The following is the text of the Chattanooga Venture proposal to the Lyndhurst Foundation from May 2, 1984, produced by scanning the original and digitally extracting the text. It has been minimally edited to fix misread characters and text flow. Underline is not supported in this medium so the few items that were underlined in the original are in boldface. Indentations are not supported either so there is superficially difference in layout.
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CHATTANOOGA VENTURE
May 2, 1984
Mr. Deaderick C. Montague, Executive Director
Lyndhurst Foundation
701 Tallan Building
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402
Dear Mr. Montague:
The enclosed proposal describes a new citizen participation organization and a community-wide strategic planning process for Chattanooga.
This plan is the product of weeks of work b y dozens of area individuals who have studied efforts in many other cities. the proposed organization and strategic planning process will involve literally hundreds o f citizens in addressing the basic problems and possibilities of Chattanooga. We sincerely believe that this expanded public involvement will make a difference.
Chattanooga Venture is in the process of organizing as a charitable non-profit corporation. Our corporate papers and request for tax-exempt status will be filed by May 22, 1984.
Your financial support will enable us to employ a full time staff and move ahead with implementation. We hope for a favorable decision by the Lyndhurst Board.
Thank you for your consideration.
Cordially,
Mai Bell Hurley
Chairwoman
MBH/smp
MAYOR'S OFFICE CITY HALL CHATTANOOGA. TENNESSEE 37402
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The Indianapolis Connection
For many years, Chattanooga has wandered in the wilderness—seeking a way to come to terms with the problems of the present and the opportunities of the future. In September of 1983, 47 citizens participated in a tour of the City of Indianapolis which was organized by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. Indianapolis was selected because it was a city which had successfully faced many of the same negative forces seeming to grip Chattanooga.
A common thread running through the many success stories in Indianapolis was a 350 member organization known as the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee. Made up of a cross section of community leadership and tied directly to the Mayor, this organization was credited with playing a catalytic role in practically all of the projects and programs which resulted in the transformation of Indiana- polis during the past decade.
Returning to Chattanooga, the group recruited many more citizens and proceeded to systematically study the successes—and shortcomings—of similar projects in San Francisco, San Antonio, Charlotte, Tucson, Dallas and a dozen other cities. The "Indy 47" became the 80 member "Steering Committee"--designated by the Mayor and County Executive to fashion a new organization, something uniquely ours which could do for us what their organizations had done for them. After weeks of further debate, design, restructuring and refinement, the result is Chattanooga Venture.
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PROPOSAL FOR A CONSENSUS BUILDING/STRATEGIC PLANNING PROGRAM FOR GREATER CHATTANOOGA
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Above all else, it should be noted that the following concepts, ideas, and proposals did not spring fully developed from the mind of any single individual, nor do they reflect the collective wisdom and brief labor of any small group o f people. These suggestions are, instead, a product of the very process they describe: the results of a carefully and methodically followed consensus building program involving dozens of individuals and many weeks of effort.
Secondly, the following program does not pretend to be a simple, quick-fix for the ills of the Chattanooga area. Community problems are complex by their very nature—involving both controllable and uncontrollable variables. Most importantly, the resolution of community problems involves people with all of the difficulties inherent in dealing with human personalities, egos, and differing points of view. Accordingly (and without apology), the prescription is equally complex—involving new organizational structures, new commitments, and new risks.
CHATTANOOGA VENTURE:
The heart of this proposal is Chattanooga Venture, a non-profit membership organization with a goal to involve 2,000 area citizens in an orderly process of wrestling with the problems and opportunities of the community.
Purpose:
Chattanooga Venture is a broad-based organization designed to link the region's distinct constituencies (neighborhood, business, Labor, government, civic, ethnic, rural, urban) in a community-wide decision-making process to test, analyze, and recommend policy which will lead to substantive public and private action.
Need:
Older industrial cities like Chattanooga, in this time of national economic change, have been left with inadequate infrastructures, eroding tax bases, and declining opportunities. To the degree that such cities developed a dependency on the Federal Government for financial support, they are now experiencing a reduction there as well. As resources decline, competition for the reduced share of the economic pie increases. This can produce a sense of alienation or hopelessness, frustration, a fragmentation and group defensiveness in public life and a lack of confidence in the future.
Plan of Action:
Such a time calls for partnerships and (more importantly) strong, united public and private leadership. Such a time calls for confidence and assurance born of broad experience enabling leadership to involve more people in the process and to make positive choices based o n solid community participation.
Chattanooga is a region rich in human and natural resources. If the exchange of ideas and perspectives among different local groups can be achieved, and if a sense of common destiny can evolve, we (as a community) will be able to marshal our resources wisely, establish community priorities, set a higher standard, and build the broad-based cooperative efforts necessary to implement our plans. Further, Chattanooga will be able to create even more opportunities for leadership and bring new ideas, personalities, and energies to bear upon our current problems and common destiny—improving our ability to meet the challenges of the future.
Difference in Venture and PEP:
The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce is presently organizing an economic development program called Partners for Economic Progress. The relationship between this new organization and Chattanooga Venture is complementary.
