Clear Vision Eau Claire
In March 2007 an ad hoc group of leaders from local government, business, education, and nonprofit sectors came together to see how the greater Eau Claire community could work together more effectively. Despite steady growth for over 30 years, the community’s fiscal capacity to maintain essential public structures was eroding.
As a result of state tax shifts and shared revenue cutbacks, the reliance on local property taxes to support community services had doubled. It was clear that the community was in the midst of an historic period of transition and facing complex, wicked problems far beyond the capacity of any one jurisdiction or organization to solve.
At the same time it was also clear that the community was struggling to find the collective will to address the most pressing financial, political, social, and economic issues. The lack of a clear community vision combined with fragmented community decision-making processes to inhibit effective community collaboration and coordinated action.
The group agreed to work with the National Civic League (a 100 year old nonprofit organization devoted to strengthening participatory citizenship) to help design and facilitate an inclusive, citizen-focused, community visioning and strategic planning process. Formal planning for the visioning initiative, named Clear Vision Eau Claire, began in June 2007.
The basic premise of Clear Vision Eau Claire is that an effective democracy begins with the conversations citizens have about their collective interests. Clear Vision has developed a civic-organizing framework to expand the community’s capacity for effective governance through greater civic participation and collaboration.The initial Clear Vision Eau Claire Special Report, with 124 strategic actions in six Key Performance Areas, was presented at a community wide celebration on July 30, 2008.
An interim volunteer Implementation Committee, Chaired by Vicki Hoehn (RCU Executive Vice President-Marketing) has met monthly since 2008 to coordinate projects and programs.
After three years, the Clear Vision process is still going strong and expanding civic connections in the community. For more information, see the new Clear Vision website, which is being hosted by the LE Phillips Memorial Library