HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 2010-07 - 2030 Comp Plan Citizen ParticipationORDINANCE NO, 19010' O
An Ordinance of the City of Council of the City of Georgetown, Texas,
Adopting a "Citizen Participation Plan" to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan and
Amending Chapter 1.12 of the City of Georgetown Code of Ordinances in
accordance with Chapter 1.08 of the Georgetown City Charter; repealing
conflicting ordinances and resolutions; including a severability clause; and
establishing an effective date.
Whereas, the City Charter of the City of Georgetown was amended by vote of the people in
April 1986 such that comprehensive planning was established as a continuous and ongoing
governmental function; and
Whereas, the City Council approved the 2030 Comprehensive Plan: Executive Summary;
Introduction; Plan Framework, Plan Elements: Land Use Element, Procedures for Plan Administration,
Implementation, Monitoring and Updates; and Appendices, on February 28, 2008; and
Whereas, the 2030 Comprehensive Plan's Plan
consideration and adoption of Plan Elements; and
Administration Section made provisions for
Whereas, on August 11, 2008, staff presented the City Council with a list and description of all
remaining elements, including the Citizen Participation Element, and presented a description of
the plan in the Annual Update on February 23, 2009; and
Whereas, on September 22, 2009, the City Council approved a list of Advisory Group members
to work with staff on the development of the plan.
Whereas, on March 2, 2010, the Planning and Zoning Commission held a
recommended to the City Council the Citizen Participation Plan; and
public hearing and
Whereas, notice of the City Council public hearing was published in a newspaper of general
circulation in the City thirty days prior to the hearing, which stated the time and place of the
hearing.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GEORGETOWN, TEXAS, THAT.
Section 1. The facts and recitations contained in the preamble of this ordinance are hereby found
and declared to be true and correct, and are incorporated by reference herein and expressly
made a part hereof, as if copied verbatim. The City Council hereby finds that this ordinance
implements the following procedures of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan:
Vision 1.2: People
C. Georgetown residents are well informed and engaged with local government on key
issues affecting growth and change in the community.
Vision 1.3: Educational and Cultural Opportunities
Ordinance No. C(} (0.. V I
Citizen Participation Plan Adoption to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan
Page 1 of 3
A. Georgetown nurtures its most valuable resource—its youth—by promoting and
supporting the highest level of excellence in public education and by actively engaging them in
the life of the community.
Vision 4.0: Effective Governance
A. Our City government retains its reputation for providing a high level of responsiveness to
citizens and in exercising visionary leadership in planning and investing for the future.
H. The City has followed through on its commitment to plan for the future, by adopting a
comprehensive plan; by consistently applying it as a criterion in all decision-making; by
implementing actions called for in the plan; and by periodic monitoring and updating of the
plan.
and further finds that the enactment of this ordinance is not inconsistent or in conflict with any
other Plan Policies.
Section 2. The Citizen Participation Plan Element of the Comprehensive Plan is adopted as a
functional Plan Element in accordance with Exhibit A.
Section 3. Chapter 1.12, Georgetown Comprehensive Plan, of the Code of Ordinances of the
City of Georgetown is hereby amended as follows:
Sec. 1.12.090. Citizen Participation Functional Plan Adopted.
In accordance with Chapter 1.08, Subsection 2 of the City Charter, the City Council of the
City has adopted that certain document entitled "Citizen Participation Plan" for the purpose
of directing the City Council, staff, and/or commissions in rendering actions and resolutions
relating to the utilization of all of the available resources within the City and its planning area
for the purpose of developing an efficient and effective strategy for citizen input and
participation.
Editor's note: Copies of the "Citizen Participation Plan" are available in both the office of the City
Secretary and Planning and Development.
Section 4. All ordinances and resolutions, or parts of ordinances and resolutions, in conflict with
this Ordinance are hereby repealed, and are no longer of any force and effect.
Section 5. If any provision of this ordinance or application thereof to any person or circumstance
shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions, or application thereof,
of this ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to
this end the provisions of this ordinance are hereby declared to be severable.
Section 6. This ordinance shall become effective in accordance with the provisions of the Charter
of the -City of Georgetown.
PASSED AND APPROVED on First Reading on the 23rd day of March, 2010.
