Joint City-County Planning Task Force

Joint City-Greene County Planning Task Force Meeting Notes August 6, 2014 – 8:30 a.m. 4th Floor Conference Room-Busch Municipal Building 840 Boonville Avenue Meeting #22 Task Force Members Present: Greg Burris, Springfield City Manager Chris Coulter, Acting Greene County Administrator Collin Quigley, Springfield Assistant City Manager Cindy Stein, Greene County Auditor Martha Mundt, Greene County Budget Director Dan Patterson, Greene County Prosecutor The meeting began at approximately 8:32 a.m. with a welcome from Greg Burris, City Manager, and Chris Coulter, Acting Greene County Administrator, followed by a review of today’s agenda. City Manager Burris asked for a motion to approve the notes from the July 9, 2014 meeting. Cindy Stein, Greene County Auditor, moved to approve the notes as presented. Dan Patterson, Greene County Prosecutor, seconded the motion and the notes were approved. City Manager Burris congratulated County Prosecutor Patterson and County Auditor Stein on winning their respective primaries from yesterday’s election. City Manager Burris introduced Cora Scott, City Public Information Office (PIO) and Civic Engagement Director, who gave a presentation entitled “Citizen Engagement.” (Please refer to Exhibit A located within the City Clerk’s Office for additional information.) The following is an outline of the presentation: A. What is Citizen Engagement? B. Citizen Engagement can: … C. How does citizen engagement occur? D. Whose job is it? E. How should public servants treat citizens? F. What does effective citizen engagement require? G. Ways to engage citizens: a. Surveys, citizen panels, and focus groups; b. Discussing, educating, and envisioning; c. Internet and social media d. Deliberation and dialogue e. Arts and Events f. Service delivery and performance measurement; and g. Neighborhood organizations. H. Where to from here? The Task Force and City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott discussed the issue of citizen engagement. City Manager Burris and City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott explained that building trust with citizens, which a Public Information Officer can do, is important for a governmental entity to help engage citizen involvement. City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott also referred to a handout entitled “Local Examples in Civic Engagement.” (Please refer to Exhibit B located within the City Clerk’s Office for additional information.) City Manager Burris and City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott explained that the City is collaborating with approximately 9 partners for compiling an upcoming community citizen survey, which should be ready by next spring 2015. City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott responded to questions posed by the Task Force. In response to a question posed by County Prosecutor Patterson, City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott discussed that PIO uses several different social media tools to help engage citizens in communication, such as Twitter and Facebook. She expressed that it’s not difficult to maintain these types of tools, as long as someone keeps track and responds to the messages in a timely manner. City Manager Burris and City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott addressed that the City tries to use multiple “faces” of individuals to respond and to interact with citizens, which helps build trust and communication between the City and the Community. City Manager Burris and City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott explained that it is difficult to engage citizens in communicating with the City, but reiterated that the City does try to utilize several different types of tools (i.e. social media, and events/festivals) for reaching a variety of individuals, some of which may have never been involved in communicating with the City. City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott showed several of the City’s Public Service Announcements (PSAs) (i.e. noise, trash, speeding, domestic violence, fire/cigarettes, Neighbor for Neighbor, and the Disaster Readiness Campaign) during today’s meeting. She noted that each PSA is approximately 30-seconds in length, and several of these have been joint efforts with other entities, such as the Office of Emergency Management. Harold Bengsch, Greene County Commissioner, commended the City for these various PSAs. He suggested that, perhaps, the City should seek some sponsorship, so some of the PSAs could be aired on local television network/networks during prime-time hours on a regular “spot” every week. In response to a question posed by Rosesann Bentley, Greene County Commissioner, City Manager Burris reported that the City helps sponsor a neighborhood clean-up with the Community Partnership of the Ozarks (CPO) approximately one-time a year. City Manager Burris expressed that he feels a “multi-faceted approach” is needed to help engage in citizen communication. In response to another question posed by County Prosecutor Patterson, City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott explained that the City’s Citizens Resource Center, which is located on the 1st Floor, Busch Municipal Building, already helps to address some questions from citizens who reside within the County. She suggested that perhaps the City and County could possibly utilize a centralized call system to help address citizen intake calls. County Prosecutor Patterson commented that he feels, while there may be a need for additional police officers within the City, the issues of the criminal justice system and the overcrowded jail need to be addressed before compounding these issues. City Manager Burris explained that the City and County, with the County Commission and City Council, should discuss (i.e. “tell the story”) the issues of the criminal justice system and the jail overcrowding, and how to possibly jointly resolve these situations with the assistance and input from the citizens. Acting County Administrator Coulter noted that Dale Moore, Public Information Officer-Springfield/Greene County Office of Emergency Management, was unable to attend today’s meeting due to a prior engagement. He discussed that due to funding issues the County has very limited staffing/resources to engage in proactive communication with the Community at this time. Acting County Administrator Coulter commented he hopes the City and County can continue with their cooperative efforts, because the “key” is to work together as opposed to separately for handling various issues within the Community in the future. County Prosecutor Patterson expressed he feels the County needs to “re-establish” their Public Information Officer position, which he feels should be a