- May 5, 2024
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Dear Editor:
What do we need more of in our community ... or less of? How does one contribute to the betterment of our cities in Volusia County? How do we create change? This is what I and others have been struggling with for years in Ormond Beach. Those of you who know me and Bill Denny, know this is our mission.
We started Civil Discourse as a result of the blaming and shaming that was occurring in our public meetings and to provide a place to speak out on issues that divide the community. Next, we came up with Civil Discourse Part 2/Common Ground. That didn’t work if one of the parties involved would not attend. People stayed in their corners.
The third iteration of Civil Discourse is still in the formative stage, and we are coming to understand that most folks are not interested if there is not a hot topic (in their own back yard) on the agenda.
In this newly formed “dialogue” group, the “synergy” of the interaction itself, a word most likely familiar to the business world, creates solutions that are a win/win for all. This is an amazing process because of the creativity that emerges when participants brainstorm without condemning or judging others’ comments. Because of the free flowing of ideas, solutions emerge that one never imagined before.
We have a small group attending and looking into how to create change itself; however, this doesn’t work if we don’t have attendees with different interests, ideas, concerns. In this synergistic way of working together, diversity is welcome and brings more and better ideas to the table. A nice size group would be about 40.
We need representation from all areas of interest: development, sustainability, business, water, transportation, environmentalists, workers who serve our community, police, firemen, those in the hospitality industry, walkers, cyclists, educators, neighbors, one and all.
We meet at the Ormond Beach Library at 5:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. The next meeting is this Monday, June 12. As interest increases, hopefully groups will emerge in different neighborhoods and online.
Linda Williams
Ormond Beach
