MEETING MINUTES (3)
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MINUTES
COMMUNITY CONSENSUS STEERING COMMITTEE
F ACILIT A TORS MEETING
Monday, October 25, 1993
The third meeting of the Clearwater Community Consensus Steering Committee met at 9 AM
Monday, October 25, 1993 in the Large Conference Room, City Manager's Office, City Hall.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:
Commissioner Art Deegan
Bill Schwob, Chairperson
Vito Nigrelli
Tony Salmon
Naomi Williams
James McCurtain
Bob Bickerstaffe
ALSO PRESENT: Ruth Ann Bramson
Kathy Rice, Deputy City Manager
Jeff Harper, Director of Administrative Services
Jim Lange, Community Outreach Manager
Johnnie Crawford, Intern from USF
Melissa Ellis, Staff Assistant
Kathy Rice opened the meeting by distributing copies of the editorials from the St. Petersburg
Times and the Tampa Tribune concerning the Consensus Project.
Bill Schwob asked the group for feedback on the invitations sent out by the Committee members.
The general response was that the invitations did not offer enough explanation about the project
and if people hadn't seen the previous advertisements, then they would not understand the
message of the invitations.
Attendance at the upcoming consensus in-put meetings was discussed, and Bill Schwob pointed
out that the meeting schedule offered the public so many options in time and place that no one
should feel left out of an opportunity to participate. Mr. McCurtain mentioned that he would
be disappointed if the turnout was low, which might indicate that the campaign approach was
not effective enough.
Jeff Harper introduced Johnnie Crawford, the new intern with the program. Also introduced
to the group were Jim Lange and Bob Bickerstaffe.
Ms. Bramson supplied everyone with a Facilitators Handbook which outlined the community
consensus flow chart and the format and procedures for the three rounds of public meetings.
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She reviewed the basic points of meeting facilitation and encouraged the facilitators to have
ready the phone number of Dr. Graves in case someone needs more information. Ms. Bramson
stressed the importance of beginning the meetings on time, and appointing a time keeper. It was
agreed upon not to include a break within the two hour period of the 'brainstorming' meetings.
Bill Schwob asked if the commissioners will attend the community in-put meetings.
Commissioner Deegan answered that the commissioners will make it a point to attend at least
one of the meetings.
Tony Salmon suggested that the wording within the project be consistent. Ruth Ann clarified
that the three public meetings should be referred to as: 1) Consensus In-put 2) Consensus
Forming and 3) Consensus Feedback. It was also agreed upon to use the word 'questionnaire'
rather than survey.
Ms. Bramson reviewed the specific agenda for the Consensus In-put meetings with emphasis
on the 'rules of brainstorming'. She explained the handouts which would be available to each
citizen participating: 1) the 'How It Works' handout which describes the consensus project
process and the citizens' involvement 2) the individual 'brainstorming' worksheets for the
participants to jot down their own ideas.
Tony Salmon asked how specific issues at hand, such as Dunedin pass or a new city hall, would
fit into one of the three categories of Quality of Life, Services, and Revenue. Ruth Ann
recommended allowing any idea to be included whether it be specific or general.
Kathy Rice suggested that we have available an example of what the finished questionnaire will
look like to show the participants after the in-put meetings. After some discussion, it was
decided to have such an example available, but sharing it with the participants after the in-put
meetings, would be up to the individual facilitator's judgement call.
Bill Schwob reviewed the up-coming 14 consensus in-put meetings and the assigned facilitators.
It was decided that at least one city staff person would attend each meeting. Mr. Schwob
suggested that as a "sales pitch" to convince the participants of the first meeting to return for
the second meeting, that each facilitator should mention that then next meeting will only last
about an hour.
Ms. Bramson recommended that perhaps we should use the second round of meetings as a means
to distribute information on and recruit volunteers for various community services and activities.
She also explained that even though the 'feedback meetings' would be primarily run by Dr.
Graves, the continued participation of the facilitators would be very important at that time.
The next Community Consensus Steering Committee meeting was scheduled for November 12,
1993 at 9 AM for the wordsmithing session.
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