Minutes from 8/13

Minutes of Ad Hoc Futures Committee Meeting 8/13/2014
Present: Tom Finnell, Gabriel Weiss, Spoon Agave, Emilie Kornheiser, Teo Senni, Anne Senni
Meeting begins at 6pm.

Emilie announced that Kate Anderson and Kathryn Turnas have officially dropped out of group. Minutes for 8/23 mtg were unanimously approved.

Agenda for meeting: Discuss Mission statement drafts

• Drafts from Teo and Anne were read and discussed.

• Emilie spoke about potential mandates such as requiring at least one member from another committee such as Planning or one Select Board member and several members of public to attend our mtgs – would like to see that written into motion for Town Mtg/mission statement – because she believes that mandates affect institutional change over time. She will draft a written proposal and send to all.

• We discussed statement Gabe had sent all by email.

• Gabe will take statements and try to shorten and edit and will send to all members for review, with the hope that at next meeting we will be able to finalize a draft.

• Agenda for next week is to discuss and try to finalize Futures Committee proposal for Town Mtg and mission statement.

Meeting adjourned at 7:30pm.

Minutes from 7/23

Futures Commission Planning Meeting Minutes 7/23/2014
Present: Spoon Agave, Kate Anderson, Teo Senni, Gabriel Weiss, Mary McCarthy , George Harvey, Anne Senni

-Meeting opened at 6:05.

-7/9/2014 Mtg Minutes approved unanimously

-Spoon will moderate in Emilie’s absence.

-Teo reported that he has the skeleton of an archive/email set up for group. Is working on smoothing out process. Email has been sent to all members with invitation to join.

-George Harvey, who is planning to become a member, introduced himself and spoke. He is especially interested in global warming and locally generated energy. His blog on the subject is at geo/harvey@wordpress.com

Agenda:

1) Review vision statements and come up with one consistent mission and one list of Givens. 2) Develop plan for shared library or Coop resource copies.

– Kate stated that Givens would likely become apparent as a result of discussions at our mtgs and that we should perhaps postpone creating a list.

– Teo noted three overall themes that he took from group statements:

1. Accountability, both in terms of ourselves as an entity and in terms of our governance

2. Getting things done, having “teeth”, follow through. Facilitation/implementation of Town Plan

3. Operating as a Citizen Planning Committee/Improving citizen participation, education. Using
traditional and electronic media, graphics, arts in general as tools

– Kate had to leave., at which time, we no longer have a quorum. Mtg proceed with open discussion.

– Spoon asked questions, “Why do we need this commission? What makes us different than Planning Dept.?”

– Gabe listed his understanding of group visions:

1. Uphold and promote Town Plan
2. Research future implications of policies, especially as they affect disenfranchised member of
population
3. Research governance issues
4. Investigate ways to improve social justice
5. Explore funding/revenue sources
6. Look at issues with a global context in terms of social, economic, scientific and technological
trends and their impacts on us

– Spoon read the Chesterfield VA Futures Commissions article statement that was quoted in his initial
motion. There was general agreement that this was a good framework from which to work on our statement. He will send copy to all members and we will use to individually edit and will bring to next mtg.

– Meeting adjourned at 7:40.