A popular and practical guide on how to be an effective planning commissioner. Filled with checklists and outlines, it's both a good introduction and a handy reference. Includes a training checklist for new commissioners, criteria for keeping a master plan in working order, lists of tools to guide growth, advice on how to deal with professional staff, and dos and don'ts for conducting successful public meetings. This edition sharpens the focus on how commissioners and their staffs can operate under four core principles for planning commissioners: citizen involvement, smaller is better, living in a market-driven system, and orderly growth.

This report explains how to identify a list of prospective consultants, define the consultant's task, establish a budget, and prepare an RFP that best represents your agency and its project. It also tells how to prevent miscommunication, establish control over the project, and resolve disputes. A sample evaluation form will help you compare applicants. This must-read guide will help you and your consultant avoid common pitfalls and complete your project on time and to specifications.