TR-93-47 TR-43- 47
C94 �A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE DOCUMENT ENTITLED
"COMING TOGETHER FOR CONSENSUS :
A WORKING STATEMENT OF
' GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
TO GUIDE AGAWAM INTO THE FUTURE"
( Sponsored by : Councilor Gravel and Councilor Russo)
WHEREAS , the 'Town of Agawam , with the assistance of
Strategic Planning Grant funds from the Executive Office of
Communities and Development , initiated a new- period of inclusive ,
constructive , proactive community--wide deliberation about the
future of the community ; and
WHEREAS , through the -Strategic Planning Project a series of
1 working sessions attended by more than 70 representatives of the
Agawam community were held to promote open, thoughtful
discussions about Agawam' s current situation and desired future ;
and
WHEREAS , the meetings promoted agreement on goals and
objectives to guide Agawam' s planning and management efforts and
practical steps that will be necessary to implement these goals
and objectives , and ;
WHEREAS , the document entitled "Coming Together for
Consensus : A Working Statement of Goals and Objectives to Guide
Agawam into the Future " clearly and concisely outlines the goals
and objectives identified during the Strategic Planning meetings ;
and
WHEREAS , it is in the best interest of the Town of Agawam to
formally adopt the "Working Statement " to serve as a policy
document to guide the community towards a future of health and
prosperity .
NOW, THEREFORE, the Agawam Town Council resolves to adopt
the document entitled "Coming Together for Consensus : A Working
Statement of Goals and Objectives to Guide Agawam into the
Future" .
DATED THIS FIFTH DAY OF MVFINI$ 1993 .
' PER ORDER OF THE AGAWAM TOWN COUNCIL
' ] am D. Taylor . President
APPROVED AS TO FORK{ AND LEGALITY
omas S . Locke Solicitor
r
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MAYORAL ACTION
Received this NIA day of , 1993 from Town
Council Clerk. (Signed by Council President Nov. 5, 1993)
1 APPROVAL OF LEGISLATION
By the powers vested in me pursuant to Article 3, Section 3--6
of the Agawam Charter, as amended, I hereby approve the
p ssage of the above legislation on this Eighth day of
November 1993 .
Christophe I
C. o nson, Mayor
ISAPPROVAL OF LEGISLATION
By the powers vested in me pursuant to Article 3, Section 3--6
1 of the Agawam Charter, as amended, I hereby veto the passage
of the above legislation on this day of
1993 for the following reason(s) :
Christopher C. Johnson, Mayor
RETURN OF LEGISLATIOX TO COUNCIL CLERK
Returned to Council Clerk this Eighth day of November
1993 .
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1 Coming Together for Consensus :
i
A- Working Statement of
Goals and Objectives
to Guide Agawam into the Future
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The Initiation of a
Community-Wide Planning Effort
October 27, 1993
LandUse Inc.
=P-O-Box Hadley MA 01035 (413)549-5353 85 Main Street Hopkinton MA 01748 (508)435-0340
Contents
1. INTRODUCI'ION....................................................................................1
Process that created the Working Statement. Its intents. Next steps.
Participants. Acknowledgements.
II. HOW WE SEE AGAWAM: A VISION OF OUR TOWN ...................................4
III. A WORKING STATEMENT OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
A. Growth Management: Land Use and Zoning .................................................6
B. Open Space and Recreation ............................................... 9
C. Schools and Other Town Services and Facilities........................................... IZ
IV. NEXT STEPS IN PLANNING FOR OUR TOWNS FUTURE
A. What It Will Take to Accomplish These Goals and Objectives ........................... 16
B. Next Steps to Initiate Action .................................................................. 18
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Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives LandUse, Incorporated
I. Introduction
' This Working Statement of Goals and Policies for the Town of Agawam
was drafted during three working sessions attended by more than 70
representatives of the Agawam community. Consultant assistance to the
meetings was funded by a grant from the Strategic Planning Program of
the Executive Office of Communities and Development. These meetings,
the Working Statement, and subsequent working meetings are part of a
community planning project called "Coming Together for Consensus".
