The First Step Is Listening

Do you have accounting skills, infrastructure knowledge, a business planning background, great internet and marketing skills, an engineering background, town planning training, understand micro and macroeconomics, have successfully run an $8.6 million business (that is the annual combined operating budgets of Woodbury and the County – not including schools, highway and a few other items), have good working contacts in State government, follow local, regional, state, national and international business and political trends and know this county and its people and history like the back of your hand?

If yes, then please commit to attending every city and county commission meeting for the next 12 months to listen. To listen to the planning process, to listen to the decision making process. To listen to the historical dialog of strengths and weaknesses of the community. To listen to the public’s needs and wants. To listen to the limitations of funding, timing, and political will.

After you’ve listened, just listened, for a year, are you ready to commit to 4 years of monthly meetings sitting on a commission and many hours beyond those meetings doing research, outreach, and community development?

Constructive change for any community is an arduous process with a long time horizon. Your help is needed. Please make the commitment to careful listening, then get involved.

Neal Appelbaum
Volunteer Coordinator, 3 Star Program