It Takes a Village...and a Leader

You’ve probably heard the saying, “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child.” I’ve heard that sentiment applied to all sorts of situations, from raising children to caring for pets, and I’m going to expand on that even further now.

It takes a regional “village” to achieve the goals of Communities in Motion.  

Does that sound a bit sappy or far-fetched?  Maybe so, but read on.

The goals of Communities in Motion 2035 are:

·         Connections: Provide options for safe access and mobility in a cost-effective manner in the region.

·         Coordination: Achieve better inter-jurisdictional coordination of transportation and land use planning.

·         Environment: Minimize transportation impacts to people, cultural resources, and the environment.

·         Information: Coordinate data gathering and dispense better information.

In addition, Communities in Motion 2035 supports:

·         Balance between housing and jobs

·         Choices in housing types

·         Choices in transportation and shorter commuting distance

·         Connectivity through higher densities

·         Preservation of open space and farmland

None of these are things that one agency, one jurisdiction, or one person can accomplish alone. They take cooperation and teamwork. They take compromise and sometime even sacrifice for the greater good. They take a regional “village.”

However, they also take leaders. If everyone were to sit back and wait for other “villagers” to take the lead, make the hard decisions, or get their hands dirty, we would get nowhere.

That is why I encourage you to submit your nominations for this year’s COMPASS Leadership in Motion awards.

Who are those leaders who are the catalyst for moving our regional “village” forward? How are they supporting region-wide cooperation and implementation of Communities in Motion? How are they setting an example for other “villagers”?

Learn more about the Leadership in Motion awards and submit your nominations at www.compassidaho.org/comm/lim-awards.htm. Six awards will be presented in five categories:

·         Leadership by Example, Ada County and Canyon County (two awards; one per county each for a specific project)

·         Leadership in Private Business

·         Leadership in Practice, Professional

·         Leadership in Practice, Volunteer

·         Leadership by Example, Elected Official

Who is taking the lead to move our regional “village” forward? Tell us by submitting your Leadership in Motion nomination. Nominations must be received no later than 5:00 pm, Friday, September 21, 2012.