On the evening of September 29th, 2016, we convened the Gravois-Jefferson Historic Neighborhoods Steering Committee for the group’s first meeting. Ten of the fourteen members of the committee were in attendance, as well as representatives from Dutchtown South Community Corporation (DSCC), Rise Community Development (Rise) and Lutheran Development Group (LDG). You can find the meeting’s agenda here.

During the meeting, the project was introduced and the reasons behind the specific planning area were discussed (you can find that explanation in the FAQ section). DSCC led the meeting, beginning with an overview of the community engagement process, followed by an activity where values and goals of the committee were discussed. Committee Members expressed thoughts on the following topics:

• They affirmed need to have youth outreach events, as well as diverse representation throughout the community engagement process, including on the steering committee.
• They expressed confidence in the group assembled thus far and want to ensure a broad and inclusive process.
• They discussed the naming of the process, delivering recommendations that led to: The Gravois-Jefferson Historic Neighborhoods Plan
• They expressed excitement for what happens after the plan, emphasizing the need for a strong implementation plan to ensure that recommendations are carried out.

The Committee then tasked DSCC and Rise with following up on their recommendations and preparing for the kickoff event.