Actions since Feb 17th Meeting in Etowah

[Gary Lightfoot]

Following this meeting in Etowah I set up a one on one meeting with a former Transylvania County Commissioner. He is a good friend but would prefer to not have his name connected with this communication.

 

He indicated that all of the  County Commissioners are very strongly in favor of individual property owners rights and that this is long tradition in this county. These same Commissioners are also in favor of economic growth both for individuals and the county. At times this can put these commissioners in the uncomfortable position of dealing with an issue that looks like their vote either favors property rights or economic development. When this happens the voting record is in generally in favor of property owners rights.

 

When we looked at the issue of Rail to Trail between Brevard and Hendersonville he felt we needed to use the "Force Field Analysis Process". I have attached a brief message that will describe this process. 

 

The recommended way to deal with the problem of changing the minds of some of the County Commissioners is to focus our attention on the area where the approval for a Rail to Trail is not in conflict with the goals of  the CC's i.e. Economic Development.

If we can build a strong enough case for this benefit we will gain votes in favor of it and open up some of the members to listen more openly to reasons why it will  provide both economic and land owner benefits

 

If you agree that this process will help us solve the problem of lack of interest  in a R to T we will need to meet to collect the best ideas and data that will be needed to implement the Force Field process.

 

I am a member of the Translyvania Economic Development group. We have 60+ retired executives from a wide variety of corporations. I may be able to enlist the help of the administrator and or other retired members like myself to help us build a strong economic development plan with real benefits. we may be able to identify past opportunities where  a R to T may have helped to sell a new company to move here or an existing company to stay.

 

We also felt that it would be very useful to have an away trip to see a successful Rail to Trail. The Virginia Creeper that is just past the NC border runs from Abbington, VA  to Damascus, VA, and over Whitetop Mt. to Whitetop, VA. They are working on an extension to Lansing, NC. You can find a great Web Site for this trail via Google. Search for Virginia Creeper Trial Guide.

 

If we do an away trip with some of the CC's, no more than two CC's from Translvania Co. can come or they have to make a formal announcement of this away meeting so that members of the public can attend it they want at their own expense. I don't know if the same is true for the Henderson Co. CC's

 

Let me know what your thoughts are on this way of dealing with our problem of making progress on this project.

Gary Lightfoot

[HB Trail]

Gary,

Thanks for the informative posting.
I think that one on one contact is probably the best way to proceed at this point.

We are not organized well enough to do any kind of action as a group.

We are looking for answers to some of the big questions.

What will Norfolk Southern do? and when?
What can we expect from the State of NC?
Who are the adjoining property owners?

Do you have contact with any of the Davidson River Village?

Thanks again,

Mike Oliphant

 

 

 

Force Field Analysis Force Field Analysis is a simple but powerful technique for building an understanding of the forces that will drive and resist a proposed change. It consists of a two column form, with driving forces listed in the first column, and restraining forces in the second. The force field diagram is derived from the work of social psychologist Kurt Lewin. According to Lewin’s theories, human behavior is caused by forces – beliefs, expectations, cultural norms, and the like – within the "life space" of an individual or society. These forces can be positive, urging us toward a behavior, or negative, propelling us away from a behavior. A force field diagram portrays these driving forces and restraining forces that affect a central question or problem. A force field diagram can be used to compare any kind of opposites, actions and consequences, different points of view, and so on. In the context of process improvement, driving forces could be seen as pushing for change while restraining forces stand in the way of change. A force field diagram is used to analyze these opposing forces and set the stage for making change possible. Change will not occur when either the driving forces and restraining forces are equal, or the restraining forces are stronger than the driving forces. For change to be possible, the driving forces must overcome the restraining forces. Usually, the most effective way to do this it to diminish or remove restraining forces. It can be tempting to try strengthening the driving forces instead, but this tends to intensify the opposition at the same time. The balance sheet structure of the force field diagram makes it applicable to situations other than comparing driving and restraining forces as well. For example, you could use it to list possible actions and reactions, compare ideal situations and reality, or in negotiation, weigh what you want from someone with what they would have to face if they agreed. Setting Up Your Force Field Diagram Draw two columns, with one header running across both. Write the planned change in the header area. Label the left column "driving forces", and the right one "restraining forces". List the forces in the two columns. Encourage creative but realistic thinking. Forces seek equilibrium. To encourage change, create asymmetry between forces. Which of the restraining forces can be removed or weakened? Force Field: Other Uses You can also use a force field diagram to: List pro's and con's. List actions and reactions. List strengths and weaknesses. Compare ideal situations and reality. In negotiation, compare the perceptions of opposing parties. List "what we know" in the left column, and "what we don't know" in the right.