Established in 1990, Bay Area Community Council (BACC) is a Brown County citizens’ “think tank” made up of volunteers representing business, education, community, and government. BACC is a non-profit community organization chartered under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. The membership of the council consists of over 150 individuals and organizations from all parts of the community who support the work of the council with membership dues and grants for special projects. The council’s board consists of 26 directors representing a cross section of the community. The council is staffed through a management contract with the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber serves as the permanent address of the council, houses its records and provides space for most of its meetings and functions.
Mission Statement
With awareness of current issues, BACC provides Brown County with insight into future issues of our community through…
- Examination of anticipated community concerns that affect the growth and health of Brown County;
- Analysis of those issues through rigorous discussion and discovery;
- Effective communication of those issues to the community; and
- Engaging the community in the issues.
Strategies
In order to carry out the Mission and objectives of the Bay Area Community Council, BACC will…
- Sponsor appropriate forums and conferences
- Publish pertinent materials, and
- Work with other community groups.
History
During our first decade of existence a series of issues occupied the attention of the community and BACC: education, diversity, devolution (the new localism) and sustainability. New organizations and processes formed in the community around each of these issues, often with the help of BACC. These included the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce’s Partners in Education program, the Committee to Promote Respect, the Multicultural Center, Sustainable Green Bay Inc. and others. The Community Benchmarks and Quality of Life studies were the major tools, in addition to the Partners in Progress conferences (the first held in 1992) and publication of white papers, used by BACC to achieve its goals.
In 2001 the board adopted a new mission statement, objectives, strategies and amended by-laws. These emphasized the move from a “strategic planning” mission to a “think tank” mission and called for an organizational vision that would be far-reaching and multi-faceted. We see our role as the continuing study of critical issues of future importance, and bringing these issues to the attention of citizens and leaders alike in our community. Since that time, projects on social capital, tax base sharing, poverty, immigration, mass transit and alcohol abuse produced six important white papers that have been widely discussed in the community. In 2009 BACC joined with Community Foundations, United Ways and Chambers of Commerce from throughout the region to conduct and publish the LIFE Study, a comprehensive look at the quality of life in Brown County and the region through opinion surveys, focus groups, expert panels and examination of relevant statistical indicators.