heart and soul of Essex

Final Community Workshop - Re-Imagining Essex's Planning Governance 01/13/2016

After months of studying how planning governance in Essex works today and how it could be improved, the Working Group for Thoughtful Growth in Action (TGIA) presents its findings and recommendations.

The Working Group’s recommendations will head to the Town Selectboard and Village Trustees in February 2016. The two boards will have a joint meeting in March to discuss the recommendations.

Currently, the Town of Essex and Village of Essex Junction have separate planning commissions and zoning boards of adjustment. TGIA formed around the belief that the community wants to move toward a shared Essex vision that simultaneously honors and builds in the unique characteristics of the Village and Town outside the Village.

For more information, visit www.essextgia.com or contact Assistant Town Manager/Town Planner Greg Duggan at 878-1343 or gduggan@essex.org

Re-Imagining Essex's Planning Governance Part III 12/09/2015

Thoughtful Growth in Action (TGIA) hosts this community-wide workshop to confirm Essex residents’ desire to move toward a shared vision, educate about current planning governance, and engage in a conversation about how people would like to see planning governance improved. This 3rd Working Group meeting has the goals of determining preferred governance structure scenario(s), determining a prioritized set of ideas on how to improve community engagement, and evaluation of Working Group process.

TGIA is a continuation of Heart & Soul of Essex, a two-year project that engaged residents to identify shared values and a vision for the future of the community. Thoughtful Growth emerged from Heart & Soul as one of the community’s top six values, and TGIA is based on the Heart & Soul belief that the community wants to move toward a shared Essex vision that simultaneously honors and builds on the unique characteristics of the Village and the Town outside the Village.

More information at: www.essextgia.com

Thoughtful Growth in Action Working Group Session 2 11/18/2015

Thoughtful Growth in Action Working Group (TGIA), continues the work of refining and integrating community ideas towards residents’ desire to move toward a shared planning governance, and planning governance improvement. This meeting's Goals are: Review and discuss planning governance scenarios - Work towards agreement on a preferred governance scenario. - Discuss and confirm top community engagement challenges.

Re-Imagining Essex's Planning Governance Part II 10/28/2015

Thoughtful Growth in Action (TGIA), hosts this community-wide workshop to confirm Essex residents’ desire to move toward a shared vision, educate about current planning governance, and engage in a conversation about how people would like to see planning governance improved. TGIA is a continuation of Heart & Soul of Essex, a two-year project that engaged residents to identify shared values and a vision for the future of the community. Thoughtful Growth emerged from Heart & Soul as one of the community’s top six values, and TGIA is based on the Heart & Soul belief that the community wants to move toward a shared Essex vision that simultaneously honors and builds on the unique characteristics of the Village and the Town outside the Village. More information at: www.essextgia.com

Re-Imagining Essex's Planning Governance 09/09/2015

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Applications Now Open for the Spring 2025 Cohort of the Neighborhood Community Media Internship Program

Town Meeting TV is excited to announce that applications are now open for the Spring 2025 cohort of the Neighborhood Community Media Internship program. Join up to 8 other youth to engage in interesting media making projects! This paid media internship opportunity is designed for youth aged 16-20 who are eager to gain professional experience in the audio-visual field and develop a deeper understanding of their local community. The group will meet under the leadership of Town Meeting TV's Travis Washington from the end of January 2025 to the beginning of June 2025, on a schedule agreed upon by the whole cohort. Click here to apply!