1999 Planning Commission Packets

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.. thecn that they wi�l receive timely notification of atl meetings and leam about the availability of work products and how they can be review�d before ariy action is taken on ` t them. The intemet promises to greatly facilitate the commurucation process. Not only can you post and maintain the newsletter and schedule, but, you can aiso prov�de background reports and data. 2. �iv� Them a F6ace af t�e T'abie Invite surrounding jurisdictions to appoint a represenYative or two to serve on the planning cammittee or task force. Since ih� work that this group will do is purely advisory, don't �isk the atienation of appointing ihe representatives frorn surrounding jurisdictions as ex� officio members or as non-rrrembers. There is aimost nothing worse ihan having the representatives from neighboring communities show up at the meeting to �find ihe committe� sitting in a circte and them on the outside. We advise appointing #hese representatives as members of the committee. �Ie also suggest that you actively support them in iheir efforts io communicate with ofihers in their community, Provide thern with additionaI copies of materials io dissemina�e. This isn't rocket science, but everything ihat you can do to send a message of welcome and respect will pay dividends. 3o Ge� the Iss�aes on the'I'able Eari�a Ackrsowled�e 4herra and CornaTn6t to Dealir� with '>� T__ ��m Somehow early on in the process, you need to invite all of the participants, but particularly those from sunounding jurzsdictions, to identify the issues that they are concemed about. These issues should be acknowledged in some forznalized way and a commiiment expressed io dealing with them. There is aImost nothing worse than a process that drones on and on when everybody knows thai there are strangly held views Yhat are not out in the open. By geiting them out and ackrtowledged early, the host community conveys an attitude of resgect and a willingness to work cooperatively. 4. �or[z Thrau�h an iTnderStandable Process and Be Cle�r Aboai Who �ill I�I�Ice tt►e �inal I)ecisron There is a very strong tendency for people to equate participating in a process with making the final decision. If they attended meetings and expressed their opinion and the grou,p decided sometliing different, the process fafled. Set up realistic expectations from the start and reinforce thern throughoui the process. AII af the participants wil! have access to the same information and have an opportunity to chai(enge and supplem�nt it at any point. Everyone will have an opportunity to have iheir iss�a�s and �oncerns recorded and they will be addressed by the process. AII af the participar�ts will be involved in ariicula�ing and refining recommended policies, responding � � � � .