Lesson 4: Base Decisions On Facts
Population, total assessed valuation, per capita income, Miner County demographics compared to other similar counties – those are a few of the many facts and figures Tami Severson seeks in the county court house, or online at state government sites and sites that interpret U.S. Census data. The numbers have surprised people from time to time. For 125 years Miner County has been labeled a farm community, but agriculture isn’t the main income source these days. Conversely, money flowing into the county through Social Security and Medicare payments is much more significant than most residents thought.
The information “is a huge part of people being able to come together to discuss where we go from here,” says Tami. “People may have different views of what should happen in the future, but they have to agree when the facts tell us where we are right now, and how that compares to where we’ve been in the past.”
Still, presenting facts stripped of meaningful context isn’t effective. “You need this information when something’s happening, when people are ready to listen,” Tami believes. “People listen best when they’re forming ideas, or when they have ideas and need facts to back them up. If they can agree what the facts mean, and then set a goal, they have a good chance of working together well.”
Tami never stands in line to wait for information. “In fact,” she says, “I’ll go to an office and it’s like no one has ever asked what I’m asking for. But there are all kinds of data out there. It’s more of a challenge deciding what you need than actually finding it.” Tami especially likes uncovering an intriguing number online and then confirming it locally. What makes a piece of data intriguing is its potential for analysis—and how that analysis will determine the revitalization project’s future direction or measure its progress. Sometimes there’s an additional payoff for the local source. Tami has worked with some handwritten records and, after preparing those records for MCCR’s use, returned to the source with the new electronic file.
- Value All People
- Help Residents Improve Their Hometown Economy
- Build Leadership, Strategic Thinking, And Alliances
- Base Decisions On Facts
- Be Sure Local People Lead
- Use Grassroots Discussion To Create Commitment
- Continually Foster Relationships And Resources
- Seek Broad-Based, Informed And Dedicated Leadership
- Commit To The Long-Term
- Share The Stories