August 2, 2011 - Initial Meeting of Values Group

The first meeting of the Values Group met today at the City of Tucson's Ward 6 Office.  Though lightly attended, we had a good beginning discussion.

Attendance:
Tina Neil, Sarah Popovich, Melissa Miller, Bob Hungate and Don Ijams

Meeting handouts:
IGT Phase I Values, Livable Tucson Values/Goals, Trends Scenario Overview
Background Reading:
Tucson Knows What It Wants: . . . (AzStar April 8, 2011)

After introductions, we talked over why we were here and what purpose our group might have. A tag line for the group was suggested: Aligning Community Decisions with Community Values.

Imagine Greater Tucson history was recounted with discussion of the wide variety of input received in Phase I.  IGT's followup Phases are focusing on land use, urban design, the environment and transportation. A number of important value areas, not related to urban design, are not currently receiving IGT focus. The group around the table saw it as important to keep a broad focus and to seek ways to bring future decisions about the Tucson area more in line with relevant value areas.

One method to proceed would be to support subgroups, each focused on one of the value areas. Picking up from the IGT Trend Scenario and from the statement in the April 8 article: "The next step is how you take those value sets and alter the trends.", each subgroup could work to create its own trend report.  This effort would involve knowledgeable people in each value area identifying widely accepted measures that would help detail where the value area is at the current time, where it has been and what the trajectories are. When juxtaposed with the values, a useful picture would be produced. The picture might lead to research into what it would take to alter the trends.

Each subgroup could also examine the reputation of each area, trying to separate fact from fiction, and could identify continuing problems as well as myths worthy of correction. Mission statements of the wide variety of groups and organizations working in the value area could be examined as part of painting a picture of the area's current state.

The group spent some time discussing marketing the use of values in the daily decisionmaking/policy development process of local groups and institutions. Simple distribution of the values within organizations, along with some explanation, might be a start. Persuading organizations of the value to the community of considering their hopes and aspirations in decisions being made would be worth attempting. Easily attainable, simple steps might be brainstormed that would raise the profile of community values.  Even at the neighborhood level, presentations could be made and roundtable discussions supported.

There was some discussion of our relationship with IGT.  The shared view was that our Values Group is a separate entity from IGT, but one with many similar goals.  We want to work with IGT, giving and receiving information and support. Once our organization is further along, we may entertain some form of partnership with IGT.  This may become clearer when our own directions are firmed up and timeframes/directions can be compared with those of IGT.

The group decided that more people who expressed interest in the Values Group should be at the table before a name for the group is considered.  Conflicting obligations and vacations kept a number of participants away.  D.S. Ijams