I am writing to recommend the services of Carpe Diem Community Solutions. Carpe Diem Community Solutions served as the public involvement subconsultant for Metric Engineering, Inc. on the Bay County Grand Lagoon Bridge and Roadway Widening construction project. During the two year project, Carpe Diem Community Solutions provided a broad range of community awareness, media relations, event coordination, web site development and maintenance, federal ARRA reporting, and public involvement services. Carpe Diem Community Solutions' knowledge, responsiveness and attention to detail greatly helped to maintain Metric's ability to stay on track.

Carpe Diem Community Solutions' ability to work with county staff, local media, property owners as well as comply with federal economic stimulus (ARRA) funding made my job much easier. During the entire two years, I never received a complaint or concern because Carpe Diem Community Solutions handled the complaints and concerns without my direct involvement.

Carpe Diem Community Solutions' ability to plan and promote the grand opening and ground breaking ceremonies for this project was superiorly executed. Their organizational skills and easy-to-work-with demeanor made these high profile events run smoothly.

I energetically endorse Carpe Diem Community Solutions for any communications and public involvement related services. Carpe Diem Community Solutions is a team player and would be a great asset to any organization.

It is with great pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation for Carpe Diem Community Solutions. Over the past three years while collaborating on the development of the Downtown Code for the City of Panama City, Florida, I have come to appreciate the responsiveness, professionalism, and client service provided by Carpe Diem Community Solutions and its entire team. Through working together on several projects, I have found that they excel in a variety of areas.

The Carpe Diem Community Solutions contributed to the Wood+Partners, Inc team by providing effective facilitation for a diverse steering committee comprised of community stakeholders that led to consensus building of complex land use ideas. Their coordination and moderation of town hall meetings and public workshops resulted in significant attendance, local press coverage before and after the events, and idea generation for integration within the project framework. Working in conjunction with our firm, Carpe Diem Community Solutions synthesized land use concepts into an Option Brief that was then used to guide and educate citizens and elected officials on potential land use changes.

In closing, I would highly recommend that you consider Carpe Diem Community Solutions for your visioning, community development, and facilitation needs. Their professionalism, promptness, and ability to convey complex land use issues to elected officials and citizens in an effective manner has contributed significantly to the overall success of our commissions.

Please feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss the matter further.

DRMP, Inc.

Carpe Diem Community Solutions has successfully developed and implemented many public information campaigns for a broad range of transportation planning projects. I have learned to count on them for turn-key service in the public involvement and community awareness role and have had nothing but positive feedback from my clients and the general public. Lynn and her experienced staff have demonstrated their ability to calm anxious or frustrated citizens at these meetings on several occasions.

It is, however, Lynn's proactive and organized service that makes Carpe Diem Community Solutions stand out as a highly valued team member. I have consistently been impressed with Lynn's enthusiasm, communication skills and professional demeanor and, during the years I have worked with Carpe Diem Community Solutions, she consistently demonstrated all of these qualities and more. I heartily endorse Carpe Diem Community Solutions for any communications and public involvement related services.

Carpe Diem Community Solutions managed the Public Information responsibility for the Grand Lagoon Bridge Replacement and Roadway Widening Project. The firm was always responsive to County needs and did an outstanding job updating project progress via their website.

The firm maintained active lines of communication with the local media and were always willing to go door to door to the surrounding property owners to ensure they were aware of upcoming project activities.

Due to Lynn's high caliber knowledge in her field, and her training background, I highly recommend Carpe Diem Community Solutions for any facilitation or mediation needed. Lynn understands growth management initiatives, which is imperative in effective facilitation in the growth management and land development regulation arena.

I consider Lynn's intelligence and project management skills in this field as the best I have experienced. I have been party to many facilitated discussions, outside of the field of planning as well, and I consider Lynn in the top tier of visioning and community development.

As Project Manager for both the Florida-Alabama and Bay County Transportation Planning Organizations 2035 Long Range Transportation Plans, I would like to recognize your contributions that made each of these plans a valuable resource for future transportation projects in these two metropolitan areas. The invitation letters you created for the Focus Group members were completed in a way that brought the community and business leaders to the table to discuss transportation needs. Your facilitation for the Focus Group Members engaged plenty of participation and needed comments that assisted in the development of the Goals and Objectives for these Long Range Transportation Plans. I am also very pleased with the five newsletters that you created during the duration of these Long Range Transportation Plans that helped get the word out in these communities on what transportation products were being completed. Lastly, I would like to recognize the professionally completed press releases that you created that generated media interest in these Long Range Transportation Plans.