PASSED AND APPROVED on Second Reading on the 13th day of April, 2010.
Ordinance No: t� 0( 0 aw 01f
Citizen Participation Plan Adoption to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan
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ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM,
By: Mark Sokolow
City Attorney
Ordinance No.
oft
Citizen Participation Plan Adoption to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan
THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN:
K�-407 ��
By: eorge Garver
Mayor
r.
Page 3 of 3
........Exhibit A
The Citizen Participation Plan is a City Charter -required element of the Georgetown 2030
Comprehensive Plan. The Participation Element was developed over a six-month period
through the efforts of a City Council -appointed citizen advisory group and a committee of City
staff members. Both teams worked to establish the goals, policies and actions of the plan and
the implementation schedule. The Plan was adopted on MARCH , 2010.
Mission Statement:
The Citizen Participation Plan seeks to establish and coordinate procedures for the City to:
effectively and efficiently communicate relevant information and its effects to the public,
proactively solicit feedback, improve community outreach, and provide opportunities for public
participation in the City's decision-making process.
Staff
Jordan Maddox, AICP, Planner III
Erin McDonald, Webmaster
And members of the City's Communication Team
Citizen Advisory Grou
Alison McKee
Annette Montgomery
Christie Johnson
Connie Watson
Daniel Anstee
Dee Rapp
Ellen Davis
Members
Karen Frost, Administrative Analyst
Keith Hutchinson, Communications Director
Gene Facey
Jenel Looney
John Montgomery
Matt Painter
Neil Rapp
Nita Davidson
Steve Fought
.................Exhibit A___
A key component of good public policy is the opportunity for input and participation by
affected constituents to assist policymakers in determining appropriate courses of action.
Successful community initiatives can often be attributed to the strength, diversity, and degree of
citizen contributions. The Georgetown Citizen Participation Plan is a foundation whereby City
policies recognize the importance and application of meaningful public participation practices.
Mint o w salt y "�� � i�i�� ion"�11
par•tic•ispa•tion. The act of taking part or sharing in something.
We must first focus on the meaning of "citizen participation" and in what context it shall be
applied. For the purpose of this plan, citizen participation broadly functions as the act of people
being informed about and contributing to a range of ci=vic matters. These actions can be as
simple as responding to a notice for a public meeting, speaking at a City Council hearing
regarding a development project, voting in municipal elections, observing the presentation of
the annual City budget, or partaking in wide -scale community input on a long-range plan. The
act itself is secondary to the effort made to be informed and involved.
Miy do we nese a .?
The justification for establishing a strategic plan for participation is the need for expanded
opportunities to have broad, meaningful public input in the planning and general governing
process. The Charter recognizes citizen involvement as a fundamental priority in the
development and implementation of the City's comprehensive plan. The Citizen Participation
Plan goes beyond that premise to engage and encourage he citizens of Georgetown to have an
ongoing voice in community policy decisions that affect their daily lives.
A one -size -fits -all approach to a participation strategy would be a futile and, ultimately,
unsuccessful effort. People generally need motivation in order to become participants; this
motivation is often driven by the issue(s) at hand, the person's preferred method of receiving
and processing information, and the manner in which they choose to express their opinions.
Therefore, the City`s approach to this plan focuses on the following objectives: 1) an assortment
of tools are available to the public to help them learn about the issues and decide their level of
involvement, and 2) opportunities for open dialogue to discuss alternatives are readily available
3) the decision-making process contains clear expectations, factual information and a fair and
open process for all who wish to voice their opinion.
What are our existing effort?
A review of the City's existing direct and indirect participation efforts is an appropriate place to
begin to formulate a future vision for this plan. Participation does not always result from
communicating but the effort to inform and educate often leads to civic engagement. As a
result, we have chosen to highlight communication as one of our key building blocks.
Citizen Participation Pian
Page 2 of 9
iry of �Jreolg�:'.t���r'� n, Texas
Exhibit A
Currently, the City of Georgetown makes information available to its citizens in a variety of
ways, relying primarily on the Communication Department to publicize news and events.
These communication methods fall into two broad categories: the commercial news media and
the City's direct communication methods.
