PRESS RELEASE

COMPASS Action Teams Hold First Meeting Series to Implement New Countywide Comprehensive Plan

CINCINNATI – Establishing a competitive county, creating collaboration between county governments, providing education, culture and recreation for all county residents, and coordinating growth and infrastructure – all were discussed during the first series of COMPASS Action Team (CATs) meetings.

COMPASS Action Teams were developed at Community COMPASS’ Countywide Town Meeting, where almost 500 participants registered to be on a CAT to implement the vision created at the Jan. 12 meeting. Made of volunteers and area-specific experts, the teams will meet at various times throughout May to discuss the vision, its objectives and implementation strategies.

“The volunteers on the Action Teams are engaged in a rich and provocative discussion during the next couple months, trying to figure out how to protect the values that our various communities share while honoring the ways that our we differ,” said Ron Miller, executive director of the Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission.

At the Countywide Town Meeting, four core goals were discussed and now, each goal has a COMPASS Action Team to clarify objectives and to create strategies for implementation. Each CAT has three sub-teams that concentrate on specific objectives.

The sub-team discussions focus on identifying and discussing the underlying issues, barriers, and assets for the assigned objectives. For the core goal of assuring economic prosperity the sub-teams deliberate on creating a vibrant city and county, creating a competitive county, and creating an outstanding workforce and exceptional education.

The second core goal is building collaborative decision-making. The sub-teams discuss collaboration between governments, public involvement, and collaboration between the public, private and civic sectors.

Embracing diversity and equity is the third core goal and sub-team members speak about health and housing opportunities for all residents; education, culture and recreation for all residents; and  diversity and equity in all institutions.

The final sub-team for the core goal of balancing development and environment focuses on conservation and growth from a regional perspective, balanced development, and coordinated growth and infrastructure.

“You could see from the sub-team discussions that the CAT members are still enthusiastic about Community COMPASS and creating a new vision,” said Rodney Brown, CAT co-chair for embracing diversity and equity.

The first series of CAT meetings focused on orientation and understanding the objectives, the second series will concentrate on agreeing on initial strategies, and the third series centers on prioritizing and refining strategies. The last meeting will be a strategy workshop where all teams will come together to discuss policy implications, discuss overlaps and conflicts, and refine strategies.

“All the time and hard work citizens and CAT members put in to Community COMPASS will be seen once the implementation process starts,“ said Miller. “The county will begin to realize the positive outcomes from long range thinking and public involvement.”

COMPASS Action Team Meetings Schedule*

            Assuring Economic Prosperity

• Monday, April 8, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

• Monday, April 29, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, May 21, 5:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Balancing Development and the Environment

• Tuesday, April 9, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, April 30, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, May 21, 5:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Embracing Diversity and Equity

• Wednesday, April 10, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, May 1, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, May 21, 5:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Building Collaborative Decision-making

• Thursday, April 11, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

• Thursday, May 2, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, May 21, 5:30 – 9:00 p.m.

*Locations to be determined

For more information on Community COMPASS or to join one of the COMPASS Action Teams, call Teresa Lawson at (513) 946-4452 or visit the website at www.communitycompass.org.