http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/blog/ en katherine@createhere.org Copyright 2011 2011-12-13T15:54:10+00:00 http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/idea_blog/whats_next_for_stand/ http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/ idea_blog/whats_next_for_stand/#When:15:54:10Z As the emerging leaders who drove Chattanooga Stand, the world’s largest community visioning process, Katherine Currin, Teal Thibaud, and Garth Brown are passionate about exploring and refining new ways to increase connectivity between people, resources and networks. Over the past two years, Chattanooga Stand successfully engaged hundreds of individuals in meaningful action ranging from green space improvement projects to launching innovative ideas and organizations to meet social needs. celebrating community and the places they live building relationships with neighbors: cowart place Chattanooga Stand is passionate and equipped to implement creative work in unlikely places. Now, they are taking successful engagement tools and strategies from Stand’s portfolio and planting them in some of the more forgotten, urban neighborhoods in Chattanooga. planting big ideas for a better future The task goes beyond just being a catalyst for change, and takes on a new form of engagement that involves close collaboration with existing and emerging leaders within the community. Currently, Stand sees a groundswell of enthusiasm among residents eager to give their time, talents, and resources to make our region better, and greatness mandates that no talent be wasted. As CreateHere moves toward Supernova, Stand seeks your assistance in becoming sustainable. In just two days, Stand received over $7,000 and 16 hours of design and marketing assistance in contributions through Causeway.org. engaging in unlikely places: glass street finding innovation in blight Please visit Chattanooga Stand’s Causeway profile to support and learn more about its projects as it develops. All funds raised by January 1st, will be matched. Causeway is a new way to give in Chattanooga. It’s pretty new, but it’s getting a lot of attention from community members who seek to launch their social innovation ideas and gain support for their ideas. Learn more about Causeway here. 2011-12-13T15:54:10+00:00 http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/idea_blog/48_hour_launch_schedule/ http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/ idea_blog/48_hour_launch_schedule/#When:05:21:27Z 2011-11-11T05:21:27+00:00 http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/idea_blog/48hour_launch_pre-pitches_which_team_will_you_join/ http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/ idea_blog/48hour_launch_pre-pitches_which_team_will_you_join/#When:14:19:30Z 48Hour Launch is only a week away! On Thursday, we had our pre-event pitch night, where over 120 people packed into the room to hear ideas being pitched and to find the right team to join for the weekend launch. If one of these ideas catches your interest, let them know by commenting on their post with your response, especially if you would like to contribute your skills to their team over the 48Hour Launch weekend! Social Innovation Launch: OPEN in East Lake: Barbara Brayford Chattanooga Soul, Your Community Terminal: Mike Thompson Chinese Rock Garden: Bob Edwards Online Open City Budget: Andrae McGary Web & Mobile Neighborhood Watch App: Chris Enter Sickle Cell Awareness Campaign: Sandra Affare Open Chattanooga: Tim Moreland ChattaFont: Jeremy Dooley and DJ Trischler “All Things Green” Map of Chattanooga: Clifton Burriss Neighborhood Youth Soccer Tournament: Ben Johnson Web and Mobile Community Calendar: Dustin Coker Multi-modal Trip Planner: Jenny Parker The Awesome Foundation: Bijan Dhanani Educontribution.org: Reed Tomlinson Make sure to follow these on Causeway.org as well. If you want to join a team, comment under the ‘cause’ and add your skill set as a ‘way’ to make this happen! 2011-11-08T14:19:30+00:00 http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/idea_blog/rsa_networks_exchange/ http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/ idea_blog/rsa_networks_exchange/#When:21:56:29Z Since 2010, I have been a Fellow of the The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). Founded in 1754, the London-based society’s (recently re-articulated) mission is “to develop and promote new ways of thinking about human fulfilment and social progress which speaks directly to our strapline - 21st century enlightenment.” The society’s current projects include Arts and Ecology, Citizen Power, Connected Communities, Design and Society, Education, Public Services, Social Brain and Technology in a Cold Climate. They coordinate events and maintain a physical space in London called The House. Most of all, the RSA connects a 27,000-strong network of fellows, representing over 70 countries, who support the mission of the society. Chattanooga’s network is made up of around 15 fellows. Over the past 12 months, the RSA’s Chattanooga network has offered small scholarships and grants to support participation in local programs, such as museum memberships for Calvin Donaldson students, small travel stipends for fellows, and RSA membership scholarships for young professionals. Here is a sampling of the work that Chattanooga’s RSA fellows are engaged in: Nelson Irvine, a fellow of 40 years (and a third-generation US Fellow) plans to re-institute the RSA Reflection Riding Lectures at the Chattanooga Arboretum Bioblitz. The series focuses on environmental stewardship and conservation