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Show The Coordinating Council -its origin and functions The benefits of such a council coun-cil go beyond the tangible ones of parks, buildings, jobs etc., to the tangible but vital benefits bene-fits of community unity, neigh-borliness, neigh-borliness, civic pride, and mutual mu-tual cooperation. It is up to you to make these things possible pos-sible by your activity. By Kenneth B. Hardy town consultant, Bureau of Community Commun-ity Development. Here in Utah county, all of the local coordinating councils are of recent origin, many newly organized. Space will permit only a brief mention of some of their ctivities. In Payson,i the development of the Park View school area into a joint city-school recreational rec-reational facility is being studied. stu-died. In Spainsh Fork, whose 3-year-old council is the county's oldest, major interest has been focused on the swimming pool to be constructed this year, again as a .joint school community com-munity endeavor. Here in Springville the council coun-cil is studying needs and sentiment senti-ment for a civic center. In Pro-vo, Pro-vo, major effort is being given to a manysided program by and for senior citizens. In Orem, planning for park and recreational development is proceeding. American Fork's council recently approved a long-range development plan for over 50 acres adjacent to the high school, as a school-civic school-civic recreational and park area. Plans are going forward in Lehi for the beautification of the west highway entrance to town. Also, most of the communities are participating in two county-wide activities through the .county council. These activities are in the area of senior citizens under the leadership of Mrs. George S. (Algie) Ballif and in the field of children and youth, particularly particu-larly youth employment, under the chairmanship of Mrs. W. S. (Maureen) Brimhall. How does the coordinating council function? The council itself consists of representatives representa-tives of every civic club desiring de-siring to join, togetner with interested individual citizens. This body meets every two months or so to make the policy decisions of the group. The council authorized the appointment of candidates, hears and acts upon committee reports, decides upon fields of council activity, establishes the by-laws of the organization, and so forth. The council elects an executive committee whose job it is to plan and conduct the meetings, appoint and keep tabs on .committees, etc. All officers and members of ,the council are local, unpaid, volunteer volun-teer citizens engaged in a non-partisan endeavor. There is no coercive power on any .person or group. The council works through the voluntary cooperation of the participants Such an organization maker for more effective and coordinated coordin-ated community action for several reasons. It provides a way by which each club knows what the others are oing as community projects. This promotes pro-motes mutual understanding eliminates competition and duplication of efforts, and facilitates fa-cilitates better planning. It en- ables various groups to pool their resources to make larger contribution to the town. .The citizens have a means by which they ' can identify areas of community need, analyze the urgency and desirability of various var-ious projects, and establish priorities for citizen action This is accomplished through the contribution of ideas and discussion by all and through the analysis of facts gathered by appointed committees. Do you have ideas for the development of your community? commun-ity? Would you like to see consideration given and action taken on such proposals by a responsible citizen group? Do you support the projects already al-ready underway in your town? We urge you to get involved as a member of your coordinating cuncil. Just .contact your local chairman. The officers of your organization are anxious for your earnest participation. |