Government

CITIZEN FEEDBACK: TABLE NOTES 9/29/05 FORUM (60+ PARTICIPANTS)

as written on the tablecloth during café style conversations, in response to this vision/goals statement:

Governance Vision: We envision a regional community where citizens benefit from high quality municipal services at an affordable cost, ensuring that continued growth makes a positive contribution to the fiscal health of our region.

Goals to move us toward that vision:

a. Conduct a survey by 2005 to find out what leaders and voters think about bigger is better, paying more to keep what we have, lower unit costs from economy of scale, etc.

b. Conduct a feasibility study to determine what public safety issues could be addressed regionally (i.e., area sub-stations for police and fire protection, communications/dispatching, etc.)

c. Conduct a feasibility study regarding development of a regional recreational complex (indoor & outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, recreational fields, bicycle and walking paths, fitness center, etc.)

d. A white paper is written by 2005 showing the cost savings and pros and cons of providing a specific municipal service at the regional level instead of by individual municipalities (i.e. licensing, assessment, code enforcement, one planning board with 2 members from each town, etc.).

e. Expand joint town purchasing within KEYS region or at SMRPC level.

Conversation participants: John R., Betsy O., Betsy K., Patty C., Marly E., Adam S., Glen M. (List of participants may not be complete for any table.)

Table Notes (lines separate clusters of notes):

· Efficiency in synergism getting the needs of the people met – mutual aid

· Why are we driven by $ not people – health of community and its people

· invest in community health so that people will feel good about their community

· and government

· implement ‘e’

· Drawing – structure of governance (see attached)

· Connectedness

· Drawing – several heads together – Put heads together – all professionals and non-professionals

· Not to act as individuals but more regional

· Gov’t/*all persons interested

· Emergency response training

· *factions with vested interests

· Community activists – “gray panthers”

· tax vs.

· *infrastructure – water/sewer

· How to draw businesses to

· Municipal local services: debriefing after 911/trauma/fires/police events/shooting

· *Using retired persons to help ie. psychologists

· Bringing to ballot town ideas for ie. senior housing

· Community service needs debriefing after emergency

· Fire depts.. cooperate: why not town gov? especially in emergencies.

· Participate!

· Transparency Eliot is run by those who show up.

· Communication – email

· Gov. training for early response

· Community cable channel

· Regional Rec. complex is good idea

· drawing – 3 interconnected circles - opportunity

· Communication – transparent government – email

· gut reaction: process, process, process

· Need more emphasis on OUTCOMES

· Regional recreational center for young people isn’t a good idea

· Go for walkability in community!

· recreation opps. should be close to neighborhoods.

· Government training program for first responders

• human advocates
• taking care of neighborhoods

· Regionality

· Debriefing after emergencies

· Drawing of person = infinity symbol

· Study Schmuddy

KEYS REGION CITIZEN SURVEY RESULTS APRIL 17, 2004 (125+ PARTICIPANTS)

At the Our Future by Design opening event on April 17, 2004 participants were asked to reflect on "aspects of community quality of life and well being" and then to prioritize and comment on three areas from the list of OFBD topics. The survey responses received that day regarding "economy" follow below. All survey content that was readable was entered. The survey can be downloaded at http://www.keysregion.org/publications.htm

Priorities

· Regional services/facilities, recreation

· This discussion of regionalization needs to take place in a serious timely manner

· Combining areas of cooperation with the 29 towns of York County with Alfred

· Regional basis of delivering services

· Cost control

· Strategic plans for regional, not county efforts – public safety, education, code planning

· Cutting costs, regionalism, continuing services

· To keep diversity; healthy, emotionally and financial with accessible programs

· This is where we look at sharing and paying our “fair” share

· Lean government with fair taxes for everyone, fair pay for municipal workers, quality of infrastructure maintained

· Town officials look beyond geographical boundaries, look for creative solutions

Other comments – not rated

· Balance long-term needs with immediacies of financial stabilization “tripping over $ to save dimes”

· We need a soup kitchen!

· Measure effectiveness of leadership

· Water and sewer districts and regionalization??

· Connect with “service and volunteerism” both as valuable resource and model that supports people to stay in their homes

· Cooperation in planning and natural resources