Visioning: A time investment
By: Ellen M. Myatt
Discussion about developing a vision for the Tri-Cities region and a survey of 7,000 persons identified as interested in developing a vision began prior to the 1998 Tri-Cities TN/VA Economic Summit sponsored by First District Congressman Bill Jenkins (R-Tenn.) and Ninth District Congressman Rick Boucher (D-Virginia). The results of the first survey were reported at the summit. In 1999, a second survey was mailed randomly to 10,000 residents of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee to ensure the responses were not skewed.
In the meantime, a grassroots effort by chambers and volunteers in the region led to the attainment of the 1999 All America City status, an award granted over the past 50 years by the National Civic League (NCL).
Striving to attain the award again brought to the surface different and common community needs and concerns, thus reinforcing a need to develop a vision that would provide the region with an action plan for the next 25 years. This was the birth of Vision 2025.
In 2000, following the NCL award, communities participated in a Five Star Regional Showcase at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abington, Va., to share what services, products, and attractions they had to offer.
In April 2001, Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tenn., hosted a visioning conference in-line with the criteria set forth by the NCL. The conference, at which 200 persons participated, served as a trial run for the regional visioning process.
Then, from January though March 2002, Vision 2025 volunteers held focus meetings in communities throughout the region to get additional input from citizens. In July 2002, the committee voted on the priority of visions expressed and in November 2002 The Business Journal published results in Regional Report 2002. During Regional Leadership Day in November 2002, class participants provided additional input on developing action plans for various goal areas.
In September 2003, Vision 2025 volunteers and other persons representing education, business and government communities convened one again to determine measurable outcome, action plans and to identify possible partners who could help actualize each vision.
The final consensus was documented and mad available by the First Tennessee Development District staff in Johnson City, Tenn.
If you do not have an opportunity to participate in the process, it is not too late. Contact Linda Calvert at lwcalvert@northeaststate.edu.
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