Session 2 – Civic Index
October 7, 2008
Outcomes: Assessment of the community’s civic infrastructure and the implications toward community efforts.
TThe “Lee’s Summit 360: Charting Tomorrow” Strategic Planning Committee met for the second time today at Lee’s Summit High School. Committee Co-chairs Jon Ellis and Vicki Cundiff welcomed the stakeholders’ group of 240 citizens. Derek Okubo, National Civic League, led a discussion about the concept of “Civic Infrastructure.” Civic Infrastructure is a term used to describe the invisible system that communities utilize to make decisions and solve complex problems. The communities that “work”, build, utilize, and maintain their civic infrastructures to successfully address community challenges. They have created an effective system of doing business – where the different players share common goals, step into key roles and work together to address the challenge at hand.
The Civic Infrastructure is made up of the public sector, private sector, non-profit sector, and residents. There are 12 components of the Civic Index. Small groups were asked to describe two components of the the Civic Index that need attention, what would be happening when Lee’s Summit excels in each component, and what the community needs to do so that Lee’s Summit can achieve that state of excellence.
The nine components of the Civic Index that small groups believed need enhancement are:
- Role of Businesses
- Role of Non-Profits
- Citizen Engagement
- Bridging Diversity
- Information Sharing
- Crossing Jurisdictional Lines
- Educating Citizens
- Reaching Consensus
- Ongoing Learning
Of particular need were Citizens Engagement, Bridging Diversity, Information Sharing, and Shared Vision.