Notes from Meeting #1

There were about 60 people who participated in TNT's first Strategic Planning meeting, facilitated by Sheena Solomon and Heidi Holtz from the Gifford Foundation. The goal of the Strategic Planning Meetings are to look at where TNT has been, where it is now, and where TNT wants to go as a newly independent non-profit corporation.

Participants included residents from all 8 TNT sectors, TNT Sector Facilitators, the TNT Coordinator and City-wide TNT Board Members. Everyone was asked to answer 4 questions:

• How would you describe TNT now?
• What does TNT look like when it is at it's best?
• What are TNT's greatest potential/current assets?
• What should TNT look like in 3 years?

Participants divided into 4 groups to summarize everyone's input on those questions and achieved consensus on many points. Main comments included:

• TNT is in a period of transition. It is challenged by many issues, including communication with City of Syracuse officials, differences in sector groups, and few staff resources to coordinate/manage the organization.
• At its best, TNT is working well with the city and has sufficient funding.
• TNT should ideally serve as a Forum for discussing neighborhood issues, a Bridge between residents and solutions, and a group achieving Action to address common concerns.
• For the future, TNT wants/needs more leadership structure, good communication across the organization and with the city, and good funding.

on Thursday April 27th and Thursday June 1st