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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000 Work Group Orientation AgendaAGENDA Lexington 2020 Vision Work Group Orientation January 6, 2000 7PM--9:15 PM Methodist Church, 2600 Massachusetts Avenue Introduction — Fernando Quezada • Steering Committee • Work Group Topics • Town Staff • Consultants Presentation by Town Government Officials — Peter Enrich • Why Town Boards initiated the 2020 Vision process • Discuss the limits and constraints of government • Role of Vision and Strategic Plan in Town Management • Q&A Overview of 2020 Project — Peggy Perry • Initiating Committee/ Steering Committee • What has occurred to -date • Role of Work Groups • Simultaneous Happenings - Core Participants Group, Public Participation • Next steps Work Group Charge and Guidance — Wendy Rundle & Suzanne Orenstein Discuss Guidance Packet and Answer Questions • Mission • Tasks • Timeline • Report Closing of Plenary Session — Wendy Rundle • Explain next steps, questions, and Thank you Breakout by Work Group — Steering Committee liaisons • Introductions • Arrange first meeting • Assess group membership and initial needs • Discussion and questions Questions and Answers about ... Lexington's 2020 Vision Process WHAT'S THIS 2020 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 determine what this community will look like in the year 2020. The Lexington 2020 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? Conventional planning normally tries to find successful ways to combine resources to accomplish stated goals. Its limitation is that it often does not adequately reflect the full range of changes, both in the outside world and in the entity that is doing the planning. Strategic planning takes a more dynamic approach, and recognizes that towns do not operate in a vacuum. 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 participants at a series of four public workshops held in June and a Fall Forum in October, 1999. Six broad topical areas focus what Lexington citizens have expressed as being of greatest interest or concern for the future. These are: • Fostering a Sense of Community • Managing Growth: Development and Open Space • Achieving Educational Excellence: Lifelong Opportunities and Quality; • Ensuring Productive Connections between Citizens and Town Government; • Managing Transportation: Traffic and Accessibility; and • Fiscal Stability. WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR? We've publicized the process and invited participation throughout the community by means of a town -wide survey, mailings to a wide variety of individuals and groups, and media publicity. We've held four community workshops and a town -wide Fall Forum. We've organized a Core Participants Group to serve as a sounding board for the process of vision and goals development, and six topical Work Groups to draft visions and goals. Several hundred Lexington residents have participated in some way in the process to date. Participants represent many segments of the community, and include many citizens who are not regularly active in the governance of the Town. WHAT'S NEXT? The Steering Committee hopes to engage a wide spectrum of the community in the creation of both a vision of Lexington's future and a plan for its implementation. Our intent is that it will be well- grounded in shared goals, clarity of purpose, and the key issues affecting the future of our Town. We plan to develop a town -wide vision and goals during the summer of 2000. We will circulate it within the community for feedback, and develop a plan for implementation beginning in late 2000. Also included will be a process for involving a wide spectrum of Lexington residents in visioning and goal -setting on a sustained basis. 1/3/2000 Lexington 2020 Vision Steering Committee Guidance for Lexington 2020 Work Groups Introduction: 01/06/00 This packet contains the guidance that members of each Work Group will need as they embark on their specific topic. While each group has the flexibility of conducting itself in the manner that works best for its members, there are some overall guidelines that each group must follow in the process of conducting its work. This packet contains information on the: • Mission of the Work Groups; • Detailed Tasks that each group must conduct; and • Timeline for Work Group products Several Appendices are attached. Mission of the Work Groups: The Mission for each Work Group is to develop a Lexington 2020 Vision for its specific topic and then, develop Goals, Actions, Objectives, Measures of Success, and address Resource needs for its specific topic. The Goals and Objectives must be based on: • Analysis of the current status of the specific topic; • Review of predictable trends; • Incorporation of input from Lexington residents; • Exploration of the tough questions raised by the Vision; and • Accommodation of Resource (fiscal, land, personnel, other) realities. Each Work Group will develop a Draft Report for incorporation into a comprehensive Draft Vision Plan that will include the reports of all Work Groups. Each Work Group will also be responsible for participating, along with the Core Participants Group, in discussions of how to synthesize and incorporate all Draft Reports into one document. Tasks: Each Work Group will conduct the following 9 tasks: 1. Develop a Workplan for its operations, no longer than 3 typed pages. Each Workplan will include groundrules, potential subcommittee structure, membership needs, selection of a chair, schedule of activities, and resources needed. The Workplan will be submitted to the Steering Committee Liaison for approval. (See Attachment A). 