2006-07 Leadership Steamboat Class
Group Project: Dialogue Before Decision

Each year the Leadership Steamboat class produces a group project. This year's class envisions a new process for important community decisions.  A procedure that fosters more community involvement, a forum in which the citizens can find the facts first, and then encourage a healthy discussion before a decision.  An intelligent progression through which community leaders can reach the best solution for the greater good.

Stemmed from a similar program in Gunnison, Colorado, the premise of Dialogue Before Decision is to investigate a community issue and provide in-depth information about the issue to the community.  By connecting with the many voices and attempting to answer the questions citizens have, Dialogue Before Decision will enable creative, collaborative, and productive decision-making.

In this inaugural year the topic for Dialogue Before Decision  is the proposed Community Recreation Center.  Leadership Steamboat selected this topic because decisions are being made that have the potential to effect concrete change in taxation and the use of areas of the community.   

The class also published a series of articles in the Steamboat Today newspaper on this topic. In case you missed them here they are:

• March 14, 2007 The Politial Process for Building a Community Recreation Center
• March 21, 2007 Assessing the Need: Community Recreation Input
• March 28, 2007 Statewide Solutions: Recreation Centers in Other Towns
• April 4, 2007 How Much Will it Cost: A Community Recreation Center
• April 11, 2007 Community Recreation Center: Community Uses/Amenities
• April 18, 2007 Community Recreation Center: Opportunities for Partnership