Meeting Minutes 1 15 10

Strategic Doing WorkshopMEETING MINUTES

MHSM # 0907.00January 15, 2010

Committee Members Present: Jeanne Hamming jhamming@centenary.edu Ian Webb ian@rivercitycycling.com Stuart Crichton stuartcrichton8@gmail.com Jeff Wellborn jwellborn@seaber.com Gregory Coates gcoates@trane.com

Committee Members Absent: Lee Jeter Sr. ljeter@fullercenternwla.org Leia Lewis lajordanlewis@yahoo.com

Other Attendees: Wes Wyche wes.wyche@shreveportla.gov Kim Mitchell kmitchell@mhsmarchitects.com Caroline Majors cmajors@mhsmarchitects.com Sharon Swanson sswanson@mhsmarchitects.com Patti Trudell ptrudell@certla.org Lola Kendrick lolak@bellsouth.net Stanton Dossett sdossett@redrivercorp.com Rebecca Prosino rprosino@sciport.org John Davenport jdavenport@centenary.edu Kelly Weeks kweeks@centenary.edu Zeke Aull zaull@centenary.edu Charles Goldthwaite cgoldthwaite@comcast.net Malari Coburn malari.coburn@gmail.com Natalie Hunsicker nhunsicker@gmail.com Grace Peterson gpeterson@agcenter.lsu.edu Kathy Fell kfell@centenary.edu

CC: Mike Strong mike.strong@shreveportla.gov Tim Wachtel timothy.wachtel@shreveportla.gov Murray Lloyd murrayll@bellsouth.net Bruce Hoffman bruce@gulfgeoexchange.com

Kim opened the workshop, introducing Ed Morrison of Purdue University, who came to discuss a network-based, community organizing process called Strategic Doing.

Ed invited those in attendance to participate in an activity called “Point Your Finger.” The activity forced the group to work as a team to accomplish a seemingly simple task: lowering a stick to the ground.

Ed presented some of the foundational ideas behind Strategic Doing, and talked about how the discipline could be used in Shreveport to accomplish an array of complex goals related to energy efficiency and conservation.

Ed discussed the purpose for and roles of a “core group” in Strategic Doing.

Ed led the group in drafting an initial charter for the “EEC” core group. He encouraged the group to drop the acronyms and find a new –more inspiring/motivational– name. When discussing the charter, participants agreed that they believed in the following values:

1. the possibility of deep/meaningful/positive change2. core scientific values –evidence-based action3. inclusive and diverse community engagement4. a motivation to improve quality of life in Shreveport5. that deep change can (and needs to) prove to be beneficial for all 6. sustainability, integrity, flexibility, elasticity, resilience7. that our community can learn to value the earth and its resources

This was a first attempt at a charter, and should be refined in future meetings.

The group then brainstormed ‘postcard-style,’ outcome-based mission statements for each of the EEC focus areas. These ideas need greater specificity and should be crafted to attract interest:

1. building energy efficiency: reduce building energy consumption by 25%2. green workforce/business incentives: design education, workforce, and

business development systems to support a sustainable economy3. clean & renewable energy sources: design diversified, decentralized

energy systems that provide for flexible supply and demand4. reduction of waste & pollution: zero waste, contamination reduction, air

and water quality improvement, step change reduction in our waste stream, feed ourselves through local food systems

5. energy education & outreach: develop a network, targeting key influencers, guiding conversations to achieve a cultural shift, and defining a new civic space –a different way of connecting and conversing to accomplish goals

6. transportation & land use: choice and flexibility, mobility, walkability, bike paths, smart growth, reduce transportation-based energy consumption and establish more efficient land use patterns

7. other: to be developed as needed

Ed concluded the workshop by answering some questions about attracting people to participate in the Strategic Doing process, organizing working groups around focus areas, keeping the effort on track, and guiding positive conversations.

Meeting Adjourned