It is important for neighbours to talk with neighbours. Even more important is for the community to regularly be in discussion with our elected officials. Yes, we go to the polls every four years and elect a mayor and council. Seldom do we hear from them even at election time about their priorities for their term. For the past three decades, a strategic plan has been developed by the council as a guide for the next four years. Most of the time the strategic plan has been planned without consultation with the community. This year the council has chosen a new route.
I thought of this last Sunday when the power was out in Fort Frances and on the lake. With the lights out, no television and no internet, the community abandoned their sanctuaries. The backyards became noisy. Sidewalks filled with walkers and roller bladers, while others dusted off their bikes to travel around the community.
As the day moved on, cell service lessened. The community became untethered and were forced to see and talk to neighbours. It is an interesting lesson in community building. I am not advocating for more power outages, but I harken back to Malcom Gladwell’s book What the Dog Saw, the unexpected results of government actions. With the power off and screens darkened, once again neighbours and friends were talking to each other, sharing ideas across fences and on sidewalks. For a short period of time the community was reborn. It was Back to the Future. And the council has realized that to reach people you must begin conversations with the people through their cell phones and home computers.
The Town of Fort Frances has been building a strategic plan by consulting the community through the internet. Using SurveyMonkey, the consultation has been exploring citizens priorities for the future. This is like the discussion between neighbours and friends. It is about what you would want your community to become. Without regard to costs, the survey has questions about labour, social problems, infrastructure, tourism, housing, employment, education, senior’s housing and more. It is comprehensive in its scope and will allow this council to plan for the next five years. In previous strategic plans, the task has often been more internal with little input from the community. This plan should clearly show the views of the community.
The closing date for consultation was last Friday. The results will be reviewed by the consultants and provided to the council. The town is now beginning its consultation for the budget. This is another opportunity for residents to let counselors know where the communities, citizens, businesses, and organizations stand on taxing and spending.