2. Discuss the questions already identified for its specific topic, identify additional questions or issues, identify relevant stakeholders and their key issues, review the current status of the topic, and identify information needed to answer the questions or address the issues. (See Attachment B). 3. Examine the existing information available from Work Group members, town officials, previous 2020 project materials, and other sources that the Work Group identifies. Obtain additional information as needed to address the issues identified. (See Appendix C). 4. Develop an "Environmental Scan" for its topic, no longer than 5 typed pages. The Environmental Scan should include the current status of the topic; resident needs and preferences as expressed in previous project forums; predictable future demographic, economic, political, technological, and other trends; uncertainties; and tough questions that the Work Group should take into account in its discussions. The Environmental Scan will be presented to the Steering Committee and the Core Participants Group. (See Appendix D). 5. Develop a draft Lexington 2020 Vision for the topic area. The Vision should be no longer than 1 typed page. (See Appendix E). 6. Develop a detailed set of Goals for its topic area, with a corresponding set of Actions, Objectives, and Measures of Success. In addition, each group will address the implications and trade-offs associated with the reality of limited Resources, such as financial, town services, personnel, land, and others. This information should be presented in narrative form and should reflect the richness of the issues and results of group discussion. This information should be presented in no more than 10 typed pages, along with a Summary Matrix. (See Appendix F). 7. Conduct at least one community outreach activity designed to solicit the input of residents on the topic. Each Work Group will also exchange the documents developed in Tasks 5 & 6 with the other Work Groups for review and comment. (See Appendix G). 2 8. Develop a Draft Report, including input received from public outreach activities and feedback. The Report will be presented to the Steering Committee and the Core Participants Group. (See Appendix H). 9. Participate in discussions with other Work Groups and the Core Participants Group in discussions of how to synthesize and incorporate all Draft Reports into one document, that includes the reports of all Work Groups. Timeline for Work Group Products: The Work Groups will conduct their work on the Draft Report for their topic between January 2000 and April 30, 2000. They will establish a group -specific schedule of meetings within this timeframe. They should meet at least monthly, but preferably every 2 or 3 weeks, for a three-hour meeting time. Between May 15 and May 30, 2000, the Work Groups and Core Participants Group will meet to review the reports of all Work Groups and to discuss how to synthesize and incorporate all Draft Reports into one document. The synthesis of the reports will be completed during the Summer of 2000. Task Deadline Work Group Orientation Session on January 6, 2000 Individual Groups hold First Meeting before January 30, 2000 Workplans submitted to Steering Committee February 4, 2000 Liaison by Complete Information Gathering and submit Environmental Scan to Steering Committee by Conduct at least one community outreach activity, to receive resident input and feedback by Complete Vision, text and matrix of Draft Goals, and associated items; exchange documents with other Work Groups by Submit Draft Report to Steering Committee by All Work Groups and Core Participants Group meet to discuss how to synthesize all reports 3 March 3, 2000 April 24, 2000 May 1, 2000 May 15, 2000 late May 2000 Appendix A Develop a Workplan Task 1: Develop a Workplan for its operations, no longer than 3 typed pages. Each Workplan will include groundrules, potential subcommittee structure, membership needs, selection of a chair, schedule of activities, and resources needed. The Workplan will be submitted to the Steering Committee Liaison for approval. The purpose of the Workplan is to formally describe the operating procedures and other associated issues that each Work Group will need to address at the outset of its work. A Workplan will outline the specific ways in which the group will work together to achieve it's mission. Of necessity, specific logistical, procedural, and organizational topics will need to be addressed by group members. The written Workplan serves to formalize the agreements reached as a group on its operations; it also provides a document for referral should issues arise about which there is uncertainty or disagreement regarding how to proceed. The Workplan should address the following categories and topics. The Workplan should be no longer than 3 typed pages. Logistics 1. How often will the group meet? 2. How long will the meetings last? 3. Can the group adhere to the overall project timeline as presented in this guidance? 