APB agenda 112205 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

ability to act is blocked by others with oppos- ing perspectives. I..ots of people have opinions. No one can come up with an idea. that satisfies enough people. �U '' 1ha t vv � , t� e S - _ C,00 " St cxnntlt �. r,rxllV need is S��t�oll on �� f irc tr tzCk. r �? ev en d� a� `I thZnk c e f c,$ Iter ' hozzs the �'l`� Are s e11okrv�� e �shDZ1ld be renovated: pa) - for t1l.i s ? Elected officials or appointed boards are usually the ones who l.-na.ke decisions about public issues. But decisions that affect rnarfy in. the coinry .nity are often controversial. Zoning. Property values. Lifestyle. Local culture. All too often, leaders and citizens alike participate in processes that leave them feeling polarized, unsatisfied, and alienated. When this happens, the wrong lesson is learned: all you can do is hunker down, bear throu ah it, and. see who gets their way. But in many cases, public outcry can be more constructively managed. and mitigated through open. airing of comn:uu.nity interests and con- cerns. In other words, carefully structured. a.p- pr.oacl:les to obtaining broad public input in the decision - making process can lead to the holy grail of public policy: better decisions and wider community support. "How will we ever solicit all the input we need ?" "The farmers are convinced all the neuVcorn.ers uv.n.t to put th.errt. out of business." "If we adopt Plan B, then everyone who sup- ports plans A and C will be furious." A collaborative community problem- solving process can help officials and residents get to a satisfactory resolution— especially when people feel stuck. 30 .3' �..tp. starting evert before a crisis arises is a whole lot more efficient. So the next time your town or village wants to change its comprehensive plan, invite public discussion that is inclusive. When your farm- land protection board begins planning an agri- cultural district, make sure farm and nonfarm community members have a say. Cur, when mul- tiple factions have already staked out positions on, say, the utility of extending sewer lines into outlying areas, try a new strategy. Start by ton- ing down the rhetoric. This sin:iple step may be a necessary precondition for preserving com- munity peace. And then consider a collaborative community problem - solving process. Let's now look at the key elements of this pro- cess and some comments on how to move it forward. 4 s e "Tell me, who's going to lead this effort ?" No matter what the motivating cause, collab- orative community problem solving generally begins when someone shirts to systematically pull people together. This person is referred to as the convener. The convener needs to be someone (or some representative group) who is respected by, and has access to, people on all sides of the issue. The convener may be a local person, perhaps an elected official, a commu- nity elder, a well- kriown clergy or businessper- son. Sometimes the convener is a mediator or