It's simply a very effective tool for managing municipal change in a complex world, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES FOR LEXINGTON? Valuable input was provided by over 120 residents at a series of four public workshops held in June. When asked what they value about Lexington, participants responded that the schools are excellent, the town is well-managed, and the population is community -oriented, resourceful, diverse, and highly educated. The visual attractiveness of the natural and build environment, the vitality of Lexington Center, good location and transportation, and historical resources are also valued. Participants identified significant issues for the Town's future quality of life, in the following areas: divisiveness, affordability, changing social environment, diversity, changing physical environment, and balancing fiscal resources and spending priorities. WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR? We've publicized the process and invited participation throughout the community by means of a town -wide survey, letters to a wide variety of individuals and groups, and press publicity. We've gathered information from a broad spectrum of the community about issues and values that are of concern for Lexington. We've organized a Town -wide Fall Forum to focus on important topics derived from the community's input and begin envisioning the future. Several hundred Lexington residents have participated in some way in the process to date, and we hope these people and many more will be involved as the process goes forward_ WHAT'S NEXT? Corning out of the Fall Forum we hope to have a clear sense of what's most important in planning Lexington's future. We will invite interested community members to join Working Groups that will develop visions and goals in different areas. We will also establish a Core Participants Group that will integrate the different components into a single vision and plan. We will draft a town - wide vision, circulate it within the community for feedback, and develop an implementation plan. Another outcome will be a process for involving a wide spectrum of Lexington residents in visioning and goal -setting on a sustained basis. 10/1/99 Lexington 20/20 Vision Steering Committee 1,ExiNGToN ZOI2I VisioN Steedna Committee Chuck Benson Todd Burger Helen Cohen Robin DiGiammarino Peter Enrich Alan Lazarus Peter Lee Paul Mammola Fred Merrill Peggy Perry Marjorie Platt Fernando Quezada Gerrie Weathers Topics for Fall Forum Breakout Group Discussions As a result of a series of citizen surveys and workshops, we have data indicating that the following six topical areas have a high level of current interest for Lexington residents. The Steering Committee tentatively - framed these topics as general areas of focus for strategic planning. The integrity of the Lexington 20/20 Vision process requires us to constantly test and seek a deeper understanding of whether we're going in the right direction. It is our purpose to explore the areas further at the Fall Forum on October 1, 1999. We will use input received to refine these topical areas into strategic agendas for working groups that will move the process forward over the next several nronths. 1. Social Character/Sense of Community • small town feel • supportive environment • diversity and inclusiveness • public and social activities • affordability 2. Physical Character: Residential, Commercial and Open Space • primarily residential environment (low density) • attractiveness, cleanliness • open space (public and private) • historic preservation • vibrant town center • attractive mix of uses 3. Town Management and Public Services • public safety • recreation • social services • willingness to invest in itself 4. Educational Quality-/Opportunitylinstitutions • excellence of schools • excellence of libraries • well-educated population • environment of lifelong learning S. Accessibility/Transportation/Regional Role • location, access • public transportation • regionaI issues 6. Citizen input/Governance/Openness • active civic participation/volunteerism • responsive, open and accessible governance Fall Forum Evaluation and Future Sign-up Please take a fear moments to fill out the questions below. if you need more space, you may use the reverse side of this sheet. Leave the completed form with one of the Forum 's staff members as you leave today, or maillfax this form to; Town Manager's Office; clo Michael Baker; 1625 Massachusetts Ave.; Lexington, !sL4 02420_ Tel: (781) 862-0500 x297; Fax (781) 861-2921. 1. Overall, do you think the Fall Forum was a success? Briefly explain why or why not. 2. Did you find the information booths helpful? What did you like about them? How could we improve the booths? 3. Was the general discussion about the process clear? What, if anything, was confusing? 4. Was the discussion in your breakout group productive? Why or why not? What future Lexington 20/20 Vision participation are you interested in? a) member of a working group on a specific topic? (please indicate topic) b) core participation group member to review overall vision development? c) other ideas? Name: Phone: THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE FALL FORUM AND FOR FILLING OUT THIS EVALUATION!