Partners for Economic Progress is the marketing effort designed to sell Chattanooga a s a product. The role of Chattanooga Venture is "product development" and "quality control" to build a city in which people will want to live, work, play, invest, rear their children, and retire.
Agenda for Venture:
VISION 2000:
Definition: Vision 2000 is a strategic planning program which is intended to b e the first effort by the Chattanooga Venture organization.
Goal: It is the goal of Vision 2000 to identify specific issues and policy alternatives and recommend choices for the future which will move Chattanooga in the direction its citizens want to go; to inform and educate citizens regarding alternatives; to inspire confidence; and to provide a vehicle for community leadership and direction.
Means to Achieve the Goal: (1) Chattanooga Venture will challenge the community by proposing an agenda of general issues for consideration and analysis. This "challenge agenda" will invite response and comment from the membership of Chattanooga Venture and from the public at large. The suggested "challenge agenda" should include the following issues:
1. PEOPLE—Human Resource (Living and Learning)
2. PLACES—Our Environment (Preserving and Developing)
3. WORK—The Economy (Growing and Changing)
4. PLAY—Leisure/Recreation/Arts (Enjoying and Doing)
5. GOVERNMENT—Public Resources (Leading and Serving)
(2) The Vision 2000 strategic planning process depends upon a series of well-organized task forces to refine the issues and to struggle with the questions presented by alternative futures.
Basically, Vision 2000 task forces will attempt to identify those few factors which are truly important in determining the future of Chattanooga. In so doing, the task forces will attempt to character- ize the present state of the city and define the major choices that confront Chattanooga. Further, Vision 2000 will deal with the implications of selecting one o r another policy option—determining who will benefit and who will be harmed—and establishing what sort of resources will be required t o pursue each strategy.
Who is Involved? The organizational structure of Chattanooga Venture has been designed to permit layers of citizens involvement which permit the analysis of issues ranging from the very general to the very specific. Issues and policy recommendations will be refined and strengthened as they flow from the grass-roots task force level and proceed through the differing points-of-view offered b y other committees and boards. The structure of Chattanooga Venture is illustrated in this proposal. A more thorough explanation of the basic elements will follow.
Time: The Vision 2000 process is intended to be completed in six months.
Result: The creation of a "commitment portfolio".
COMMITMENT PORTFOLIO:
Like all good investment portfolios, the Commitment Portfolio will be diversified. It will include both social and economic opportunities and will address the differing needs of Chattanoogans. The Commitment Portfolio will deal with issues as "large" as public education and as "small" as the construction of a sidewalk.
The Commitment Portfolio will include opportunities with varying time- frames—some may be accomplished through communication and cooperation, while others may require changes in the way the government does business. Still other Portfolio items might represent true entrepreneurial opportunities. The Portfolio will be designed as an open-ended development process. An opportunity will be left for the "investor" to be creative as well.
In general, the Commitment Portfolio will represent a rich variety of opportunities to improve the quality of life in Chattanooga.
IMPLEMENTATION:
Chattanooga Venture is intended to be a continuing organization which provides the long-range opportunity to add to the work begun in the Vision 2000 process and to act as the trustee for the Commitment Portfolio. After. the initial six months of significant work in Vision 2000, the next phase will involve marketing the elements contained in the Portfolio to the people both inside and outside of the community who can turn the suggestions into reality. Evaluation and update of recommendations will be a major part of the organization's work-not just an afterthought.
DIPLOMACY:
In the life of any community, there are times when the goals of one group of its citizens seem in conflict with the goals of others. Such situations are more apparent in times of economic stress. Zoning matters in general and the naming of M. L. King Boulevard, to be specific, are examples of such issues. A major role for Chattanooga Venture will be to create an opportunity to manage such crises based on a referral from the leadership of the community or on the suggestions of Venture members. Through training and professional consultation, diplomatic task forces created around a single issue will provide all parties in a disagreement an opportunity to be heard and understood.
THE STRUCTURE OF CHATTANOOGA VENTURE
Chattanooga Venture is designed to provide a new framework for community participation and leadership... a new conduit for the energies of those who remain hopeful for a better future.
Coordinating Council
Composition: The Coordinating Council will consist of the Mayor of Chattanooga, the County Executive of Hamilton County, three corporate executives who are heads of complex, large and successful corporations headquartered in Chattanooga, the President of Partners for Economic Progress and the Chairman of Chattanooga Venture.
Duties: The Coordinating Council will provide both the symbol and the reality of linking all the varied Chattanooga constituencies to the public and private sources of power which can make things happen in Chattanooga. It will initiate Chattanooga Venture by naming its original board and announcing the Vision 2000 Project. It will coordinate the efforts of P.E.P. and Venture and legitimize the consensus building/strategic planning process.
Venture Board
Composition: The Venture Board will include at least 45 citizens who will be chosen as representatives of the eight constituencies of Venture (Neighborhood, business, labor, government, civic, ethnic, rural, urban). Ideally each member will have a broad background of community participation and will be open t o the points-of-view of others. The Board will be a policy-making body created by the Coordinating Council and responsible to the community at large for its continuation. Board membership should include a willingness to participate on task forces and other Venture committees. The ideal Board member will be one with a wide range of interests and experience or one who so uniquely characterizes what could be called an "under represented constituency" that his/her voice should be heard in community deliberations.
