Date
Barb Grant reported that Barb Fleming had confirmed use
of the Middle School cafeteria and had rented tables appropriate for workshop
use. Grant circulated a sign-up sheet
for volunteers to help with room set up and takedown.
Robin Wettstein handed out copies of a short press
release and posters to be used in the community to promote the Community
Workshop. The committee discussed other
means of promoting participation including school take-home materials, high
school announcements, Chamber of Commerce contacts/invitations, and promoting
print media feature articles. Todd
Schmidt announced that the cable company was sending a camera crew to the
workshop to record and promote participation in the
visioning project. Barb Grant referred
to the workshop invitation that had been drafted for committee approval and use
in extending personal invitations to ten or more community members.
Russ
Van Gompel agreed to coordinate print media contacts. Schmidt will continue work with cable. Vision Committee members agreed to extend
personal invitations by letter as approved and/or by phone; they also agreed to
place posters.
Wettstein
reviewed the meeting agenda for the March 1st Community
Workshop. She lead members through one
of the workshop activities that gives participants an opportunity to express
their hopes and fears for Brown Deer’s future through identification of
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. These thoughts were shared with the group and
then collected for recording by VandeWalle.
Grant reported that Focus Group invitations were due
to be mailed on Monday. Some groups had
too few contact names and others had too many.
Vision Committee members indicated their preferences for “must-invite”
contacts in large groups. Several
members agreed to get Grant names for groups with too few contacts.
Grant will format and forward names and invitation to
Van Gompel, who will coordinate invitation printing, signatures, and mailing.
III.
Visioning Issues with Brown Deer Department
Heads:
a.
Police Chief Steven
Rinzel and Captains Charles Wenten
and John Graeber reviewed the department’s eight-year
movement away from a reactive public safety department toward a pro-active,
patrol-based policing department. They
highlighted community and youth outreach and prevention programs. They expressed concerns about future funding
and the need to stay pro-active to maintain a safe community.
b.
Public Works
superintendent Larry Netizel reviewed the department’s mission and ten basic
functions. He expressed that the small
and stable department will continue to be stretched by expanding environmental
and safety regulations; ‘middle-aged’ infrastructure and redevelopment issues;
and demands for increased services in an age of decreased funding. He cited a growing need for analysis of
“needs vs wants” and alternative delivery structures
within and across municipal boundaries.
c.
Engineer James Buske reviewed his department’s responsibilities related to
the Village’s Geographic Information System (GIS) and possibilities to expand
its use within and outside of the village departments. He reviewed other responsibilities related to
capital improvement planning; public infrastructure project management; and
development and redevelopment project review and management. He expressed concerns about transportation
system maintenance and design issues such as ditch vs
curb & gutter, street lights, and sidewalks/trails.
d. Park & Recreation Director Ginny Goode reviewed
her department’s organizational structure and current responsibilities and
shared recent program offerings and enrollments. She expressed a vision of the future that
balanced staff and financial resources with requests for additional programming
and services. The Village Pond is
currently on the front burner as are considering opportunities for reaching
teens and expanding programming for seniors.
The meeting adjourned at approximately
Assignments:
Russ: Focus Group Invitations
Committee Members: Workshop attendance promotional
activities; additional Focus Group contacts as needed
|
Focus
Group |
Code |
Current # |
Member |
Time |
Facilitator |
|
Largest
service and manufacturing employers |
LE |
14 |
Marty & Mike |
|
Together |
|
Commercial sector (Services
and goods to members of the general public) |
CO |
40 |
Mary |
|
Separately |
|
Commercial
property & development |
CPD |
11 |
Russ, |
|
Together |
|
Realtors
and apartment managers |
RPM |
20 |
Bob |
|
Barb |
|
Health
care |
HC |
26 |
Carrie |
|
Dave |
|
Youth |
YTH |
14 |
Jeff, Barb |
|
Separately |
|
Hospitality sector (Restaurants,
motels, bars) |
HO |
24 |
Margaret |
|
Barb |
|
Seniors |
SR |
14 |
Wayne, Anne |
|
Dave |
|
Ethnic
minorities |
EM |
27 |
Gregg & Rick |
|
Together |
Current # as of
* Youth list is incomplete; schedule is tentative at this time