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MARCH 2004
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| ARS ACTIVITIES |
Austin Forum to Examine Role of CEOs in Propelling Regional Agenda"
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Detailed Preliminary Agenda Now Available Online
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 The next National Forum on Regional Stewardship, set for May 19-21 in Austin, Texas, will address the theme, Propelling the Regional Agenda: The Role of CEOs, spotlighting the Austin communitys strategic actions, beginning in the mid-1980s, to diversify its economic base from a center of government and higher education to a region of technological innovation. Additionally, presenters representing past and current participants in the John W. Gardner Academy for Regional Stewardship will discuss proven strategies for shaping a regional vision, meeting the jobs/skills mismatch, balancing the interests of industry, development and environmental protection, attracting and nurturing the creative class, and more.
The recently renovated historic Driskill Hotel, located in downtown Austin, is the venue for the May Forum, and is offering the discounted rate of $155/night for single or double rooms. To make room reservations, visit the hotels website at www.driskillhotel.com or call and mention the Alliance for National Stewardship. New or renewing organizational stewards receive two free Forum registrations, while individual stewards receive a $50 discount. The registration fee for all other attendees is $150 prior to April 23, 2004 and $200 thereafter.
Regional Stewardship Award. The May Forum will also be the occasion for the presentation of the first-ever Regional Stewardship Award, at the closing luncheon on Friday, May 21st. (See article, below).
A detailed draft agenda and other information on the May Forum is available at regionalstewardship.org/register4forum.html. For more information on the National Forum on Regional Stewardship or the Regional Stewardship Award program, contact Amy Carrier, Alliance Manager, by e-mail at or by telephone at .
[JOIN THE NETWORK] [REGISTER FOR THE FORUM]
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Twelve Communities Seek Regional Stewardship Award
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Up to Two Winners Will Be Announced in May
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 Developed with the financial support of the Morgan Family Foundation, the Regional Stewardship Award program was formally announced last November at the National Forum on Regional Stewardship in Boston, Massachusetts. Successful applicants must demonstrate cross-sector cooperation and measurable progress along four dimensions of regional endeavor: Innovative Economy, Livable Community, Social Inclusion, and Collaborative Governance. Up to two qualified winners will receive a cash award of $25,000 to advance and publicize their efforts at regional community building.
[FULL ARTICLE]
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ARS Regional Indicators Affinity Group Update
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New Survey Explores Use of Regional Indicators
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 During the St. Louis National Stewardship Forum in May 2003, a group of attendees met to discuss the formation of an affinity group around indicator initiatives. Two major objectives guided the meeting. The first was to determine whether there was enough interest in the formation of an affinity group; the second was to determine the focus and purpose of the affinity group. It was clear from the participation in the meeting that there was a good deal of interest in forming such a group. Discussion around the second objective centered on four questions: (1) What are the interests around indicators? (2) What can ARS do? (3) What are the benefits of indicators? (4) What can an Affinity Group do?
[FULL ARTICLE]
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Gardner Academy Update
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Ongoing Projects Focus on Capturing and Retaining Talent
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 During 2004, the Alliance has begun to provide assistance to several regions as part of the John W. Gardner Academy. One of the major themes emerging in regional academies has been growing, retaining and attracting talent. For more information on the Gardner Academy for Regional Stewardship, or if you are interested in initiating a project, contact either Doug Henton, Academy Coordinator, at or John Parr, President and CEO of the Alliance for Regional Stewardship, at (please include a reference to the Gardner Academy for Regional Stewardship in the subject line).
[FULL ARTICLE]
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| NEWS YOU CAN USE |
Long Island Index 2004 Released
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First Iteration of Annual Survey Attracts Enthusiastic Media Interest
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 The product of 15 months of planning and data collection, the Long Island Index 2004 was released last month, stimulating a great deal of media interest in the ever-bourgeoning topic of regional governance. Spearheaded by the Garden City-based Rauch Foundation and inspired by ARS board member Nancy Douzinas, the Long Island Index 2004 is a comprehensive indicators report incorporating public opinion survey data and demographic and industrial information into a comprehensive snapshot and assessment of the social, demographic, economic, and environmental status of what has been called Americas First Suburb. The report, moreover, is the culmination of a multi-year John W. Gardner Academy project. To view the report, direct your web browser to www.longislandindex.org.
[FULL ARTICLE]
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Partner Profile: Center for Urban and Metropolitan Policy
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Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C
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 Each month, we profile a national organization with which ARS has partnered to reach a broader audience capable of initiating action across sectors and jurisdictions. (For a full listing of ARS Strategic Partners, click the About Us button on the home page of this website.) Founded in 1996 with initial funding form the Fannie Mae Foundation, the Brookings Institution Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy seeks to change the way decision makers think about urban policies and how disparate domestic policies interact to affect cities and metropolitan regions. Through its research, publications and outreach, the Center works to reframe the challenges facing metropolitan America and promote new ways to make urban communities more inclusive, competitive and sustainable. For more information on the Center, visit their website at www.brookings.edu/es/urban.
[FULL ARTICLE]
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| PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA |
Point, Click, and Vote: The Future of Internet Voting, by R. Michael Alvarez and Thad E. Hall, Brookings Institution Press, 2004, 204 pages (including index), $18.95 (paperback).
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Reviewed by David Lampe
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 In Point, Click, and Vote, R. Michael Alvarez and Thad E. Hall consider the possibility of Internet voting as a means of enfranchising people who experience significant barriers to casting effective ballots, either because they work and live abroad, serve overseas in the armed forces, are hampered by work and family responsibilities, or experience difficulties in accessing traditional polls due to physical disability. Alvarez is a professor of Political Science at the California Institute of Technology and co-director of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technologies Project, and Hall, a program officer at the Century Foundation, has staffed the National Commission on Federal Election Reform. While their advocacy of Internet voting is explicit, Alvarez and Hall present a balanced account of the potential benefits and multiple problems associated with the proposition.
[FULL ARTICLE]
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Riding the Rails to Fewer Traffic Snarls
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By Neal Peirce
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For a nightmare scenario of the world you drive in, imagine the year is 2020. The freight railroads of America are carrying close to the same volume of goods they do todayabout 14 billion tons yearly, with no adjustment for market expansion. And what do you face when you head out on the road? Answer: more slowdowns and massively increased congestion. And most visible: tens of millions more trucks many of them 18-wheel rigs with tons of cargo on board, filling up roadways while surrounding and frightening many auto drivers.
[FULL ARTICLE]
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Contact Information
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Alliance for Regional Stewardship
, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: /Fax:
Email:
Web: https://regionalstewardship.org
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Copyright © 2004 Alliance for Regional Stewardship. All rights reserved
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