Background : Main | Vision

Organizing the Indicator Project
We have engaged one of the world leaders in this type of work, AtKisson + Associates, to help establish the foundation for this effort. That foundation will be a vision for the region and indicators to show progress towards that vision.

Steering Committee
A core group has been formed to oversee and manage the project. This group is representative of a wide range of differing perspectives and professions within the region.

Citizens
The foundation of the indicators process is summoning the citizen's views on the most important characteristics of a healthy, vibrant community and also the problems that must be addressed. This is accomplished through a 10 parish random telephone survey to a sample of the population. Later in the project a public focus group will provide additional direction to the project.

Civic Leaders
This a group leaders representing all sectors in the region and who bring a big picture perspective of the community's nature; its strengths and weaknesses, the history of the area and how it operates. It identifies and shapes the indicators to be used in measuring the region's progress toward its goals. Members include leaders from business, government, environment, academic institutions, churches, ethnic groups, health institutions, the arts community, labor unions, neighborhood and community organizations. Each of the 10 parishes is represented.

Technical Advisors
It is crucial to make sure that the indicators used are logical, defensible, and representative of characteristics significant to the communitiesÕ vision. The Technical Advisor's group provides the expertise to make this happen. The members of this group are a mix of professors from universities and analysts from business and government that are involved in data gathering, evaluation and analysis in the variety of fields to be considered.