The intents of this effort are:
1. To bring together residents and business people who represent
different points of view about life in Agawam.
2. To achieve open, thoughtful discussions about Agawam's current
situation and desired future.
3. To identify what these representatives of the community agree on.
4. To express that agreement in goals and objectives to guide A awam's
planning and management efforts, and
5. To initiate frank discussions about the practical steps that will be
necessary to implement these goals and policies.
At the third meeting in the "Coming Together for Consensus" series the
Consensus Group met in working sessions with members of the Town's
administration to talk about how this Working Statement might be
improved and what it would take for the Town to move toward achieving
these goals and objectives. The Group then met with elected officials to
discuss what has emerged and where this broad-based planning effort
should go from here. By a show of hands all who were present confirmed
that this draft working statement is on the right tract, and efforts should be
made to continue the planning effort along the lines that have been
outlined. Participants in the Consensus Group have commited themselves
to a fourth meeting in July, when followup tasks will be assigned.
The purpose of the Working Statement is to initiate a new period of
inclusive, constructive, proactive community-wide deliberation about the
future we all want for our town. Agawam is in a time of changes. It is up
to residents and business people to step forward and share the work of
guiding our town in the direction desired by townspeople.
Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 1 LandUse, Incorporated
Participants Who Drafted This Working Statement
' The "Coming Together for Consensus" Projects Advisory Committee
worked to gather a broad-based group of participants to represent the
varied viewpoints in town, including: long-time residents and newcomers,
and individuals active in -- or experienced in -- farming, business,
construction, education, recreation, churches, civic groups, and older
residents.
The individuals who have n involved drafting
been lnvo ved so far 1n in d a t g the Working
' Statement are:
** Ray Charest ** Donald A. Sorel **Ed Shibley
**Charles Calabrese **Marilyn Curry **Korby Bowman-Clark
** Michael Lazazzera
D 13d j1halgoolli Donna Dreyer Elaine Grimaldi
Brenda Cortese Arthur J. Leary, Jr H e
Deborah Decker Carmela(Meta)Marzano Rice
Kathy Norris Mark Siegars Lillian Doyle
Everett J. Hodge oger T.C. Freeman, Jr.
Matt Blackak Richard Bellico Tom Coppola
Robert Watson Louise Paltz Bill Daubmann
Ralph DePalma Roy Benjamin Jody Baum
Joseph A. Dupelle, Sr. Cindy Lawlor Donald W. Serra
Henry Kozloski Donna Shibley Frank Chriscola
Edward F. Qrganek Walter Stepat William J.Bennett
Jill Simpson Bob Lloyd Fred Flathman
Joseph Newhall Gail Beaulieu Joyce Bressem-Granger
David DeVivo John Kids Kathy Kida
' William Trevethan Virginia Ventulett Peter Clark
David Wells Walley Moreno Daniel Campi
Lou Conte Elizabeth McNamee Alice DeVivo
John Conte Joe Conte Jack Brosnan
Alfred Trehey William Miller Carol Miller
Jim Willis David Skolnick Barbara Skolnick
Richard F. Hamre
[** =Advisory Committee Member]
' The Consensus Group wishes to thank the following Town administrators
for taking the time to attend the third working meeting and helping to
refine the Draft Statement:
Jack Stone, Superintendent of Public Works
Donna Campbell, Chief Librarian
Bernard Ryder, Superintendent of Schools
Jack Kunasek,Director of Parks and Recreation
Comeng Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and objectives 2 LandUse, Incorporated
The Consensus Group also wishes to thank the following elected officials
for coming to the third working meeting to hear recommendations:
Mayor Christopher C. Johnson
Members of the Town Council:
Walter A. Balboni Thomas J. Ennis, Jr. Gary E. Suffriti
George Bitzas Jessie D. Fuller James D. Taylor
Edward A. Caba Nancy E.Gravel Joanne H.Willis
Members of the School Committee:
Linda M. Galarneau
Susan Pettazzoni
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The Project Officer for"Coming to Consensus" was Deborah S. Dachos, Director, Office
of Planning and Community Development for the Town of Agawam.
