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VisionWorks' Breakthrough Solutions
Community and Regional Success Stories
Why Was Van Buren So Successful?
Van Buren participated in the VISION 2010 Program, in which citizens
formed a broad-based steering committee, sent a leadership team of 5
individuals to six 2-½ day seminars, and developed an action plan
for the future of the community. Van Buren completed 13 of its top
15 priorities, plus two other major projects, with the total value
of its projects exceeding $48 million. The projects included a
riverfront park, a sales tax for public safety, recreation
facilities, main street improvements, highway improvements, public
landscaping, lake clean-up, a school football facility, an
intermodal port facility, a continuing education center, a
convention and performing arts center, and a community leadership
program.
"I never realized the impact of these projects would be so great,"
states Berni Kurz, Crawford County Extension Agent – Staff Chair.
"We began to track the value of the projects completed in the last 5
years, and it really impressed me."
Marjorie Armstrong served as Executive Director of the Van Buren
Chamber of Commerce during the time that Van Buren participated in
the VISION 2010 Program. Here is how she answers the question "Why
Was Van Buren So Successful?"
"We had a group of people who had been meeting for several months
and were looking for someone who could lead a visioning process.
VISION 2010 just came along at the right time. When I saw
information about VISION 2010, I said ‘this is it — this is what we
need,’ and they were unanimous in their agreement with VISION 2010.
You have to have an organization that is willing to provide ongoing
staff for something like this. The fact that the chamber took it on
and made it part of my job responsibility gave it continuity. Most
of the time volunteer efforts cannot provide the kind of shepherding
that is needed. The key stakeholders of the community never really
participated in the visioning. But they were on the chamber board,
so they gave their permission, and they were kept informed.
The other leaders saw the VISION 2010 Program as a way to move the
community forward. It required commitment, time, energy, and
resources, and many communities are not willing to do it.
Cathy Gifford did a wonderful job of getting media coverage. Cathy
was critical, because they respect her, and they know exactly where
is she is coming from. She is unselfish, and she is wired into the
stakeholders. Her father was the editor of the newspaper.
We had over 100 on our mailing list. We made presentations to close
to one thousand people. We could go to the mayor and city council
and tell them what the people wanted, and this led to sales taxes
being passed.
The seminars were valuable. You continued to give us the
framework to go forward and the training we needed to lead the
process. Left to our own devices, it might have folded after a
few months. It is difficult to sustain a high level of
interest over time, without bringing something new to the
process. That’s what you did for us."
Key Factors:
- Very effective leaders on the leadership team who:
- were well respected in the community,
- did not have private agendas,
- had a can-do attitude and got things done, and
- had high trust levels with elected officials and other community
leaders.
- Marjorie Armstrong played a key role in keeping the momentum going
and providing staff support.
- Their community involvement was excellent, and it built
enthusiasm, momentum, and credibility.
- The priorities set by the community reflected the true priorities
of the community, so there was an impetus to tackle these projects.
This was reflected in the tax issues that were passed.
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