An Open Invitation from the
Sears island Planning Initiative Steering Committee
You are invited to attend and participate in an all-day public planning session on the future of Sears Island. This planning session will be held Saturday, June 24, 2006 at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast. The session begins at 9 a.m. (see schedule below).
What’s at Stake?
Given its unique midcoast location at the head of Penobscot Bay, Sears Island has been the subject of discussion for more than 30 years. Many options for uses of Sears Island have been proposed during those years. New ideas have emerged more recently, through the work of the Sears Island Alternative Uses Committee and other interests, and are now being debated and developed.
Governor John Baldacci has recently formed the Sears Island Planning Initiative. The Steering Committee, representing a variety of interests, is charged with developing a set of recommendations for use of the island. These recommendations will be forwarded to the Governor, the Legislature and the Town of Searsport for consideration and implementation. Developing consensus is the goal, and we need your input. THE STEERING COMMITTEE WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Here’s the Schedule for the Day:
9:00 Welcome, Introductions, Description of the Open Space Process
9:30 Participants Define Agenda Topics, Schedule Breakout Sessions
10:00-11:30 Breakout Session I
11:30-12:30 LUNCH
12:30-2:00 Breakout Session II
2:00-3:30 Breakout Session III
3:30-4:00 Full Group Convenes—Large Circle
4:00-6:00 Break for dinner, walk, rest
6:00-7:30 Discussion of major themes, Multi-Voting, Wrap Up
We will provide lunch, for which we ask a $5 contribution. Dinner is on your own.
Registration
You must register for the event.
Please call Francesca Romanoski at 287-5266 or email her at Francesca.Romanoski@maine.gov to register.
Deadline for registration is Thursday, June 22.
Cost? There is no cost to attend the planning session.
Full Participation
It is very important that participants make a commitment to attend the full day. Please plan to come on time and stay the entire time. It will be difficult for latecomers to figure out what is going on!
This event is not about listening to presentations by the “experts.” It is an opportunity to roll up your sleeves and do some creative thinking, problem-solving, visioning, and priority-setting with others from around the state. The goal for the day is to generate ideas and themes which give guidance to the Steering Committee, at an early stage of its deliberations, as it debates future land uses for Sears Island
The design of the meeting is simple. For those of you familiar with the technique, we’ll use an “open space” design. With the help of facilitators, participants will identify the topics you want to discuss and break into small groups to discuss them. At the end of the day, we’ll gather as a large group to update all on what’s happened and plan we’re we’ll go next.
About Open Space Technology
Open space technology is, at the very best, a new way to hold better meetings. The key is that groups self-organize to deal effectively with hugely complex issues in a very short time.
There are no speeches, formal presentations, or panel discussions. Instead, using a simple process, participants create their own agenda, convene their own sessions, and generate their own proceedings.
A facilitator frames the challenge to the group. Individuals who care passionately about an issue and who are willing to provide some leadership around it, are invited to post their topic, assign it a time and place, and then convene the group. Participants choose freely how they will spend their time.
Participants are responsible for their own schedules, for exchanging ideas, and for creating whatever outcomes each small group may produce. There is no other agenda.
Four principles of open space planning
1. Whoever comes are the right people
2. Whatever happens is all that could have
3. Whenever it starts is the right time
4. When it’s over, it’s over!
For more information on the Open Space meeting scheduled for June 24, call Jonathan Reitman at (207) 729-1900 or email him at jreitman@goslinereitman.com.
For Background information on the Sears Island Planning Initiative, including names of Steering Committee members and meeting summaries, go to http://www.maine.gov/doc, and click on “Sears Island Initiative.”