Consulting assistance to the "Coming Together for Consensus" Project was provided by
LandUse,Incorporated:
Jeanne H. Armstrong, Principal in Charge
' John K.Whiteman
Frederick S. Taintor
' Assistance to this community planning project was funded by the Town of Agawam and
the Strategic Planning Program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office
of Communities and Development.
' Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 3 LandUse, Incorporated
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II. How We See Agawam: A Vision of Our Town
' Agawam is a place of tradition and opportunity. Convenient location,
affordable land and buildings, and low tax rate allow us to build good lives
S for ourselves. People are attracted to buy a home or set up a business here.
The highway system and near-by airport link us to the surrounding
region's opportunities, too. From Agawam's rural past we've retained a
sense of being a small town where friendly people with a wide range of
incomes know each other and participate in civic activities, school affairs,
and sports events. There are many recreational opportunities at the State
Park and golf courses. This is a good place to raise a family in a nice
neighborhood with lots of other children, and then enjoy retirement years.
Agawam is a safe community with family values and good schools.
Looking around us we see a physical setting that still reminds us of
Agawam's traditional agricultural fields, historic homes, and village
centers. Mountains, rivers, streams, and wetlands are also part of the sense
of quiet open space that is so appealing.
Looking ahead we see that Agawam still has room for new residents and
businesses, but we sense that our community is approaching thresholds of
development and population size that may cause our town to lose the
characteristics that we value so much. Already our wide open pattern of
development is causing friction at the seams -- between business and
neighboring residents, between farmlands and expanding neighborhoods.
There is a growing mismatch between our traditional rural level of taxes
and municipal services, and the rising requirements of serving our growing
' population.
Our greatest challenge right now is to work out new ways of organizing
ourselves and working together to manage our town and its growth. Our
local government needs a clear, shared purpose and a practical growth
management plan that balances the needs and resources of our growing
community.
Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 4 LandUse, Incorporated
Working together to answer this challenge, we can make Agawam a place
of:
Village centers whose historic character is preserved, where traffic
is controlled, and there is no more commercial sprawl along
roadsides;
Safe, friendly neighborhoods whose distinguishing characteristics are
respected and protected, where sidewalks and trails link homes to
schools, playlots, parks, and other family recreation facilities;
' Strong. attractive. well maintained busin ss..centers, each with its
own identity and clear boundaries, where parking is landscaped;
Parks for a broad range of people accessible through trail systems,
with parking at entry points, and multiple uses for enjoyment by
different groups;
Rural views of farmlands, forest areas, and the mountainside;
Town facilities and services that strive for excellence with well sited
and constructed schools, fire station, DPW building, library, and
possibly a community center.
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Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 5 LandUse, Incorporated
III. A WORKING STATEMENT OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
A. Growth Management: Land Use and Zoning
' Goals to Guide Our Growth Management Efforts:
' 1. Agawam should be a clean, well-kept town.
2. Agawam should seek to maintain its small town character where it still exists and
encourage a small town feel in places where it has been lost.
3. Agawam should encourage business areas to feel like small centers with
characteristics that are appealing.
' 4. Agawam should strengthen cooperation (and understanding of the issues) among
the business,resident, and town hall communities.
5. Agawam needs to promote and strengthen pride in Agawam's appearance, purpose,
and character.
6. Agawam should have a land use pattern and zoning that strengthens business areas.
7. Agawam should work to diminish the negative impacts of businesses on
neighborhoods.
8. Agawam should work to understand the impacts of future growth and set policies
based on that understanding.
Objectives and Actions to Achieve These Goals:
Highest Priority:
' GM-1. Develop programs to reduce and control littering and roadside trash in order to
improve the appearance of the town.
a. Create a Town-sponsored cleanup/community pride program that includes
education and the placement of Town-owned and decorated trash barrels
around town.
rb. Establish a program whereby businesses empty and monitor these barrels.
' c. Consider how commercial trash regulations might be modified,if in return the
business community takes responsibility for improving town cleanliness.
Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 6 LandUse, Incorporated
GM-2.* Make an effort to educate the public about the status of zoning in Agawam today.
a. Produce a pamphlet on zoning and distribute it to homebuyers.
1 b. Produce materials explaining how areas are zoned in Agawam, and distribute
these to citizens.
' c. Get more public input into the process of strengthening the Zoning Bylaw.
GM-3.* Perform a careful review of Agawam's zoning to determine whether:
• allowed uses are appropriate for different areas,
• the Town wants to allow business development on all the vacant business-
zoned land(for example, South Westfield Street),
• businesses are overly constrained by current regulations,
• above objectives can be addressed better in the zoning regulations.
' a. Strengthen the Zoning Review Committee, and ensure that there is broad
representation from the community on each type of zoning issue being
considered.
b. Focus on a narrow area rather than the whole town,for example:
The Main Street Historic District
The Rocky's Hardware intersection
Springfield Street
Feeding Hills/South Westfield Street.
* [GM-2 and GM-3 should proceed in tandem.]
GM-4. Review the effectiveness of current enforcement policies and regulations. Also
review means to improve the level of courtesy and respect among public officials,
businesses, and citizens on issues of land use and zoning.
' Next Rdmty:
' GM-5. Encourage owners to improve the appearance of their buildings.
a. Consider incentives for facade improvements (for example, loan programs,
facade grants, tax breaks).
GM-6. Separate business impacts from residential areas.
a. Review the zoning regulations to see how they might be revised to better
accomplish this.
' b. Have the business community develop design guidelines for their specific
business areas.
' Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 7 LandUse, Incorporated
GM-7. Improve the image of the business community among residents by examining and
publicizing the financial and other benefits provided to the town by businesses.
' a. Establish a better line of communication between Town Hall and newly
organized business associations.
1 b. Perform a fiscal impact analysis of residential and non-residential property to
understand the impacts of business on the city(!).
Lang re_Range:
GM-8. Seek to physically define and separate streets from parking areas.
' a. Form working committees to focus on troublesome business areas to explore
public actions and private sector/property owner actions that could create
curbs, sidewalks, and street side landscaping.
b. Review the zoning to determine if current zoning sufficiently controls curb
cuts and the area between the street and parking areas.
GM-9. Increase the amount of landscaping on all business properties, but recognize the
1 importance of avoiding situations where landscaping interferes with day to day
business or residential activities.
a. Encourage the formation of business associations representing specific areas,
and encourage those groups to focus on landscaping.
b. Review landscaping provisions in zoning.
' c. See action 8.a, above.
' GM-10. Beware of over-regulating properties or giving too much power to government.
Seek a balance between regulation and collaboratuve efforts between government
and property owners.
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' Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 8 LandUse, Incorporated
B. Open Space and Recreation
' Goal: Open Space is an essential attibute of Agawam's traditional rural
character. Use zoning, acquisition, and management to manage
growth and preserve our quality of life.
Objective#1: Create an open space system that provides benefits throughout the town
' and through all four seasons of the year.
Strategies: Acquire large parcels for active and passive use, and resource
conservation.
Update the Open Space Plan, identify resources, and classify open
space/recreation areas by needs and uses.
Actions
1. Implement the current Open Space Plan,including acquisitions, giving
priority attention to aquiring Tuckahoe.
2. Provide zoning tools to encourage open space preservation,including:
' Cluster development
• Larger lot sizes
• Planned Unit Developments (carefully designed mix of housing
types, possibly combined with neighborhood business to serve the
residents)
• Open Space Zone
• Landscaping requirements
' 3. Actively pursue gifts and bequests of open land.
4. Inventory and monitor large open tracts of land.
Qbjective#2: Ensure that access to open space areas is available consistent with their
intended use.
Strateg es:
' A. Publicize and inform residents about existing open space and recreation areas:
where they are, when they are open,what they offer.
' B. Provide safe routes to existing and proposed facilities,including a bike and foot
path system, with parldng support.
1 C. Provide access at existing and proposed facilities,including parking,entrances,
maintenance,and sanitary facilities.
D. Manage resources for the maximum range of users consistent with the purpose
of the resource.
' Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 9 LandUse, Incorporated
Actions
' a. Use the Agawam Advertiser to spotlight parks and other recreation facilities.
b. Solicit business sponsorship of the educational outreach.
' c. Form a task force to work with the Town Council, Open Space and Recreation
Plan effort,and schools on issues of management and access.
d. Launch an Adopt-A-Park program for maintenance and cleanup efforts.
' Objective#3: Preserve valuable natural resources and habitat systems.
S , tegigs;
A. Provide incentives to landowners to manage and/or develop in an
environmentally sensitive manner.
B. Educate the community about land management techniques.
' C. Purchase land or development rights (or long leases).
Objective#4: Provide adequate recreational facilities to serve the variety of needs and
users in Agawam.
Strategies:
' A. Work for geographic balance by providing facilities accessible to all
neighborhoods.
B. Manage existing resources -- such as schools' ball fields and playlots -- for
' multiple user groups (consistent with the purpose of the facility).
C. Provide incentives to private businesses to support public recreation.
' D. Provide additional facilities for organized sports -- such playfields and tennis
courts-- throughout town.
' E. Provide additional playlots and family-oriented facilities in neighborhoods.
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Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 10 LandUse, Incorporated
Pri A n
OSR-1 Publicize information about Agawam's open space and recreation resources.
a. Continue publicity through the Union News and other media.
b. Produce and distribute to all Agawam households a pamphlet that lists all
open space and recreation resources, how to find and enter them,the activities
and facilities they offer, their hours of operation, and other useful
information.
OSR-2. Maintain and improve existing facilities, and mobilize the potential resources
listed in #3 - #5 to help do this. Aquire additional sites and facilities when
possible.
OSR-3. Build community relations. Establish a Citizens' Open Space and Recreation
Council to help the Director of Parks and Recreation set priorities for use of
limited funds. Charge this Committee to mobilize broad-based community
assistance, for example through an Adopt a Park program for businesses,
volunteer clean up and construction days, and approaching civic and other
' organizations who own recreation resouces to see how they might be able to help
the community increase public use of these facilities.
' OSR-4. Hire a professional staff person to concentrate on open space and recreation.
Charge that person to coordinate different activities,improve resource utilitzation,
and get as many people involved in the effort as possible.
OSR-5. Make use of volunteer and/or other inexpensive sources of assistance, for
example through student interns from the Springfield College Recreation
Management Program and the University of Massachusetts Sports Management
' Program. Student community service through the Agawam High School
curriculum is also a possibility.
' Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 11 LandUse, Incorporated
C. Schools and Other Town Facilities and Services
' Goal: Over the long term update and expand town facilities and services to
accommodate current needs and future growth.
What it will take to achieve this goal:
Continuous short term and long range planning with regular updates.
' A financial commitment from the community to make the investments
necessary.
1 Achieving shared attitudes that support this.
A balance of meeting needs of different groups in town.
Working for excellence over time through continuous practical steps.
Accountability.
' More involvement of parents and input to the School Committee
Objective#1: Meet the needs of all students.
a. Achieve continuity in curriculum from Kindergarten through High School.
Support and carry out the Curriculum Committee's report. Support the work of
' the Curriculum Coordinator.
b. Provide the space needed by the schools.
' c. Balance the funding available for regular education and special education.
Lobby the State for adequate and fairer funding.
Objective#2: Create a good working relationship between the school administration
' and the community:
Between the administration and parents
' Administrators Parents
openness take the time
' listening be involved
respect educate selves on issues
encouragement values training at home
cooperation show up for programs
acceptance
accountability
Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 12 LandUse, Incorporated
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Interchanges among "school people"and "other people"
"School 2=lle" Others
outreach Community Center,
Boys/Girls Club
information effort advisory groups to tell
schools about the real
world
' schools shouldrespond to the links between social service
needs of the community groups and schools
adjust to serve others congratulate young people
who do well
community service in
curriculum
social service outreach
' Unanswered questions:
How do we know and agree what School Committee members, the
Superintendent, and school principals are supposed to do and hold them
accountable?
