HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-09-16-2020-min
2020 Vision Committee
September 16, 2010
7:45 a.m.-9:45 a.m.
Selectmen’s Meeting Room
Members present: Fernando Quezada, Marian Cohen, Peter Enrich, Janice Frascatore, Bhumip Khasnabish,
Barry Orenstein, Jane Warren, Alan Wrigley, George Burnell, Richard Canale, Margaret Coppe.
Staff: Candy McLaughlin
ACTION ITEMS:
Committee will move ahead with outreach to community groups beginning this fall.
Everyone is asked to review and comment on the list of suggested groups before the next
meeting when discussion of the process will continue.
Before the next meeting Richard will talk to Tim Reardon at MAPC about the timing of
funding a potential pilot data project in Lexington. A subcommittee of Dan, Marian, and
Janice will be charged with specific follow-up actions to the DCTF report.
At the next meeting the Committee will discuss its responsibility for Lexington’s long-term
climate agenda and identify future actions.
Meeting Began:
7:50 a.m.
The minutes from last month’s meeting were approved.
Fall/Winter Outreach Agenda:
Fernando reviewed the proposal that Committee members talk
with groups of 10-12 people about what they value in Lexington, what they don’t like, and what
they hope for the Town in 20 years. The Committee would contact perhaps a dozen civic groups,
and ask each one to bring together a diverse subgroup from their membership in order to include as
broad a range of people as possible. Potential groups mentioned include the Indian Americans of
Lexington, Chinese American Association of Lexington, the interfaith clergy, Citizens for
Lexington Conservation, Global Warming Action Coalition, Rotary or Lions Club, Lexfun
(formerly Preschool PTA), High School PTSA, Council on Aging, Evergreen Group of Chinese
seniors, TMMA, Lexington Citizens Academy participants, Little League, and poll workers.
Richard suggested also randomly selecting people through the phone book. Others agreed that this
would be a good reality check and a way to reach people with little social capital, and that one of
the groups should be chosen randomly.
Barry and Peter identified different ways of structuring the discussions, and there was general
agreement that the questions should be open-ended so we hear what people are thinking. We
would look for things that keep popping up in different groups, and for whether the issues raised
are in the original vision and goals. Fernando suggested that a small group could script out the
questions. Richard asked what the participants will get out of it; will the leadership of the Town
really pay attention and will things get done. Fernando responded that this frustration has been
present from the beginning of the 2020 Vision process. The next step is to clean up the list of
groups, probably add a few more, and feed it back to the Committee to begin making contacts. The
goal is to start the meetings by November, and talk with a dozen or so groups over a period of six
months.
DCTF Follow-up:
Marian outlined a potential opportunity to get more demographic data using a
grant from MAPC and free MIT interns. When she, Dan, and Janice met with Senior Planner
Aaron Henry they sensed resistance to taking on any new projects in the current year. We should
have some useful Census data by April, so Richard will talk to Tim Reardon at MAPC to see if the
project could wait until next spring. At its October meeting the Committee will discuss the idea of
formally recommending to all three sponsoring boards that this project move forward at the next
meeting. Candy said she will bring Town Manager Carl Valente up to date on this discussion.
Adjourn:
9:05 a.m.
Next Meeting:
Thursday, October 14, 2010; 7:45 a.m.-9:00 a.m., Selectmen’s Meeting Room