MAP Board Notes 03/05/08

Maine Association of Planners
Board Meeting
Wednesday, March 5, 2008

NOTES

Attending: Maureen O’Meara, Beth Della Valle, Jim Fisher, Rebeccah Schaffner, Hugh Coxe, Carl Eppich

1. Minutes of February Meeting - Jim Fisher

Motion to accept minutes as amended by Beth Della Valle passed without dissent.

2. Strategic Plan Implementation discussion - See attached.

MAP Strategic Plan
Implementation Discussion
3/4/08

Below is a list of possible actions that the MAP Board has identified based on the Strategic Plan. The discussion was initiated to identify a project(s) suitable for funding from MAP’s reserve fund, which is approximately $10,000. For the next meeting, the Board will determine that the list below is complete and then decide which project to pursue further.

1. Case study write up/data base. Request proposals for creating 10 case studies and 25 data base entries that demonstrate the benefits of planning. Estimated cost $5,000.	1
2. Brochure. MAP prepare a brochure for distribution to the legislature, lay planners, potential members, students. Judy has already drafted a prototype but modest funds would still be needed for printing?	11
3. Website. Look at revamping website and alternatives to website management. Rebeccah is investigating this and it may not be a new project candidate.	11
4. Townsman ad Internship clearinghouse – might be implemented as an advertisement
4A. Townsman ad. This would increase MAP’s visibility. Might promote internships for USM, etc.
5. Student scholarship. Offer a scholarship to a planning / public policy student in a Maine college. Estimated cost $1,000.	111
5A. Funding for town internship - $1,000 match for community seeking a summer intern from USM CPD
6. Lay Planner Training. MAP should develop a lay planner training program, perhaps using webcasting or dvd technology.
7. Legislator Training. MAP could sponsor an event, prepare materials, or reach out to key legislators to educate them about planning issues.
8. State Enabling Legislation. This revives a prior discussion by MAP regarding comprehensive planning to review and rewrite state enabling legislation. The original proposal was modeled after the method used in Michigan(?) to hire a “Stuart Meck” type to analyze state statutes, draft new replacement statutes and advocate for adoption. Estimated cost $60,000 to 80,000.	111
9. Community Planning Brochure with MAP Stickers. This involved MAP purchasing brochures from APA and adding a MAP label for distribution.
10. MAP Brochure for professional planners. This revives an earlier MAP effort to develop a brochure for distribution to professional planners promoting the association.
Professional planner training.	1
12. USM CPD Student Recruitment

The group reviewed each of these items and then made choices = we each selected two high priority items. We dropped any items that received no priority votes. Here is the reduced list:

1. Case study write up/data base. Request proposals for creating 10 case studies and 25 data base entries that demonstrate the benefits of planning. Estimated cost $5,000.	1
2. Brochure. MAP prepare a brochure for distribution to the legislature, lay planners, potential members, students. Judy has already drafted a prototype but modest funds would still be needed for printing?	2
3. Website. Look at revamping website and alternatives to website management. Rebeccah is investigating this and it may not be a new project candidate.	2
5. Student scholarship. Offer a scholarship to a planning / public policy student in a Maine college. Estimated cost $1,000.	3
5A. Funding for town internship - $1,000 match for community seeking a summer intern from USM CPD	3
8. State Enabling Legislation. This revives a prior discussion by MAP regarding comprehensive planning to review and rewrite state enabling legislation. The original proposal was modeled after the method used in Michigan(?) to hire a “Stuart Meck” type to analyze state statutes, draft new replacement statutes and advocate for adoption. Estimated cost $60,000 to 80,000.	3
Professional planner training	1

Maureen will edit this list for further discussion at the April MAP Meeting.

3.         MAP Promotional materials:
            •Display Board - Judy
            •Brochure - Judy

Judy is still working on the brochure.

4.         Continuing Education
            •GIS session - Judy
            Judy’s course is ready to go. Promoted, etc.

•Update - Kat Fuller
Committee is a bit stressed putting

5.         Annual meeting - Kat, other
            Uri Avin, Scenario Planning
            Mail registration materials?

Jim made a tentative reservation for the Topsham Library.
Maureen will be looking for alternative locations
Beth noted that she would like to have a facilitate that would allow for video taping the presentation.
Jim volunteered to video tape the presentation, but warned that lighting may be an issue.

A mailing will go out in April with two forms
Annual Meeting Registration
MAP Membership Renewal form

6. Awards Committee Update- Jane

Maureen asked all board members to personally encourage award submissions.

7. Nominating Committee Update – Beth,

Jen Boothroyd
Mac Stocco
Anna Breinich

8. Newsletter - Rebeccah

Survey finds virtually all respondents preferred combination of email and website.
Next submission deadline is April 11

9. Draft FY 09 Budget - Fred

10. Muskie Support letter - Hugh

11. Website report - Rebeccah, Jim

Tabled

12. Other items from Board members

Membership report - tabled
Beth - Governor’s Budget – calls for draconian cuts in planning programs

Reduction in funded positions at SPO
Elimination of comprehensive planning funds
Legislative committee will teleconference on March 18th 1:00 PM
Will go to the list serve with issues
Board tabled the decision whether to appoint a subcommittee / study group – see document emailed yesterday.

Muskie Support Letter – Hughe Coxe will

13. Next scheduled meeting- April 4th