Community Foundation of Pulaski County (CFPC) presented the findings from its recently compiled report from the “Conversations” project Tuesday (Jan. 28), at the Pulaski County Public Library in Winamac.

Based on numerous conversations held with 147 Pulaski County residents last summer and fall, community concerns and aspirations were determined along with possible actions seen as important to the future well-being and growth of Pulaski County.

Overall, the report found residents want a community that is thriving and growing, safe and drug-free, welcoming and open-minded with forward-thinking leadership.

Wendy Rose, CFPC executive director, said the project was funded with a Community Leadership planning grant through Lilly Endowment’s GIFT VII Initiative. One of the foundation’s goals was to determine a clear understanding of priority challenges and opportunities that have the greatest interest of community members. Based on the findings, the Community Foundation will develop its own set of priorities to submit for an implementation grant opportunity.

Consultant Amy Beechy of Project Matters, LLC was commissioned to facilitate the conversations, and was in attendance Tuesday evening to reveal the report findings.

Thriving and Growing Community

“Our community is in a time-warp. ‘Already have done this and it’s always been done this way.’ We are in maintenance mode, so we are not growing.”

Participants in the study who discussed a desire for a growing community expressed concern the Pulaski County residents are “not working together.” They also cited a lack of leadership, frustration with elected officials, and new ideas getting shut down.

The participants said the county needs to focus on creating a shared community vision, including:

• Creating a shared community vision
• The use of incentives in attracting professionals and businesses
• Improving technology and infrastructure (such as reliable internet/broadband options for 21st Century jobs)
• Housing development
• Building on, preserving and promoting natural assets
• Providing diverse amenities and promoting them, so people have things to do and places to go (pool, retail shops, bowling alley, etc.)

Safe and Drug-Free Community

“[Drugs] are an issue for whole families, not just kids. We need to have an open mind in recognizing they are here and deal with the issue in a non-judgmental way. No family is exempt from the drug issue here.”

Conversation participants were concerned that demographics are changing (more poverty causing negative income growth), there are more drug arrests, overdoses and deaths and less prevention efforts, and there is more use of the following drugs:  vaping, marijuana, methamphetamines, heroin, opioids, pills, and synthetics.

More specifically, the participants were concerned about mental health and its stigma, generational poverty, and lack of resources (facilities and financial) to deal with the issues.

The conversation participants suggested the county focus on such actions as the following:

• Treatment centers and the transition process from jail back into society
• Looking at Starke County and its successful model for reducing recidivism
• Programs like Celebrate Recovery
• Support for parents/families
• Initiating a family/drug court
• Expanding Four County Counseling Services

Welcoming and Open-Minded Community

“People aren’t allowed to move forward; their ideas get shot down. Mentality of ‘that’s not the way we do things here’.”

The conversation participants identified such concerns as, it’s hard to fit in socially (when you are not from Pulaski County), there are long-term biases, it’s hard to be connected to each other as well as to the community, and people can’t disagree without being disagreeable.

Of more specific concern was the East/West divide, being territorial or cliquish, people being quick to judge or label others, new ideas getting shut down, and new people aren’t respected or welcomed.

In response to these concerns, the participants suggested focusing on the following actions:

• Being encouraging and supportive
• Creating and promoting a shared vision
• Showing town pride
• Shifting attitudes from negative to positive
• Personally inviting people to be involved and listening to them and their ideas
• Having activities to unite and bring people together

Community with Forward-Thinking Leadership

“People don’t always know what they need to do. They know how to help, but not how to lead.”

“Elected officials need to be better equipped and have a positive outlook on growth and change.”

In their discussion of wanting a community with forward-thinking leadership, the conversation participants identified such concerns as needing to develop a positive outlook on growth and change, a lack of qualified leadership in elected offices, a lot of in-fighting in organizations and government, a lack of new leaders stepping up, and a need for fresh ideas and new ways of doing things.

Of special concern was how unprofessional the county’s actions and resulting news reports makes it look to outsiders, an excess of back-room politics and a good-ole-boys network, missing the big picture because leaders stick with dealing with the same old issues, and a failure to capitalize on the county’s potential.

The participants discussed and suggested the following actions:

• Establishing a leadership academy here
• Training of new and existing leaders
• Teaching leadership in schools, through service and volunteering
• Take positive action on ideas presented to county officials and other organization leaders
• Become more united through a shared vision and collaboration
• Involve young people
• Hire a county executive
• Have a Chamber of Commerce which functions under a paid director

In all of their action suggestions, the participants identified groups and individuals they would trust to play a leadership role. These often included the Community Foundation, the Community Development Commission (CDC), churches and schools, the hospital, the libraries, the court system, service clubs, and business leaders.

For an overview of the 147 people who participated in the “community conversation,” see the full report here.

What’s next?

County and town elected officials received the results from Consultant Amy Beechy and CFPC executive director Wendy Rose earlier in the month, allowing them a first opportunity to learn what the community had to say.

Rose explained the CFPC board of directors has studied the findings, considering possible action steps and roles it might play alongside its ongoing mission to encourage the growth of endowed funds to serve the community. The board has determined to focus on forward-thinking leadership and will submit a grant proposal to the Endowment by mid-March. Grant dollars may also be made available for supporting the three other aspirations described in the report.

In closing, Rose stated that the report is now community knowledge, to be used by everyone, offering opportunity to engage in positive steps for community growth. Hard copy reports were distributed and may be obtained at the CFPC office or downloaded from its website at www.cfopc.org. Community members were reminded to stay tuned through various media sources including the CFPC website and facebook page.

By Karen Clem Fritz, editor

PulaskiPost.com