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| Volume 17, Issue 2 | Summer 2005 |
Minneapolis National RTAP Meeting Melissa Schofield, Transportation SpecialistSD DOT The National RTAP Review Board presented an opportunity to state RTAP managers and board members to attend a great workshop in Minneapolis in June. The invitation was hard to pass up as the National RTAP program made virtually all travel arrangements, which could not have been an easy task. Again, my thanks to the National RTAP Review Board for the invitation, as well as for all the preparation that went into this workshop. Bill Potapchuck from the Community Building Institute of Annandale, Virginia, led the training. Potapchuck was the facilitator for the development of the Framework for Action and creator of the Framework Facilitator's Guide. Doug Birnie of FTA was also there. Birnie's efforts were for the United We Ride initiative. The agenda was designed to help us with some of our most difficult tasks when it comes to building coordination. Issues like building and using negotiation skills, building facilitation skills, identifying factors of resistance and overcoming them, and identifying our roles in all of this. Some of the exercises Potapchuck led were tried and true and so simple! The outcome seemed so obvious and easy, yet after we discussed our encounters a number of groups hadn't even touched on the most apparent outcome. It was a real eye-opener to realize that at such a simple level, negotiations couldn't be reached. I had to keep in mind the magnitude and complexity of coordination, and that it is such an important issue and so beneficial. During our exercise, personalities and histories were allowed to interfere with progress - imagine what damage that can do to coordination efforts.
I know some degree of coordination exists with almost every project. I know it hasn't been easy to get this far - or even your choice. In each project you should feel proud of the work you do - not only with coordination efforts, but with all things. Keep up the good work; your efforts don't go unnoticed. I would be happy to share the information I received if it will be helpful to anyone - please contact me at 700 Broadway Ave. E, Pierre, SD 57501 or by phone at (605)773-7038. Barb Cline from Prairie Hills Transit of Spearfish, South Dakota, and Bruce Fuchs from North Dakota Department of Transportation, also attended this workshop and could be contacted with any questions.
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In this issue...
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Our office is trying to be proactive and require the same from the providers in South Dakota. We all know the coordination efforts are not going to go away. It is important to identify obstacles as well as how they can be resolved. The support for this work is available at all levels, if we ask for it.