MCC Adams Grant Task Force

Economic Development Council

Meeting: September 8, 2006, 9:30 am

Fine Arts Work Center

Present: Acting Assistant Town Manager/Grant Administrator Michelle Jarusiewicz, Steve Melamed/EDC, Alix Ritchie/EDC, Ellen Burbank/PMPM, Candice Collins-Boden/Chamber, Hersh Schwartz/VSB, Bill Schneider/Administrative Director of Tourism, Judy Cicero/Chamber, Paul DeRuyter, Chris McCarthy/PAAM, Hunter O’Hanian/FAWC/EDC, Astrid Berg/EDC, Lisa Bowden/Cultural ED Coordinator, Kathryn Rafter/Facilitator

Meeting Purpose: Re-build the foundation and gain alignment around goals & the collective potential for Cultural Economic Development

Task Force Objective:

Develop a strategy to use our cultural assets to stimulate economic activity that is…

¶ Year-round

¶ Sustainable

¶ Measurable and recognizable

Acting Assistant Town Manager/Grant Administrator Michelle Jarusiewicz opened the meeting by distributing the original ground rules as adopted by the MCCATF on June 1, 2005 and a brief discussion about the 8/23/06 MCCTF meeting regarding what is going well and what needs improvement. She introduced Facilitator Kathryn Rafter.

Ms. Rafter indicated that it is a normal process for groups to go through such periods of flux. That after formation a group may go through a rising high energy, high focus, and very productive period, but that overtime it is hard to sustain unless you can maintain commitment. We are at a point that requires us to reset our purpose and our commitment. Ms. Rafter stated the group is above the standard for a volunteer organization!

Discussion about ground rules and what we need to do more of and less of.

Ground rules:

No sidebars

Don’t beat a dead horse

Lack of clarity – where are we? Where are we going?

Need to stick with the mission

Personal agendas

Need greater commitment

Need more honesty

Process – as an adjunct of the EDC, not productive due to structure

Time – MCCTF held after EDC meetings – meeting time too long for EDC members

Place – rotate location with partners

Behaviors:

Honesty with no repercussions

Get to the point and don’t rehash

Personal agendas

Listen to understand – no monopolizing

o Help me understand your point of view?

o What are our clear intentions?

o What do you need from us?

The group broke into 3 sub-groups to identify key issues and recommendations in 3 areas:

Meeting Focus & Structure:

Key issues:

· Who is in charge of the meeting?

· Staying focused?

Recommendations:

· Schedule the MCCTF separate from the EDC and sometimes separate space, could rotate amongst Adams grant partners

· Accountability for projects, assignments, deliverables, timeframe, designated champion

· Designate the facilitator of the meeting – could rotate

Ownership & Process:

Key issues:

· Political evolution of process has undermined MCCTF’s independent energy and creativity

· Unwelcome environment for attracting shareholders

Recommendations:

· Re-establish the MCCTF independent from the EDC & BOS [understand reporting through EDC, requires formal votes of EDC]

· Re-establish confidence [courage of our convictions]

· Clarify the dynamic between the EDC and the MCCTF

· Diagram the structure and approval flow for recommendations

· How to coordinate & collaborate with VSB to leverage collective resources

Personal Dynamics: Honesty, Respect, Efficiency:

Key issues:

· Develop climate of honesty and respect

· Respect people’s time; stick to the agenda

· ID clear objective leader of group to move agenda and control behavior

Recommendations:

· Don’t be afraid to bring forth ideas or question a statement

· Respect others point of view

· Create language to signal respect “Thank you.”

· Edit what you say, too much thinking out loud

· Leader might not have to be a member of EDC or have authority

MEETINGS: Next MCC task force meeting scheduled for 9/15/06 at 11:00 am to continue this discussion on organization.

Sept. 11 [Monday], 10:00 am --  Streetscape Subcommittee --  Meeting Room A at town hall 

Sept. 15 [Friday], 10:00 am - Packaging Subcommittee -- place to be determined

Sept. 15 [Friday], 11:00 am - MCCTF organization & structure meeting-- place to be determined

Sept. 19 [Tuesday], 11:00 am - Survey Subcommittee meeting-- place to be determined

Sept. 27 [Wednesday], 1:00 pm note time change - MCCTF meeting -- place to be determined -- [agenda to include: Survey presentation, next grant application, packaging, streetscape]

Adjourned 1:00 pm

MCC Adams grant activities funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council Adams grant.