In January 2005 Laurie and Robert Benn of the Positive Culture Company in Medicine Hat were invited out to facilitate the Town Councilers for a two day retreat. This would be the fourth time since 1998 that Rob and Laurie have had the honour of suppling this service to the Pincher Creek Town Council.

Fresh from a fall election Council was eager to discuss their community in the "big picture" and sort out their role for the next years of their term of office. Both days were packed with activities and opportunities to interact and develop a team. On the first day Council and the Town Manager reviewed the current state of Pincher Creek with a COGS exercise and then reworked their Vision, Mission and Values and defined five main goals they would work toward over the next months.

The second day, Senior Staff Members were invited to join the group for the morning session and Lunch. During this time the group worked through an environmental scan and a world Cafe process asking the question "What can we do together to make our business structure more efficient and effective?". After lunch Council worked on action planning developing a path to accomplishing their goals.

Comments:

• Good ideas came forth - Positive
• More time to understand/ participate (more than AM session) would have been good but that is what was set up - Council needed time
• Very good idea to separate groups with Council & Council & Staff. It allows Council to be more open.

Comments/ Recommendations for next time:

• Great questions, graphics as always!
• Kept on track
• Find out other ideas
• Thought it might be difficult to "plummet in" to the retreat (after Council met for 1 day) but you did a good job of bringing us up to speed & bringing us into discussion…
• Helped us Grow/Work together: Good with new Council·
• Important Issues surfaced: Treat lightly with Staff present - Council alone would have been more direct

Comments:

• Well organized - promoted good effective debate.
• Well done, you kept me very interested!
• First time attending.
• Good presentation & flow.
• We tried to get more real this time around - practical goals, attainable.
• I believe it helped bring Council together

Comments/ Recommendations for next time:

• You have kept us interested with your artistic skills.
• The final product (this year) is much more concise. I am comfortable having it on Council Chamber wall.
• Active interaction with group.
• Your program is very easy to follow, and visually stimulating. I believe it was very effective.
• Tell you in a year!
• Well organized - promoted good effective debate. (as above)
• All council able to contribute this year.
• Discovered new things: Not really, they were only stressed.