4. What are the expectations for attendance at meetings? What constitutes a quorum for a full group meeting? Are there a certain percentage of meetings which must be attended to qualify for participation? 5. How will changes in meeting dates/times be handled? Who will responsible? 6. A Work Group member must attend and take notes at meetings of the Core Participants Group, as appropriate. How will it be determined who attends? Procedural 1. Will the group select a Chairperson? Vice -Chair? Secretary? If so, how? And who are they? If not, what is the group's plan for managing the group? 2. How will the agenda be set for each meeting? Who will produce it? How will it be distributed? 3. A Steering Committee Liaison will facilitate the first two group meetings (January 6th and the next following meeting). How will future meetings be facilitated? By an outside facilitator or by a group member? Will there be a facilitator for each meeting? 4. Who will take meeting minutes and how will they be distributed? 5. What are the expectations for behavior during group meetings? Speak one at a time; do not interrupt; everyone gets a chance to speak; no one dominates the discussion; stay on the topic; others ??? 4 6. How will unacceptable behavior of group members be addressed? What constitutes such behavior? 7. How will decisions be reached? Consensus? Voting? 8. How will dissenting opinions be recorded? 9. How will input from non-members in attendance be handled? 10. Who will draft documents and what will the review process be? Organizational 1. Will subcommittees be needed as part of your Work Group? If so, how many will there be and what will they be called? 2. Each Work Group will need to assess it's membership and determine: Does the Group feel that it's members are representative of the Lexington population? Are there individuals in the group with appropriate knowledge of Lexington town government? Of the group's specific topic? Of group dynamics and meeting management? 3. Does the Work Group need to augment its membership? If so, how? Are there any specific people the group has in mind? Membership changes need to be approved by the Steering Committee Liaison. Appendix B Identify and Discuss Questions and Issues Task 2: Discuss the questions already identified for its specific topic, identify additional questions or issues, identify relevant stakeholders and their key issues, review the current status of the topic, and identify information needed to answer the questions or address the issues. Attached are 6 documents; one document for each of the 6 Work Groups. Each document lists the group -specific task, key questions, and discussion questions. These questions are based on input received over the past year from Lexington residents on issues of concerns to them. This is the starting point for each Work Group in their exploration of their specific topic. 5 FOSTERING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY Work Group Mission Task: To develop a vision and action plan (with specific goals, objectives, actions, and measures) for the kind of social community that Lexington should be in 2020. Key Questions: o What kind of town does Lexington want to be in 2020? Is the "small town feel" real? Is it valued by all? o What population growth and other factors will impact the feel of the town? How should they be incorporated into the 2020 vision? o How can citizen -to -citizen interaction be encouraged and supported? o How can we emphasize and maintain the unique and historic character of Lexington? o How do we nurture understanding among diverse economic, ethnic and generational groups? Discussion Questions • What kinds of diversity do we want in our town? • Is reducing economic homogenization a goal? Is it a realistic goal? • What can we do to promote a sense of community as diversity increases? • What social problems will arise given more or less economic diversity, and what support services will be needed? • What aspects of the "small town feel" are most important? For example • residents know the shopkeepers personally; • kids play together up and down the block; • there is a single, identifiable town center; • varied community and public events (band concerts, street fairs, etc.) are popular; • children attend neighborhood schools; • commercial buildings are low -scale; • citizens recognize why there are disagreements over public issues and communicate with each other about them. • What obligations does living in a privileged town like Lexington create? • What communication vehicles will be needed to encourage knowledge of community issues? MANAGING GROWTH: DEVELOPMENT AND OPEN SPACE Work Group Mission Task: To develop a vision and action plan (with specific goals, objectives, actions, and measures) for the physical character of Lexington in 2020. Key Questions: o What are goals for re/development of residential property? What is the desired balance among types of housing stock, including affordable housing for elderly and others? a What are goals for re/development of commercial property? o What are our goals and expectations for open space? How will they be met? a What is the role of the Town Center and other neighborhood commercial centers? In what ways should we maintain and/or improve them? ❑ Should Lexington's historic character advise future re/development? If