Community Connections Collaborative strengthens local engagement

Local community and civic services leaders are taking a proactive approach to fostering stronger connections amongst residents, organizations, and local officials through what is known as the Community Connections Collaborative, or C3 for short.     

The collaborative brings together a diverse network of community partners, including the Buffalo Area Community Center, Buffalo Public Library, Wright County Parks & Rec, and Buffalo Hanover Montrose Community Education.   

The mission of C3 is to grow as a community through collaborative events, programming, and educational opportunities for residents, businesses, and City partners– with a goal to ensure residents are informed, supported, and connected to the resources available within the community.

The foundation of Community Connections Collaborative began with meetings amongst leadership to identify ways to work together to plan and coordinate events. 

“We meet once per month. We found ourselves planning similar things and wanted to formalize that process, which led to creating the collaborative,” stated Director of Community Education Dr. Eric Erlandson, Ed.D “We discuss what’s going on in our community and what we do as organizations that provide services. One of the things that came out of those meetings was that we wanted to find a way to inform our community about resources that are available. Community Connections Collaborative is the first real visible thing that we are doing collectively for the community.”

Four-Session Series

Community Connections Collaborative consists of a four-session series designed to educate and inform the public on the functionality of local civic entities. Each of the four sessions are designed to educate the public regarding programs and services, as well as provide insight into each group’s inner workings and processes.  

“The series will dive into what each organization does and discuss in depth on how they operate, function, and utilize funding,” stated Dr. Erlandson.

Sessions will consist of a panel of local experts and elected officials who will discuss the workings of each organization and address commonly asked questions, followed by an opportunity for the public to engage the panel and provide feedback.

“We’ve highlighted questions that we’re going to answer and then open it up to those in attendance to ask additional questions,” stated Dr. Erlandson. “We’ll give a background on how it all works, how the funding mechanisms operate, and the kind of programs we offer. This is a platform for us to explain what we do and also have our residents give us feedback and ask questions about the things they want to know.”

Behind the Scenes

Community Connections Collaborative is designed to inform residents on the inner workings of public services, how they are funded, and how they operate. 

“It provides the opportunity to pull the curtain back and show the ways we operate,” stated Mykelti Blum, Communications Specialist for the City of Buffalo. “We get so many questions from the public about how things are being funded and where things are coming from. This series will provide a platform to answer some of those questions. 

“Sometimes, there can be misconceptions of who owns what, who approves what, and what’s happening. The sessions will provide an opportunity to educate the public on the behind-the-scenes process. It will create a new level of education and transparency. The series will show how these organizations make decisions. It’s a great opportunity for residents and businesses to have their questions answered.” 

Residents can pre-submit questions online, which will be addressed by panelists during each session. In addition, The Community Connections Collaborative operates a webpage connected to the City website, which will provide ongoing information and updates.

“We want the page to be something people can reference and seek additional information,” stated Dr. Erlandson. 

Networking and Growth

Leaders hope the series will grow and expand into other areas, potentially creating additional partnerships with other local organizations. 

“It’s not just about the core partners working together, we want to connect with other people in the community and work together on things,” said Dr. Erlandson. “The core idea of C3 was to engage people and groups who are creating opportunities for people in the community. Anyone who is aligned with that can naturally connect with the core.”

“We are so excited about the opportunity to provide this for our residents. We are a community that enjoys working together,” stated Blum. “We have incredible residents here in Buffalo and Wright County who want to be involved in their community. We want to provide a platform to engage and hear more from them.”

Provided by City of Buffalo:

Community Connections Collaborative (C3) is a partnership between the City of Buffalo, Buffalo Public Library, Wright County Parks & Recreation, and BHM Community Education.

The mission of C3 is to grow together as a community through collaborative events, programming, and provide educational opportunities for residents, businesses, and City partners to learn more about their city.

Community Connections Collaborative is offering a four-part series and would love for you to participate in this educational series to learn more about how public services are created, funded, and operated. 

Schedule:

•May 14 - Building a Community (Buffalo Area Community Center, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.).

•June 11 - How Libraries and Community Education Serve Our Community (GRRL-Buffalo, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.).

•September 24 - Regional Recreation (location and time to be determined).

•October 5 - City Government and Civic Participation Buffalo City Center, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.).

Sessions include:

•Panel of local experts, City/County staff, and elected officials answering questions on each topic.

•Opportunity for Q&A with panelists.

•Can submit questions ahead of time through online form.

Registration is not required, although helpful to plan accordingly. Residents have the opportunity to ask a question anonymously through the online form, which will be answered during the discussion. 

To learn more visit: ci.buffalo.mn.us/804/Community-Connections-Collaborative.