Below is the introduction and table of contents to the written report that I am submitting via US Mail to Betsy Quintero today. I only have section II available electronically and if you want me to, I will submit that to the discussion board. Please let me know.

Karen Johnson

_________________

Healthy Community Assessment Project

Community Leadership--Morris, Minnesota

Introduction

On October 25, 1998, 24 representatives from Morris, Minnesota met for a week long retreat in Grand Rapids to exchange ideas on leadership and to train to become more effective community leaders. Morris was selected to participate in the Blandin Leadership Community Program (BLCP) through a grant received by the Morris Area Chamber of Commerce and was funded by the Blandin Foundation.

Through the week we participated in the process of building community leadership by attending lectures, participating in discussions and engaging in interactive learning exercises and role playing. The program focused on understanding effective leadership, conflict resolution, developing communication skills and recognizing and appreciating diversity.

The week culminated in an assignment to study the dimensions of healthy communities through research and discussion with people in our small BCLP group and the wider Morris community. These dimensions include: valuing diversity, life-long learning, economic opportunity, infrastructure and services, environmental stewardship, community leadership, safety and security and recreational and cultural opportunities. The small group to which I was assigned focused on community leadership, which are the broad-based leadership structures in which many people fill leadership roles. Three of us researched 9 categories, discussed our findings and I prepared the attached report of the challenges and opportunities for community leadership in Morris, Minnesota.

PAGE 2

Healthy Community Assessment Project

Community Leadership--Morris, Minnesota

Table of Contents

Section I

The Task - Healthy Community Assessment Workbook Blandin Community Leadership Assignment Description

Section II

The Report - Healthy Community Assessment Project Community Leadership in Morris, Minnesota

Section III

Attachments to the Report

Stevens County Profile of Demographic, Social and Vital Statistics - 1997

Shared Leadership - Research Notes

Community Linkages - A Conference Schedule Innovations: Bright Ideas in Local Government

-- Anonymous, January 27, 1999

Answers

I just emailed Karen that as I look at this project, I truly see a great model that synthesizes learning from "Professional Development" learnings from the course, her professional readings coming through both directly and indirectly, and her professional experience being built upon for a community's development. Bravo!

-- Anonymous, January 29, 1999

A few more specific comments after reading project:

How were participants chosen/recruited/compensated?

I love the eight dimensions of healthy communities that you use...where did that design come from?

Excellent that you stress that completing the Workbook will create more questions than answers.

Under Types and Sources of Data A. Gathering information from the people in the community...this is so important and a place where diversity can be addressed. How do we define experts or knowledgeable people?

I would add another category under 1. Local Contacts that is Other___________ to ensure that people know that they may find experts that they didnt know were there.

Excellent Resource list.

The Morris Project:

Thoughtful questions under Leadership from Religious Organizations

Important comment about student involvement under School Leadership

Shared Leadership point is well-taken

Excellent very specific activity suggestions

I was a little surprised that I didnt see anything listed in Challenges about migrant populations, unemployed or underemployed citizens from groups with language or other educational issues. Maybe Im misinformed that this is a challenge in this region of Minnesota?

-- Anonymous, February 01, 1999