This document outlines the agenda and proposed ground rules for a community visioning meeting regarding the potential extension of the Green Line to Mystic Valley Parkway. The meeting will include introductory presentations from representatives of MassDOT and MAPC, an overview of the visioning process, a question and answer period, and small group discussions. Ground rules are proposed to ensure an orderly and productive discussion and allow all viewpoints to be respectfully represented. Feedback from attendees will be collected through speaking, written comments, and email. Information from the meeting will be posted online.
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Meeting agenda-2.16.11
1. Mystic Valley Parkway Green Line Extension
Community Visioning Process
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Brooks Elementary School
388 High Street
Medford, MA
MEETING AGENDA
Time Topic Who
6:00 Welcome & Introductory Comments Kate Fichter – MassDOT
Role of Metro Area Planning Council
6:05 Eric Bourassa – MAPC
(MAPC)
Role of MA Office of Public Loraine Della Porta/Bill Logue/Kurt
6:10
Collaboration (MOPC) Dettman - MOPC
6:20 Process Presentation Eric Bourassa - MAPC
6:40 Frequently Asked Questions MOPC, MassDOT & MAPC
7:05 Facilitated Small Group Dialogue All Participants
7:50 Meeting Evaluation MOPC
7:55 Wrap-Up and Next Steps MOPC and MassDOT
8:00 Adjourn
2. Mystic Valley Parkway Green Line Extension
Community Visioning Process
Proposed Ground Rules
We greatly appreciate your taking time to participate in this Community Visioning Process. We recognize this
issue is important to you and that many of you hold passionate and diverse views.
In order to make this a positive and productive experience for you as citizens, our professional facilitators from
the Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration have drafted the following ground rules/expectations to guide
us through this process. Please feel free to suggest other ways for making meetings productive and successful.
A. MassDOT has convened this visioning process in order to explore opportunities and challenges associated
with the possible extension of the Green Line to Mystic Valley Parkway. They have engaged the services of
MAPC to conduct a study and to present the public with information related to the opportunities and challenges
associated with the possible extension. Please give them the courtesy of making their presentations without
interruption. There will be time at each meeting for the general public to provide feedback and comments.
B. Suggested Ground Rules:
1. Listen as an ally with respect and without interruptions or personal attacks.
2. One person speaks at a time. Avoid dominating the discussion so that everyone has an opportunity to
contribute. Try to defer to an existing conversation thread.
3. Express your own views and do not attempt to speak for others.
4. Share information and concerns to help inform MAPC recommendations and MassDOT decisions. Ask
questions of others to understand what they are saying and why.
5. It is perfectly OK to disagree, but remember, this is a discussion...not a debate. It is more important to
help MassDOT and MAPC understand different perspectives than persuade someone else to agree with
you.
6. Raise your hand to signal the facilitator(s) you wish to be recognized. Facilitators will do their best to
take note of order in which members asked to be recognized.
C. Opportunities for Feedback: MAPC and MassDOT are genuinely interested in hearing your feedback. You
can provide feedback in the following ways:
1. Once recognized by a facilitator, you may speak. Please keep your comments brief and to the point.
2. You may also write comments on index cards that will be available at every meeting. Index cards will
be collected by the facilitators at the conclusion of each meeting and comments/feedback will be
transcribed and forwarded to MAPC and MassDOT, and also posted electronically on the Green Line
Extension website following the meeting. Please write legibly.
3. You can also provide comments via a dedicated email address glx@mapc.org.
D. Keeping Informed: In order to keep the public informed, MassDOT has a dedicated website for this process.
It is www.mass.gov/greenlineextension. Here, the public can view meeting agendas, presentations and
summaries as well as public comments and suggestions. You can also get information on MAPC’s website at
www.mapc.org.
E. Your comments, suggestions and questions will be forwarded to MAPC/MassDOT and also promptly posted.