what matters most: using community values in decision-making

how do we keep

somewherefrom becoming

anywhere?

so what’s

so why

better

better

• A battle of wills

• A quagmire of information

• A desert of facts

• A leap of faith

Not-So-Great Decision Makingnot-so-great decision-making

• find out what matters most

• solve for that

• explain impacts

• balance facts AND values

heart & soul decision-making

Decision Stickiness

1. people will care

1. clear benefits

1. meaningful engagement buildsmomentum

decision stickiness

?

? ? ? ??

? ? ? ??

? ? ? ??living and

working

locally

educationinvolved

community

family

friendliness

small town

feel

sense of

community

rural

character

history,arts

and culture

open,

responsive

government

strong local

economy

Small Town Character

Walkable downtown

Slow growing

population

People wave to

each other

Defined neighbor-

hoods

Locally owned

businesses

We value our small town character where the rate of population change, pattern of new development and new business growth occurs in a way that encourages people to get to know each other.

articulating a value

Now that you know my Heart

& Soul, what are you going to do

with it?

What matters?

COST

SAFETY

COMFORT

$13,000 $10,000

2 5

Low- 2.5ft leg room- 5.5ft head room- hard seats

Moderate- 3ft leg room- 6ft head room- hard seats

$12,000 $11,000

5 5

High- 3.5ft leg room- 6ft head room- hard seats

Low- 2.5ft leg room- 5.5ft head room- hard seats

How does that show up in a

car?

$

CrashworthinessTechnology

Airbags

-Leg room-Head room-seats

5 STAR safety ratings

Explore Your Car Choose Your Car Future

let’s buy a car.

VALUE STATEMENTS

Small town character

Close to nature

Family friendly

Affordable to live

Safe streets

A B C

POSSIBLE ACTIONS

SMALL TOWN CHARACTER

AFFORDABLE TO LIVE

Positive Impact Neutral Negative Impact

let’s compare possible actions.

Community Design

Public Investment

Action Planning

Evaluating Alternatives

values in decision-making

“This is the best view from any car wash in America.” Think about how we honor the most important places in our town and our community value of access to the water.

- Walkability Audit Report

Rockland, MEreinventing a commercial corridor

Biddeford, MErevitalizing main street

Damariscotta, MEevaluating future growth

Golden, COvalues-centered public investment

“do you want change to shape the character of your community, or

your community’s character to

shape change?”

Betsy RosenbluthOrton Family Foundationbrosenbluth@orton.org802-388-6336www.orton.org

"There is no power for

change greater than a

communitydiscovering

what it cares about.”

-Margaret Wheatley