the Best: The Impacts of the Best: The Impacts of Avoiding Avoiding Lead Group Accountability in Lead Group Accountability in Comprehensive Planning Comprehensive Planning What happens when left to What happens when left to chance? chance? Environment & Public Policy Conference Environment & Public Policy Conference June 28, 2006 June 28, 2006 Sue Senecah, Ph.D. Sue Senecah, Ph.D. State University of New York State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry College of Environmental Science & Forestry Syracuse, NY USA Syracuse, NY USA
Transcript
Talking the Talk & Hoping for the Best: Talking the Talk & Hoping for the Best: The Impacts of Avoiding The Impacts of Avoiding
Lead Group Accountability in Lead Group Accountability in Comprehensive Planning Comprehensive Planning
What happens when left to chance?What happens when left to chance?
Environment & Public Policy ConferenceEnvironment & Public Policy ConferenceJune 28, 2006June 28, 2006
Sue Senecah, Ph.D.Sue Senecah, Ph.D.State University of New York State University of New York
College of Environmental Science & ForestryCollege of Environmental Science & ForestrySyracuse, NY USASyracuse, NY USA
My Plan TodayMy Plan Today
Collaborative GovernanceCollaborative Governance Internal Process AccountabilityInternal Process Accountability One Local Comprehensive Planning One Local Comprehensive Planning
Moratoriums on development?Moratoriums on development?Zoning changes?Zoning changes? Zoning at all?Zoning at all?Land Use?Land Use? Emergency Services?Emergency Services?
Challenges to Challenges to Small Government BodiesSmall Government Bodies
Elected officials are often not full time and Elected officials are often not full time and not paid much, if at allnot paid much, if at all
Education and experience variesEducation and experience varies Often lack training in management, Often lack training in management,
decision making skills, collaboration, decision making skills, collaboration, securing funding, etc.securing funding, etc.
Challenges to Challenges to Small Government BodiesSmall Government Bodies
Zoning Board members are appointed by Zoning Board members are appointed by the Town Supervisor = political aspectthe Town Supervisor = political aspect
Local politics can be cut throat and brutalLocal politics can be cut throat and brutal ““Working with the public” is great to claim Working with the public” is great to claim
if on your side; if not sure, avoid.if on your side; if not sure, avoid. Towns are small = there is no “away” & Towns are small = there is no “away” &
people have long memoriespeople have long memories
Internal capacity for collaboration before Internal capacity for collaboration before engaging external capacity for engaging external capacity for collaborationcollaboration
Within the governance bodiesWithin the governance bodies
Within the planning groupWithin the planning group
Typically, a group is established to Typically, a group is established to lead the planning effort lead the planning effort
What if the members are unfamiliar with good What if the members are unfamiliar with good internal process for how to effectively conduct internal process for how to effectively conduct their own business with each other as a planning their own business with each other as a planning group?group?
What are the implications for group member What are the implications for group member motivation, trust, creativity, and satisfaction? motivation, trust, creativity, and satisfaction?
What are the implications for the quality of the What are the implications for the quality of the comprehensive master plan?comprehensive master plan?
What are the implications for community What are the implications for community implementation of the plan?implementation of the plan?
Collaborative GovernanceCollaborative Governance
One critical need is:One critical need is:
Building & Supporting local government Building & Supporting local government capacity to engage in collaborative capacity to engage in collaborative governancegovernance
greater accountabilitygreater accountability
William & Flora Hewlett FoundationWilliam & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Collaborative Governance: A Guide for Collaborative Governance: A Guide for GrantmakersGrantmakers
AccountabilityAccountability
The obligation to account for or take The obligation to account for or take responsibility for actionsresponsibility for actions
To “walk the talk”To “walk the talk”
To be able to answer for the lead planning To be able to answer for the lead planning group’s internal actions/decisions group’s internal actions/decisions
Internal AccountabilityInternal Accountability
Greater Community
Community Networks
Steering Committee
ChallengesChallenges
How to encourage/support/train internal capacity How to encourage/support/train internal capacity in accountability?in accountability?
1. to unlearn assumptions of government 1. to unlearn assumptions of government being “provider” of materials & servicesbeing “provider” of materials & services
2. to learn new attitudes, assumptions and 2. to learn new attitudes, assumptions and skills for governance bodies to be partners & skills for governance bodies to be partners & facilitatorsfacilitators
When the Lead Planning Group When the Lead Planning Group Lacks Capacity to Make Itself Lacks Capacity to Make Itself
Accountable to ItselfAccountable to Itself
What does group dysfunction look like?What does group dysfunction look like?
Focus of this research is on the internal Focus of this research is on the internal dynamics of a group of community members dynamics of a group of community members and elected officials leading comprehensive and elected officials leading comprehensive master planning efforts in two towns. master planning efforts in two towns.
Data is based on interviews with lead planning Data is based on interviews with lead planning group members over the course of their group members over the course of their processes 2003-2006. processes 2003-2006.
Primary Dysfunction IndicatorPrimary Dysfunction IndicatorLack of Internal AccountabilityLack of Internal Accountability
Sub-indicator = ProcessSub-indicator = Process Lack of Planning process road mapLack of Planning process road map
• Tasks generated, done, and ignoredTasks generated, done, and ignored• Talented & skilled citizens chased away by Talented & skilled citizens chased away by
ignoring them or dismissing their contributionsignoring them or dismissing their contributions• Remaining volunteers rebelRemaining volunteers rebel• Lack of explicit process plan, action, & follow-Lack of explicit process plan, action, & follow-
throughthrough Without an internal road map, “planning” Without an internal road map, “planning”
becomes the “doing” so not much gets done.becomes the “doing” so not much gets done.
