Photograph by Kevin Macri  11/99

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The first meeting of the Futures Council was held on January 18 at the East District office.  This posting includes portions of the minutes of that meeting. 

The Futures Council considered several process related issues. 

First, how to get the message out to the community.  Suggestions included: 

•  Get existing leaders excited:  use small meetings, coffee klatches, community meetings, etc.

• Have mass mailings

• Promote to groups where current futures Council members belong

• Go to where the people are now -- bingo, sporting events, churches

• Let students record process with disposable cameras

• Have a big "kick-off" on why Noble County was chosen as pilot

• Use the Journal-Leader and local radio as primary sources.  Secondary sourced include other regional media

• Get individual groups to list treasures and rainbows

• Hold community meetings in various parts of the county

• Do a mass mailing of a questionnaire and/or a phone survey

Futures Council members listed the existing treasures of Noble County -- those things we hold dear and hope to preserve and the rainbows of the county -- things we would strive for to make the county a better place to live.  As a result of this initial process, seven themes were agreed upon. 

• Environment / Natural Resources
• Family
• Community Values
• Economy
• Community Education / Schools
• Youth
• Recreation / Entertainment

To comment on this process, please contact either Mike Lloyd at the Noble County Extension office (740-732-5681) or Myra Moss at the East District Extension office (740-732-2381). 

Visioning sessions for the Noble County Sustainable Communities program will begin in full force in August.  Sustainable communities are committed to finding a balance among economic, environmental, and social goals, providing future opportunity for the next generations, and building community goals and indicators for reaching residents shared vision of the community's potential.  Part of the process for achieving these goals is the community visioning sessions. 

The visioning sessions consist of a series of local meetings designed to ask Noble Countians what they currently value most about their community (their treasures) and what they hope the community will become for next generations (their rainbows).  With the help of a group of dedicated local residents organized as a futures council, the visioning sessions will be seeking Noble Countians treasures and rainbows in all aspects, but initially focusing upon the family, natural and environmental resources, community values, education, recreation, the economy, and youth issues.  Comments on other topics are also important and will also be recorded. 

After the visioning sessions are completed the community will have the opportunity to view and prioritize the responses by participating in one or more visioning fairs. 

The visioning sessions have been held for several groups in the county and will continue to be held for a variety of groups throughout the summer and fall.  One important aspect of the process has been to plan sessions in the fifteen townships in the county.  This effort is designed to make it easier for local residents to provide input without having to travel to sites distant from their homes.  At the same time, if you wish to participate in the visioning process but are unable to attend the session scheduled in your home township, please feel free to visit a session scheduled for a surrounding township. 

For more information on the visioning sessions, including sessions scheduled for other goups around the county, contact Mike Lloyd at (740) 732-5681 or Myra Moss at (740) 732-2381. 

Township sessions scheduled to date include: 
 

In addition to these meetings, visioning sessions will be held at the Caldwell Fireman's Festival on July 27, 28, and 29, at a community celebration in Belle Valley on August 5, and at the Noble County Fair during the last week of August.