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Show Town's top leaders gather to plot Park City's future More than 70 of Park City's leaders gathered at the Prospector Square Hotel & Convention Center last week and formulated a series of preliminary long-term goals for Park City. The conference Thursday and Friday Fri-day was sponsored by the Park City Chamber of CommerceConvention & Visitors Bureau and was designed to develop a consensus on the town's needs, desires and direction. That consensus will be compiled into a three-year plan of action for the ChamberBureau a Program of Work. The , afternoon sessions were preceded by presentations from panel of resource people invited to the conference to provide informa tion and stimulate thought and discussion. One panel discussed the results of recent surveys among Park City residents and employees on topics ranging from name identification of elected officials to turnover in population (see related story, this page). The other panelists talked about economic development and the experiences of other communities com-munities that tried to diversify their economies. After listening to the panelists, the participants were divided into four groups that were instructed to develop 15 achievable goals for Park City. At the outset of the workshop, dinger din-ger told the participants to aim for specific goals rather than nebulous wishes. He said the goals should be specific enough that at the end of one year the ChamberBureau should be able to measure progress toward achieving them. An example of a "fuzzy" goal would be to diversify the town's economy. A specific goal would be to work with the state economic development officials and the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce to attract new business to Park City. Clinger said a survey of the top seven goals of each group showed these recurring concerns: Summer continue to seek improvements im-provements in the summer tourist market. 1 Conference center-work on study and development of a facility to handle han-dle large groups. Advertising expansion of cooperative advertising programs through the Chamber Bureau. Intergovernmental relations increase in-crease the awareness and presence of Park City at the state government level and increase cooperation "between "be-tween the city and county in areas of planning and services. Cooperation continue working with the Salt Lake Area Chamber of . Commerce, the Salt Lake Convention Conven-tion & Visitor Bureau, as well as regional organizations such as Ski Utah and Mountainlands to promote "Park City. Business develop a business retention program and develop strategies such as a "shop Park City" campaign to create the kind of climate that fosters business stability and growth. ChamberBureau annual review of the organization's goals and objectives ob-jectives and analyze the role of the chamber vs. the visitors bureau. Image encourage and promote the "family image" of Park City. Infrastructure work to maintain adequate infrastructure, including transportation systems, sewer and water. There were proposals to seek Utah Transit Authority service from Salt Lake City to Park City. Economy develop a year-round economy, including development of primary jobs. Events continue to develop special events in Park City, such as the Winter Carnival and Autumn Aloft. Four of the resource people who volunteered their time to the workshop spoke in general terms about economic development before the group as a whole, but each also contributed expertise during the group meetings. The resource people helped participants par-ticipants focus their goals into specific recommendations when related topics were raised. Those volunteers were Howard Benson, president and chief executive ex-ecutive officer of National Community Com-munity Development Services Inc.; Leaders to A5 i (DdDimitnmiiineml ffr apmm . . . .- . " . m hhiiwihiiiim- - " " in r . - - ''mmr - K : . . I V . ' -A . - fj3 ' Left to right: Salt Lake City-based pollster Tom Parker, Park City planning director Bill Ligety, Dr. Timothy Larson and KPjGW station manager Blair Feulner were among participants parti-cipants in Program of Work conference. will compile the goal statements into a membership response survey that will be mailed to designated members of the ChamberBureau. In February, the committee will tabulate the response from the survey and consolidate additional statements. In March, designated Chamber Bureau members will be invited to a general membership meeting for a presentation of the Preliminary Program of Work. At that time, additional comments and suggestions will be accepted. The Program of Work Committee will then create a final draft for submission sub-mission to the organization's board ; of directors for approval. That three-year program of work will be mailed to the membership in April and in the coming months new and existing task forces, committees and councils will review and formalize for-malize specific goals, objectives and activities. The implementation program pro-gram will be adopted by the board of directors. ' The Program of Work will be reviewed and updated in May of 1987 and 1988. .1 v;i. n.i Gd ti'faiOffering the community an op-v'portunity op-v'portunity to build goals and objectives, objec-tives, from literally the core of the ) leadership in Park City from the -Chamber Bureau's point of view i that- in essence creates the most ..workable and complete program," , dinger said. . jiiii But after the workshop some felt that certain segments of the com-,,muijity com-,,muijity were not invited to represent Hhefr points of view, such as old-time residents. , Wtfrii not sure we looked at that as a specific element and maybe we rj&holild have," Clinger said. "Primarily we were looking at the fact that the Chamber Bureau is a business-oriented entity and we ' looked first to leaders from that community." Clinger noted that there will be an opportunity for comment after the first set of goals are compiled and submitted to selected L ChamberBureau members for . comment in survey form. Those surveys will be available to Jh,egpneral public at the -ChamberBureau office, Clinger said. j "Ultimately, the Program of Work ,? wjlj.be adopted and approved by the piSmber's board of directors," CI-finger CI-finger said. "If an individual in the jeoifriunity feels something is miss-$t)jpv miss-$t)jpv the program lacks something nhaCieeds to be addressed, he can take that comment to a member of the board of directors or a member of the ChamberBureau staff," he said. With the groups1 goals in hand, a Program of Work Committee now i Leaders from A1 ".-":;''-' ii David Kolzow, of Laventhol & Hor- r wath, Chicago, a major consultant,,. tifor hotel and motel projects ;o: "Thomas Bychinski, business;.) outreach coordinator for North-- s a Central Technical Institute ' Wausau, Wis.; and Bill Bassitt)ij director of Allen County Economic ii Development DepartmentP,dJStis "Authority, Lima, Ohio. n Small-group members listed as ' many as 35 or more primary goals for Park City during the individual ' r sessions, but had to pare that ! number to 15 for presentation to the groups as a whole. They then ranked, those concerns ; - in importance to them on a scalecof I -one to five and listed whetherUh'eyr, $ thought the Chamber Bureau sHoifld" S take a leading role, an assisting,;!'"' or a supporting role in implementing those goals. Participating in the workshop were three city council members J two councilwomen-elect, the city - manager (mayor-elect Hal Taylor--j" was ill and could not attend), Two. 1 county commissioners, the school j board president, ski area represep- I tatives, local business ownes).. S tourism officials, ChamberBuruia ! staff, realtors, journalists, cy I leaders and others. I "This is probably one of the be2M S workshops I've been involved witH, in terms of commitment and energy , : from various community leaders. 3 People were very serious about the J task and were very dedicated to H working through the process,"Cl-ingersaid. |