READ OR DOWNLOAD THE FOCUS GROUPS' MARCH 2000 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES REPORT

Plan Purpose and Goals

Hamilton's Vision 2020 Comprehensive Planning Project encompasses many aspirations and dimensions, but its main goal has been to design a framework for action that serves as a dynamic and living plan for our City. The final plan elements were formed in March 2000 to provide a basis for decision-making and serve as a written guide to manage public policies, plans, programs, actions and investments for years to come. Specifically, the Vision 2020 Plan was created to identify and analyze opportunities and challenges facing Hamilton as we entered the 21st century, setting specific goals and objectives that reflect the ideals of the community as a whole.

Officers:
–       Chair – Nancy Wiley*
–       Vice Chair – John Guidugli*
–       Secretary – Teri Whitmore*

Members
–       Louis Barich                 Lorie Batdorf              Mark Brandenburger
–       Gil Cabacungan            Kenny Craig                Jason Crank
–       Matt Davison              Mike Dingeldein*         Jeffrey Diver
–       John Fabelo                  Anne Fiehrer Flaig     Joel Fink 
–       Jason Fullmer               Daniel Hall                  Butch Hubble
–       Rick Jones                    Kathy Klink                  Dave Loeffler  
–       Tim MacDonald           Everett Mann              Tim Naab
–       Keith Nott                    Jim Paulus*                  Amy Pelicano
–       Mary Reimer                Gary Richards             Debbie Rulon 
–       Mayor Don Ryan*       Mike Samoviski            Steve Timmer
–       Tony Traub                  Karen Underwood       John Vaughn
–       Rob Wile*                    Craig Wilks*                Bill Wilks         

 *denotes Executive Committee member
denotes ex-officio 
denotes subcommittee chair

HISTORY
In 1997, Hamilton resident Don Taylor saw a documentary on television entitled “Back from the Brink,” a video about urban rejuvenation produced by the American Institute of Architects. Mr. Taylor was excited by the possibilities that this video presented for Hamilton and he purchased a copy of it.

In January of 1998, then Mayor Tom Nye made a presentation at the Senior Citizens on Ross Avenue that Mr. Taylor attended.  He presented Mayor Nye with the videotape for his review.  Mayor Nye, impressed by the documentary, took it to Hal Shephard, the City Manager at that time, and suggested that it be shown to City Council and the Directors of City departments during their annual joint strategic planning session.

On February 14, 1998, the video was presented at the strategic planning session the first thing in the morning. It proved so compelling that everyone agreed to spend the rest of the session brainstorming on how to use this information to help improve economic development in Hamilton. By the end of the day, they had a plan to create a visioning and comprehensive planning process for the City that included retaining a consultant.

Then Vice-Mayor Adolf Olivas was appointed by City Council to chair the project, now known as the “Hamilton Vision 2020 Comprehensive Plan”. Jim Boerke, the Director of the City Planning Department at that time, led the search for a consulting firm to assist the City with making the Vision 2020 Plan a reality. An initial Steering Committee was created that included Boerke, Mayor Nye, Vice-Mayor Olivas and Councilman George McNally.

To pick the right consultant, a Search Committee was formed consisting of 33 citizens from all areas of the City and all walks of life.  After interviewing four consulting firms, the Search Committee selected Parsons Harland Bartholomew & Associates as the firm to help create and define the process for the Vision 2020 Comprehensive Plan.  In addition, Ed Barlow was chosen to lead the volunteer citizens through a visioning process entitled “Creating the Future.”

Developing the Vision 2020 plan was an extensive process that included numerous steps:

·         Presentation at the Red Carpet Luncheon - October 1, 1998

·         Initial Coordination Meeting with media and interest groups - October 1, 1998

·         Community –Wide Public Information Meetings - October 27 & 28, 1998

·         Focus Groups were identified to create the Vision and Planning documents.

o        Each Focus Group consisted of two co-chairpersons – one appointed by the City and the other elected by majority vote of the membership of each Focus Group.  Trained facilitators provided assistance in conducting the meetings and capturing the work of each group.  The City also appointed City Technical Liaisons to support each group.

·         Focus Group Community Kick-off Meeting.  – November 7, 1998

o        This was a six-hour orientation session for all Focus Group participants.

·         Focus Group Committee Meetings – November, 1998 to February 1999

o        These meetings were where the real work took place, defining critical areas of responsibility and identifying the major trends and goals that must be in place by 2020.

·         Discovery Integration Meeting – February 27, 1998

o        The Focus Groups participated in a four-hour meeting to report their findings and recommendations.  From this meeting came a “Vision Statement” for the City.

·         Goals and Objectives- March to June 1998

o        From the results of the reports, each Focus Group met at least four more times to develop a final report that incorporated: Purpose; Trends and Issues; Desired State; Goals; and Action Strategies for its group.

·         Create Phase Integration Meeting – June 11, 1998

o        All the Focus Groups came together to showcase their results and solicit input from other groups.

·         Final Vision 2020 Goals & Objectives – March 2000

o        The Steering Committee and the Executive Committee directed the efforts of the Consultant Team in preparing the final Vision 2020 Goals and Objectives document to formally record the results of the Focus Groups reports.