Since the City of Georgetown was founded in 1848, the traditional commercial news media have
been the most widely -used method for people to learn about City events, council meetings,
boards, elections, plans, and other initiatives. The Williamson County Sun bi-weekly newspaper
has served as the primary news media organization focused on Georgetown. Through news
articles, editorials, letters to the editor, display ads, legal notices, and community listings, the
Sun serves as the most complete source for news about the City of Georgetown. Other news
the Austin media market cover City news, including the Austin American -
organizations in
Statesman daily newspaper, two radio stations, and five television news stations. Community
Impact, a monthly newspaper mailed to all residents, started a Georgetown -Hutto -Taylor
edition in 2007 with a focus on local government news.
These commercially -supported news media organizations continue to provide the most
common way for the public to get news about the City of Georgetown. Newspapers like the
Sun, the Statesman, and Community Impact are participatory in that they publish letters4o-the-
editor and editorials from readers. With the advent of websites and blog comments in recent
years, the public has gained additional ways to interact and comment on the news.
itself has typically used a wide variety of methods to directly communicate with the
The City
public and provide opportunities for participation. The more established methods include
public meetings, opinion surveys, focus groups or task forces, direct mailings, posters,
pamphlets, reports, newspaper ads, signs, and news releases. The development of the City's
own communication media has expanded more recently with the advent of a City newsletter
(The Reporter), a cable access channel, and the ever -evolving City website(s). Below are key
dates in the development of the City's communication media methods:
1988: The City's Planning Department begins publishing a quarterly newsletter that was sent to local
builders, developers, real estate agents, and neighborhood or homeowner associations. The
newsletter included information about the planning and permitting process and the City's first
comprehensive plan. It was published until 1998.
1998: The City begins publishing City Letter, a quarterly newsletter mailed to each utility customer.
That year, the City also launched a website. Initially, www.georgetown.org was a portal with
links to the City of Georgetown, Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitors
Bureau, and Georgetown Industrial Foundation (an economic development organization). City
pages on www,georgetown.org included department listings, a budget summary, and
information about utilities. Also in 1998, the City began an Infoline service, providing a variety
of recorded messages accessed by telephone. (Infoline was discontinued several years later.)
2001: The City conducts the first professional telephone survey of residents. This survey, now
conducted biannually, solicits resident priorities and opinions, providing a means for residents
to participate in the annual budget process and City operations.
Citizen Participation Plan
Page 3 of 9
Cln?- of Georgetown, Texas
Exhibit A
2003: The website www.georgetown.org becomes the City website, and other organizations move to
.other sites. New websites are launched for the Convention and Visitors Bureau and Economic
Development. City Council agendas are available on the City website for the first time this
year. The City begins managing all programming and notices on cable access Channel 10. Also
in this year, the resident newsletter, now called the Georgetown Cit1j Reporter, becomes a
monthly two-page publication included in customer utility bills.
2004: The City introduces an online mapping tool called ArcIMS that includes property data, utility
line information, long-range planning layers, aerial photos, and other geographic data. Data,
including the status of active building permits, is posted on the website beginning this year.
2006: online payments for utility bills and traffic tickets are introduced on the City website, as well as
the first RSS feed of City news stories.
2007: The City begins regular e -newsletters on a variety of topics that citizens can sign up. to receive.
2008: The first online interactive or blog features are introduced, allowing the public to comment on
news items and business listings.
2009: The City launches its first social media sites with a number of Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and
YouTube pages.
General communication efforts have advanced significantly over the years and have surpassed,
in many ways, some of the techniques still employed for required public notice on relevant
topics. More than one State statute and City Charter requirement codified years ago to meet the
needs and lifestyles of the people at the time have become outdated and some are, arguably,
ineffective. Nevertheless, the basic legal requirements for open meetings and records are
essential to ensuring public access to the information and decisions of the government. That
makes them noteworthy in this plan and may offer the prospect for improvement,
What are the current legal requirements?
The Citizen Participation Plan is built on existing legal requirements regarding public meetings
and public records. These requirements are included here to give an insight into some of the
current open government measures taken by the City.
The Open Meetings Act, which can be found in the Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 551,
provides that every regular, special, or called meeting of governmental bodies must be open to
the public. This includes the City Council and all appointed Boards and Commissions. Public
notice for each meeting shall include the date, hour, . place, and subject of each meeting, posted
in a place readily accessible to the general public at all times for at least 72 hours before the
scheduled time of the meeting.
