1. Stewarding the Future of our Communities ~~~ Sustaining Community Engagement & Planning in Americas Cities & Towns 2013 Steven Ames Planning All Rights Reserved

2. A Presentation by Steven Ames ~~~ Principal, Steven Ames Planning 2012 Craig Byrne Fellow Orton Family Foundation 2014 Steven Ames Planning All Rights Reserved

3. THE ORTON STEWARDSHIP STUDY

4. What is community stewardship? Building sustainability into community engagement and planning in order to ensure their ongoing success and long- term impact.

5. The challenge of stewardship Community-based planning and engagement initiatives tend to lose their impact over time. Times change and plans fade; but truly great plans have long-lasting impacts. What makes good planning and engagement endure over time?

6. Five elements of stewardship Honoring local values Sustaining citizen engagement activities Achieving visions and plans Holding leaders accountable Responding to a changing world

7. Five communities studied Covington/Oxford, Newton County, GA Hastings, Barry County, MI Hillsboro, OR Portsmouth, NH West Duluth, Duluth, MN

8. Study findings Twenty-five specific approaches to stewardship organized by the five stewardship themes Eight cross-cutting recommendations One bottom line

9. FIVE ELEMENTS OF STEWARDSHIP

10. HONORING LOCAL VALUES HASTINGS, MICHIGAN Friday at the Fountain Summer Concert Series

11. Thoughts on honoring local values Core values are those beliefs about a community deeply shared by the vast majority of people inhabiting a place Every community has shared values that are unique to that place; they only have to be uncovered

12. Ideas for honoring local values Connecting to values in everything we do Promoting deliberative dialogue Story telling

13. Ideas for honoring local values Connecting to values in everything we do Promoting deliberative dialogue Story telling

14. SUSTAINING CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT HILLSBORO, OREGON Hillsboro 2020 Annual Vision Town Hall Meeting

15. Thoughts on sustaining engagement Sustaining citizen engagement is an ongoing enterprise building a rhythm of civic involvement that is expected and even anticipated.

16. Ideas for sustaining engagement Branding the process Providing places for people to gather Getting out among the community Providing useful information and assistance

17. Ideas for sustaining engagement Branding the process Providing places for people to gather Getting out among the community Providing useful information and assistance

18. ACHIEVING VISIONS AND PLANS COVINGTON/OXFORD, GEORGIA Citizens Celebrate Development of Newton Countys 2050 Plan

19. Thoughts on achieving visions and plans The only vision that has true value for a community is the only that is achieved in part or in full Scale your vision and/or plan to fit the capacity of the community to act Get some easy wins on the board

20. Ideas for achieving visions and plans Developing a robust plan of action Actively implementing the plan Tracking implementation successes Understanding and tracking community assets

21. Ideas for achieving visions and plans Developing a robust plan of action Actively implementing the plan Tracking implementation successes Understanding and tracking community assets

22. HOLDING LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE Students Participate in City Budget Dialogue

23. Thoughts on holding leaders accountable Citizens need to think of public officials as potential allies. An accountable relationship is not the same as an adversarial one. Find a community leader who can be your champion.

24. Ideas for holding leaders accountable Fostering neutrality in public dialogues Encouraging leaders to communicate Building partnerships and collaboration Developing new community leaders

25. Ideas for holding leaders accountable Fostering neutrality in public dialogues Encouraging leaders to communicate Building partnerships and collaboration Developing new community leaders

26. RESPONDING TO A CHANGING WORLD HILLSBORO, OREGON Emergency Responders Instruct Local School Children

27. Thoughts on responding to change The status quo is change; the need for greater community resilience is virtually certain. Part of community resilience is building adaptability into your communitys vision and plan.

28. Ideas for responding to a changing world Educating local leaders on emerging issues Anticipating and planning for change (scenarios) Planning for emergencies (resilience)

29. Ideas for responding to a changing world Educating local leaders on emerging issues Anticipating and planning for change (scenarios) Planning for emergencies (resilience)

30. OVERALL LESSONS FOR STEWARDSHIP WEST DULUTH, MINNESOTA Unfurling a Communitys Pride on Main Street

31. Overall lessons for stewardship Think about the whole-of-community Commit to broad outreach and inclusion Promote authentic engagement Facilitate effective communication and learning Build local capacity Develop partnerships and collaboration

32. One stewardship bottom line Develop local partnerships and collaboration.