Back in February I completed a survey from St. Louis County 2050, which is charged with developing a comprehensive plan for the county for the next 25 years. The survey asked me what I thought about the current state of the county and how it could be better.
After I submitted my results I promptly forgot about the whole thing. Last week I received an email inviting me to an open house to review the preliminary recommendations and give feedback. In addition to letting me playing a part in the future of the county, the email also promised a free dinner.
I've never done anything like this before, but it sounded interesting. I asked
Hubby Tony if he wanted to go. He did. We put the event that was closest to
our house on the calendar.
The open house was tonight, held in the recreation complex of a county park. After signing in at a table in the hall we both got a cup that held eight push pins and a promise that once inside the room someone would explain what those pins were for.
The 'room' was a large open area. There was a table by the door holding a projector playing a slide show of charts and maps that summarized the information from the survey. Easels holding large boards were arranged in a semicircle along the far side. We learned that each board had one category of preliminary recommendations. After reviewing all of them, we were to place a push pin on the eight recommendations that we thought were the most important.
Each board had one or two members of the planning team there to answer questions. They were very knowledgeable and easy to talk with. I walked back and forth between boards several times before deciding which items would get my pins.
Shortly after Tony and I finished they announced that pizza had arrived. We went through the line and also picked up ice cream from the cooler next to the table. After eating we decided we didn't have any other questions and decided it was time to leave.
The last County comprehensive plan was adopted 40 years ago. The new one is supposed to be unveiled later this year. It will be interesting to see if any of my top priorities made the final document.
That’s interesting because my city just had a big planning meeting, open to the public about planning the next 25 years as well. It was just a few weeks ago - they sent invitations with an RSVP. I don’t know the results - what they planned. We didn’t go.
ReplyDeleteYeah they might have used some of your priorities made it. You’ll have to let us know.
I guess 25 years is a good time frame to plan for.
DeleteI've lived in 3 suburbs who have 5, 10 or longer plans. In reviewing the history, these planning groups and their decisions are some of the community improvements I enjoy now. Glad you went to the meeting. I've seen subsequent city newsletter publication of the results before all of the final decisions. Gave me a ray of hope that involving people and doing the right thing to give them choices is still an American way of life. That's presuming nobody stuck some one else with their push pin weapons. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteI joked with one of the moderators that I hoped some of the chosen options were started sooner rather than later, because in 25 years I will be 90.
DeleteGood for you for giving your civic input! And hey, free pizza and ice cream is a pretty nice reward!
ReplyDeleteIt felt good to know I was part of something bigger than me.
DeleteGood for you Kathy! -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting way of gauging people's priorities. When will you find out the results?
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to hear they hoped to have a rough draft of the plan out by the end of the year.
DeleteThis is great that you and Tony decided to participate....hopefully there will be some wise decisions made from all of the input. Pizza and Ice Cream...how nice! Date night!
ReplyDeleteWe take our dates wherever we can get them :-)
DeleteI love the way you take up these opportunities for good.
ReplyDeleteFor so many years I was too busy with life, so it's nice to have the time to do it.
DeleteWow, free pizza and ice cream! I would have gone, too.
ReplyDeleteConsidering what other options they could have provided I was pretty happy.
DeleteFor some reason when you said dinner I thought a sit down serve you or buffet dinner. ha ha,I'm an idiot. Everything is better than having to cook and you did a very good deed!
ReplyDeleteI had no expectations, but wondered the same thing myself.
DeleteI like the way your county thinks. Here, in central California, the ones who get to decide are the large businesses and the builders and developers. In other words, the movers and shakers who just keep doing the same things.
ReplyDeleteI hope the public forums aren't just for show. It felt like our opinions mattered.
DeleteArgggh. I was going to go to that but forgot.
ReplyDeleteThere's two more-one tonight somewhere in South County and Saturday morning in North County.
DeleteAnd wouldn't it be funny if we had met IRL there?
DeleteThat's the first thing I thought of. We'll have to do IRL one of these days. You and Tony and me and Claudia.
DeleteSounds like a nice evening for you and the hubby. They would have had me at free ice cream.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds nice.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for participating! I'm glad your foster cat Will be okay. Thank you for your nice comments
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like fun and a free meal to boot!
ReplyDelete