so, in what way? a What is the role of sustainability? How is it defined for Lexington 2020? Discussion Questions • What is the desired balance between density and open space? • Is there additional development that is desirable? What is preventing it from occurring? • What are acceptable "minuses" to gain more commercial tax revenue, e.g. taller buildings, more traffic in commercial areas, etc.? • How can neighborhood retail centers stay healthy? • How would second -story residential uses above commercial uses change the nature of the Center? • Is there a need for a parking garage in the Center? • Should open space be mostly passive open space, or should it be actively used? • Are there any physical characteristics that Lexington has lost over the past 10-30 years that we should try to regain? • Are the gateways to the community welcoming and consistent with Lexington's character? • What are the impacts of increasing real estate values? What is their effect on affordability? • How can affordable housing options be created without "ghettoization?" • What is the desired state of environmental services, e.g. waste management, air quality, noise, etc. • What is the desired state of pedestrian and bicycle safety, e.g. lighting, sidewalks, bikepath, etc. (May need subgroups here on the Town Center, commercial, residential and open space questions and vision.) ACHIEVING EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE: LIFELONG OPPORTUNITIES AND QUALITY Work Group Mission Task: To develop a vision and action plan (with specific goals, objectives, actions, and measures) for the level of educational quality and services desired for Lexington in 2020. Key Questions o What are our goals for the public elementary and secondary schools in 2020? In what ways will specific components, such as personnel, facilities, and others, need to be addressed to meet the goals? ❑ What are our goals for educational opportunities in 2020, in the areas of adult education, preschools, libraries, camps, and others? In what ways will specific components, such as personnel, facilities, and others, need to be addressed to meet the goals? o How do we reconcile the tradeoffs/choices inherent in funding educational services with other municipal services, given that education expenses account for more than 50% of the town's expenses? Discussion Questions • How do we define "quality" services? What do we mean by "excellence?" • How do we allocate resources to address educational priorities within the education budgets? • How does our vision intersect with state requirements and funding opportunities? • How can we help all citizens feel comfortable with how their educational tax dollars are spent? ENSURING PRODUCTIVE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CITIZENS AND TOWN GOVERNMENT Work Group Mission Task: To develop a vision and action plan (with specific goals, objectives, actions, and measures) for ensuring meaningful and productive interactions between citizens and town government in 2020. Key Questions o What opportunities and mechanisms for civic involvement should be available in 2020? o How can we foster mutual support between citizens and town officials? o What role do public services play in building connections, e.g. public safety, recreation, and others? How can these be enhanced to improve this connection? o How do we foster a culture of civic participation, communication, and cooperation? Discussion Questions • How do we as a community decide the appropriate level of public services? For example, are public health services sufficiently available? Is traffic control adequate? Are there sufficient and appropriate services and activities for children and youth? Do we need a new Senior Center? • What is the relationship between the services we provide as a community and people who choose to live here? • How will citizens feel listened to? • What encourages people to help out, speak up, and contribute? • How can we make it easy, convenient, and comfortable for people to give their thoughts? • How can important issues be aired and tested in the broad community? • How can our community governance incorporate a self -renewal process, with ongoing mechanisms to collect input from people on a continual basis? • How can we foster participation in town affairs from all segments of the community? MANAGING TRANSPORTATION: TRAFFIC AND ACCESSIBILITY Work Group Mission Task: To develop a vision and action plan (with specific goals, objectives, actions, and measures) for meeting the transportation needs of Lexington in 2020. Key Questions o What will be the transportation issues of the next two decades? o What actions should be taken to address and manage these issues? o What innovations will we take part in and/or promote? o Are there regional mechanisms in place that will allow us to influence approaches to transportation issues? Do they need enhancing? Should we create new ones? o What should be the role of Hanscom in 2020? How will Lexington be affected if this vision is achieved? Discussion Questions • What is needed to maintain accessibility to the full community? • How might new technologies change our transportation picture? • How will what we do in the transportation area affect (encourage, restrict, channel in some direction) Lexington's future growth? • What might the