[Vision-l] Imagine Columbia's Future Update October 13, 2006

[vision-l at news.gocolumbiamo.com]

Just wanted to give all of you an update on what has been happening with
the community-wide visioning process:

The three Fall Visioning Festivals held last weekend were very
informative--a total attendance of 95 with 47 registrations completed. 
Estimates are that there are now 300+ people signed up for topic groups
through all the outreach that has been engaged in.  Two more festivals
will be held tomorrow, Saturday, October 14.  Feel free to stop by
Jefferson Junior High School any time from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., or Lange
Middle School any time from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.  Food, music and children's
activities will be on hand, as will information from the community-wide
survey and opportunities to sign up for Citizen Topic Groups.  Hope to
see you there!  A summary of the survey results is available online at
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Public_Comm/Visioning/surveysummary.php. 
 

The Sponsors Council met on October 11 and narrowed down the 24
Co-Chair applications to 6 finalists.  The 6 finalists will be
interviewed Oct. 18 in the City Council Chambers between 10:30 a.m. and
12 p.m.  They are:

M. Dianne Drainer, Executive Director of the Mizzou Flagship Council;

Douglas J. Lange, Vice President, Operations and Facilities, Stephens
College;

Sally Beth Lyon, Director of Research, Assessment and Accountability,
Columbia Public Schools;

Nicholas H. Peckham, owner, Peckham & Wright Architects, Inc.;

Mary Colton Wilkerson, Vice President, Marketing, Boone County National
Bank; and

Jeffrey Robert Williams, Director of Access and Urban Outreach,
University of Missouri.

The two Co-Chairs will then be selected and announced at that time. 
The  Co-Chairs will be asked by the Sponsors Council to glean through
the 34 Co-Facilitator applications and bring back a recommendation of
the 15 to be appointed.  Additional Co-Faciltators will be chosen by
their individual Citizen Topic Groups once they begin meeting in early
2007.  The two Co-Chairs and 15 Co-Facilitators will form the central
Vision Committe, and will take over the leadership and guidance of
Imagine Columbia's Future in early November.

Finally: please place on your calendar November 28 or November 30 for
the two BIG meetings where ideas will be generated through large and
break-out sessions.  These BIG meetings will be facilitated by Imagine
Columbia's Future's consultant, Visioning and Planning, Ltd. (ACP).  We
are encouraging everyone who is interested in not only attending, but in
spreading the word to 10 of their friends and neighbors.  Locations,
times, and additional information can be found at
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Public_Comm/Visioning/index.php.

Thank you so much for your interest in imagining Columbia's future!