Memphis, TN Selects Civic IndexPhotos from the press conference:
Related Web Links
News ReleaseFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: The Community Forum to Direct New Civic Democracy InitiativeNational Civic League Tool Targets The Skills, Practices And Processes That Communities Use To Come Together And Solve ProblemsMEMPHIS (February 21, 2002) - At a press conference today, Mayor Willie W. Herenton and Mayor Jim Rout announced a new initiative aimed at measuring the "civic infrastructure" of the Memphis metropolitan area within Shelby County. The term "civic infrastructure" describes the skills and strategies used by communities such as those that encompass Memphis and Shelby County to come together and solve problems. In their remarks, both Mayors emphasized that the findings of this important and timely initiative will be critical to the success of existing as well as future planning efforts that seek increased citizen participation. The tool that the Mayors and other influential community leaders have selected is called the Civic Index. Developed and refined over a twenty-five year period by the National Civic League, the Civic Index is a twelve-point community self-evaluation tool. The Civic Index assesses those characteristics that communities possess to effectively solve problems. "Whether the primary issues are economic development, low-income housing,
transportation planning, or any combination of the challenges facing today's
communities, the healthy functioning of the twelve components of the Civic
Index is necessary for success," said Chris Gates, President of the National
Civic League. Mr. Gates attended the press conference to explain the technical
assistance being provided to Memphis and Shelby County by the 107-year-old
organization he leads. The intended outcome of the process, a framework for
action to improve the civic democracy of Memphis and Shelby County, is scheduled
for release in July, 2002, Mr. Gates said. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the National Civic League is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to strengthening citizen democracy by transforming democratic institutions. The organization accomplishes its mission through technical assistance, training, publishing, research, and the All-America City Awards, the nation's oldest and most prestigious community recognition program. The National Civic League was founded in 1894, when more than 100 educators, journalists, business leaders, and policy makers met in Philadelphia to discuss the future of American cities. Among those who attended the two-day conference were Theodore Roosevelt, Louis Brandeis, Marshall Field, and Frederick Law Olmsted. The gathering was organized in response to widespread municipal government corruption and served as a nationwide call to "raise the popular standards of political morality." The Community Forum, a local nonprofit organization that brings community members together to define, discuss and solve community issues and problems in a neutral, turf-free environment, will coordinate the implementation of the Civic Index tool on behalf of the funding agencies, supporters and a diverse, closely scrutinized representative sample of citizen stakeholders. The implementation of this initiative, which was announced as Memphis Can! (Civic Action Now), will begin today at 5:00 p.m. at the Bryan Campus Life Center at Rhodes College. Over 180 citizens have agreed to participate in the rigorous, eight-meeting assessment process. Marlon Foster and Russell Gwatney, Co-Chairs of Memphis Can!, outlined the context and perspective for the assessment process, which is expected to span four months. "This initiative provides an very exciting opportunity for our community to assess and strengthen the strategies that we use to address issues facing Memphis and Shelby County," said Mr. Gwatney and Mr. Foster. While complementing planning initiatives currently underway, including Memphis 2005, the City of Memphis Consolidated Planning Process and Shelby County Government's E-Government Initiative, Memphis Can! is unique because it assesses the process of decision-making in the communities comprising the Memphis metropolitan area within Shelby County and the roles of citizens, government, nonprofits, and corporations in advancing civic life. "Memphis Can! is designed to assess our civic health and develop specific action plans to strengthen the civic infrastructure of our community," said Nancy Record, Executive Director of the Community Forum. "This effort hopes to be a way for citizens to not only have their voices heard, but also be actual participants in the processes and actions of civic progress." There are five measurable outcomes of Memphis Can! . They include the following:
In alphabetical order, the following agencies are funding sources for Memphis Can!: the City of Memphis, the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, the Gildea Foundation, Memphis, Light Gas & Water, Rhodes College, Shelby County Government, and United Way of the Mid-South. Supporting contributions have come from a variety of sources, which speaks volumes about the level of interest Memphis Can! has already generated from a broad cross-section of local leaders Kim Brisco, Principal of Brisco Communications, donated the logo for Memphis Can!, which was unveiled by Mayor Herenton and Mayor Rout. Carbon 14, a local design firm, created a dynamic pictorial representation of the Civic Index Initiative that was coordinated by the Urban Art Commission. Ms. Record noted the extraordinary commitments by volunteers who have served on the Initiating, Nominating, Coordinating, and Outreach committees, as well as the 180 citizen stakeholders themselves, which led to the announcement today. Any community member may participate in the assessment process through the official website of Memphis Can!, www.memphiscan.info, which includes a major interactive component in which citizens can participate in the Civic Index as well as moderated discussions about civic democracy in the Memphis metropolitan area within Shelby County. The site was developed at cost by Ringger.Com and was officially previewed today. Access to the site is also available on the Community Forum's web site, www.communityforum.info. ### |
