E-mail: tnorton@sedgwick.gov
November 9, 2009
I have observed over the years that lessons learned can come from gratifying
successes and miserable failures. Both can equally affect future decisions and
the outlay of energy necessary to make things happen. Benchmarking can be
invaluable. Studying other’s thought processes, partnerships and decision points
can enlighten. Generally, people want to enjoy the sausage unencumbered by
knowing all the details of how it is made. Thus, I move on to my final thoughts
on the Visioneering trip to Chattanooga.
First, Chattanooga had made some tremendous progress in redefining themselves,
engaging the public, building partnerships, setting a course for the future and
tenaciously remaining dedicated to making their community better. The riverfront
was magnificent compared to the one I saw in the mid-seventies. Capital and
human capital investments were evident and added to the excitement of the city.
It was obvious that none of the good things about Chattanooga happened
immediately. My lesson learned: this is not an ‘overnight’ process. Leadership
and public sponsorship and support must consistently stay engaged and linked as
it transitions from one generation to the next.
Secondly, strong support from the private sector particularly some key
foundations provided significant boost to the process. The ability to have some
seed money to start to push the ‘vision’ to reality was most obviously a key
element in jump starting Chattanooga. Certainly, leadership and investment from
the public side was important but the lesson learned for me was the critical
need to enlist all players in the community particularly our strong partners in
the foundation and philanthropic world. The big caution here is that none of
these entities are going to be engaged if there is not a community-accepted
‘hard wired’ plan that has involvement and broad support of elected officials.
Internal angst and maneuvering will scrap the process quicker than lack of
money.
Third lesson learned; downtown redevelopment is complicated. Everyone is
different. One size does not fit all. We must understand Wichita, its history,
its current perceptions and what we want it to be. We obviously have some major
strengths that can be expanded on. And we have some conditions that are less
than optimal that will have to be analyzed and rethought to ensure they are
changed, improved upon or at least neutralized so they help contribute to a
successful revitalization in some manner. We must also realize that we have 19
other downtowns in our greater community, all that have dreams and ambitions to
become the center of life for their citizens. We need Wichita to thrive, to
achieve its best possible future and become an incubator for commerce, housing,
service and retail, entertainment and sense of place. And without diminishing
other great neighborhoods and segments of the region.
Fourth, they called it ‘patient capital’. You can call it investment in the
future. But it boils down to understanding what it takes to compete in today’s
world for jobs, capital investment and other factors that drives a local
economy, builds the tax base, and expands the ability to enhance the intangible
‘quality of life’ amenities of a community. This is hard. Darn hard. ‘Patient’
is not a word easily used in this instant gratification, competing interest,
‘what have you done today’ environment that we live in. Political expediency
pushes us to less risky, safer, cheaper, and even benign decisions that
ultimately changes nothing and bears little fruit for the public good at all.
This is hard. Making decisions today that won’t manifest themselves in some sort
of calculated payback immediately is hard. It is not for the faint of heart. And
I am not talking about just the elected officials. I am talking about everyone
who cares about the community, the next generation, and what the best future
might look like. Everyone hooking up to the yoke and forging ahead is important.
Even if you are not always pulling in the direction that you endorse or find
comfortable. Progress is hard and patience a virtue.
Final lesson learned. Get people involved. Let the detractors speak. Move on
with fixed eyes and unwavering dedication. Celebrate the wins. Learn from the
setbacks. But move forward to understand, construct and implement the elements
for our best possible future.
That’s all for this week. Thanks for letting me get a word
in edgewise. -TN