will re-launch with the 5th Annual Bio Blitz in 2012. Trey Meyer is leading the Broken Windows Brigade program and has leveraged a small amount of support from the RSA network to get matching funds and a considerable community support for improvements in a distressed housing project. Sharon Turner was awarded a RSA Catalyst grant to build a Saturday Arts Academy out of an urban school with no visual arts on the curriculum. Sharon was able to leverage the RSA funds to successfully raise matched funds of a 10:1 scale. This will help sustain the project for another three years. Each month, the Chattanooga-based RSA fellows gather together to provide encouragement, fresh perspectives, and problem solve. I have personally benefitted from these interactions. Fellows have offered valuable advice on how to creatively use the massive amount of data gleaned from the Stand survey and strategies for developing a grassroots support system. RSA fellows from around the world can also connect with one another through the society’s website, but it is rare that we have face-to-face interactions beyond our local networks. In October, a group of four fellows from the Chattanooga network traveled to New York City for the first ever US Networks Exchange. The purpose of our visit was to present the work we are doing in Chattanooga and to share some insights as to how we move beyond conversation into action. The RSA is looking to our community for cues on how they can foster healthy networks and enable individual fellows to engage in meaningful work. Our response: quality leadership and a strong sense of shared purpose. It was an honor to represent our community, and we hope that our work will continue to position Chattanooga in the limelight as a place where people get things done. +++ While in New York City, I enjoyed some of these noteworthy sightings, sites, & restaurants: On the Lower East Side, I came across The National Debt Clock. This was followed by a very timely run-in with members of the Occupy Wall Street movement marching to Occupy Times Square. Just off of Times Square, streets designed for people and performance.   Passing through Chelsea, is the infamous improv and sketch comedy hub, Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Continuing West to hop on the High Line, which stretches from West 30th to Gansevoort between 10th and 11th Avenue, for a stroll down to the Meat Packing District. In the West Village, Art Bar and The Jane, built in 1908 as a hotel for sailors with cabin-like rooms. (Thank you, Veronique!) Just off of Washington Square, The Center for Architecture’s current exhibit,  Buildings = Energy, brings awareness to energy issues in New York City’s built environments. In Nolita, Lombardi’s - America’s First Pizzeria! This institution has been in operation for over 100 years and they’ve perfected their trade. Note: the Storefront for Art and Architecture is not open on Monday’s. Their current Storefront Facade, Sacred Spaces In Profane Buildings, looks pretty great and I was sorry to miss it. The Storefront Facade is one of New York’s only alternative platforms focusing primarily on architecture and the built environment. At the intersection of Houston and 2nd Avenue, a sliver of vacant land between two tenements was being temporarily occupied by The Guggenheim Lab, ‘a mobile laboratory traveling around the world to inspire innovative ideas for urban life.’ The lab had just wrapped up its 53-day long stay in New York and was being dismantled for travel to Berlin and then Mumbai. Over six years, the laboratory will travel to nine major cities worldwide. Part urban think tank, part community center and public gathering space, the laboratory seeks to address issues of contemporary urban life through programs and public discourse. Staying in the East Village, for great sushi at Kanoyama and then a trip around the corner to McSorley’s Old Ale House. Established in 1854, McSorley’s offers its patrons two choices of brew: ‘light’ or ‘dark.’ 2011-11-01T21:56:29+00:00 http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/idea_blog/48_hour_launch_social_innovation/ http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/ idea_blog/48_hour_launch_social_innovation/#When:03:15:48Z This November’s 48 Hour Launch provides a platform for building collaboration among Chattanooga’s entrepreneurs, creatives, specialists, and business minded people to join together in teams and accomplish something awesome together over a weekend. There will be three different types of teams representing: technology based ideas product based ideas social innovations Over $30,000 of prizes will be awarded to winners in these three tracks, with each prize package including valuable business services from local supporters of innovation. In addition, up to three business ideas will be admitted into the SpringBoard Accelerator Program ($1500 value each). This will be awarded to the top three ideas selected by a panel of qualified business leaders and social entrepreneurs. Chattanooga Stand and Causeway are sponsoring the Social Innovation track. Causeway.org, a new platform to support civic entrepreneurism, will provide a process for you to find causes that you care about, and work with others to make a way for these causes to be implemented. Social Innovation refers to new strategies, concepts, ideas and organizations that meet social needs of all kinds. 