state or other communities do that would affect transportation in Lexington? • How do we balance our regional obligations with the needs of the local community? MANAGING FISCAL STABILITY Work Group Mission Task: To develop a vision and action plan (with specific goals, objectives, actions, and measures) for how public expenditures to achieve the overall 2020 vision will be affordable. Key Questions o How do we assess the affordability of the tax burden to fund town services? o What is the long-range fiscal plan for the town? What role should the following play in the town's finances? o Taxes, including Prop. 2 %2 overrides; o Commercial development revenue, including from tourism; o Regional cooperation for efficiency; and o Others o How do we identify and encourage opportunities for entrepreneurial activities: public, private, and public/private? Discussion Questions • Is there a problem with deferred public facility maintenance? What infrastructure needs will the town face and how should they be funded? • For what types of programs is it appropriate to use enterprise funds? Fees? • What businesses should the public sector be in? • How can the link between accountability and public funding be made clear? • How would selling of properties like the Pine Meadows Golf Course affect the funding of recreation programs? Appendix C Information and Resource Needs Task 3: Examine the existing information available from Work Group members, town officials, previous 2020 project materials and other sources that the Work Group identifies. Obtain additional information as needed to address the issues identified. In order for the Work Groups to achieve their goals, several kinds of support will be needed. The following sources of support will be available. • Town government officials will be available to each Work Group as informational resources, guides about past history, and guides to implementation and funding obstacles that may arise. • Facilitation will be provided by Steering Committee Liaisons, citizen volunteers, and/or consultants as needed. • Town staff will provide scheduling, data, and document production assistance. • Steering Committee Liaisons will be available to each group as resources on the broader 2020 Vision Project. • Summary Materials from previous 2020 Project Activities will be available to each Work Group. • The Core Participants Group will be available to provide feedback and suggestions on specific documents, and to organize and participate in at least one informal neighborhood meeting. Appendix D Environmental Scan Task 4: Develop an "Environmental Scan" for its topic, no longer than 5 typed pages. The Environmental Scan should include the current status of the topic; resident needs and preferences as expressed in previous project forums; predictable future demographic, economic, political, technological, and other trends; uncertainties; and tough questions that the Work Group should take into account in its discussions. The Environmental Scan will be presented to the Steering Committee and the Core Participants Group. 5 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 Only after a clear vision is established is it feasible to effectively begin the difficult work of outlining and developing a clear plan of action. The Vision Statement drives the goals of the topical area. Each group will develop a Vision , no longer than 1 page, for where they would like to be in their specific topical area in the year 2020. The Vision should reflect commonly held values for the community and guide group members for the remainder of their work on the project. • The Vision statement should be written so as to include: • Positive, present tense language; • Qualities that provide the reader with a feeling for the town's uniqueness in the topical area; • A focus on people and quality of life; and • Language that is easily understood by all. Provided below is a portion of a public school system's Vision for its students: "Upon first entering the Belmont Public Schools, every student should become part of a vital learning community where she or he will: • Meet and become friends with people of different backgrounds, be excited by new ideas and new ways of thinking, and develop a broad range of skills useful for living; • Learn how to ask questions, solve problems, obtain information, determine truth, and develop the self-confidence to make sound decisions; • Encounter the past, imagine the future, and reflect on the present; • Explore the many ways - - scientific, artistic, philosophical, physical, spiritual, and social - - in which people find meaning in their lives and in the world around them; • Find individual effort encouraged, excellence expected, and diverse accomplishments appreciated; • Discover personal strengths and weaknesses, deeply felt convictions, and passionate interests; and • Express ideas, feelings, and concerns freely, openly, and responsibly and listen to the ideas, feelings, and concerns of others. " Provided below is a portion of a Vision Statement for a County in the Midwestern U.S. "A mosaic of its peoples, Linn County is the most liveable community in the Heartland. Often cited as a model of a "place that works.," it is a community where public, non- profit, private, and governmental partnerships are prevalent and successful. It is a community