Organizers Launch Envision’s Second Phase

Orientation Session on Saturday Morning, Jan. 27

Cumming, Ga.(Jan. 17, 2007) – The second phase of Envision 2030, the citizen-led community planning initiative, begins Saturday, Jan. 27, with an orientation session for citizens who would like to join one of its planning groups, Envision organizers announced today.

“In the next phase, the vision statement that was written and revised at the end of the first phase will be given to four planning groups, along with all of the 3,000 ideas and images that were recorded in the 15 vision meetings this fall,” Envision Co-chair Brett Berto said. “The groups’ job will be to use the vision statement and the ideas to create a list of projects that we’ll have to undertake if we are going to create the community the citizens have asked for.”

The result, Berto said, will be “a long-term community to-do list” – a 25-year agenda for Cumming-Forsyth County.

The two-hour orientation session begins at 9:30 a.m., at Cumming Elementary School, 540 Dahlonega Street, in Cumming. The first group work sessions begin Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m., at Otwell Middle School, 605 Tribble Gap Road, also in Cumming. There will be four work sessions in February and March. The list of meetings, dates and locations are on the Envision web site,www.envision2030.com.

All meetings are open to citizens of Cumming-Forsyth County, and anyone may join any of the four planning groups. Reports of each planning group’s work will be filed on the Envision web site for public review and comment.

“Last fall we urged citizens to come and tell us their dreams for Cumming-Forsyth County,” Berto said. “Now we’re urging them to come and help us figure out how to make the dreams come true.”

The planning groups will be assigned two or three elements of the vision statement, which is called the Common Vision. Working with co-chairs and a facilitator, the groups will do research, review citizen ideas, brainstorm and come to consensus on a set of projects to advance those major objectives, Envision Co-chair Carter Barrett said.

“Just as we needed citizens to participate last fall, we need them again now,” Barrett said. “You don’t have to be an expert to join one of the groups. You just have to care about our community’s future. Your participation will be welcome.” Citizens can decide at orientation which group interests them the most, he added.