Wasco County 2040 Citizen Advisory Group

The Citizen Advisory Group is made up of Planning Commission members, but runs according to a separate charter with different Chair and Vice Chair leadership.

The Citizen Advisory Group members self-identified areas in Wasco County they felt they best represented in order to help citizens make direct connections.  GIS Staff created a  territory map to illustrate the different regions Citizen Advisory Group members cover.

The charter consists of the following:

Wasco 2040 Citizen Advisory Group Charter

Project Background

The Wasco County Comprehensive Plan Update, Wasco County 2040, is a multi-year project to review and update the Wasco County Planning Department’s long range vision document.

Mission of the Citizen Advisory Group (CAG)

The mission of the Wasco County 2040 CAG is to represent the citizens of Wasco County during the Comprehensive Plan update process, and engage them while identifying critical past, current, and future issues and recommended solutions.

Scope of the CAG

The CAG is charged with focus on the Voluntary Periodic Review update of Wasco County 2040.  Specifically, the CAG is responsible for providing feedback on work products prepared by the Wasco County Planning Department and as reviewed and approved by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD).

Duration and Number/Frequency of Meetings

The CAG will meet monthly during the prescheduled Planning Commission hearing time, unless notified otherwise.  Additional meetings, including workshops and open house style meetings, may be scheduled during the public outreach portions of the project. Individual members may be asked to attend in support of their representative geographical area or stakeholders.

Organization and Facilitation

Members of the Planning Commission serve as the CAG.  In order to keep Wasco County 2040 work separate from current planning activities and hearings, the CAG has a separately appointed chair and vice chair.  The chair will facilitate the meetings with administrative support from the Wasco County Planning Department Staff.

Decision Making Process

The CAG will work by consensus decision making.  The goal is not a formal vote on the items to be considered, but the creation of a well-thought out and documented list of policy and implementations to be added to the Wasco County 2040 plan.  All suggestions will be considered and carefully vetted by the CAG.  The results of the committee’s work will be presented by Staff, in final draft document form, to the Planning Commission during a formal legislative hearing process, which will, upon approval by the Planning Commission, be reviewed by the Wasco County Board of Commissioners. All work is then reviewed by DLCD, and the final document will be reviewed and acknowledged by Land Conservation and Development Commission.

Ground Rules

• Listen carefully and speak honestly
• Respect the views of others
• Keep an open mind
• Critique issues, not people or organizations
• Allow everyone to speak without dominating the conversation
• Take responsibility for the success of the meeting
• Listen and weigh both individual and community concerns
• Do not include personal land use interests in discussions or decision making

Membership

The CAG is comprised of Wasco County Planning Commission members.  All members are volunteers who are recommended by the Planning Commission Review Committee and approved by the Board of Commissioners.

The CAG shall encourage the participation of citizens representing a broad cross-section of the population by: encouraging a diverse geographic and vocational cross section of citizen members, supporting the Wasco County Planning Staff to provide clear and concise notice of opportunities for citizen involvement, supporting the Wasco County Planning Staff to encourage open attendance and participation by all people at workshops, open houses, and other Wasco 2040 functions.

Roles and Responsibilities of Members

• Attend all meetings.  Attend all meetings and other related public activities.  Advise Planning Department Staff in advance of meeting absences.
• Come prepared to work. Review all agendas and meeting information in advance of the meeting and be ready to discuss.
• Represent your community. Assist Planning Staff in identifying and informing community stakeholders regarding the project and strategize outreach solutions that work for those stakeholders. Provide Staff with contact information for key stakeholders. Keep community and stakeholders informed on project issues and activities.  When discussing issues, options, and voting, do so in a manner that reflects the position of the community and stakeholders and avoids personal interest or bias.

Documentation

Documentation of meetings and materials are maintained by the Wasco County Planning Department.

We currently have one alternate Planning Commission position available.  Planning Commission members will also be part of the Citizen Advisory Group.  You can find out more about volunteering for the Planning Commission here: http://www.co.wasco.or.us/departments/administrative_services/volunteer_opportunities.php