Duties: The primary duties of the board will be to set policy for Venture, to launch and manage Vision 2000, to receive and recommend the Commitment Portfolio to the community and the Coordinating council, to be responsible for the long term future of Venture and the implementation of the Portfolio.
Venture Committees
Composition: Initially there shall be at least five working committees in addition to the three standing committees and the task forces. These committees will be made up of experts in their fields who can serve as an extension of the staff of Venture to provide direction for the essential elements in Venture's early success. Membership on these committees should be made up of both board and non-board Venture Members.
Structures and Duties
The Professional Staff Committee should include professionals in the fields covered by the challenge agenda. It will receive the community's responses to the challenge agenda and recommend the creation of appropriate task forces to deal with selected issues in the Vision 2000 strategic planning project. This committee will advise the Board in setting Vision 2000 on its proper course. It will also be the initial group to prepare, review and edit the reports of the task forces as recommendations are considered for Board approval.
The Future Alternatives Committee will include the most creative people that can be attracted to it—either from the board or from the community. The work of this committee will be to fashion the dreams for the future of Chattanooga, within a context of reality. The committee will study available data, establish trend lines to illustrate the range of possibility, to develop a best case/worst case scenario and test these projections against the dreams of the citizens at large.
The Diplomacy Committee will be made up of both board and non-board members who will be trained and available to provide a forum for settling critical issues that have the potential for crisis or controversy in the community. This may be accomplished at two different levels either (1) as a standing body which is trained to handle delicate matters itself or (2) as the creator, with board approval, of single issue oriented task forces for questions which require longer term solutions.
The Membership Committee (both board and non-board in make up) will be responsible for attracting the largest number of Venture Members possible making sure those who wish to serve are constructively involved in the process.
The Public Relations Committee should be made up of the best experts in the field to make certain the Venture message is heard, understood and responded to by the largest and most characteristic number of citizens possible.
The Standing Committees: Executive, Finance and Nominating, will carry on the usual and necessary "housekeeping" functions to maintain the organizational structure and integrity of Chattanooga Venture.
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VERY TENTATIVE
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 16 Invite Board
May 23 Announce Chattanooga Venture
Release CV Brochure
June 6 Announce Plans for Vision 2000
June 20 T.V. Call-In Show
Newspaper Questionnaire
July 11 Open "Storefront"
Release Vision 2000 Poster
First Edition--Newsletter
July-December 84 V-2000 Task Forces
December-January 85 V-2000 Report Prepared
February-March Report to Board
Commitment Portfolio
January 85 Post Metro Issues
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THE COORDINATING COUNCIL
To be effective, Partners for Economic Progress and Chattanooga Venture, two new organizations created to promote economic development and to achieve community consensus in decision making, must be linked to a source of authority within the public and private sectors.
This can best be accomplished through an informal organization made up of the Mayor of Chattanooga, the County Executive of Hamilton County, three outstanding leaders from the corporate community, the Chairman of Chattanooga Venture and the President of Partners for Economic Progress.
The organization is to be called the Coordinating Council. Its role is to give legitimacy to the process of community self determination, to review issues of strategic importance to the community, to evaluate and criticize current initiatives and to recommend courses of action aimed at achieving desired objectives.
The Coordinating Council will have no chairman but can be called together by any member whenever a special need arises.
Since PEP and Venture have both immediate and long term goals, so too will the Coordinating Council. As Chattanooga Venture develops Vision 2000 (a strategic plan) and the Commitment Portfolio (a specific agenda for action which will grow out of it) it is proposed that the Coordinating Council will receive and react to these recommendations, lending its influence to the accomplishment of its goals. Should short challenges present themselves (the naming of MLK Boulevard, the difference over Bonny Oaks, etc.) the Coordinating Council can recommend to Chattanooga Venture that a special task force be created to help reach a community-based solution.
Members of the Coordinating Council from private enterprise will be appointed (or reappointed) by joint action of the Mayor and County Executive.
It is anticipated that the three organizations (two formal, the other informal) will have a dynamic relationship. The Coordinating Council wil be manageable responsibility one that can be accommodated to a busy schedule. It will provide a linkage without which the other two cannot be truly successful.
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CHATTANOOGA VENTURE
"VISION 2000"
A Coordinating Council Challenge
To Chattanooga Venture
Considering the basic elements of our community's structure,
A. Identify those few factors which are truly of strategic importance in determining the future of Chattanooga.
B. Establish a standard of excellence.
C. Chart a new course, recommending appropriate changes to energize the Chattanooga Community… turning talk into action.
The suggested agenda should include:
1. PEOPLE—Human Resources (Living and Learning)
2. PLACES—Our Environment (Preserving and Developing)
3. WORK—The Economy (Growing and Changing)
4. PLAY—Leisure/Recreation/Arts (Enjoying and Doing)
5. GOVERNMENT—Public Resources (Leading and Serving)