Additionally, the Local Government Code specifically regulates public hearing notice
requirements for planning and development cases that may affect private property (for
instance, zoning and subdivision cases). These are codified in the City's zoning code (the
Unified Development Code)
Citizen Participation Plan
and include property sign postings, media publication, direct
Page 4 of 9
Oily of Georgetown. Texas
.......................Exhibit. A
mailed notice to nearby property owners, and a specified time and location for each hearing.
The City is also required to abide by State provisions for public hearings and notice regarding
the annual budget,
the public the right to access general forms of
The Texas Public Information Act gives
government informational records through written request. The City handles open records
requests quite often; there are designated staff members throughout the City that receive and
comply with public information requests on a weekly basis. Section 552.002(a) of the Local
Government Code defines public information as:
"information `collected, assembled, or maintained ... by a governmental body,' or for such a body
if it `owns ... or has a right of access to' the information.
The City of Georgetown fulfills legal stipulations set forth by the State and the City Charter,
holding weekly and monthly public meetings that offer information, discussion, deliberation
and action on a range of issues. All City Council meetings and meetings of the city's various
boards and commissions are open to the public. Agendas and minutes are posted to the City
website. All City ordinances and major policies must be approved by the City Council in two
public readings, and public comment is allowed at each reading." There are many participation
opportunities and methods employed by the City for consideration of nearly all public policy,
the degree to which each is used is determined by the perceived importance or complication of
such policy. The following list includes some of the existing participation methods that comply
with public meeting and information laws
• Public Meetings
• Public Notice
• Boards/Commissions
West are the opportunities fog" the futurea
Y J�
• Town Hall Meetings
• Neighborhood Events
• Task Forces and Advisory Committees
The development of this plan has given the City the occasion to review current participatory
practices. The current methods fully satisfy and, in some cases, go beyond the basic notification
requirements, but emerging technology and the integration and consolidation of communication
methods offer new opportunities. Improving participation methods while adapting to
technological, social and political change will be part of the challenge this plan seeks to meet.
Recent projections indicate that Georgetown will maintain its high population growth rate
between now and 2030. We will continue to have residents who take a strong interest in their
city, push for open government, thirst for knowledge, and demand instant information. These
residents will insist on, and be entitled to, clear and competent information aboutY
p olic issues
that affect their community, and they will become involved in the issues that interest them.
Capitalizing on this involvement will not be achieved without effort; participation methods will
need to be tailored to the needs and lifestyles of the population.
Much of this plan focuses on the integration and expansion of the City's technological resources
and the growing availability of many of those resources to the general public. However, the fact
remains that access to technology is not equal among our residents and never will be. A large
Citizen Participation Plan
Page 5 of 9
Citif= oGec raetown, Texas
Exhibit_A
segment of the Georgetown population currently does not have home access to the internet or
the cable access channel, and there are many households that do not s eak Eno-lish. These
p b
citizens will often be missed through the employment of modern communication practices,
regardless of our efforts to publicize information. It is imperative that the City attempt to
accommodate these under -represented citizens and organizations, to the extent possible, through
focused community outreach.
The Georgetown participation plan framework comprises of three basic components:
■ Communication - Presenting necessary and readily accessible information to the public
■ outreach - Promoting public participation through outreach and marketing
■ Participation -- Providing opportunities for public input and involvement
These simple and straightforward principles became the point of inspiration for the goals,
policies and actions. We felt that a successful, comprehensive p p artici ation strategyrequires a
focus on 1) educating the public on the critical issues, 2) utilizing efficient outreach to encourage
411volvement, and 3) designing an accessible process with various opportunities for broad input
and respectful dialogue.
The long-term goals and policies are the overarching principles for participation as a
fundamental component of policy consideration. These statements will assist City leaders in the
allocation of resources towards this commitment as well as benefit City staff in their design of
meaningful public involvement in specific applications. Much of the responsibility will fall upon
the City to review and improve existing methods, increase the public's awareness of actions
currently being employed, and seek out new opportunities. These policies, which range from
explicit to open-ended, are intended to help identify the need for direct action andg uide the
specific implementation action statements. The detailed Implementation Action Schedule is
adopted as an appendix to this plan and will be implemented within three(3)ears following g the
adoption of this element.
