Shaping Orange County's Future Final Full Report

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Concluding Comments As the SOCF Task Force nears the completion of its work, we are looking to the near future, as well as that of thirty years hence, with the knowledge that endings are also beginnings. It is time for new faces and new minds to pick up where others have left off, which is part of the motivation for proposing The Citizens' Roundtable. For some time now it has been clear to us that much of what we have in place with the SOCF initiative would continue to be of importance as the future unfolds. But new citizen concerns and ideas will be needed to plan for that future, and to shape it to the visions of Orange County's people. The Citizens' Roundtable we propose is not intended to have its 30 members talking only with one another but always, to have others sitting at the table with them. Meetings should be held at various locations around the county so as to regularly involve those from both rural and urban areas. "The Citizens' Roundtable" means exactly what it says. We use the term "Citizen" here to describe ordinary people as distinguished from those who are elected or appointed to official roles in government. And we use the word "Roundtable" to describe a group gathered for conference or discussion, whether or not they are seated at a round table! But, as legend tells us, the famous table around which King Arthur and his knights sat was indeed round, and for a purpose —to avoid quarrels as to precedence, or the right of priority among its members. For the fact is, there can be no "head" at a round table. Thus, the Citizens' Roundtable presupposes that all who sit there for discussion and dialogue are equals. And that presupposes that all will be heard, and all will be listened to. XEI