The first forum was an instant success. It included city staff, non-profit representatives, and individuals with expertise in a range of areas. At the end of the forum, they all agreed to help “make Ellsworth a model green community.”
In April 2017, the Ellsworth Green Plan Steering Committee formed. The Steering Committee was comprised of community members leading subcommittees in ten focus areas. These subcommittees gathered input from hundreds of citizens and numerous experts, hosted two dozen public forums and countless hours of meetings, and conducted substantial field research, small projects, surveys, mapping, inventories, and analysis—all with the aim of completing a comprehensive Green Plan for Ellsworth.