More than 50 community members came out to the Birch Grove Community Center on Wednesday, February 19, 2014 to talk about creating a healthier, more financially stable community. The event was facilitated by David Cournoyer, who had those in attendance break into small groups to talk about challenges—and opportunities— on the West End of the county.
We dream, we listen, we do, values, vision, mission, a hierarchy of choices, a meeting of the minds and a promise that, “sometime to go fast you have to go slow,” were the backdrop of the three-hour community conversation held at the Birch Grove Community Center on February 19, 2014.
A broad base of young and older West End residents— more than 50 people—came out on a cold winter night to attend a community meal followed by discussion about ways to improve the community.
David Cournoyer, an independent consultant with a professional pedigree that includes working for the W. K. Kellogg Institute and serving as the chairman of the Native Americans in Philanthropy expertly facilitated the conversation.
The gathering was held ostensibly to lay the groundwork to build a healthier, more financially stable community and break down barriers.
Cournoyer introduced the audience to a concept called World Café Conversations.
“This café is about getting rid of the podium and getting rid of titles and moving past disagreements. This is designed to get people talking. This isn’t going to work if people don’t talk.
“It can’t be the STP syndrome, the ‘same 10 people’ who always show up. This creates more creative thinking that comes from a more diverse group,” Cournoyer said.
People were divided into small groups at separate tables and were given 15-20 minutes to discuss a question with one person selected to take notes and record answers at each table. Cournoyer advised, “Write down big ideas. What is your positive vision for the community?”
After each question people left their tables and went to another to keep the conversations fresh and diverse.
The first question Cournoyer asked, “What are the opportunities and challenges for our community over the next 3-5 years?”
Challenges included a lack of affordable housing, a lack of jobs that provide livable wages, a lack of skilled, educated workforce, and not enough young families in the area. One young man said, “Nothing happens here. People my age aren’t used to having things take so long. Like broadband. It’s never going to happen. They just talk about it but we never get it. Nothing happens here and young people leave.”
On the bright side, participants said, the West End provides 80 percent of the county’s lodging taxes in the winter and broadband will be going online in Schroeder in April (and working its way down the shore through the summer). Other positives listed are that Minnesota Power, Lutsen Mountains and Bluefin are three big job providers and the area is beautiful. The town of Tofte also has the Birch Grove Community Center which houses a number of businesses and the award-winning Birch Grove Charter school and the area has a lot of volunteers who do everything from fire fighting to search & rescue to working at the school and at the historical centers in Tofte and Schroeder, just to name a few things.
Question number two asked, “What are the top three challenges and opportunities and why?”
Again, a lack of high paying jobs, a lack of affordable housing and finding ways to keep the charter school and Birch Grove Community Center financially solvent were the top three challenges listed. Top opportunities included promoting the area and expanding the tourist base, utilizing the Birch Grove Community Center to its full potential and building senior housing to keep its older residents in the community.
The last question asked, “What are your ideas for working together and individually to address the top three opportunities and challenges?
The most immediate challenge was finding money for the charter school, which recently lost four families. It was agreed that one member from the Birch Grove Foundation and one member from the Birch Grove PTA would work together and attend the March 11 annual township meetings in Lutsen, Tofte and Schroeder and ask for special funds for the school.
Tofte Supervisor Jim King said the townships would need a specific dollar amount and Cournoyer suggested that the presenters have a plan that would keep them from coming back for more emergency money in the future.
On a positive note, Paul James, a Tofte supervisor, suggested that more people attend township meetings. “The more people taking an active part in the meetings will give us a clearer vision as a board. It’s good to listen to the community, good to hear positive feedback, good to get a broader perspective.”
“Where do we go from here?” asked Judy Motschenbacher.
Jeanne Larson, president of the Birch Grove Foundation, said, “This is just a beginning. We started this conversation and now we need to continue it and the only way to do that is through conversation and not the ‘STP’ kind of thing.”
“I agree,” said Tofte Supervisor King. “Now comes the hard part. Who and when?”
West End Commissioner Bruce Martinson said he hoped to see more people from Lutsen at the meeting, but someone said there was a big church event in Lutsen with many people planning to attend.
Cournoyer’s final advice was to, “Shift the energy to what you want, to what’s working well. There is some vision here. You could almost do some asset mapping and identify what people have to offer. Summarize and meet again.”
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