by Elaine Cogan
Recently, I was asked by a group of planning board members from different parts of the country to name the three mostimportant attributes of a commissioner. We had been talking about the need to understand planning terms; to be neutral and fair; to pay attention at meetings;and other such importantmatters. But when pressed toname the three most importantaspects of their jobs, I surprisedat least some of them by answering,"patience, persistence andpassion." Here are my reasons. Iwill be interested in hearingwhether these attributes seemreasonable to our readers.
Patience is an essential attribute if you are to be an effective decisionmaker, especially in thecontentious situations that oftenconfront the planning board.You need to exercise patienceover your own desire to rush tojudgment after a cursory reviewof the "facts" as they are presentedby staff, or seem to beborne out by your own experience.You also need to be patientwith other board memberswho may have a different perspectiveor be slower to graspcomplicated concepts. Most importantly,you must be patientwith the public at that inevitablepublic hearing or meeting.Though citizens often caredeeply about a subject, theymay become excited and emotionalor express themselves inless than perfect grammar orsyntax. This is not to excuserude or disruptive behavior,which must, of course, be controlled.However, do not exhibityour impatience. Tapping apencil on the desk, whisperingto a neighbor, interrupting oranswering rudely are commonhabits that should be avoided.Each citizen deserves to beheard with patience, no matterhow misguided you may thinkthey are.
Have patience with the planning process, and with the citizens to whom it is important, and you may be surprised how often the quality of your final product is improved.
Persistence is the second of these important traits of a planning commissioner. In some ways, this may seem to be the reverse of patience, because it infers a certain amount of willingness to keep espousing a point of view in light of opposition. But, whereas patience is a commodity that cannot be overused, persistence should be used sparingly. A commissioner who is stubborn and entrenched can quickly become ineffective. "We all know Joe. He never has an open mind on anything." Thus, the board may hear you but not listen, because they know you are not really listening to them.
However, there may be times when you have weighed all the information, listened patiently to the public, and come to a conclusion that still is not popular or supported by the majority. If your colleagues respect you, they will respect your persistence. You may even win them over.
In your striving to be dispassionate, that is, fair and open, it is easy to dismiss passion, but they are not the same. Yes, you must always be an active listener to different points of view, but this should not mitigate having a real passion for planning as a vital contribution to your community's livability and future.
Planning commissioners should be advocates for an orderly process that has the best interests of the community as its overriding goal. They should be passionate about the values that make their community a special place and vigorously oppose the forces that would seem to undermine it.
If you are not passionate about your willingness to devote many hours to a non-paid, often thankless job, why do it?
This triad of traits can be the basis of a truly effective planning board member. What are yours?
Special thanks to Elaine Cogan. Elaine is a partner in the Portland,Oregon, planning and communications firm of Cogan Owens Cogan, a consultant to many communities undertaking strategic planning or visioning processes.