Tucson leaders set for regional town hall
by Teya Vitu on May. 01, 2007, under Edge, LocalIt may not be the Constitutional Convention of 1787, but organizers of the Tucson Regional Town Hall hope the four-day gathering of the 165 best and brightest locals will achieve profound results that set a course for the future.
The town hall fills most of four days from Sunday to May 9 at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, where a mix of known names and newcomers to the limelight will tackle education, literacy, land-use planning, water, transportation and work-force development issues.
How will this differ from the library of plans drawn up over the decades?
“We will have some ideas we can act on,” said Ron Shoopman, president of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, which is coordinating the town hall. “We said, ‘Tara, give us something we can act on.’”
He was referring to Tara Jackson, president of Arizona Town Hall, the nonprofit organization that travels the state to bring communities together to address the many facets of the state’s economic, cultural and social life. Arizona Town Hall wrote the discussion questions, will moderate the event and will prepare the action report.
“You will have a consensus report of what needs to be done, what are the priorities and who will be in charge of making something happen,” Jackson said.
Peter Likins, the retired University of Arizona president who is chairing the town hall, believes it will launch an ongoing community commitment to follow through on priorities established next week.
“We are determined once the town hall has occurred to assess the work product and encourage somebody in the community, government, health care and economic sectors to address some of these problems,” Likins said.
Jackson purposely chose participants more inclined to action. This is not a walk-up town hall but rather one where you had to apply and be selected.
More than 700 people applied to fill 165 seats. Arizona Town Hall picked about half the field and the Southern Arizona Leadership Council chose the other half from a list of established leaders.
Every city/town council in the county is sending members. The Tucson City Council and the Pima County Board of Supervisors canceled their meetings to participate. Marana, Oro Valley and Sahuarita do not have regularly scheduled council meetings that week.
“The organizers had a real interest to have people who will go out and make things happen,” Jackson said. “I paid a lot of attention to activities in the community, people who are self-starters and take leadership roles.”
A common phenomenon Jackson has noticed at town halls she has put on in Prescott and Scottsdale is how the dynamics of the event surprisingly trigger camaraderie among people better known to argue. Her team finds and taps into common themes that bring people together.
“The dynamic itself makes things happen,” Jackson said. “People who ordinarily only argue with each other have a different relationship.”
Likins vows to dedicate himself to the follow-up process.
“I’m very comfortable to put a good chunk of energy to help Tucson find its way,” Likins said. “When I take up a cause, it’s my nature to put my full passion behind the cause.”
The town hall starts with a dinner Sunday, continues through May 9 and will include:
A discussion about regional values, regional appearance, value in enhancing appearance, arts and culture – what role that plays to downtown revitalization. Establishing a regional planning initiative by addressing land-use planning, infrastructure, transportation and water. Discussing work-force development, education and literacy. A report on the town hall will be released June 6.
