Town of Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Steering Committee Agenda
August 16, 2021 6:00 pm
Selectboard Mtg Rm ZOOM address below
1. Call to Order 1 min
2. Agenda Review 2 min
3. Approve minutes 3 min
4. Announcements
A. Web page: work with Millicent for this 2 mins
B. OML : A new google group was formed that shouldn’t have 5 mins been and has now disappeared. Nothing was distributed on it. Other than that it looks like we’re getting the hang of working within OML guidelines.
5. Reports: A. work groups: Internal, External, Education, Agenda, Survey 30 mins Millicent recommended, and this seems like a good idea, that the reports focus on three things: a) what has the group accomplished b) what will it do next and c) are their challenges for which help is needed B. Kate: report on arranging meeting with Administration
6. Leadership: a discussion about the Steering Committee. 30 mins From Kate: the committee needs to have a conversation about where we’re at and where we need to be. We don’t have much time left to make some important decisions if we’re going to be ready to make recommendations to our fellow town meeting members. We’ve got to get from discussions to decisions and I think it’s important that we all feel comfortable in the direction we’re heading and that we have the people in place to get us there.
7. New business A. Putting it all together: see below Document 1 30 mins
8. New Clerk 10 mins
10. Next Meeting Date/Agenda suggestions 5 mins
11. Review of Tasks 1 min
12. Evaluation 5 mins
13. Adjourn _______ 124 mins
For those who will not be there in person: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84851524235? pwd=NVVTVlN0czFrR2RybWVYcnR1VkV6UT09 Meeting ID: 848 5152 4235 Passcode: 012255 Phone: Dial by your location. Mute/unmute = *6 +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
DOCUMENT 1
Putting It All Together
I hear concerns that we are not making the progress we should be. Anxiety about not meeting deadlines. Understandable. We haven’t yet created our timeline. We only know the end date in January but not what should happen between now and then. The timeline should be one of the first things set up once we have a plan forward.
There is probably an infinite number of ways to go about a path forward but something has to be put on the table to start the ball rolling.
As much as I hate to do this – placing two possible options on the table – it seems worthwhile to look at both. The major difference between the two is that one goes from small group to big group and the other does it all in the big group.
One option: assigning the task to one workgroup (I was thinking of nominating the Internal work group) that would collect all the ideas from other groups or individuals and using criteria that they have already more or less developed and filter it out to a recommendation of proposals (a slate) to move forward with. Their recommendation would then go to the full committee to work into the final form we deliver to the RTM.
Option two: the work groups and individuals send their ideas to one collection point, the Chair or anyone we choose, who compiles it into one list and places that list on a full Steering Committee agenda. Suggestions welcome for any technique for narrowing the field before it is set before the Committee, if that seems prudent.
Regardless of options, one of these or something else, it should be re-affirmed that for this first year we should bring forth a limited number of proposed changes that the membership of RTM will find easy, agreeable and useful.
Either of these should get us done on time and with minimal stress.
