Residents Asked to Step Up to Shape Ashland’s Future

Ashland Board of Selectmen (BOS) member Rob Scherer and the Town Manager Michael Herbert announced recently the start of a strategic planning process. They are seeking volunteers to serve on committees that will conduct public forums to gather input and shape the plan.
“As the economy has recovered, Ashland is once again entering a time of rapid growth. The development of Phase 1 of the Rail Transit District, the potential development of the Valentine Estate, Ashland Woods (40b project), and others are underway or in the planning process,” Rob Scherer, BOS member, said. “If we want to help shape our community, we must have a plan, and put it into effect. The Town Manager’s Ashland Strategic Planning Process is an effort to build a vision for our community and to act on it.”
“Michael is heading this project, and my view of my role as a Selectman is to monitor the process, give our input, review and ask questions about recommendations, approve the plan and, with the Town Manager, ensure the implementation of the recommendations,” Scherer explained. “Our first step is to get a diverse and representative group of citizens and stakeholders to serve on the committees.”
Scherer anticipates that this strategic planning process will last about four months.
“I would say that now more than ever we need to have a consensus about the direction we want to go in as a community,” Herbert said. “The Town has undergone tremendous changes, especially in the last three years, with very little thought or direction from the community as a whole. There are many different reasons why people choose to live in Ashland. My goal is to help us create a vision and plan that retains and even amplifies those qualities while at the same time acknowledging there are things we want and need to improve.”
“I think to be clear, consensus does not mean that everybody has to be in 100 percent agreement, but that everyone feels like they had an opportunity to be heard and listened to,” Herbert said. “The first step is to make sure that you are reaching out to all segments of the community through a proactive approach. I think the next step is to find those things were you have general agreement on and use that as a base for further discussion.”
Herbert expects that the first strategic planning meeting will take place in mid September or early October.
To volunteer, complete a talent bank form from the town website, www.ashlandmass.com. For more information, email Scherer, robscherer@aol.com or Herbert, mherbert@ashlandmass.com.