To Division Chairs: 12 October 2005
I have been in contact with Mary Kay Peck, Chair of APA's Hurricane Recovery Task Force, as well as our DC representative, Jeffery Lowe and we are ready to proceed with the efforts specific to Divisions Council.
Mary Kay sent me the following information on how we can best contribute toward the Task Force and the Planning Assistance Teams:
First of all, interested Division members should go to the APA website and post their resumes online under the Reconstruction Resources section of the web. There is an area called Volunteer Here to Help, http://www.planning.org/katrina/volunteering.htm You can post your resume here.
Second, Division members should also send a copy of their resume to the Division Council Leadership. The DC can then sort our volunteers by area of expertise so that they can be assigned appropriately. The DC may want to target some of its members based on their expertise and experience. Please ask your members to also include the names of references who are familiar with their area of expertise and their email address. The email addresses are necessary for follow up correspondence, including an explanation of the commitment required from volunteers.
Third, you can make contributions as a Division and we will work with Susan to set up an accounting system so that we know what our members have contributed. The instructions for how to indicate your contribution were previously sent by Candace, but I am pasting them here again so you have all the information in one location. Go to the foundation link and download the form at www.planning.org/foundation/pdf/foundationform.pdf and indicate your division as the donor. When you send in the check from the PLD Division, write Katrina Relief on the check. Send in the check with a cover letter to Paul Farmer.
If you have questions please let me know and I will try to answer them. I know some members are interested in volunteering and have asked if travel expenses will be covered. I am working to get that information and I will forward it to you ASAP.
Thanks so much for your generosity and willingness to give. APA members are truly the best!
Cheers,
Cynthia L. Hoyle, AICP
Planning Consultant
2207 S. Cottage Grove
Urbana, IL 61801-6815
217/328-5641
Dear Colleagues, 13 Oct 2005
In addition to Cynthia's email, some other items were discussed at the Taskforce meeting for your attention and discussion.
1. Does the need exist for the creation of a division on Disaster Preparedness and Recovery? Alternatively, should there be an interdivision initiative like the one on Airport in the Region or Food Systems?
2. Per the recommendation of the Taskforce, Mary Kay will propose to Dave Siegel the establishment of a Fundraising Subcommittee of the Taskforce Committee. The mission of this subcommittee will be to work with APA staffers and the Taskforce to identify approaches to fundraising and resource allocation. A member of the Division Council or Division members may serve on this subcommittee. The only requisite is the individual have a nack for fundraising. Do we want to appoint a member to this subcommittee? If so, then who?
3. Dialogue continued about soliciting contributions from the more wealthly divisions to the APA Foundation. I informed the Taskforce that divisions have already begun that conversation and some are willing to contribute financially and in other ways. I also shared that while some divisions might make contributions to the Foundation for general use in the recovery effort, some divisions may desire to make (donor specific) contributions targeting a particlar facet of recovery/response.
4. During the next meeting (10/20/05), the Taskforce plans to develop a more concrete schedule for PATs. Please share with your members, as they check their schedules for availability, the possibilities of the first wave of PATs occurring in mid-November and/or December.
5. Cynthia, I'm really glad the you are organizing our PATs. It is my hope that the DC not be regulated to a secondary role, but become a real player working cooperatively with AICP with regard to organizing the PATs. Please contact Rudayna Adbo, AICP, if you haven't already done so.
At this time, I want to acknowlege the other members of the Task force.
Scott Muscatello, Student Representatives Council
Sam Russell, AICP, Chapter Presidents Council
Mike Southard, AICP, AICP Commission
Mike McAnelly, FAICP, Board Director Region III
Mike Welch, APA Leadership Affairs Manager
Additional members representing State Chapters serving the impacted areas will join the taskforce by our meeting next week.
In closing, please begin discussions on the various items above. Perhaps, the best approach is to begin the dialogue in item sequence. I will report any decision that we make to the Taskforce at our 10/20 meeting.
Moving forward,
Jeffrey