1.A Utilize new forms of technology and communication methods to convey both general and
detailed information to the public
1.B Provide additional opportunities for feedback through new technologies for the public to
better identify issues, submit comments and exchange dialogue
LC Recognize and understand the issues that directly affect the lives of the public to identify
the most optimal methods for communication
Citizen Participation Plan
Page 6 of 9
City of Georcyetown, Texas
......Exhibit A
1.D Increase efforts to reach and involve segments of the population who lack accessibility to
technology, speak a different language or are otherwise disconnected from the
participation process
LE Explore new or expanded methods for
requirements
public notice efforts beyond the minimal State
)al 2; Encoura a Rartindbation throe h education awareness and ol2portunitv fo
2.A Focus on trust, transparency and accountability to help break down perceived barriers
between "City Hall," elected officials, and the citizens
2.B Expand citizen education efforts to bring in more participants and use the Citizen's
Academy to lead to future citizen involvement
2.0 Increase awareness of and participation in the meetings, agendas and actions of City
Council, City Boards and Commissions and other appointed citizen groups
2.D Use focused marketing efforts to educate, inform and promote opportunities for
participation and decision-making
2.E Enlarge the pool of applicants for Boards and Commissions, Task Forces, and Working
Groups, etc.
ii 3: Enhance our relationships and communication with community organizations
3.A Develop a framework for neighborhood/ professional/ social organizations to receive,
share and assimilate information
3.B Strengthen the relationships and two-way communication efforts between the City and
private media organizations
3.0 Increase coordination and communication between the City and other local governmental
and quasi -governmental entities
3.1) Support a new generation of community leaders by promoting public service and
involvement to Georgetown's youth and youth organizations
ifl:%
N
4.A Identify major stakeholders and constituents, understand their influence in the process
and involve them early and often
43 Enable citizens to be more active through clear and concise communication of the issues,
objectives and potential consequences
4.0 Energize participants by using creative and enjoyable participation methods to encourage
attendance, dialogue, collaboration and decision-making
4.1) Insist on shared accountability, responsibility and ownership of outcomes
�.�Idzen Participation Ilan
I' gL 7 of 9
C R
ity of Georgetown, Texas
L
Exhibit A
Estab� sh afra�n ew rk for Wan imp
lementatoon�
--documentationan�
5.A Initiate a clear and comprehensive City-wide implementation strategy to achieve the
goals, policies and actions of this plan
53 Create an inter -departmental framework and a set of standards for distribution and
collection of public information
5.0 Build a toolbox of best practices for organization, communication and collaboration for
use in the City's public participation efforts
5.D Establish a clear process for City departments to measure and assess the effectiveness of
the procedures created or sought by this plan
It is likely that some of the City's current communication methods will become obsolete in the
future; likewise, participatory practices that have stood the test of time could largely be replaced
by new and improved forms of input and response. The principles below were developed to be
applied to a present-day public participation process and also to a future that may necessitate a
different set of strategies.
Georgetown recognizes the following as fundamental principles of any public process:
■ Recognition - Importance of Participation
■ Trust - Between citizens and government
■ Resources go,Policies and tools in place
■ Identification - Issue generation and stakeholder analysis
■ Communication -- Public notified of the issues
■ Information - All the facts are available
■ Awareness - The public is aware of the process
■ Transparency - Open, clear and fair process
■ Outreach - Solicit and encourage input
■ Engagement now Personal connection and incentives
■ Facilitation - Assistance and encouragement
■ Options sawMultiple involvement opportunities
■ Feedback -Direct, simple public input
■ Dialogue mor Discussion of possibilities, outcomes
■ Deliberation - Recorded input and dialogue inform deliberation
■ Decision - Resolution of issue, process
■ Ownership - Public stake in the outcome
■ Implementation - With continued public involvement
■ Evaluation - Assess and monitor participation process
Citizen Participation Plan
Page 8 of 9
Cltr of Georgetown, Texas
V
0
Exhibit A
What are ourfirst steps ?
This process has produced a set of goals and policies and strategic implementation steps that
recommend immediate action for some items, but generally advocate an incremental approach.
The Implementation Action Schedule (detailed in Appendix A) is the result of collaboration
between staff and the Citizen Advisory Group and also the responses to a questionnaire
completed by seventy at -large citizens in Fall of 2009 (attached as Appendix B).