How do we get more people to care, to get involved, to hang in and not
' get discouraged or burnt out?
' iv ## : Achieve and maintain adequate staffing.
a. Evaluate the number and skills of staff.
b. As necessary,bring the number of staff up to standard.
c. Achieve and reward quality,caring teachers.
d. Adopt a Town-wide evaluation process.
Review national standards and write out a clear set of performance
expectations.
Carry out for each employee a regular evaluation process that is fair and
constructive
' Inform townspeople how we are doing, and what we need.
e. Inform the community about personnel hiring policies, how quality is to be
determined and rewarded, who is accountable and how to communicate with
them.
f. Publish School Committee and other committees' agendas in the newspapers.
' Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 13 LandUse, Incorporated
[Note: The school administration is working to achieve the attitude that schools are a
service industry, and they agree with these objectives. School administrators point out that
they need to hear townspeople's questions and complaints, so that they may resolve them,]
Dbiective#4: Expand and upgrade Town facilities as necessary.
a. Locate and construct a new Fire Station.
1 b. Locate and construct a new DPW Building.
c. Expand the Town's library facilities. The Library has a plan that specifies what
1 is needed.. The Town needs to invest in a preliminary design plan so as to be
ready to apply for grants that might become available.
d. Extend the sidewalk system, giving priority to connecting neighborhoods with
schools, playgrounds and other recreation facilities, and the open space and
parks system.
Objective 5• Improve the maintenance of all Town facilities.
' a. Shovel sidewalks in winter.
Qbjecdve#6: Meet the needs of older residents.
a. As possible,link services to older residents with services to others,for example
through a community center.
�# : Resolve the trash disposal problem.
a. Inform people of options now open to them.
b. Schedule and support community clean up days.
c. Develop and adopt a comprehensive program for trash management, disposal,
and recycling.
d. Consider establishing a composting facility for leaves, grass clippings, and
other garden waste.
M.jectiys Monitor the towns'needs for additional services,and plan proactively to
meet those needs.
a. Consider how and when to provide transportation alternatives to private
automobiles.
' Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 14 LandUse, Incorporated
Priority Actions to Begin Progress Toward These Objectives:
TF-1. Inform the general citizenry about the questionnaire that the school administration is
distributing to seek community input regarding the High School. Urge the public to
participate in this survey, and make the results of the survey known.
TF-2. Advertise how advisory committees are to be constituted and elected for each school
under the provisions of the State's Educational Reform Act. Work for a broadly
' representative, energetic set of advisory committees to work for the community's
objectives.
TF-3. Establish a "Friends of the Agawam Library" organization to serve as a activating
liaison between the community and our library.
TF-4. Establish a PTO Council to gather all the PTOs together to exchange information
and support each other's efforts. Build this on an expansion of the current Council
of PTO Presidents. Include a representative from the High School, and move to
form a High School PTO.
Longer Range Priority Actions:
TF-5. Broaden the base of communitx invo yement in Town facilities and services.
Create opportunities through the groups and activities recommended in all sections
of this document. Reach out to newcomers, and engage their participation.
TF-6. Strive for exwIgnce— nod,publicize progress along,the =. The community will
be interested in -- and support-- what they can be proud of.
TF-7. Ac ieve thg yide jandcManding and s ovort necrsy to gain vo , rs`
�prnoval of neededJm&ts and capital investments. Voters need to have confidence
that budget and capital requests are based upon solid thinking that reflects residents'
needs, priorities, and choices. They must know that other resources have been
used as much as possible, for example grants and volunteerism. They must believe
that investing in Town facilities will increase the value of their property and will
also add to their safety,comfort,and enjoyment.
Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 15 LandUse, Incorporated
IV. Next Steps in Planning for Our Towns Future
A. What It Will Take to Accomplish
These Goals and Objectives
' Town officials, the business community, and the general citizenry must work together to
achieve:
1 1. Better communication among all members of the Agawam community. Specific
recommendations include:
a. Write and publicize the agendas of all Town councils, boards, and committees in
terms that clearly describe the substance of matters to be discussed. Do not merely
list numbered propositions.