48 Hour Launch weekend offers participants an opportunity to collaborate with passionate and committed people to develop better ways of functioning as a society, big or small, and tackle some of the main challenges we face in our community. WHO? Anyone. Your idea doesn’t have to reflect your day job or be a dev nerd to pitch it. 48 Hour Launch gathers designers, social entrepreneurs, web developers, creatives, marketing minds, and business professionals to work on potential start-ups. Two ways to get involved: Pitch an idea and form a group. No Idea? Join a team and share your skills! WHEN? Pitch Night- November 3rd, 6PM at the CO.LAB. Pitch your idea early and build a team. 48Hour Launch Weekend- November 11-13th, 6PM - 6PM 1517 Mitchell Avenue (The Old YMCA Building near Main St.) Demo Night- November 13th- 6PM ($5 at the door for the public) Food, coffee, and beer will be provided through the weekend, your registration fee helps us to cover those costs. HOW IT WORKS: Call for Ideas Ideas are always more powerful when shared.  Your idea can be either a specific solution to a problem, or simply identify a need in a particular area. Either way, an idea that will create new models for solving social problems.  We are looking for ideas they may become a stand-along venture (spare time gig), help a pre-existing non profit or governmental organization, or become a social enterprise, charity, or other business. In the Meantime -To get started, log on to causeway.org and create a profile. Next, post your cause that can be launched in 48 hours. Please make sure to check the 48Hour Launch category when submitting your cause. Once your “cause” is approved, you can begin rallying support around your cause and gathering the resources and volunteers you’ll need during the 48Hour Launch weekend. -Createhere is hosting OPEN FRIDAYS. Come by on Fridays leading up to November 11th for feedback and idea development. How you win? The weekend ends with Demo Night on Sunday, November 13th at 6PM. We invite the community at large and a panel of judges, $5 at the door. The public vote and panel of judges will choose the idea that is most likely to get off the ground, as well as the potential to scale-up or replicate the idea. The social innovation project chosen by the crowd’s vote will be awarded a package of relevant business services and $2,500 seed funding will be chosen by a panel of judges. Please e-mail teal@chattanoogastand.com if you have any questions, or drop by on a Friday. We are looking forward to seeing you on November 3rd. 2011-10-25T03:15:48+00:00 http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/idea_blog/city_share_strong_neighborhoods/ http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/ idea_blog/city_share_strong_neighborhoods/#When:11:36:52Z City Share: Strong Neighborhoods featuring guest speaker: Kip Harkness Wednesday, October 26th at noon. City Share is a conversation-based speaker series focused on sharing creative solutions to community issues. City Share gives community members an opportunity to dialogue with individuals from around the country using web-based video projection. With over 20 years of experience in community engagement and redevelopment, Kip Harkness will share his knowledge and experience on mobilizing community action and stabilizing neighborhoods in crisis. His career journey has taken him from Timbuktu to San Jose’s neighborhoods. Along the way Kip has advised tomato farmers on the edge of the Sahara, lead the award winning Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, and project managed high-rise mixed-use development in Silicon Valley. Kip has facilitated countless public meetings, and listened individually to the perspective of thousands of community leaders and stakeholders. He has successfully implemented $300 M projects ranging from pocket parks to a residential high rise.  His greatest professional joy comes when he is listening deeply to others, and can create a compassionate space where they can connect to their motivating “spark”. His work is based on the belief that stronger neighborhoods are delivered through consistent, dependable actions, not just repetitive conversations about problems. Kip has been driven by the proposition that people should be involved in the decisions that affect their lives. Please join us for a conversation with Kip Harkness at noon this Wednesday, October 26th at Createhere. RSVP to or on Facebook and please pass this along to your neighborhood association. We would love to have representation from all neighborhoods. City Share is free and open to the public. Lunch will be provided.   2011-10-21T11:36:52+00:00 http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/idea_blog/recap_on_city_share_community_design_build/ http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/ idea_blog/recap_on_city_share_community_design_build/#When:23:38:02Z This past Wednesday, October 12th, Chattanooga Stand hosted Dan Harding for City Share: Community Design-Build. As both the founding partner and principal design director of Intrinsik Architecture in Bozeman, Montana, as well as the Director of the Community Research and Design Center and StudioSOUTH at Clemson University, Harding was able to speak about the dynamic roles that designers play today, as well as the importance of community-based collaboration in both the educational and the professional environment. Harding began by sharing projects his students have undertaken in Clemson and Greenville, SC, noting the similarities between Greenville and Chattanooga—Greenville owes its progress to its promotion of the arts, culture and its surrounding natural environment. The city’s focus on projects like Reedy River and Swamp Rabbit Trail systems create trails, bridges and pocket