The actions and the brief descriptions thereof listed in Appendix A are snapshots of how they
could be designed or are currently in development. The City departments or staff responsible for
implementing each action will fully develop the details involved in accomplishing these tasks. In
some circumstances, this would require allocating financial resources towards these objectives,
while others could be completed rather quickly and at minimal cost. The implementation actions
are proposed as an appendix so as to not require amendments to the overall Participation Plan
and to allow for the evolution of each particular item.
How will we know if zve are succeeding in this effort
It is essential that we make an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of any new actions taken as a
result of this plan. There will be measurable indicators for some of the implementation actions,
which should determine their degree of statistical success. However, the end result of our
objectives may not always be readily apparent or easy to evaluate. Unlike many plans that
contain clearly measurable targets, the Citizen Participation Plan has evolving, moving targets or
sometimes no direct target at all.
Participation itself cannot necessarily be easily measured because good governance can often
receive the quiet approval of the ,populace (heavy participation may mean the government is not
living up to its expectations). Accordingly, increased voter turnout or heavy attendance at
Council meetings may not provide accurate analyses of the plan's effectiveness and may, in fact,
statistically demonstrate the opposite effect. The expectation is not that we increaseh sical
p Y
participation by number, but, rather, improved access and better available information for our
citizens. An increase in the amount of people interested in, knowledgeable of and actively
participating in the process will, hopefully,
participation is not the end goal.
be the result of these actions, but quantifiable
Employing this strategy should not be expected to solve every challenge, lead to a consensus nor
satisfy the concerns of each citizen. Nor will it ensure that Georgetown residents will become
g
informed about every issue or choose to partake in their local government. Therefore, this plan
focuses on the goals and policy statements and some direct, attainable goals that serve as a
launching point for the future. Attempting to achieve these goals makes this a worthwhile effort
and will, hopefully, lead to the desired outcomes.
Citizen Participation Plan
Page 9 of 9
City of Georgetown, Texas
Exhibit A
The Implementation Action schedule details a set of actions that implement the goals and
policies of the Citizen Participation Plan. These actions range in estimated time of completion
from 6 months to 3 years. Some are ongoing; some are recommendations of items that may be too
costly or difficult to implement in a short timeframe. The implementation actions were created
from several Citizen Advisory Group meetings, questionnaires answered by both the Advisory
Group and a collection of seventy at4arge citizens over a three-month span in Fall 2009. The
questionnaire and responses from the at4arge citizens are attached to this plan as Appendix B.
The actions are derived from the Goals and Policies, but are not separated under each of the
larger "Goals" due to significant crossover between the accomplishments of each action. The
plan's course of action did not involve a level of detail suited to acknowledging or predicting the
precise costs of the actions below. Rather, the action schedule represents the staff and Advisory
Group assumptions for a reasonable amount of time and resources required to apply these
measures. For the sake of simplicity, they are organized in three main categories: high, medium
and low priority, in addition, there are several ongoing actions that have no defined timetable.
In general, the high-priority actions are arranged by the ability to accomplish quickly and
inexpensively, the so-called "low -hanging fruit." They include a couple of items that are already
in process or in the testing phase as a direct result of the development of this plan. The medium -
items that may take 6-12 months to fully develop or fund, with the thought
priority actions are
that they would all be achieved and in place 18 months from adoption of the participation plan.
The long-term actions are those that may have considerable monetary or other concerns, making
them difficult to achieve in a relatively quick manner. This does not prevent these items from
occurring faster than 36 months, but the scope of the items suggest that they may take the longest
to employ.
Note: Appendix A represents solely the recommended actions from the group and do not
constitute policy simply by the approval of this plana
E:
m 0
El
1.) Establish a set of guidelines for departmental participation efforts
The Public Participation Guidelines will be a set of guidelines for City plans and
initiatives ranging from budget presentations to master plan development to calling for
Boards and Commissions volunteers. Would include methods and guidelines for
marketing, public notices, meetings, focus groups, surveys, etc.
Appendix A
o City employees would take advantage of this structure to get better and,
potentially, more public input and assist in the completion of the desired public
participation side of their planning efforts.
