Hoping to build on the success of the workshop that focused on
the controversial slow-growth initiative, organizers and
participants said they want to continue the dialogue to help
develop a plan to guide future growth in San Benito County.
The first consensus building workshop, organized by ranchers Joe
and Julie Morris in July, was intended to open the lines of
communication between initiative supporters and opponents and bring
together both sides for a common goal.
Hoping to build on the success of the workshop that focused on the controversial slow-growth initiative, organizers and participants said they want to continue the dialogue to help develop a plan to guide future growth in San Benito County.
The first consensus building workshop, organized by ranchers Joe and Julie Morris in July, was intended to open the lines of communication between initiative supporters and opponents and bring together both sides for a common goal.
Currently, the Morrises are trying to organize more workshops, though no dates or format plans have been scheduled.
“We are currently looking into funding possibilities to bring Jeff Goebel back for a series of meetings,” Julie Morris said in a written statement.
Goebel, a conflict resolution specialist, led the first consensus building workshop in which about 60 people attended, and was the project coordinator for Washington State University’s Holistic Management Project and the director of the Pacific Northwest Sustainable Community Consensus Institute at WSU.
Though plans are just developing for future workshops, Morris said they would not let the momentum from the first gathering fade away.
“We are committed to working together to come up with a broad-based plan for San Benito County that takes into account our community’s diverse make-up – farmers and ranchers, environmentalists, commuters, land owners, homeowners, etc.,” Morris said.
County officials have planned to place the San Benito County Slow-Growth Control Initiative on the March ballot.
Supervisor Pat Loe, who attended the first forum, said she left with a feeling the workshops have much to offer to those who are willing to listen.
“I really got the feeling that everybody involved wants to do what’s best for San Benito County,” Loe said.
She said the only difference between the opposing view points was which path does the community want to use to reach a common good.
“I think that it was a really positive experience for everyone who attended it and I hope that we can move forward with this,” Loe said.
Others, such as Janet Brians, a spokeswoman for the slow-growth control initiative, shared Loe’s feeling of optimism about the opportunity the workshops offer the community.
“The fact that diverse people could talk to each other is important,” Brians said.
She said the workshop gave people who would never get the chance to talk to each other, the opportunity to discuss their views in an open, yet mutually respectful format.
“Hopefully, people will be able to express their vision and decide what kind of future we want for this county,” Brians said. “Do we want this to be San Jose or do we want to keep some of this natural beauty for generations.”
Brians said ultimately it will take a community effort to develop answers about growth and other community problems, and that they have to work together now or miss a golden window of opportunity.
“These next few years are important ones if we are going to preserve the beauty that this county has to offer,” Brians said.
However, while recognizing the potential of this type of problem-solving workshops, several people, like local orchardist and San Benito County Farm Bureau member Anthony Botelho who opposes the growth control initiative, said it is a little too late.
“When I left that workshop, I was hoping that a dialogue could be established between the outside interests who are supporting this initiative and the local growers and ranchers who are opposed to it,” Botelho said.
He said time was running out for those who oppose the initiative but want to give the workshops a chance to work.
“I think as long as that initiative is on the ballot, it is bad for this county,” Botelho said. “I’m hoping this initiative is defeated and that this group can get together and help shape the future of this county for the next 100 years.”
