---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: <c...@springfieldmo.gov> Date: Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 10:54 AM Subject: City of Springfield News Release - City kicks off student visioning challenge To: t.ma...@gmail.com
The City of Springfield today kicks off its first-ever “Community Visioning Challenge” to capture input for the long-range strategic planning process from Springfield higher-education and high-school students. The City is making a special effort to involve younger members of the community in the long-range planning effort because they represent the area’s future workforce, voters and community leaders. The institutions that expressed interest in participating are: Baptist Bible College, Drury University, Evangel University, Missouri State University, Ozarks Technical Community College, and Springfield Public Schools. Each institution was asked to assemble a core team of up to 20 students to develop and implement a process to engage their student population in answering the following question: What city characteristics, features and amenities would make you want to live in Springfield for the next 20 years? Their challenge will be to generate a methodology that creatively engages as many students as possible and collects, assembles, and presents meaningful findings to City leaders. Results from the visioning contest will be provided to the planning groups that will work this spring and summer on the long-range strategic plan. Each team will be asked to submit a narrative summary of their results, along with a description of their methodology. Their reports will be due by March 31, 2010. Each team that completes the process will then be asked to make a 10-minute presentation to the City Council at a meeting to be scheduled in April. The presentations will run on CityView, the City’s government access channel, and be videostreamed on the CityView Web site. The City Council will pick one or more winning teams, which will be recognized at a public ceremony and will receive a token award in appreciation for their efforts. The City is in the process of gathering community input in several other ways. City Manager Greg Burris is continuing to hold Listening Tour meetings with community groups. An online survey to provide input will be posted through the end of February at: listen.questionpro.com In addition, any citizens interested in serving on one of the work groups for the strategic planning topics are encouraged to submit a volunteer application by 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 5, 2010. The application is available online at: www.springfieldmo.gov/planninggroups . Copies of the application also are available for those without computer or Internet access by calling 864-1010 or picking up a copy at the Busch Municipal Building, 840 Boonville Ave., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. Each of the 11 planning groups and the Strategic Plan Coordinating Committee will reserve several spots for interested citizens who will join the other members of the work groups asked to serve because of their professional experience or expertise on each topic. For more information on the Visioning Competition, contact: City of Springfield: Olivia Hough, Senior Planner, 864-1092 Baptist Bible College: Jim Edge, Office of the President, 268-6067 Drury University: Hue-Ping Chin, Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, 873-7427 Evangel University: Bernie Dana, Associate Professor of Business, 865-2815 ext. 8116 Missouri State University: Earle Doman, Vice President for Student Affairs, 836-5526 Ozarks Technical Community College: Rob Rector, Vice President, 447-5852 Springfield Public Schools: Justin L. Herrell, Executive Director-High School, 523-0062 -- "no cause is lost if there is but one fool to fight for it" ~Will Turner~ ~Pirate's of the Caribbean @ World's End~ "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." ~Goethe www.moliberty.org http://417-political-pundit.blogspot.com The power to tax involves the power to destroy. ~Justice John Marshall~ Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you! -Pericles (430 B.C.) A legislative act contrary to the Constitution is not law. ~Justice John Marshall~ -- This is a Free Speech forum. The owner of this list assumes no responsibility for the intellectual or emotional maturity of its members. If you do not like what is being said here, filter it to trash, ignore it or leave. If you leave, learn how to do this for yourself. If you do not, you will be here forever.