parks, providing places not only for recreation, but also establishing connections between neighborhoods and communities that were previously separated by physical boundaries. Harding referenced Nickeltown, a Greenville community, as a neighborhood formerly disconnected from the revitalized downtown due to a running creek. Once the city installed a walking bridge, Harding and his students recognized the new physical connection as an opportunity to engage the community in a design-build project that might allow the neighborhood to take ownership of the new space provided. Working through a series of design charrettes with the youth in the community led to the design and construction of an interactive structure and canopy, both playful and abstract in nature. As Harding put it, the building of the structure was a way of “facilitating activity,” providing a stage for interaction to take place and becoming a “fixture of collaboration.” Harding emphasized his work as “gray collar,” alluding to the need for collaboration at all levels to ensure the success of projects. He also referred to the brainstorming process as “hand-storming,” pushing the hands-on approach in the engagement and design process. The interaction with the community, client and collaborators is a large part of this hand-storming process, along with learning through building physical models and mock-ups, and gaining a complete understanding of the work from concept to construction, and even beyond. Harding also underscored the importance of working at several scales and understanding how the smaller projects connect to the “bigger picture.” Understanding the life span or life cycle of the project becomes just as important to sustainability as using “green” materials. Harding’s approach to sustainability accounts for culture, economy and the environment, with the understanding that projects also become sustainable by their use, function and role in society. It was encouraging to see the room filled with an audience from both design and non-design related fields, something that Dan pushes for in his classroom and his practice. Local architect and community engagement leader, Andy Smith, was kind enough to share his thoughts, many of which are expressed below: Any creative methodology has a make-or-break moment; an instant in decision-making where a choice is necessary:  do I choose to mimic what someone has done before or do I push beyond the ordinary and bring something extraordinary into being; find the essence of the thing and carry the essence forward in a new form. Modernism is a good example. Dan Harding cautioned against making predictable choices by observing that we seem to “only go in the spirit of before,” an uncommonly, lovely way to convey a difficult concept. Harding had several references to a condition all too common in urban outreach: the tendency of designers to impose upon those we serve our own centricities.  Harding acknowledged that we seem to be more concerned to “re-establish something we have lost” instead of an analysis of the place in real time and incorporating the current community goals. He used two terms to think about the alternative: projects which are “co-authored” where there is a “blurred authorship” provides enlightenment to those who serve encouraging us to listen and be still before we speak and act. Then when we do, make the words and actions reflect the user’s vision and not necessarily our own… …Finally, and perhaps most eloquently, Dan Harding summed up our mission to serve all those whom we have for the most part ignored for the past century. He called for our work to provide “a way for communities to collectively dream”; to have a “memory of dreaming”. And so we go now to find plausible ways to make dreams into reality.                                                                             At the conclusion of the talk, an excellent question about how architects and designers can engage in community work at professional level was posed. In a summation of several things said, Harding responded with encouragement to seek opportunity, or rather, to see the opportunities presented by every project taken. Again, understanding that engagement takes place at every level allows for increased collaboration and increased opportunities, and a focus on the process as much as the product enhances this needed collaboration.  While speaking about his work as being a “ground-up initiative,” the forever positive Harding also pointed out that, “momentum is momentum,” and much more can be accomplished by recognizing the opportunities that are presented by momentum and progress. City Share 2011-10-20T23:38:02+00:00 http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/idea_blog/planning_for_growth_livability_and_economic_success_in_the_chattanooga/ http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/ idea_blog/planning_for_growth_livability_and_economic_success_in_the_chattanooga/#When:15:29:59Z Successful Planning for a Growing Region: Regional Planning Expert Armando Carbonell to Speak in George T. Hunter Lecture Series November 1, 2011 • Roland Hayes Auditorium in the UTC Fine Arts Center • 7pm With the recent attraction and expansion of several large businesses coupled with an enviable quality of life, the question isn’t “Will the Chattanooga region grow?” the question is “How will the Chattanooga region grow?” As the Chairman of the Department of Planning and Urban Form at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Armando Carbonell has had extensive experience with communities across the nation planning to address