priority. Martha Mundt, Greene County Budget Officer, addressed that she feels educating employees about citizen engagement, as well as being prepared for the citizen engagement is important; however, she voiced that the sufficient staff has to be in place, which is a challenge for the County due to limited funding resources at this time. City Manager Burris reiterated that building trust is important. He explained that the City implemented CAmP (City Ambassadors Program), which helps to educate approximately 25 City employees (for approximately a one year commitment) about various departments within the City. City Manager Burris discussed that by helping to educate more employees about the City, they can help foster or engage conversation with citizens about the City. City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott expressed she feels a “point-person or liaison” is important to help educate and inform citizens about various issues that arise within the Community. She noted that she would also begin notifying the County Commission about the City’s PSAs, so he/she can keep informed about what the City is releasing. County Prosecutor Patterson discussed that the County has various means/avenues of trying to engage employees; however, he reiterated a “point-person” is needed to help organize those efforts. City Manager Burris informed the Task Force that the City’s Finance Department is organizing a Finance 101 class to help educate individuals about how the City’s financial division operates. City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott discussed that the City has formed an Employee Activities Committee, which is working on providing several future activities/events to help engage and empower City employees. She noted that the proceeds will help fund the City employees’ crisis fund. Following the discussion, the Task Force thanked City PIO and Civic Engagement Director Scott for today’s presentation. City Manager Burris noted that the next Task Force meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 20, 2014, and the topic will be reviewing the final draft report. He noted that if anyone has any comments/ revisions/additions, to please send them no later than Friday, August 14, 2014 to Tim Smith, newly hired Springfield Deputy City Manager. City Manager Burris congratulated Kevin Barnes, who was appointed Greene County’s Acting Resource Management Director until the first of the year when the County has a new Presiding Commissioner. With no additional discussion, the meeting was dismissed at approximately 9:44 a.m.  Local Examples in Civic Engagement Community Collaborators The following practices convene a variety of stakeholders, such as city leaders, community groups, non-profit organizations and students, and encourage them to work together to gain a greater understanding of how they can improve their communities. • Good Community • Good Morning Springfield • Community Partnership of the Ozarks Collaboratives • The Network • FieldGuide 2030 • 100 Million Cups • Impacting Poverty Commission • Topic-Driven Task Forces Comprehensive Community-Wide Civic Engagement These promising practices/initiatives reflect community-wide efforts to set long-term civic engagement priorities and bring together governments, organizations, and institutions to support civic engagement. • Mike Stout’s MSU Center for Civic Engagement • City of Springfield’s addition of a Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement Connecting Diverse Groups Several programs suggest opportunities for encouraging diverse and often overlooked groups to share knowledge and learn from one another’s experiences. • Greater Springfield Race & Faith Collaborative • Missouri Faith Voices • Center for Diversity & Reconciliation Deliberative Process and Dialogue These opportunities offer a variety of ways citizens can make their voices heard through the use of tools that support the deliberative process, such as town hall meetings, polling and other organized discussion forums. • Neighbor 4 Neighbor • City of Springfield Public Input Processes and Activities • City of Springfield Neighborhood Advisory Council • Topic-Driven Task Forces • Boards & Commissions Developing Community Leaders These programs provide citizens with educational and hands-on learning experiences that give them the skills and knowledge they need to improve themselves and their communities • Leadership Springfield • Missouri State University GOLD Program • Community Partnership of the Ozarks Learning to Lead Places for Civic Engagement These physical spaces enable citizens to come together and participate in activities that support a more engaged citizenry. • Community Partnership of the Ozarks Neighborhood Resource Center • Springfield-Greene County Library District meeting spaces • Fire Station Community Rooms • Springfield-Greene County Park Board facilities • Park Central Square Opportunities for Civic Engagement Community special events supported by or produced by the city government and partners foster a sense of unity, camaraderie and fun. • Fireworks at the Field • First Night Springfield • ArtsFest • First Friday ArtWalk • Cider Days • Festival of Lights • Birthplace of Route 66 Festival • Race & Faith Collaborative Events • Yoga at the Square • Farmers Market of the Ozarks • Movies at Founders Park • Springfield-Greene County Library events • Mother’s & The Moxie Movies in the Backyard • Moon City Jam Tools for Online Engagement Citizens can get information and make their voices heard through the use of these online engagement tools, such as websites, social media and mobile applications. • City of Springfield’s Community Voice online module (Share your Ideas) • City of Springfield social media channels - CityofSGF Facebook - CityofSGF Twitter - Police Facebook - Police Twitter - Fire Facebook - Fire Twitter - Environmental Services Facebook - Missouri Career Center Facebook - Missouri Career Center Twitter • City of Springfield Online Citizen Resource Center (report a concern) Youth Civic Engagement These initiatives mentor young people, enrich their lives, teach them to advocate for their community’s interests and encourage them to be more engaged members of their community. • City of Springfield Student Advisory Council • Missouri State University Citizenship and Service-Learning (CASL) • Missouri State University Community Involvement and Service • Missouri State University Leadership Development • Missouri State University Center for Social Science and Public Policy Research (CSSPPR) and Other University/College/Departmental Research Center’s • Missouri State University Student Development and Public Affairs • Drury University Connect Initiative • Drury University Ozarks Center for Sustainable Solutions • Treasures of the City Partners in Education