Lakeville committee tentatively schedules Feb. 9 open-space workshop, outlines outreach and report deadlines

The Town of Lakeville Master Plan Implementation Committee discussed logistics, outreach and deadlines for its next workshop on Natural and Cultural Resources and Open Space & Recreation during its Jan. 8 meeting, tentatively selecting Saturday, Feb. 9, with alternate dates if weather or venue availability requires a change.

Committee members and consultant Jed Kronagh outlined a multi-pronged outreach strategy that includes posting materials on the project website, using the library and council-on-aging newsletters, a press release in the local paper, social media, and direct outreach through boards and committees. Kronagh proposed tabletop mapping exercises at the workshop to let residents mark sites they consider important or at risk of sale; "the thought is mapping exercises where folks can...identify sites that are particularly important," he said.

Committee members reported several local channels have already been used for promotion — including a coordinator who met people at the Artisan Music Festival — and discussed new options such as distribution at the transfer station, handouts at town meetings, outreach through the school superintendent’s parent subscription service and a recreation-department table at spring Little League games. Volunteer committee members offered to distribute brochures and postcards in neighborhoods and at public venues; Rodney Dixon volunteered to distribute materials at the transfer station if permitted.

On scheduling, the group discussed a Feb. 9 date with a potential snow date on March 2 (or March 9 in some proposals) and a typical 10 a.m. start. The committee discussed extending the meeting to 12:30 p.m. to allow more time for tabletop exercises but generally agreed to keep a 10 a.m. start and allow the workshop format to dictate the end time.

Members proposed asking all town boards and committees to submit any reports or updates to the master-plan committee by April 1 so staff can compile deliverables for an August review. Some members cautioned the committee could not take a formal vote on a new deadline at the meeting because it was not on the agenda; the group directed staff (Rita) to confirm which committees have already submitted reports and to follow up with committees that have not.

Separately, the committee set its next regular meeting for Feb. 12 at the senior center to prepare for outreach and review logistics.