Decatur’s commission has approved creating a nine-person advisory board to execute the Better Together Community Action Plan. The 21-page document was accepted by commissioners last December and incorporates 60 action points covering differences in, among others, culture, race, age, politics and economic resources.
Advertising will begin immediately and eventually commissioners will interview prospects and make appointments. Linda Harris, assistant director for community and economic development—and the advisory board’s coordinator—said she hopes to name the entire board by September.
Qualifications for board members include having expertise in professional fields and interests in areas like community outreach, diverse populations, education/school systems, marketing, research, communications, fundraising, disability advocacy and community organizations.
It’s anticipated the board will meet monthly and that it will take three years to “implement” the plan. Harris said that creating the community action plan was the city’s second largest planning process in the last 15 years, second only to the 2010 strategic plan.
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