of caring people who have created a healthy, safe, and secure place for peoples of all geographic, ethnic, economic, religious, and lifestyle backgrounds to live, 8 work raise their children, and grow old with dignity. Individual rights are understood and respected in the context of social responsibility. The area's diverse and growing economy combines its strong work ethic with its agricultural assets and technological capabilities. A dynamic player in the international business community, the broad-based economy provides jobs that allow residents to support themselves and their dependents.... " Appendix F Goals and Objectives Task 6: Develop a detailed set of Goals for its topic area, with a corresponding set of Actions, Objectives, and Measures of Success. In addition, each group will address the implications and trade-offs associated with the reality of limited Resources, such as financial, town services, personnel, land, and others. This information should be presented in narrative form and should reflect the richness of the issues and results of group discussion. This information should be presented in no more than 10 typed pages along with a Summary Matrix. The following information will assist the Work Groups in preparing a Summary Matrix. A Goal is a statement of the desired state. For example, for the topic "Sense of Community", one component of a desired state may be that differences among subgroups of citizens can be resolved in a positive and constructive manner. Another goal for this topic might be that the historic character of Lexington is a strong component of the town's identity. Actions are the steps that will be needed to reach each goal. To achieve the goal of making the historic character a strong component of Lexington's identity, the actions needed might include maintaining historic properties, promoting historic legacy and sites, and development of new historic assets. An Objective is the reason for the action, e.g. the reason for maintaining historic properties is to preserve historic assets, the reason for promoting the historic legacy is to foster citizen interaction with historic sites, the reason for adding new historic sites is to develop new opportunities for tourism destinations. A Measure is the factor that will tell you that you have succeeded in implementing the actions. For example the measure may be the changes in the condition of existing historic properties. For the action of promoting Lexington's historic legacy, the measure may be the number of visitors to each site. 9 A Resource refers to the people and/or things necessary for actually carrying out the action. Resources can be the funds necessary for paying for the action; the people required to implement the action; the land or space needed for the action; and other such resources. For example, for the action of preserving historic properties, financial resources will be needed to pay for the people and materials to maintain the properties. It may be determined that municipal taxes cannot carry the costs of this action and funding should be secured through grants and foundations. Human resources will be needed to write the grants and approach the foundations; who will do this? As is often the case, these resources are limited and tradeoffs among your Work Group's goals as well as the goals of other Work Groups must be explored. These items can be presented in an organized manner in a Summary Matrix such as that shown below. The purpose of this matrix will be to ensure that reports from all groups can be placed in a consistent format. When listing Goals and corresponding items in the matrix, please order them according to the priorities agreed to in your group. That is, the most important Goal should be the first listed in the matrix, and so on until the least important Goal is listed last. Sample Goals, Actions, Objectives, Measures, and Resources For "Sense of Community" Work Group GOALS OBJECTIVES ACTIONS MEASURES RESOURCES NEEDED Ensure that the historic character of Lexington is a strong component of the town's identity To preserve historic assets Ensure maintenance of town's existing historic buildings Number of items awaiting repair Funding: municipal, state, federal. People to research grants and foundations; write applications. To foster citizen use of and interaction with historic sites Promote historic sites through advertising Number of visits per site Municipal gov't, historic commission, and civic organizations to collaborate l0 Appendix G Public Participation and Outreach Task 7. Conduct at least one community outreach activity designed to solicit the input of residents on the topic. Each Work Group will also exchange the documents developed in Tasks 5 & 6 with the other Work Groups for review and comment. It is of primary importance that the Lexington public is informed of and encouraged to participate at every step along the way in the 2020 Vision and Goals process. Two-way communication is critical in ensuring the integrity of the overall process and in providing valuable input and suggestions to the Work Groups. There are a variety of techniques for soliciting the participation and input of interested community members on the Work Group topic. The request for input and participation may range from a specific request for information on an issue to a general call for comments and overall impressions on a draft document. The Core Participants Group will provide assistance and feedback to Work Groups in planning public outreach activities in order to ensure coordination of the efforts. Whatever input is received from outreach activities, must be noted and incorporated into the Draft Report as appropriate. In addition, interaction among Work Groups is necessary to identify congruences and conflicts in the Visions and Goals as they are being developed and refined. Each Work Group will exchange draft Visions and Goals with the other five groups, review and comment on the products of other Work Groups, and incorporate others' comments into its Draft Report. 