Primary Dysfunction IndicatorPrimary Dysfunction IndicatorLack of Internal AccountabilityLack of Internal Accountability
Sub-indicator = ProcessSub-indicator = Process
Lack of Steering Committee StructureLack of Steering Committee Structure• SC arbitrarily createdSC arbitrarily created• Inequitable appointments Inequitable appointments • No guidance for membershipNo guidance for membership
Some members required to received appointment by Town Board; Some members required to received appointment by Town Board; others notothers not
Members forced to resign behind the scenesMembers forced to resign behind the scenes Members move out of Town but remain on SCMembers move out of Town but remain on SC
• Potential network members ignored or ideas dismissedPotential network members ignored or ideas dismissed e.g., historical societies, civic groups, churchese.g., historical societies, civic groups, churches
• Refusal to create Steering Committee operating procedures = Refusal to create Steering Committee operating procedures = “uncomfortable with that conversation”“uncomfortable with that conversation”
• Previous decisions ignored or flippedPrevious decisions ignored or flipped
Primary Dysfunction IndicatorPrimary Dysfunction IndicatorLack of Internal AccountabilityLack of Internal Accountability
Sub-indicator = ProcessSub-indicator = Process Missed Opportunities for ResourcesMissed Opportunities for Resources
Accessible funding not pursuedAccessible funding not pursued Grant writing offers turned downGrant writing offers turned down Grant writing assignments ignoredGrant writing assignments ignored Internships cancelledInternships cancelled
Primary Dysfunction IndicatorPrimary Dysfunction IndicatorLack of Internal AccountabilityLack of Internal Accountability
Sub-indicator =Sub-indicator =Linkage w/ CommunityLinkage w/ Community
Media coverage dwindles to nothingMedia coverage dwindles to nothing Web site stalled or superficialWeb site stalled or superficial Public record of process not kept upPublic record of process not kept up SC meeting notes are sparse & sterileSC meeting notes are sparse & sterile Open meeting laws routinely violatedOpen meeting laws routinely violated Promises to the public not keptPromises to the public not kept Process co-opted for other personal and Process co-opted for other personal and
political agendaspolitical agendas
Primary Dysfunction IndicatorPrimary Dysfunction IndicatorLack of Internal AccountabilityLack of Internal Accountability
Sub-indicator =Sub-indicator =Linkage w/ CommunityLinkage w/ Community
Consultant not held accountable for unmet Consultant not held accountable for unmet promises of community capacity building promises of community capacity building and community involvementand community involvement
Focus shifts inward among increasingly Focus shifts inward among increasingly shrinking group; community ignoredshrinking group; community ignored
SC boundaries become more impermeableSC boundaries become more impermeable What is unfamiliar is sabotaged: lack of What is unfamiliar is sabotaged: lack of
member confidence to take risksmember confidence to take risks
Primary Dysfunction IndicatorPrimary Dysfunction IndicatorLack of Internal AccountabilityLack of Internal AccountabilitySub-indicator = Turf Wars & Sub-indicator = Turf Wars &
Unrestrained PoliticsUnrestrained Politics Zero sum power dynamicsZero sum power dynamics Personal political agendas for elected officePersonal political agendas for elected office JealousyJealousy Interpersonal strife: sabotage & back bitingInterpersonal strife: sabotage & back biting Subcommittee chairs don’t involve Subcommittee chairs don’t involve
membersmembers Subcommittees dwindle to one personSubcommittees dwindle to one person
Primary Dysfunction IndicatorPrimary Dysfunction IndicatorLack of Internal AccountabilityLack of Internal Accountability
Sub-indicator = ClimateSub-indicator = Climate SC meeting climate is tense, position-SC meeting climate is tense, position-
based, adversarialbased, adversarial Little social dimensionLittle social dimension Meetings last several hoursMeetings last several hours Primary & Secondary Tension persists Primary & Secondary Tension persists
(involving roles & power)(involving roles & power) Informal learning replaced with competitionInformal learning replaced with competition No way to address tender issuesNo way to address tender issues
And yet, . . .And yet, . . .
Nontraditional Nontraditional
measures of success enduremeasures of success endure
in the face of in the face of
dysfunctiondysfunction
Sprouts from the Seeds of Sprouts from the Seeds of Collaborative Governance:Collaborative Governance:Lessons for Best PracticesLessons for Best Practices
Execute a Commitment to CollaborationExecute a Commitment to Collaboration Make it public to make it accountableMake it public to make it accountable Build governance capacityBuild governance capacity Build in internal Build in internal processprocess accountability indicators accountability indicators
& measures (in addition to content timelines)& measures (in addition to content timelines) Build in Build in process process monitoring/assessment points & monitoring/assessment points &
mechanismsmechanisms A stitch in time saves nine!A stitch in time saves nine!
Value of Recognizing Value of Recognizing Process DysfunctionProcess Dysfunction
Critical significance of Critical significance of making internal group accountability explicitmaking internal group accountability explicit assessing and building collaborative capacity-assessing and building collaborative capacity-
building within the lead groupbuilding within the lead group supporting capacity of the group to engage in supporting capacity of the group to engage in
ongoing collaboration with the communityongoing collaboration with the community Potential to improve community Potential to improve community
relationships, plans, and implementationrelationships, plans, and implementation
The ChallengeThe Challenge
How a community makes its decisions is a How a community makes its decisions is a critical indicator of its sustainabilitycritical indicator of its sustainability..
What can we contribute? What can we contribute?
How can we contribute?How can we contribute?
Start with what they knowStart with what they know
Build with what they haveBuild with what they have
But with the best leadersBut with the best leaders
When the work is doneWhen the work is done
The task accomplishedThe task accomplished
The people will sayThe people will say
““We have done this ourselves!We have done this ourselves!
