community discussions

Nearly 500 citizens of Chautauqua County came together in mid-November for a series of Community Summits to discuss how to make a better future for the county and to continue the work of setting a mission and vision for a new county-wide plan.

The results are still being carefully analyzed, but this summary report is possible based on an initial analysis of the comprehensive compilation of facilitator notes on the meetings.

The five interactive community meetings gave citizens from Silver Creek to Cherry Creek to French Creek an opportunity to talk to government officials -- and to each other -- about where their communities stand and where they think they ought to be headed.

The most prominent and persistent demand was for more and better jobs and economic growth. But concerns about the economy were tightly interwoven with concerns about opportunities for young people, the quality of the natural environment, and the effectiveness of government.

Participants made it clear they want economic growth, more jobs, and an improving standard of living. But they were just as clear that it is crucial to preserve Chautauqua County's quality of life, to protect the environment, to make sure that all share in prosperity, and to make it possible for children of the community to find careers here.

simple, the strategy citizens sketched for achieving it was complex. Attraction of new businesses, assistance to existing ones, infrastructure investment, attention to tourism and agriculture, lower taxes, government reform, better education and training, and respect for the environment were all prominent issues in the county-wide conversation.

The results of the Community Summits will be used as part of a continuing process, not only to frame a vision and mission statement for an emerging County plan, but also immediately to help set county government work plans and budget priorities for the coming year, and to help set benchmarks for newly-mandated performance-based government.

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