Planning for GreenTown's Future

 GreenTown’s board of directors gathered last Sunday for their annual planning session. Our board is comprised of community members who are committed to the success of the Green Initiative.  Present were Chair Mary Melton, Secretary-Treasurer Dea Corns, board members Bob Mosier and Jerry Diemart, prospective members Jim and Joyce Keith, interested community member Curt Skaggs, and GreenTown staff Daniel Wallach and Catherine Hart. We met for a day of checking-in on how the organization is doing, and strategizing ways to better serve the community.

 Our number one priority remains being responsive to the needs of local residents as related to the Green Initiative. We aim to continue to find ways to bring money-saving products and services to town, to work with people who are rebuilding or retrofitting, and to develop educational resources that will help with conservation and sustainable living.

The board was in agreement that getting out to ask people’s opinions about GreenTown and the green rebuilding process as a whole is key. In coming months we will develop a survey so that we can systematically determine which of our current programs are most helpful, and what might be added to become more relevant and useful. Board will work with staff to sponsor coffees and other meetings designed to get your valued input. We want to hear it all – good, bad and indifferent. As a community-based nonprofit organization, GreenTown is committed to listening to what local folks have to say.

We’ll also be expanding the website to offer more features and information. One area the board recommended paying greater attention to is our Sustainable Building Data Base, which lists in detail the green features of various homes, businesses, and governmental buildings in town. Giving even more detail could be helpful to people who are looking to purchase energy-saving appliances, upgrade their home’s insulation, etc.

The board was very excited about the notion of putting our GreenTown GreenTour on DVD, so that both area residents and visitors can have a “virtual” experience of Greensburg in great detail.

Time was spent discussing the Chain of Eco-Homes Project, and how to best keep it fresh and relevant as the years progress. It’s important for a community billing itself as an eco-tourism destination to keep up-to-date and interesting to the world at large.

We will plan a Residents’ GreenTour Day, where we will specifically invite people from Kiowa County to tour the various green sites in town, accompanied by a GreenTown guide who can answer specific questions. This will be a great opportunity to get an insider’s look at the technology and sustainable features of our local buildings.

And, of course, every nonprofit has to look at raising funds, so a part of the meeting was devoted to strategizing creative ways to bring in money for the organization. Next year the board will be even more involved with this aspect.

A lot of time was spent talking about how to best work with the other entities in town, including City and County government, other nonprofits, committees, and local businesses. There are a lot of different folks who are working hard to rebuild the community, and good communication is key to making this project successful.

We have a dedicated, visionary board of directors guiding the organization through 2010 and beyond. We’ll keep you posted.