Please feel free to use my name as a reference for any projects you may be seeking in the future. I wish you continued success in the public involvement arena.

I want to personally thank you for all the services you have provided to Tyndall Federal Credit Union over the past year. Every project that you have helped Tyndall with has been a complete success, due in large part to your professionalism, organizational skills, community contacts, flexibility and dedication to excellence.  

I would also like to take this opportunity to recommend Carpe Diem Community Solutions to any individual or organization with a need to complete a wide variety of community and public relations projects. Your experience in the for-profit industry, not-for-profit organizations and education sectors would prove incredibly valuable to any organization wishing to strengthen their reputation and standing in their local community.  

Again, thank you for all your help with the many projects at Tyndall Federal Credit Union. We look forward to working with you again in the future.

I had the privilege of working with Ms. Lynn Cherry of Carpe Diem Community Solutions (CDCS) from October 2008 to January 2011. Lynn served as a subconsultant to Dyer Riddle, Mills & Precourt, Inc. (DRMP) for the General Planning Continuing Services Contact for the Florida-Alabama, Okaloosa-Walton and Bay County Transportation Planning Organizations (TPOs). Services under this contract included, TPO administration, unified planning work program, public involvement process, regional coordination, data collection, GIS data analysis, transportation improvement programs, long range transportation plans updates, transportation system management, freight and goods movement planning, public transportation planning, bicycle/pedestrian systems planning, transportation disadvantaged program, air quality planning, corridor planning & preservation, congestion management process, intelligent transportation system (ITS) planning for the West Florida Regional Planning Council. During the term of this contract, Lynn was responsible for the public involvement phase of the following projects:

• SR77 Corridor Management plan
• SR85 Corridor Management Plan
• Bay County Long Range Transportation Plan Update
• Bus 98 Corridor Management Plan
• Beal Parkway Corridor Management Plan

The public involvement process for the above indicated projects included identifying and compiling mailing/contact lists, preparing and sending letters to all property owners affected by the projects, identifying/inspecting and reserving public meeting sites, preparing brochures, handouts, newsletters,legal advertisements, and press releases, conducting public workshops/hearings and focus group meetings, collecting public input data throughout the life of the projects and preparing comments and coordination reports. The comments and coordination reports were included but not limited to maintenance of files, newspaper clippings, letters, and especially direct contact before, during, and after the public workshops.

Gaining public support was of primary importance to the success of these projects. To accomplish this, Lynn conducted a proactive public involvement process throughout the duration of the studies. During the public involvement process, she included traditional and innovative means of informing the public, collecting comments, and incorporating appropriate ideas into the projects concepts. Early in the process she identified and compiled mailing/contact lists for any affected or possibly affected parties, elected/appointed officials and other local officials serving the area, community leaders and interested parties. Lynn inspected the meetings sites in the study areas to assure suitability of the locations, seating capacity, accessibility for the disabled, sound system, lighting, display space, and any other physical characteristic, which would influence the viability of the sites.

Lynn 's performance during the life of the Contract was very professional and effective. She is a team player and would be a great asset to any organization. I highly recommend Lynn/CDCS for the public involvement process.

Should you have any questions regarding this matter, Please feel free to contact me at (850) 233-5100.

I am writing in support of Lynn Cherry, president of Carpe Diem Community Solutions. Ms. Cherry is among the most qualified facilitators with whom I have had the pleasure to work with. She is thoughtful, engaging, and sensitive to group dynamics.

As the Executive Director of the St. Joe Community Foundation, I searched for a qualified facilitator to work with a group of citizens in Port St. Joe, Florida. Our decision to engage Ms. Cherry to facilitate a series of meetings with local citizens to support the development of a young professional leadership program was unanimous.

Not only is Ms. Cherry extremely knowledgeable about leadership programming, but also her ability to facilitate group discussion is outstanding. During these meetings, Ms. Cherry managed the group of citizens in such a positive way that those attending the sessions quickly arrived at consensus to develop recommendations for a youth leadership program.  

It was a pleasure to work with Ms. Cherry, and my only regret is that at the moment we are not working on a new project together.

Thank you for serving as a speaker for the pre-conference seminar, “Community Problem-Solving through Deliberative Democracy,“ at the League’s conference last week.

The information that you and Virginia shared with the delegates will be very helpful as they return home and work with groups within their cities. The delegates seemed to benefit greatly from the interactive activities, as well as the presentation portion of the pre-conference seminar. Again, thank you.