Thank you for sending a reporter to our recent Town Hall event. We would like to add some clarity that would give your readers a more detailed picture of the purpose of Bend 2030 and of the highlights of the evening event.
The Bend 2030 Board is designed to be a public/private partnership that will foster support for and oversee implementation of the Bend 2030 Action Plans. Bend 2030 is a legal 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. We work with the City of Bend, a Lead Partner, but Bend 2030 is independent from the City of Bend.
The Bend 2030 visioning effort originated when community leaders became increasingly concerned that the desirable qualities attracting an influx of new residents to the area would be significantly compromised without a timely and thoughtful response to the rapid growth. The visioning process, which began in July 2005, included input from nearly 6,000 Bend residents over a 10 month period during the first phase.
A five-year Action Plan or roadmap was created to translate the vision into action. The result was 270 activities, with commitments from over 60 Lead Partner organizations. It was a very inclusive process with over 10,000 citizens and community leaders providing input and it continues to be inclusive today to serve our community’s needs.
The Bend 2030 Town Hall event was an opportunity for citizens to learn more about what was happening in their community by meeting with Lead Partners, who are the key stakeholders and heads of agencies and organizations or programs implementing each of the Action Plan items.
Several Lead Partners were featured that evening including the Deschutes County Commission on Children and Families, Deschutes National Forest, Commute Options, Deschutes Land Trust, COCC, City of Bend Community Planning, City of Bend Economic Development, Citizens for Bend Area Transit, Housing Works, and Bend Neighborhood Associations (South Century Bend, Southwest Bend, and Southeast Bend).
The first part of the Town Hall Event program was very interactive and designed to promote one-on-one conversations and open dialogue. The second part of the program had some outstanding speakers describing why and how Bend 2030 is a good thing for Bend’s future and for its economy. Eric King, City Manager, Doug LaPlaca of Visit Bend, and Brad Bailey of Bend Garbage and Recycling all gave great examples of how Bend 2030 has made a difference to how the City of Bend is managed, how businesses and visitors are attracted to Bend, and how a business can be positively changed by the creative thoughts offered by the community.
Successful collaboration boosts the bottom line by breaking down barriers, building trust to spark new ideas and innovation that help build a stronger more vibrant economy in times of need. Thank you for the view of the community that you present in the Source.
Sincerely,
Robin Gyorgyfalvy
Chairman, Bend 2030
This article appears in Nov 27 – Dec 3, 2008.
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Correct me if I’m wrong, but behind all the planning jargon, doesn’t the fact remain that the Bend 2030 process has already cost over a million dollars?
Even after reading and re-reading the Bend 2030 chairman’s description above, I still don’t understand what’s been accomplished with the money spent so far, or why it’s cost so much. It all seems very process-oriented rather than results-oriented.
Since this “visioning” process began in 2005, during that exact period is when the botched Juniper Ridge development was being planned, when the botched BAT public transit was being carried out and when the botched UGB expansion was going on. Where were the Bend 2030 people this whole time? I don’t remember them helping out on any of those issues. Aren’t these issues key to where we want to be in 20 years?
Sounds like a main accomplishment is that town hall meetings have been held and input has been solicited locally to exchange ideas on long-term planning. Again, correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it overkill to set up a separate “Bend 2030” hierarchy funded in part by public funds and run by nonelected people to discuss long-term planning, when the elected City Council is already supposed to be doing long-term planning as part of its job (and is already holding public meetings without needing to spend an extra $1 million)?
Haven’t town hall meetings been held since colonial days in America without the need to dress it up with “Office Space”-style management jargon? Consider me one of those who doesn’t really see the value added by Bend 2030, other than that it appears to be run by people who are good writers.
Correction #1: The Bend 2030 process did not cost over a million dollars. From 2005-2006, $340,000 was spent on Phases I and II of the Community Vision and Action Plan. In 2007, a non-profit board was formed with funding support from its volunteer board members and several Lead Partners. Bend 2030 represents the community and supports the Lead Partners who are accomplishing the Action Plan items so that is how Bend 2030 was involved in all of the issues you mention.
Correction #2: It isn’t overkill for the community to have a voice on public issues especially when the issues are connected to the Action Plan items for the community’s vision for the future.
Correction #3: Our event was really not a “town hall meeting.” It was a community forum plain and simple with an opportunity to experience for yourself the value added by having a community vision as well as an Action Plan. You can see the Action Plan if you go to http://www.bend2030.org.