Tag: Planning Public Policy and Management (PPPM)

Planting the Seeds of Change

Posted on by Robert Parker

By Madi Pluss

The sun is shining, the days grow longer, and all around Oregon small flowers are emerging. The grey and overcast landscape is now painted with faint traces of pastels. Out of the cold slumbering soil, small flower buds reach to feel the warmth. As the seasons shift and life awakens from weeks in dormant dark winter, the Tillamook Code Review also begins to blossom.

At the start of the season, the gardener plans their plot. They study the almanac and determine which plants will fare well, which crops will be the most fruitful, and what will yield the most success. For the past 8 weeks, our project has also been in the formative phase of development. Underground, we were collecting data, conceptualizing, reading, discussing, and compiling an extensive library of strategies. We began with only small seeds of knowledge, barely even able to find Tillamook County on a map. Guided by our seasoned project advisor, we were challenged by unfamiliar practices, ordinances, and code language. We dug deep to establish our approach and determine the priority hazards. The early months were a time where we defined our scope of work, determined a focus of research, and established the landscape for our final deliverable.

We are at the point in our project where the roots are embedded, our concepts are taking hold, and analysis is making its first appearance. Our project advisor, Michael Howard, has taken a step back in our meetings, communication with the client, and overall planning process, which is giving us space to grow on our own. This is the time where the strongest concepts will thrive and we will weed out the weaker elements of the project. As we write case studies, we acknowledge what is truly feasible.

Looking forward, our work will come to fruition and the fruits of our labor will be revealed. On the 6th of April, we will be participating a joint meeting, along with the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, and Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. We will brief the Tillamook County Board of County Commissioners, Planning Commission, and other important individuals involved with natural hazard mitigation and resilience in Tillamook County about the Risk MAP program and our code review work. Like a sprout reaching for the sun, we will reach out to the participants and share our methodology, suggestions, proposed strategies, and foreseen implications. After this introductory meeting, we will meet with the Planning Commission and provide more in-depth code review.  Their suggestions and input act as the fertilization that will be integrated and will help us glean the most pertinent techniques appropriate for Tillamook County. As the term ends, we will harvest recommendations out of the strongest reviews and we will produce the deliverable that will serve as an essential component for improved hazard mitigation code for Tillamook County.

Madi Pluss

Madi Pluss                      
Born and raised in Colorado, mountains and outdoor recreation has always been a big part of my life, and out of reverence for natural processes and events, I recognize the need to mitigate hazards and protect human livelihood. In the future, I would like to focus on addressing issues related to growth and development, and mitigating natural hazard for highly urbanized areas. In my free time, you can find me in the yoga studio, supporting local music, or enjoying a good coffee. I am very excited to be working on this project and look forward to gaining a stronger understanding of code review and the planning process.

 

Project Managing or Team Managing?

Posted on by Robert Parker

By Seth Lenaerts

Before taking the plunge into graduate school, I worked as a Project Manager for Devils Lake Water Improvement District in Lincoln City, Ore. Project managing then seemed rather straight forward. First, the District Board set policy. Then my District Manager and I developed projects to implement the policy.

Evaluation of how I was doing as a project manager was straightforward too.  Was I meeting the objectives, solving the problems that we identified, and doing so within budget?  Don’t get me wrong, it was difficult, and I wasn’t always successful, but the goals of the program and how to evaluate it were clear.

When I began working on my Community Planning Workshop (CPW) team, I was excited about the prospect of letting someone else do the project managing so I could focus on the project. I was also looking forward to learning skills from the project manager that I could use when I began leading teams again. However, I quickly realized that the real challenge for CPW managers isn’t necessarily managing their projects, it is managing their teams!

CPW Project Managers face the complicated balancing act of meeting their project goal, while providing opportunities for each student team members to meet their professional goals. This was a unique concept to me. After reflecting on this question during winter term I’ve come up with three routine practices that project mangers can do to achieve both: (1) Limit surprises through clear communication/expectations, (2) Ensure your group truly understands the project, (3) Find ways to keep the project fresh, and minds stimulated.

To me limiting surprises means a thorough orientation to CPW protocols. This can be done by taking extra time at the kickoff of the project to baby step your group through the administrative workings of CPW. Hopefully this will help your team focus on the project related challenges as opposed to administrative tasks.

Second, is making sure your team really understand the project. A mantra of CPW is the project doesn’t matter as much as the process. To me “process” means, identify the problem, come up with possible solutions, select the most viable solution, implement, and evaluate. Team members have a number of assignments throughout the term, as the project manager it is important to demonstrate the connection between the assignment, the process, and the project.

Lastly, is stimulating the brain. A comment I have heard from my colleagues is they are so busy producing content, they don’t critically think anymore. That is a real concern! For me problem solving based discussion is the most important part of the process. Therefore, project managers should seek to create time explicitly for critical thinking activities and discussion.

As our team hits the mid point of this experience, I’ve taken time to think about how these practices can be applied to the second half of the CPW project. However, it quickly become obvious that limiting surprises, understanding the project, and stimulating conversation can be applied to any project, not just CPW. I look forward to incorporating these practices into my future management style.

Seth Lenaerts

Seth Lenaerts is a student in the University of Oregon’s Community and Regional Planning Program.