I write this note at a time when our country is facing some serious challenges. As a result of ideological differences in Congress most federal agencies are closed and the debate about the raising of our national debt continues strong. While I do not intend to enter into the political fray over the 2014 federal budget or the debt ceiling, I do believe what we represent in CDS is the antithesis of what we see happening in Washington, DC. Certainly, many of us have worked in communities where deep-seeded differences among local factions have paralyzed the capacity of communities to act on key priorities. But our training and experiences have provided us with skills and processes to help local people find common ground – to realize the great heights that communities can achieve when people and groups decide to work together to advance the long-term well-being of their communities. I often think of the work that Ron Hustedde and his colleagues pursued several years ago titled “Turning Lemons into Lemonade” that was intended to help mediate community conflicts. Let’s hope Congress soon will begin to produce lemonade!
On a less serious note, I would like to let you know that under the leadership of Tony Gauvin and his committee, we are finalizing the contract with the firm that will be revising our CDS website. I want to thank Tony and his CDS committee members for the many hours they spent securing and reviewing applications and for finalizing the contract with the firm that was chosen. You will see the fruits of their labor in the next few months as major improvements in the CDS website are realized.
Finally, the “Save the Date” information regarding the 2014 CDS annual conference is now posted on the CDS website. Please make plans to join us on July 20-23 in Dubuque, IA to take part in an exciting program. Keep an eye on the website since the “call for proposals” for participation in the meeting is slated to be released soon. Please let me know if you have anything you would like to have the CDS Board address at its upcoming fall face-to-face meeting scheduled for November 8-9. My email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Thanks!!
Bo Beaulieu
