"The Legacy Fort Wayne discussion is gaining momentum," said Mayor Henry. "It’s time to look to the future and share your ideas on the future of our $77 million legacy. Whether at a forum, as part of a group proposal, in a Meetup or on FeedbackFortWayne.org, pick the way that works for you and then get involved. Every suggestion is important."
The comprehensive, civic engagement program unfolds throughout the month of March. Along with traditional meetings, the campaign features a special process for groups and organizations, Meetups and Feedback Fort Wayne.
1. Community Forums. Legacy Fort Wayne community forums are scheduled this week at the following locations, two at the main library branch on Monday:
March 14
Allen County Public Library – Downtown 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Rooms B & C 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
900 Library Plaza
March 15
Snider High School 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Cafeteria
4600 Fairlawn Pass
Enter through Door 3
March 16
Northrop High School 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Cafeteria
7001 Coldwater Road
Enter through Door 1
2. Group Proposal Option. To promote the enthusiasm of Fort Wayne’s many organizations, a group proposal option has been developed. Submissions are welcomed from area advocacy organizations, nonprofit boards, associations, commissions and other established entities. Suggestions are also encouraged from organizations or groups that want to collaborate. An overview document containing explanatory information and directions is obtainable at www.LegacyFortWayne.org under the Group Proposals’ heading on the navigation bar.
3. Meetup. A new addition to the community involvement roster is the popular, online organizational tool, Meetup. Meetup makes it easy for residents to coordinate informal, real-world Legacy Fort Wayne events in homes or public places. The Meetup input is then collected and transmitted digitally through the Legacy Fort Wayne website. Everything required to start a Meetup or to find one already set can be found at www.meetup.com/Legacy-Fort-Wayne/. The same Idea form created for Meetup use can also be employed by individuals independently. It can be accessed under the Ideas heading at www.LegacyFortWayne.org.
4. Feedback Fort Wayne. Since its debut mid-January, soon after the announcement of Legacy Fort Wayne, Feedback Fort Wayne, at www.FeedbackFortWayne.org, has remained the most immediate way for residents to provide comment. The hosted, Web-based forum gives users the opportunity to offer suggestions, discuss them and vote for their preferences at any time.
Mayor Henry has made community participation the centerpiece of the Legacy Fort Wayne initiative. The goal of this phase is to foster a broad-based, citywide dialogue about the uses of these unique resources, now totaling over $77 million.
In April, following the community engagement activities, all of the ideas and proposals will be compiled and sorted by impact areas and compared with the guiding principles. The suggestions will also be posted on the Legacy Fort Wayne website. The Task Force will review and analyze all of the data in May and June. Focus groups may be held during this period to gain additional insight, refine concepts and determine preliminary feasibility. A report from the Task Force is anticipated to be completed by midsummer.
All of the public input assembled during the community involvement piece of Legacy Fort Wayne will be considered by the Task Force as the members formulate the recommendations they will make to the Mayor and share with Fort Wayne City Council.
Formed by Mayor Henry, Legacy Fort Wayne is the community initiative to guide decision making about the Fort Wayne Community Trust and City Light Lease Settlement funds.
While Legacy Fort Wayne will unfold over the next several months, the two funds will not become available until the settlement agreement has received the approval of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.