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Minutes from October 25, 2003
Avon Hills Initiative Meeting
In attendance from the Avon Hills Initiative Team:
Allan Davisson, Ernie Diedrich, Ralph Einyck, Garth Fuller, LeRoy Gondringer, Abbot John Klassen, Mike Lee, Bill Mock, Steve Platenberg, Vince Shaefer, Chris Schellinger, Tom Wicks, John Wittrock, Lori Wolff Not in attendance: Margie Evans, Rob Sip Staff to Initiative: Kim Chapman, Thomas Kroll, Emily Franklin **Many observers were also in attendanceI. Purpose of the Initiative
- Incorporation of local knowledge of the Avon Wills Area with ecological and other scientific knowledge - Identification of tracts of land which contribute to the rural nature of the area - Create vision for the future of Avon Hills : Rural character : Economically productive : Environmentally sustainable conservation visionII. Examples of Information and Products
-General information presented by Kim Chapman -A suggestion was raised to add economic data regarding the productivity of tracts of land and the economic value or impact of the various pieces of land in the Avon Hills area : Data might include: Location of feed lots, sizes of parcels, demographic distribution of economically productive lands, and zonation of land : Transparency overlaps to compare demographics with ecologically important lands - 4 townships and buffer of areas illustrating these demographics for future meetings? : Data for townships is available, centralizing needed : Rob Sip, panel member and Environmental Supervisor for Stearns County :Environmental Services has access to this information and could make it available to the panel at future meetings : Political boundaries including roads and property boundaries will also be placed on all future maps : Information about cell tower locations is also available on maps -Side spin-offs of the cultural component of the vision in relation to the Ecological spin-off : Differences in cultural values : An acknowledgement of variable values took place. : There really is no need for an extra spin off regarding culture, implied : Since time is not allocated to incorporate a cultural spin off a compromise was reached. Each panel member was extended the opportunity to write stories and share cultural experiences in order to express these views. The panel members were also asked to express an analysis of the culture found in Avon Hills. - Avon Hills recently celebrated a centennial anniversary and a panelist wondered how historical information would be integrated into the data. : Another compromised was reached regarding this issue. Panelists were asked to write about the historical changes in their communities and how those changes have impacted the things they care about. This information is to be included in the paragraph regarding the culture of Avon Hills discussed previously in the session. III. Communicating the Shared Vision -Video option: Discussion of this involved creating an aesthetic visual project or photo essay with a stress upon community and member input as the seasons were followed in Avon Hills. Grants were discussed in order to fund such a project - Additional tours -Guided maps of the Avon Hills area - GIS mapping and other resources through the county to be utilized in the formation of some of these projects : Suggestion to extend involvement opportunities to GIS graduate students at --Selling the idea to the public/so what? : The creation of a model with different perceptions of what the area may look like in the future without concern to issues presented by the Avon Hills Initiative and what the area may look like with concern to these issues : This type of model stresses the importance of the issues at hand and how they affect the community as a whole and the development of the area : Information needs to be made available to the public in order to avoid the Avon Hills Initiative as being perceived as an elitist movement deciding the fate of an entire community : Invitations to meetings and an emphasis on including the community must be made in order for the Initiative to be a success : The Avon Hills Initiative must also be seen as an opportunity for environmental education at the primary, secondary and collegiate levels. There are rare and beautiful ecosystems in the area for students to explore and come to understand : Sustainable recreation