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Resources and Topics Mentioned in this Discussion
Ice Would Be Nice But What About the Common Good? by Jamie Sabbach
Places and Non-Places (a "must read" article according to Norm) by Andrew Price
Growth or Stability by Chuck Marohn
Why Redundancy is Better Than Efficiency by Rachel Quednau
For City Planners, Community Consensus Shouldn't be the Standard Upzoned Podcast
Trading Stability for Fragility by Chuck Marohn
Efficiency by Chuck Marohn
The Tragic Downside of Efficiency by Chuck Marohn
What Makes a Park Great (or why greenspace is different from a park) by Andrew Price
Public Space Done Right by Jason Schaefer
In Defense of Public Spaces by Steve MacDouell
Why George Monbiot is fighting to build a 'politics of belonging' to better our world by CBC Ideas
About our Presenter, Jamie Sabbach
Jamie is a Strong Towns member and the president and principal of 110%. She founded 110% in 2010 with the intention of helping park and recreation organizations be more responsible, strategic and bold amid dynamic social, environmental and economic change.
She's worked in Champaign, IL, Bloomington, IN, and Boulder, CO and teaches as an adjunct faculty member at numerous institutions.
Her current work as a consultant, and as an organizational coach and advisor focuses on enhancing adaptive leadership capabilities and organizational effectiveness, and on leading master planning, strategic planning, and cost recovery efforts for organizations across North America.
In 2008 she was inducted as a Fellow into the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration.
Notes and snippets clipped from Jamie's blogposts
"What if we were to design and develop emerging park and recreation organizations that would endure volatility and uncertainty? What if we were to create organizations that focused on legacy rather than on the short-term? And what if we came together and galvanized around the common cause of public park and recreation prosperity?"
To see this happen, places must
- have diversified revenue sources that provide greater long-term financial stability.
- prioritize existing physical assets by taking care of what they have first and foremost.
- always focus on community NEED and the COMMON GOOD as the ends to their means and never allow âthe way itâs been doneâ to dictate the future and limit what they can become.
Emerging park and recreation organizations know the maintenance requirements necessary to take care of their current assets and do not have any backlog. If they do, they donât delay investments in existing infrastructure, rather, they position themselves financially to diminish the backlog until one longer exists. This becomes the priority over any new build or development.
These organizations develop informed narratives and stories which include accurate data and information encouraging new development **only** when they have identified funding sources and methods for both construction as well as preventative and long-term maintenance over the life of the asset. These pre-emptive efforts safeguard these organizations from assuming any debt of which they cannot afford.
Organizational Vitality (not growth) Will be How Worth is Measured
Emerging park and recreation organizations acknowledge that many approaches to growth and community development have squandered precious resources that should be invested to make communities more prosperous. They know that trading short-term growth and the âbright, shiny new objectâ for the long-term, liabilities that result is slowly bankrupting communities.
Financial Sustainability Strategy is Daily Work:
Emerging park and recreation organizations possess a solid financial sustainability philosophy and policy(ies) which provide the operational foundation from which all investment and spending decisions, and funding strategies are built. They expect higher returns from discretionary services moving towards full cost recovery, no longer allowing these services to benefit from taxpayer subsidies, and analyze unconventional options regularly in order to diversify funding sources.
A Promise Statement Replaces Mission
Emerging park and recreation organizations design unique promises to their community. Their promise is the essence of why and what they do in order to positively impact their community. It directs how they operate and manage their organization and guides all taxpayer investments. Their promise clarifies and communicates what differentiates them from other service providers and aligns with current reality(ies).
[Ice Would be Nice but What About the Common Good?](https://www.110percent.net/post/ice-would-be-nice-but-what-about-the-common-good)
"The abstraction of community has become increasingly problematic when it comes to rationalizing and justifying special interest expectations and resulting investments. When a small but vocal group of individuals suggest the âcommunityâ will benefit from whatever it is that represents their interest (in this case, an ice rink), it bears deeper analysis including understanding that this abstraction can lead to poor decisions on behalf of the real and broader community who are eventually expected to foot the bill. Itâs funny how a small contingent of vocal people can wield influence under the mantle of âcommunity.â"
"It has been said that politicians cannot have the pleasure of spending without the pain of taxation. It is easy to dig holes and cut ribbons â and, while less popular to do the math and understand and accept limitations, telling people ânoâ may ultimately be the responsible and smart choice."
The first creative arts district in the state, small business centric with few chains, ground-breaking public health initiatives, a beautiful downtown steeped in a rich history, an outdoor playground surrounded by 680,000 acres of public lands and an iconic river that runs through town that is the most commercially rafted in the US, 300+ days of sunshine, and a year-round tourism scene. These characteristics and others speak to the uniqueness of this place.
"Are you as a City Council member willing to stand up and step away from agendas that are self-interest driven and set a standard for our community that begins and ends with focusing on what is best for our collective âcommon goodâ and not just those who think that ice would be nice?"
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