the economic development, infrastructure and environmental challenges created by regional population growth and development. He can also speak to the negative impact on quality of life and economic stability that can occur when regions fail to plan. In addition to his position at the Lincoln Institute, Mr. Carbonell is a professor of planning at Harvard University and is the co-chair of America 2050, a national initiative focused on helping regions meet the infrastructure and transportation needs resulting from regional growth trends. He is the co-editor of the book, Regional Planning in America: Practice and Prospect, which was released in April of 2011. Armando Carbonell will speak at 7pm, November 1, 2011, in the Roland Hayes Auditorium located inside the Fine Arts Center on the UTC campus as a part of the George T. Hunter Lecture Series. Other speakers in the series: Robert Pinsky, Three-time U.S. Poet Laureate — Feb. 7 Michael Pollan, Writer and Local Food Advocate — April 19 For more information visit benwood.org ALL LECTURES ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC / ADMISSION IS FREE 2011-10-20T15:29:59+00:00 http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/idea_blog/revitalizing_our_cities_requires_dynamic_collaboration_from_non-traditional/ http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/ idea_blog/revitalizing_our_cities_requires_dynamic_collaboration_from_non-traditional/#When:14:05:29Z The Let Go & Lead series recently featured Carol Coletta for a discussion about ‘Cultivating Relationships, Networks and Communities.’  Carol is president of ArtPlace, “a collaboration of top national foundations, the National Endowment for the Arts and various federal agencies to accelerate creative placemaking across the U.S.” Highlights From the Conversation: On Leadership: Leadership is happening outside of the traditional hierarchical structure. Leaders must learn to function in a network and work along a diffuse path. On Community: To build a community, you need a strong sense of shared purpose. And that must be expressed in terms relevant to the people you want to engage. On Chaotic Alignment: As traditional boundaries among stakeholders disappear, a new, networked model of authority has emerged. Influence is the new currency. On Engaging the Younger Generations: The younger generations have grown up in a digitally connected community—which has shaped their value systems. They expect collaboration. They expect you to share. On Talent Management: “We define opportunity as a city that develops all of its talent, and puts all of its talent to work.” Dynamic Collaboration The most recent issue of the Stanford Social Review featured an article titled Revitalizing Struggling American Cities. The author by Ben Hecht is the president and CEO of Living Cities, “an innovative philanthropic collaborative that blends the collective financial resources of its members and deploys their collective knowledge and experience to improve the lives of low-income people and the cities where they live.” Several Principles That Guide the Work of Living Cities: Create a resilient civic infrastructure: Problems such as stunted economic growth are complex and require long-term solutions. Yet often cities’ responses are technical and short-term, focused, for example, on supporting a better after-school program in one school or renovating buildings on one block. We need to require key decision makers from government, philanthropy, the nonprofit sector, and the business community to come together formally to drive long-term, more adaptive change processes. Disrupt obsolete and fragmented approaches: Essential systems, such as education and transportation, were built decades ago and are based on now-outdated assumptions, such as the imperative of a nine-month school year to accommodate summer harvests. We need to give local leaders space to innovate and propose bold approaches that cut across traditional silos. We can’t “nonprofit” our way out of our problems—nor can we fix them solely through government grants or market forces. Engage private markets on behalf of low-income people: If we’ve learned anything in two decades, it is that engagement of private markets and capital is critical to sustainability and scale. We need to support solutions that combine grants with debt to attract private sector money and bring mainstream market goods and services, such as grocery stores and financial services, to underserved people. Establish a new normal: We must establish a new way to mainstream successful innovation. We need government and business, in particular, to commit permanently to driving public and private sector funding streams away from obsolete approaches and applying them to proven solutions. Placemaking 2011-10-19T14:05:29+00:00 http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/idea_blog/groundwork_to_launch_regional_growth_planning_process_reaches_milestone/ http://chattanoogastand.com/index.php/ idea_blog/groundwork_to_launch_regional_growth_planning_process_reaches_milestone/#When:10:02:20Z The following consists of excerpts from a press release by the Chattanooga Regional Growth Planning Group dated October 14, 2011. To read it in its entirety, click here.     A stakeholder group consisting of elected, business, and philanthropic leaders from the tri-state region of southeast TN, northwest GA and northeast Alabama which encompasses three metropolitan statistical areas has announced a major milestone in the effort to lay the groundwork to launch a 40-year regional growth planning process. Efforts to identify a team of expert firms to help organize and facilitate the effort have progressed through a request for qualifications, a request for proposals, and reference checks to narrow the field of contenders to three finalist teams.     