Local leaders are indicating it was time and money well spent at a recent community building conference in Rocky Mountain House.
Around 70 participants, including elected officials and business leaders attended Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County Community Transformation Presentation from Unstoppable Conversations Nov. 14-15 at Pine Hills Golf Club.
Rocky Mountain House Acting Mayor Len Phillips said there were many takeaways from the two-day, intensive conference.
Attendees were challenged to have a different mindset for the future, he says, also to be more authentic when it comes to collaboration with the public and with counterparts in different leadership positions within the community.
“It definitely allowed for some raw, open conversations to happen,” says Phillips. “It’s a great initiative that the Chamber of Commerce, and we can look forward to some positive growth from it.”
Michelle Meatheringham, executive director from the Rocky Chamber said the conference was worthwhile, as attendees discovered what “true collaboration” with many stakeholders could look like to move the region forward.
Unstoppable Conversations CEO Kevin Gangel makes a presentation at Pine Hills Golf Club near Rocky Mountain House. (Michelle Meatheringham/Rocky Chamber of Commerce)
Clearwater County Reeve Michelle Swanson says the goal of the conference was to help “eliminate barriers” hindering community expansion.
She adds, part of the conference was creating a pretense for town, county and business stakeholders could better collaborate.
The cost of the session was over $43,000, with the Rocky Mountain House Chamber of Commerce kicking in 50 per cent of the cost, and the town and county each contributing 25 per of the undertaking to the tune of $10,837.50 each.
Phillips says it’s money well spent when community members, business members, councils, and the Chamber of Commerce are all in the same room collaborating to “make things happen” in the area.
As part of the program, Meatheringham says virtual coaching sessions are set to take place over the next several months to continue conversations started at the conference.
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