Clear Vision Eau Claire

 Concept and Philosophy of Public Work  (Center for Democracy and Citizenship, 2004)
 Clear Vision Kickoff Session (October, 2007)
 Clear Vision Meeting Two (November 1, 2007)
 Clear Vision Presentation by Pat Ivory  (January 11, 2008)
 Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA: Communities with Clear Vision by Mike Huggins  (April, 2008)
 Executive Summary, Clear Vision Eau Claire Final Report (July 23, 2008)
 Clear Vision Eau Claire, Final Report (July 30, 2008)

Background
Clear Vision Eau Claire is a planning process based explicitly on a participatory model of meaningful citizen involvement. A fundamental challenge long confronting Eau Claire, and many U.S. communities, is the lack of the political will to confront and address their most pressing fiscal, social, and political issues. Both individuals and formal governing institutions have lost the capacities to come together in effective and productive public deliberation and problem solving. The participatory citizenship model, which reemerged in the U.S. in the 1990’s promotes collaborative problem-solving, redefines problems from diverse views, promotes public dialogue, restructures mediating institutions (governments, schools, community organizations), and defines citizens as primary actors in effective public problem-solving. The current issues facing the Eau Claire area extend beyond the capabilities of any single organization or person. To create a broad vision, a collaborative strategic planning process was needed. We know the Eau Claire community has a strong and diverse group of community members, yet there is often a disconnect with communication and problem solving. The Clear Vision process has provided not only a framework but a bridge for many entities to work together and consider the unique opportunities and challenges faced by our community.

Phase 1
In October 2007 approximately 200 concerned citizens representing business, education, government, and nonprofit organizations throughout Eau Claire County came forward at the first of ten community stakeholder meetings to conduct the strategic planning for Clear Vision. Community stakeholders were recruited to reflect the ethnic, geographic, age, gender, and occupational diversity of the community. The mix of stakeholders included members of local non-profit community organizations, including faith based groups; environmental and housing activists, health care providers; business groups; neighborhood associations; students; retirees; and a limited number of professional staff and elected officials. Individual stakeholders, not affiliated with any formal organization, participated as citizens interested in forwarding the Eau Claire community as well as the overall public good. Throughout Phase 1, the City of Eau Claire, Eau Claire County, and a coalition of community organizations including but not limited to; the Eau Claire School District, UW-Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Technical College, United Way of Greater Eau Claire, Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce and the Eau Claire Community Foundation supported the project.

Phase 1 of the planning process was facilitated by Derek Okubo, a senior vice-president of the National Civic League. Mr. Okubo has over 15 years experience in conducting similar community initiatives in 65 communities across the United States. During the planning process the Clear Vision group was charged to look toward 2020 and create a vision for a healthy, diverse, and economically vibrant community with a strong commitment to civic life and civic collaboration that is deeply embedded in community institutions and practices. The process required many months of commitment, countless hours of discussion, collaboration, and consensus among these stakeholders who represented the broadest cross-section of our community.

Clear Vision is a true community convergence which includes the for-profit, non-profit and public sectors. During Phase 1 and 2 over $8,000 in in-kind support has helped to forward the mission. This has been offered in the forms of printing, meeting space, and food and beverages. Additionally several community organizations have provided financial support. These include but are not limited to the City of Eau Claire, RCU, Eau Claire Community Foundation, United Way of Greater Eau Claire, and Xcel Energy.

The key outcome for Phase 1 was the identification of six key performance areas (KPA) and goals for each. These KPAs include the following:

1) Civic Engagement
Goal: Spark citizen involvement in government and community. 

2) Economic Development
Goal: Make Eau Claire the community of choice for employers and employees alike.

3) Education
Goal: Provide access to diverse learning opportunities for students and teachers alike on the road of lifelong learning.

4) Health
Goal: Make Eau Claire a model for world-class community wide health care programs.

 5) Quality of Life
Goal: Create a quality of life that provides a fulfilling home for us and future generations.

 6) Transportation
Goal: Provide access to an integrated transportation system that allows freedom of choice.

 As can be noted, each KPA addresses a critical area that will help us build strong, diverse and collaborative Eau Claire community. The six KPA committees set goals and identified 125 strategic actions to help attain goals. The work of Phase 1 concluded with two additional outcomes, a comprehensive report and formation of an implementation committee.

 Phase 2
As a result of Phase 1, an implementation committee was formed. The charge of the implementation committee is to monitor and ensure the implementation of the action plans identified in the Clear Vision plan, and to assist the KPAs in overcoming unforeseen barriers that arise during implementation. Approximately 25 individuals agreed to join the implementation committee and carry on the Clear Vision mission with a commitment of 18 months. A primary focus of Phase 2 has been to assist the KPAs and smaller work groups to integrate implementation into the broader community and to begin to form working collaborations to move the specific strategic actions forward.    

 In an effort to build a process to successfully address each KPA, in October 2008, the Clear Vision Implementation Committee secured a 2-day training session with the Humphrey Institute Center for Democracy and Citizenship. The goal of partnering with the Humphrey Institute was to have a core group of community members review the needs of the Eau Claire community and be trained in civic engagement. The end result was to gain the civic engagement training skills which will help the group to formally address the KPAs and to build the capacities of the individual KPAs to use proven civic problem solving skills in addressing their specific issues. A secondary benefit of the training was to gain skills to become self sustaining through a ‘train the trainers.’ The initial outcome was met through the participation of 38 committee and community members. The general principle of the training was that people can’t realize their fully unless engaged in diversity.   Follow up training took place in December 2008. In March 2009 additional hands-on training on key practices such as power mapping, conducting one-on-one interviews, defining issues, and conducting values discussion was provide to 32 participants in six initial civic work groups addressing specific issues in jobs for underemployed, treatment for AODA, veterans re-entry, collaborative education, community events facilities, and public parks facilities. Subsequent training was also coordinated through the Humphrey Institute for the 14 citizen coaches who facilitated each work group. An additional 60+ citizen volunteers have participated in the ongoing meetings of the six work groups. Our ultimate outcome, to be addressed within Phase 3 is to train an additional 300 individuals in specific civic problem solving skills and practices over a 3-5 year period.

 Phase 3
We are positioned well for Phase 3. The implementation committee is fully engaged, meeting monthly as a full committee for no less than 2 hours. Each individual committee meets more frequently. The committee is diverse, engaged and excited to move to the next level. The KPAs, goals and strategic initiatives have been identified, an initial report completed and individuals been trained in civic engagement. Despite the organizational and individual challenges from the severe economic recession that began in September 2008, we have made great progress. Our work is not completed, and we are at a critical point in our implementation.

In Phase 3, we will expand role of Clear Vision Eau Claire, re-evaluate and re-align our priorities, implement specific KPA action projects and establish the community and institutional infrastructure to train 300-500 people in our community to be community solvers and analyzers.