All of the finalist teams include local firms, and the companies that comprise the teams reflect the depth and breadth of experience necessary to complete a truly comprehensive regional planning process including expertise in community engagement, many different types of planning, financial analysis, data collection, and the establishment of community metrics.     According to Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger, the effort is designed to pioneer a new kind of long-term, region-wide planning. “Our goal is to create a kind of business plan for the region,” said Mayor Coppinger. “In addition to incorporating traditional planning topics, the process will include financial analysis. We also aim to establish a set of numeric benchmarks, so we will be able to assess results as we implement the plan and make course corrections whenever necessary.”     “This is a continuation of the public visioning and community engagement processes that have been transforming Chattanooga and the surrounding region since the early 1980s,” said Chattanooga City Mayor Ron Littlefield. “Our community pioneered this approach, and we know that the key to success is making sure everyone has the opportunity to express their values, priorities, and ideas. This effort depends on empowering citizens to identify common ground solutions that inspire enthusiastic and wide-spread cooperation.”     Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis confirmed that the time is right to broaden planning efforts to promote cooperation in the greater region. “Cities and counties across the area have benefited tremendously from localized planning efforts, but job seekers, dollars and traffic cross state and county lines without a second thought,” said Mayor Davis. “This is an opportunity to coordinate so that we can make the most of our shared opportunities and work together to solve our shared challenges.”     Commissioner Mike Babb, chairman of the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners, pointed to the importance of engaging citizens to set priorities. “Through this process people will have an opportunity to express their thoughts about the issues we face as a community,” said Commissioner Babb. “That feedback will serve as a guide to local leaders as we strive to better steward financial and other community resources in accordance with the priorities of the people we serve.”      “In my mind, the regional planning process is about job creation,” said Tom Edd Wilson, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. “We’re competing against the whole world to retain and recruit employers. Coming together as a team on economic development will give us a tremendous advantage in making the most of our economic opportunities while preserving the quality of life that makes us so attractive to the companies we already have.”     Following the public meeting on Nov. 17, the stakeholder group which has been working to launch the regional growth planning process will weigh public feedback and other requirements set forth in the selection process to determine which of the finalist teams will coordinate the effort with the aim of starting the process during the first part of 2012. Counties included in the footprint for the planning process? *Alabama Counties: Dekalb and Jackson *Georgia Counties: Catoosa, Dade, Murray, Walker, Whitfield (anchored by City of Dalton) *Tennessee Counties: Bledsoe, Bradley (anchored by City of Cleveland), Hamilton (anchored by City of Chattanooga), Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea and Sequatchie What is the value of this process to local governments? *By giving local governments the ability to cooperatively plan and coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions, the process will help elected officials focus on the greatest impact for the most people with the least expenditure, while reducing duplication of efforts. *To play a lead role in starting an economic legacy of job creation founded in regional cooperation to ensure continued prosperity for our citizens, our children, and our grandchildren. *By giving citizens an opportunity to express their values, priorities, and ideas, the planning process will provide local governments with the ability to better steward financial resources in accordance with the priorities of their constituents. *The process will also serve to inform residents of the challenges their home communities share with those across the region and to engage them in developing solutions with broad support. What is the value of this process to local citizens? *A process for effectively managing the accelerated growth the region is already experiencing through unprecedented investments by a number of industries. *A seat at the table in planning how the region can become more prosperous and generate additional economic opportunities for ourselves and our children. *A forum for better understanding the “big picture” of the region and expressing their ideas, values, and priorities. *The opportunity to join with others in preserving and enhancing what makes our communities special. CreateHere is a part of the stakeholder group that has come together to fund and launch the regional growth planning process, which also consists of strong representation from local government, business, and philanthropy. 2011-10-19T10:02:20+00:00