Digging in to process and content

At the second Partnership meeting we started digging in to process and content…here’s a quick recap of what we accomplished.

Process – What brings us together? What will keep us together? What will we achieve together? As a collaborative partnership representing diverse interests in the Mid-Coast region, it’s important that we spend some time exploring our shared goals and values and creating a process that helps us to achieve those goals. At this meeting we invited partners to discuss sections of the charter we are creating to capture our working relationships and our commitment to this process. Specifically, we looked at:
 

• Vision – Defines the aspirational future that the Partnership hopes to accomplish. What is the future we hope to create?

• Mission – Defines the overall mission or purpose of the Partnership. Why do we exist?

• Goals – Defines the primary goals that will guide the work of the Partnership. What do we hope to accomplish?

• Guiding Principles – Identifies the key principles or values that will guide how the work together as a Partnership. How will we work together and treat one another?

• Decision-Making – Identifies the decision making protocol. How do we make decisions? How do we handle lack of agreement?
   

To help us with our mission statement, the facilitation team led us through an exercise where each table came up with a headline we hope to read in the paper five years from now. Some are more serious…some are a little tongue in cheek.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

• Water consensus achieved . . . bond passes.

• Earthquake ready dam completed.

• Economic, shovel ready projects identified through collaboration together.

• Lincoln County finds a sustainable water supply that does not kill a single fish.

• Water for fish and families.

• Mid-Coast region begins implement of Mid-Coast water resources plan.

• Diverse group of water interests avoids water crises on Mid-Coast.

• Funding wave solves coastal water issues.

• Coastal County balances competing needs for water demand with no drama.

• New regional partnership raises millions of dollars to secure water future on Mid Coast.

• Mid Coast water systems survive through Planning Partnership efforts.

• Mid Coast water planning partnership receives award for innovation.

• Three-year study produces a process.
   

Content – What is it that we’ll be doing, exactly? How will we do it?

For this planning process we are following the Oregon Water Resources Department’s DRAFT Planning Guidelines. These guidelines provide a framework for pursuing an integrated approach to water planning. As a Partnership, we value informed decision-making. We need to understand what information we currently have available, and what information we need to gather. We are at the very beginning stages of developing a work plan that will strategically guide us through the information-gathering stage of this process.

Three Coordinating Committee members (Adam Denlinger with the Seal Rock Water District, Wayne Hoffman with the Mid-Coast Watershed Council, and Alan Gibson from Gibson farms) offered their responses to the following questions:
 

• What water-related data/information do you gather or produce?

• What water-related data/information produced by others do you use in your work?

• What water-related data/information do you wish you had?
   

We invite all Partners to think on this question and be as specific as possible since this will help us build a repository of our collective knowledge and also identify important data gaps.
 

All of the Partners are responsible for helping us build and sustain a successful partnership. Thank you for your contributions to-date!

Find more detailed meeting materials at: http://midcoastwaterpartners.com/meeting-materials/
 

SPECIAL THANKS to the Samaritan Hospital that offered use of the Center for Health Education and the City of Newport who made sure we were all well fed!

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The “kick-off” meeting was a success!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A great turnout!

 

Thank you to all who helped make the kick-off meeting a success. We had over 60 people representing diverse interests and organizations turn out for a discussion about water in the Mid-Coast region. There are many shared interests and concerns as well as a lot of motivated individuals and organizations who are ready to get to work.
 

Our next step is to follow-up with the individuals that expressed interest in serving on the Coordinating Committee and Planning Partnership. Our next meeting is scheduled for November 30th from 4-7pm at the Center for Health Education.

Meeting materials for the kick-off meeting, including meeting notes can be found here: http://midcoastwaterpartners.com/meeting-materials/.

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Partnership “kick-off” meeting scheduled

The first meeting of the Mid-Coast Water Planning Partnership has been scheduled on Thursday, September 29 from 4-7pm in Newport. If you have an interest in long-term regional water planning for people, the economy, and the environment, we invite you to attend. See below for more information.
 

What: Learn about the Partnership, share your interests and concerns about long-term water planning efforts on the Mid-Coast, and help define the goals of the Partnership
 

Why: This is our opportunity to come together to explore solutions to water challenges that no one entity can solve on their own
 

Who: In order to be successful, the Partnership needs to have a broad representation of diverse water interests across the region
 

When: Thursday, September 29 from 4-6:30 pm
 

Where: Newport City Council Chambers, 169 SW Coast Hwy, Newport, OR 97365
 

We would like to know if you can make it. Please click here to RSVP.
 

Have a voice in determining our shared water future!