' b. Produce and distribute the pamphlet describing open space and recreation facilities,
as described in Priority Action OSR-Lb on page 11.
c. Produce and distribute the explanatory booklet about the Town's zoning, as
described in Priority Action GM-2.a on page 7.
d. Form the advisory and action groups recommended in this document (see #2
below), and reach out for broadly representative participation in each group.
t 2. The inclusiML-of residents and the business community in management, making
choices, planning needed actions, and implementing them Specific recommended ways to
do this include:
' a. The Zoning Review Committee(see Priority Action GM-3.a. on page 7).
b. The business area working committees (see Priority Actions GM-8.a. and GM-9.a.
on page 8).
c. The Citizens' Open Space and Recreation Council (see Priority Action OSR-3 on
page 11).
d. The School Department's evaluative questionnaire about the High School.
Subsequent questionnaires about other parts of the School System (see Prority
Action TF-1 on page 15).
e. The Advisory Committees mandated by the Education Reform Act (see Priority
' Action TF-2 on page 15).
f. The "Friends of the Agawam Library" (see Priority Action TF-3 on page 15).
g. The PTO Council(see Priority Action TF-4 on page 15).
h. The elder citizens (see Objective#6 page 14).
' Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 16 LandUse, Incorporated
3. Mo�2�ng the resources that =nggded. Specific recommendations and examples
include:
a. A community-wide spirit of volunteerism:
' • Residents serving on working groups and advisory committees.
• Business people and other knowledgeable residents serving as visiting
instructors during school classes and after school programs.
• Students doing community service as part of the schools'curriculum.
• Businesses adopting a park, buying uniforms, and/or paying for electricity for
night games.
• Businesses taking on the responsibility for emptying public trash barrels.
• Civic groups and churches making their facilities and members available to help
' community programs.
• Clean up days.
b. Inexpensive outside resources:
- Student interns from relevant college and university programs.
• Grants
c. Paid professional staff.
• A staff person to concentrate on coordination of open space and recreation
facilities,resource utilization,getting people involved(see Priority Action OSR-
4 on page 11).
' • An experienced full time grant writer whose only responsibilities are to search
for potential sources of funding and apply for that funding.
• The school system's new Curriculum Coordinator.
d. Voters' support for operating budgets and capital investments (see Priority Action
TF-7 on page 15).
4. A cons :tine tone of per; int .ractiQns and delibemtions that respects different points
of view and seeks a fair balance through moderation and compromise.
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Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 17 LandUse, Incorporated
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B. Next Steps to Initiate Action
Date(s) Tasks Who Should Spearhead
July 20, 1993 Discuss and refine the Working Consensus Group
Statement.
Agree on priority actions.
Sign up for working groups.
July -- Publicize importance of townspeople's PTO Council
August 1993 filling out the evaluative questionnaire
about the High School.
' August, -- Gain formal adoption of the Working Delegation(s)from the
September Satement as a guiding policy document. Consensus Group
1993 Seek actions by Mayor,Town Council,
School Committee, Planning Board,
Conservation Commission, and other
relevant boards and departments.
August 1993 Work with the Director of Parks and Delegation from the
Recreation to organize the Citizens'Open Consensus Group
' Space and Recreation Council.
August-- Plan and organize working meetings to Delegation(s) from the
September focus on priority business areas. Include Consensus Group,
1993 business owners, Town officials, and New business associations,
residential neighbors. according to interest in
' the different business
areas.
September-- Publicize the importance of the new PTO Council
' October 1993 school advisory committees. Gain broad-
based representation.
Fall 1993, Update and seek adoption of the Open Director of Planning,
Winter 1994 Space and Recreation Plan. Director of Parks and
Recreation,
Conservation Commission,
Citizens' Open Space and
Recreation Council.
Fall 1999 In conjunction with the Open Space and Cid s'Open 9pace and
Recreation Plan,produce and distribute Recreation Council.
the pamphlet about the Towns facilities
and resources.
' Coming Together for Consensus October 27, 1993 Town of Agawam
Working Statement of Goals and Objectives 18 LandUse, Incorporated
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