11 To increase number Identify and Number of Historic of historic conserve additional historic sites commission destinations within town historic sites and civic organizations to collaborate Appendix G Public Participation and Outreach Task 7. Conduct at least one community outreach activity designed to solicit the input of residents on the topic. Each Work Group will also exchange the documents developed in Tasks 5 & 6 with the other Work Groups for review and comment. It is of primary importance that the Lexington public is informed of and encouraged to participate at every step along the way in the 2020 Vision and Goals process. Two-way communication is critical in ensuring the integrity of the overall process and in providing valuable input and suggestions to the Work Groups. There are a variety of techniques for soliciting the participation and input of interested community members on the Work Group topic. The request for input and participation may range from a specific request for information on an issue to a general call for comments and overall impressions on a draft document. The Core Participants Group will provide assistance and feedback to Work Groups in planning public outreach activities in order to ensure coordination of the efforts. Whatever input is received from outreach activities, must be noted and incorporated into the Draft Report as appropriate. In addition, interaction among Work Groups is necessary to identify congruences and conflicts in the Visions and Goals as they are being developed and refined. Each Work Group will exchange draft Visions and Goals with the other five groups, review and comment on the products of other Work Groups, and incorporate others' comments into its Draft Report. 11 Appendix H Work Group Report Task 8: Develop a Draft Report, including input received from public outreach activities. The Report will be presented to the Steering Committee and the Core Participants Group. Each Work Group will prepare a typed report, organized in the format described below. Page numbers specified refer to the maximum acceptable length. • 1. Executive Summary (1 page) 2. Background and Overview of issues relevant to topic, including • Questions identified and considered (2 pages), and • Environmental Scan (5 pages) 3. Lexington 2020 Vision for this topic (1 page) 4. What will it take to achieve the vision? Describe the detailed Goals, Objectives, Actions, Measures, and Resources considered for the topic. (10 pages). 5. Summary Matrix of the Goals and associated items in order of priority. (10 pages) 6. List the outstanding questions and issues, if any, that remain problematic on this topic. (1 page) 7. List of references: documents and materials consulted, people contacted, and all other references used. 12 Accessing the Lexington 2020 Vision Website The Lexington 2020 Vision Website has been specifically designed to be easy to use. Most of the direction you will need can be found on the screen itself. Nevertheless, here are a few tips to help you get started 1. Type in: www.habama.com/lexineton and press Return. 2. Click in the User Name box, and type in your log -in name. It is the first letter of your first name followed by your entire last name. (Example: Joe Smith would be jsmith) Press Tab or click in the Password box. 3. Type in your password. It is the same as your log -in name. (Example: Joe Smith would be jsmith). 4. Press the return key or click the "log -in" button with your mouse. 5. "My view" of The Lexington 2020 vision website should appear. If it does not, try logging in again and if this does not work, contact Monicka Tutschka at (781) 862- 0500 ext.278. The "My view" page is the home page for the Lexington 2020 Vision website. Every time you want to return to this page, click the "my view" button located at the top left hand corner of the screen under the "Personal Info' folder or click the "home" button located at the top right hand comer of the screen. 6. To view and update your personal information, click with your mouse on the "my profile" button which is found in the "Personal Info" folder located both at the top left hand corner of the screen and on the far left hand side of the screen. Update the information by using your keypad and when finished click the save button that can be found on the bottom right hand comer of the "My Profile" screen. 7. To view the documents found under "Hot topics" simply click with your mouse on the document that you would like to view. It should appear momentarily. When you are finished, you can click the X in the upper right comer. 