An Overview of MDI Tomorrow – January 2004

Mount Desert Island Tomorrow is a citizen’s forum on the future of the island and its communities. Replicating a similar process from 1987-91, organizational sponsors (University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Friends of Acadia and College of the Atlantic) called an initial meeting in October 2001 to begin the process of determining issues and opportunities facing MDI over the next several years.

The earlier version of MDI Tomorrow produced a newspaper supplement outlining issues, current data, trends and “preferred futures” in 1991. A series of community conferences generated discussion and progress on several issues, with tangible results:

Island Connections, a non-profit linking volunteers with elders;
A high-school internship program,
MDI Community Health Plan, linking the health care providers and island employers in a variety of projects to reduce health care and insurance costs;
Acadia Homes for Students, providing support for teens needing housing in order to stay in school;
Kid’s Corner, a child care center originally set up by employers;
Island Explorer bus service, launched through collaboration of many organizations and agencies

The mission of MDI Tomorrow is “working to bring about vibrant, healthy and year-round communities for Mount Desert Island and surrounding towns”

The current MDI Tomorrow process began with a loose structure of “working groups” on seven inter-connected issues. A steering committee provides overall coordination. Sub-committees have coordinated overall funding for the process, shaped the community surveys, and taken on other short-term tasks. Following our April, 2003 conference, much of the work is taking place in project groups or task forces working on:

Visit the MDI Tomorrow at www.mditomorrow.org, to find further background, our mission and vision statement, elements of the State of the Island Report, and progress reports on projects. Mark your calendars and plan to attend our 3^rd community conference at MDI High School on Saturday, April 17

November, 2002 1^st Community Conference to discuss “state of the island” and a vision of what we want for the future

Spring 2004 Publish updated MDI Tomorrow Report, incorporating data, vision, project updates, opinion data and policy directions

NOTE April 17, 2004 3rd Community Conference to mark and stimulate progress, examine and fine tune local policy options

MDI Tomorrow is a parallel process to planning by each island town, business and non-profit organization. As in the past effort, the current work may yield public-private partnerships, pilot projects, policy recommendations or public education. MDI Tomorrow is not a formal organization, nor is it an advocacy group. Rather, it is a community process to identify what citizens want for the future, to suggest plans and collaborative work to bring about that “preferred future.”

The steering committee for MDI Tomorrow has raised funds to maintain an interactive website, conduct and summarize ongoing research that helps us understand the current “state of the island,” to support community conferences and meetings, and publish an updated MDI Tomorrow document and implementation plan. Sponsoring organizations serve as fiscal managers for any funds sought and spent.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension is maintaining mailing and email list   To receive updates, minutes of full group and working group meetings, please contact: Suzanne Baez   sbaez@umext.maine.edu                        Phone 207 667 8212
                            University of Maine Cooperative Extension                     FAX   207 667 2003
                           63 Boggy Brook Road, Ellsworth, ME 04605

Further information about MDI Tomorrow is available from members of the Steering Committee: