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Revised Guide to the Working Groups (Dec. 06) - Rob Tucker - 12-15-2006
Guide to the Working Groups
These guidelines consist of:
(1) a simplified outline for the Working Group reports;
(2) clarification of some of the Steering Committee’s and Working Groups’ responsibilities; and
(3) procedures to facilitate requests for information and speakers from County and State agencies.
Simplified Outline for the Working Group Report* The Working Group’s draft report (due February 15, 2007) should consist of the following elements. If the group is able to provide more information in their report, they are welcome to do so.
1. A statement of the Working Group’s agreed-upon Goals and Objectives (Keep the wording brief and simple!) 2. Recommendations in order of priority. If appropriate, include maps to identify specific locations that are mentioned in recommendations.
3. Explain how each of the Working Group’s recommendations address these questions:
? How does it relate to recommendations and statements made in the 2005 General Plan and other previously written plans? Are there any recommendations/statements in those earlier plans that you consider still valid today or should be expanded upon? (Use the excerpts from these plans that have been provided to each Working Group.)
? How does it relate to public input received in the CDP process (i.e., 130 small groups & first workshop)? ? What potential obstacles exist for implementing the recommendation?
? Who should be primarily responsible for carrying out the recommendation?
4. Meeting record – meeting dates, locations, and attendance sheets.
* The Working Groups and the Steering Committee are not being asked to write the plan. That is the consultant’s responsibility with input from the County and the community through the Steering Committee. The Working Group reports will be reviewed and considered as the Draft CDP is compiled. The Steering Committee, County, and John Whalen of Plan Pacific will be reviewing the Working Group reports and providing feedback on the recommendations.
* Along the way, people have asked if “new ideas” (that are not listed among the ideas that have come up from the small group meetings and workshops) can be included in the Working Group reports. New ideas can be included, but they will be considered in light of the input that has been given by the community. New ideas that are clearly in conflict with the values expressed through small group meetings and workshops will not have a good chance of being included in the CDP.
About the Steering Committee’s and Working Groups’ Responsibilities
The County General Plan requires that a Steering Committee be formed whenever a CDP is undertaken. It states that the steering committee members shall be “broadly representative of the affected communities” and shall “work in conjunction with the Planning Department and with any professional consultants hired to assist in the preparation of the plan.” The General Plan does not require that Working Groups be formed. However, the Puna CDP Steering Committee and the County CDP Team agreed that Working Groups should be formed so that the communities in Puna could continue to participate in the CDP process and contribute recommendations that could be incorporated into the CDP. The Working Groups and the Steering Committee bring knowledge that can only come from living in Puna and knowing the area and its people.
• Steering Committee members are volunteers and their primary responsibilities are to attend Steering Committee meetings, serve as liaisons between the community and County CDP effort, and evaluate community input, recommendations, and CDP Draft(s).
• Steering Committee members volunteered to serve as liaisons on Working Groups that are of special interest to them. The purpose of having liaisons is to make sure that the Steering Committee is kept informed of ideas and suggestions that are occurring in the Working Groups.
• Steering Committee liaisons are not required to attend every Working Group meeting that they are connected to as liaison. They are asked to keep the Steering Committee informed through reports from the WG or through personal attendance. It is each Working Group’s responsibility to make sure that their SC liaison or the chair of the SC is kept informed in time for each monthly SC meeting.
• Steering Committee members are mainly there to listen to the Working Groups when they attend meetings. They are not there to serve as facilitators or coordinators. The Working Group may call upon a Steering Committee member to assist because he/she has special expertise in a subject.
Requests for Information and Speakers from County or State Agencies The previously issued “protocols” for procuring guest speakers haven’t worked. Please follow these steps instead:
1. Once your Working Group identifies a speaker from a County or State agency, compile a list of questions that can be given to the invitee ahead of time.
2. Notify all other WG Coordinators (the WG’s main contact person) of your plans to invite the speaker and ask for questions that they might have. Give them a deadline for emailing questions.
3. Contact Larry Brown with your speaker request and list of questions. He will relay the questions to the invited speaker or another more appropriate speaker. For requests for information, please also contact Larry Brown with the specifics of what you are requesting, i.e., maps, documents, etc. Provide a deadline for providing information. Larry will let you know if we cannot meet the deadline.
4. Provide Larry with two or three dates and times that the speaker can choose from. It will be the WG’s responsibility to arrange a meeting place, once the date and time is set, and make sure all of the other WG Coordinators and the Steering Committee chair are notified of the final arrangements. The SC chair will notify all of the SC members.
Adopted by the Puna CDP Steering Committee on 12-14-06