8. To get information on a work group or any other category, scroll through the categories found under the "Knowledge Center" folder. If you want to see information pertaining to any of these categories, click on the category of your choice. A search engine and a list of documents that can be found under this category should then appear. You may scroll through the documents to find what you are looking for. More documents are often found by clicking the "Next Page" button that is located on the bottom of this page. 9. If you want to find a specific document and you know its name, type its name into the space provided for the name located in the search engine portion of the top of this screen. 10. If you want to limit your search by topic, click the downward pointing arrow button that is located to the right of the space provided for entering your topic of choice. A variety of topic choices shall appear. By picking one of these topics you shall limit your search. 11. You can change categories for your search by clicking the downward arrow button that is located on the right hand side of the space allocated for typing in your category. 12. If you want to ask a question, find the "Collaboration" folder which is located on the bottom left or top center section of the "My View" screen. Click the "Ask a question" button. Follow the directions on this screen so that you reach the appropriate person and define your question accurately. Click the "Submit" button at the bottom of the screen once you have filled in the appropriate information. 13. If you want to access the answers to your questions, click the "My Open Questions" button located under the "Collaboration" folder in the "My View" screen. Follow the directions on the screen. If you want to view the questions you have already asked, click the "My Previous Questions" button located under the "Collaboration" folder in the "My View" screen. Follow the directions on the screen to locate your previously asked questions. 14. If you want to provide one-way feedback (this feature does not provide a response), click the feedback button located at the top right hand of the "My View" screen. Follow the directions and click submit when finished. 15. When you are finished using the Lexington 20/20 Vision website, click the "Logout" button located at the top right corner of the "My View" screen. You will be promptly logged out. G:IA17 Stratcgic Planning\Public Communiations Subcommittee.wcbsite'1Guide to habama for WG.doc Meeting Logistics The 2020 Vision Core Participants Group and Work Groups are official Town committees, and as such must hold public meetings and keep minutes. The following information is provided to help the groups manage their logistical arrangements. Meeting Time, Place, and Frequency: Meetings must be held in a place that is open to the public, and should also be accessible to the disabled. The following meeting rooms may be reserved, on a first-come, first-served basis by calling the Town Manager's Office (862-0500 x275): Selectmen's Meeting Room (40-50 people) Room 105, Town Hall (approximately 12 people) Room 111, Town Hall (approximately 12 people) Room G-15, Town Hall (20-25 people) Estabrook Room, Cary Hall* (75-100 people) Legion Room, Cary Hall* (approximately 12 people) Bird Room, Cary Hall* (20 people) *Note: the rooms in Cary Hall are not handicapped accessible, and will not be available after April 1, 2000. Meeting Notices and Public Posting: The Town Clerk must be given written notice of the date, time, and place of meetings at least 48 hours in advance; ideally, a full week's public notice is desirable. Saturdays are counted; Sundays and holidays are not. The attached form will serve this purpose. Agenda, Record Keeping and Minutes: A written agenda of action items should be prepared for each meeting. Each group must keep accurate written records of its public meetings, and vote to approve all minutes. Minutes must include record of the date, time and place of the meeting, the members present or absent, topics discussed, assignments made, and any actions taken at each meeting. A copy of each meeting's minutes should be forwarded to the Town Manager's Office for the permanent record. The attached form will serve this purpose. Other: A simple majority of the group will constitute a quorum for conducting business; if fewer members are present, no official action can be taken. No expenditures may be incurred unless the Town Manager has given prior approval. LExINGToNExINGToN Q.01210 VisioN U[s�oN WORK GROUP MINUTES In order to keep adequate record of the meetings held by your work group, please fill out the following form each time you and your working group meet. At the end of every meeting, please give this form to the Steering Committee liaison or the Town employee who attends your working group. He or she will then bring this information to the Town Manager's Office. A copy of this form may be provided for your record, at your request. Title of Work Group: Date, Time and Location of Meeting: Members Present: Members Absent: Distributed Information: Date, Time and Location of next scheduled Meeting: In the space provided below, on the back of this sheet and, if necessary, on additional attached pages, please give a detailed description of the issues that were addressed and the agreements that were made during the meeting. Submitted by (signature):