Information from Past Meetings and Conferences

     At its July, 29th meeting, the Commission was addressed by a guest visitor, Mr. Fred Abousleman, Executive Director of the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC).  For over 40 years, NARC has represented and served as the national voice for regionalism by advocating for regional cooperation as the most effective way to address a variety of community planning and development opportunities and issues.   Mr. Abousleman spoke to the group for about half an hour with the goal of providing a new perspective on the importance of regional planning and the work that the Commission does.   His experiences and exposure to a multitude of regional planning entities (RPCs, MPOs, COGs, EDDs and others) allowed Mr. Abousleman to provide a comparison of East Central with other, similar sized agencies across the United States.  
     Mr. Abousleman noted that East Central (and Wisconsin for that matter) had a unique role in providing long-range wastewater treatment plant (Sewer Service Area) planning as well as involvement in various environmental planning activities, such as the regional NR-135 Mine Reclamation Program and groundwater issues.    He went on to further state that “the Commission is well ahead of the curve in that its basic program framework and structure (MPO, EDD, Regional Plan, etc.) are all in place” and that the Commission should promote these facts, as they provide essential coordination and cost savings across the region.      
     Looking toward the future, Mr. Abousleman encouraged the Commission to remain versatile as an organization and explore new areas for potential programs and services that also meet the needs of the region.   Areas for consideration that were mentioned include public safety, food security planning, green jobs programs, joint purchasing programs, and energy planning.   In closing, Mr. Abousleman spoke of the need to examine and understand population and demographic trends with respect to the future industries, their workers, and work-places.   “There will be a critical gap in demand and supply in the work force as baby boomers retire, our population drops off and less skilled workers enter the work force “, Abousleman said.   Furthermore, “remember that generation Y workers communicate much differently – texting, social websites, etc. – than their Gen X counterparts”.   A copy of Mr. Abousleman’s PowerPoint presentation can be found here.

 MINI-CONFERENCE - Small Wind in Your Community - March 2011

MINI-CONFERENCE - Comprehensive Planning: Where do we go from here? - August 2010

MINI-CONFERENCE - Weaving Water Quality and Energy Concepts into your Community's Vision - April 2007

MINI-CONFERENCE - Planning For a More Self Reliant Energy Future - January 2007

MINI-CONFERENCE - Energy Options For Local Communities - July 2006

MINI-CONFERENCE - Confronting the Invasive Species Challenge - April 2006

MINI-CONFERENCE - Improve Your Planning Using Today's Technology - January 2006

MINI-CONFERENCE - The Misconceptions of Comprehensive Planning - October 2005
 

	Presentation	Presenter
	Planning Is...Planning Is Not: Myths Associated with Wisconsin's Smart Growth Law	Laura Arbuckle, Wisconsin Dept. of Administration
	Property Rights: What Can You Do? What Should You Do!	Mike Koles, Waupaca County UWEX
	Dispelling the Myths: The Application and Use of Visioning	Dr. Susan A. Thering, UW-Madison
	Whose Plan Is It Anyway? A Case Study in Evaluating Public Participation and Intergovernmental Coordination During the Planning Process	Shannon Haydin, Sheboygan County
	Regional Comprehensive Plan Updates	Eric W. Fowle, ECWRPC

MINI-CONFERENCE - How Will Aging and Diversity Impact Your Community - April 2005