·         Vision Commission Created – July 2001 to Today.

o        Hamilton City Council as part of the enacting legislation created a Commission for the Vision 2020 Plan.  The Commission is composed of 15 to 30 Mayor-appointed volunteer citizens.  The purpose of this Commission is to bring life to the Vision 2020 Master Plan.

FOCUS GROUPS

Initially, six community volunteer Focus Groups were formed to help formulate planning issues of importance to the future of Hamilton. Each group explored a specific topic area, and then identified goals, objectives and implementation strategies to serve as the primary building blocks of the Vision 2020 plan.

Community Services: Over time, Hamilton will experience changes in the mix of its citizens, their interests and needs for community services. This focus group worked to profile the future Hamilton residents and to identify the kinds of support mechanisms that will both meet community needs and enhance quality of life. Included in this group's review were such things as: programs and youth services, elderly and individuals out of the mainstream, healthcare, public safety (fire and police), and social services.

Economic Vitality: Complexity, diversity, and pace of change will characterize the business environment for the 21st Century. This group evaluated the global, regional, and local economic environments within which Hamilton will find itself. It considered the sustainability of current industries, businesses and employment bases, and suggested ways to create an environment that will attract and maintain the preferred business and job mix.

Government Cooperation: Government's role and its relationship to citizens are being reevaluated within the context of the modern world. This focus group looked at the nature and role of governance in an age of "real time communication" with an increasing desire of citizens to have input into those rules and regulations that affect their daily lives. It also considered the level of responsibility each citizen will have and how this responsibility could be carried out. Special consideration was given to areas of mutual interest and possible collaboration among governmental units in the Hamilton area.

Image and Environment: The image and perception of Hamilton translates into a "community feel" that is based on many experiences, both physical and emotional. These include aesthetics, views/vistas and environmental quality, and social encounters experienced. Areas addressed by this group included visual perceptions of community entryways and corridors, open space and greenways, riverfront opportunities & activities, historic districts, and downtown features.

Life and Lifestyle Choices: Increasingly, quality of life is becoming the primary motivator related to where people live and work. Quality of life is defined as lifestyle choice options that people have available to meet their needs. This group explored who will live in Hamilton in 2020 and what lifestyle choice experiences will be available. Emphasis was placed on those things that can be done to enhance individual self-sufficiency and self-reliance.

Lifelong Learning: Life for each individual represents a continuum of personal and professional challenges and opportunities. A successful response to each challenge and opportunity requires a certain level of knowledge and skill. This focus group considered the range of skills citizens of Hamilton would need to create their preferred future. It worked to identify alternative ways for residents to learn and grow as they encounter different stages of their life cycle.

THE PLAN

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Mercantile Buildings

Riverfront Study by URS Consultants

Plans for Mercy Site

PROJECTS

Riverfront Development

Amphitheater

Rowing Course – Boat House

Performing Arts Center – Study is being conducted to see if Hamilton can support this

Vision Awards

The Hamilton Vision Commission presents Vision Awards to organizations or individuals whose contributions to the betterment of Hamilton uphold the philosophy of the Vision 2020 Plan. The Commission created the Vision Awards to recognize projects and accomplishments that are in keeping with the plan.

In November, 2004, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Carruthers were presented with the Vision Award.

The Vision Commission was created by City Council in June, 2001, to oversee implementation of the Vision 2020 Plan and assure that its major goals and objectives are achieved.  As part of this charge, the Commission created the Vision Awards to recognize projects and accomplishments that are in keeping with the plan.

Over the past three years the Vision Commission has presented Vision Awards to outstanding organizations and individuals whose contributions to the betterment of Hamilton uphold the philosophy of the Vision 2020 Plan.  We’ve given out twelve awards so far:  five the first year and six last year.  This year however, it became obvious that one couple had done so much for the community that they alone deserved to be honored and given a special Vision Award for their tremendous generosity to the City of Hamilton.

Donna and Pat Carruthers have donated untold millions to better this city.  Consider first their support for Fort Hamilton Hospital.  The Carruthers donated $1,000,000 to expand and remodel the Emergency Room which was so needed after the closing of Mercy Hospital.  And when Fort Hamilton came to the Carruthers to ask that they help again and fund the Intensive Care/Outpatient and Diagnostic Services project, the Carruthers donated another $3,000,000 for this endeavor.

They have also given much to the Hamilton School System, from the renovation of the Hamilton High School auditorium to a new fine arts wing at Wilson Junior High, to the No Child Left Behind sculpture at the High School.

The Fitton Center has also greatly benefited from the Carruthers generosity - from the sculptures that decorate the outside of the center to the addition of the magnificent Carruthers Center for Arts and Technology that includes the beautiful Carruthers Signature Ballroom.

The City of Sculpture is grateful to Donna and Pat for funding of the J. Seward Johnson sculpture exhibit that so enriched and entertained us this past summer and early fall.

And the City, as well as many, many Hamilton families, appreciate the Carruthers generosity for their ongoing funding to keep all of the City swimming pools open each summer.

These are just some of the highlights of the amazing generosity that this couple has bestowed on our city.  We are so fortunate to have the Carruthers in our community and we are very grateful to them for all that they have done. 

2002 Vision Award Winners

•  Janet T. Baker - Superintendent of Schools

• The City of Sculpture

• Sherry L. Corbett - Preservationist

• Hamilton Community Foundation

• Frank Pfirman - Matandy Steel & Metal Products