Page 1 of 6
Citizen Participation Plan
..................Exhibit A
2.) Expand use of social networking sites or other new communication outlets
• Use Facebook/Twitter, etc. and other new technology that instantly connects people,
disperses information and can be a valuable tool to reach citizens. Expand the existing
efforts and link these sites with other City media outlets.
• Train City staff to use Facebook and other social networking sites
3.) Expand two existing web pages:
•participation. Zeor retown.or(Y-M central location for participation opportunities, sign-ups,
11
meetings/agendas, forum for comment.
,goTernment.rgetown.or: all government business and links, calendar, agenda,
council/boards, employee descriptions and information, participation, departments, etc.
increase "get involved" material on the website.
4.) Create an agendas/meetings email alert system for Council, Boards and Commissions
• This would allow people to go in and sign up to receive alerts through email, or even
texts and social networking posts, etc.
o This concept would let people know immediately when meetings are scheduled,
agendas are posted or even actions taken. They could choose which boards and
commissions they were interested in and how to receive the information that they
request.
5.) Explore, new software to enable people to comment on agendas online
• Explore ways to create individual comments or even public forums on specific agenda
items or the agenda as a whole, as posted on the City website.
0 one issue that needs to be ironed out is to determine through the City's Legal
Department how to treat such comments in a public comment legal process (i.e.,
would they part of the official record?)
o The other question is how to easily and efficiently convey such comments to the
appropriate staff member, commissioner or councilmember.
1.) Begin an annual "State of the City" meeting with City Manager or Mayor or Staff
• This meeting could have a designated topic or be general in nature, for example: "Meet
your local government" or "ways we can serve you better" or be something similar to the
City Manager's annual report to City Council. Could be topic specifically related to
customer service/public access to the government.
• Department Directors could also host smaller town meetings for specific neighborhoods
or organizations or relevant topics of the day.
• Also, consider inclusions from the Mayor or City Manager in e-newsletter(s) to update
citizens on the issues of the City, opportunities to get involved in the future, news, etc.
This could expand to include certain Directors (parks, development,, etc.)
)
Appendix A
Page 2. of 6
Citizen Participation Ilan
Exhibit A
o This idea is to increase efforts to "bring the government to the people" and try and
remove perceived barriers between the City leaders and the citizens.
2.) Expand the City Reporter (monthly newsletter)
• Increase the content of the newsletter to include more City news/departmental
information, more marketing for communication efforts, etc. The newsletter could contain
more info from various City departments, using the Communication Team as itsrimar
p y
source. This is the. most direct way for the City to provide information to the most people
(those who receive utility bills).
o This has been considered previously and it increasingly appears that there is
enough content available to justify an expansion.
o Explore ways to deliver the City Reporter content via -e-newsletters, email, or
social networking sites. With new billing software, the City is expected to offer
paperless bills soon, which means they will not get the City Reporter with a paper
bill.
3.) Expand use of feedback boxes on website
• Comments currently are included on news items, business listings, and city project pages.
These comment boxes could be added to other pages.
• A "How are we doing?" link or box on the website could be on departmental front pages
or the main page that would allow people to use comment boxes, fill out a brief survey(s),
or find contact information for specific staff or offices.
o Staff would need to create specific guidelines for surveys, comments, and a system
that would be able to easily distribute the input to the necessary department or
employee.
4.) Expand Public Notice to provide more information and access to backup documents
• Find new ways to provide public notice and convey information beyond those required
by the State or other entity. Expand required public notice (physical, media, mailings,
etc.) to include website links, maps and/or other necessary information, quick web
references and dedicated pages with complete details on thero'ect/meetin , new media
p l g
locations for postings, etc.
o This would need to be fine-tuned at the staff level on a departmental basis and,
even then, as each case merits.
3.) Establish the Public Library as the primary physical location for City news/information
• Utilize the Library as the location for postings, public notices, document availability,, , etc.
to reach a different audience and serve as the place where people can be reminded of
events, receive news, and share comments.
Appendix A
o This would simply need to become the policy for City news and information. This
would provide a central location for many people to receive the kind of
information the City wants to present in an efficient manner. (See #11 also)
Page 3 of 6
Citizen Participation Plan
Exhibit A
6.) Introduce Citizen Participation Element to Citizen's Academy
• A Citizen Participation presentation could be given by staff to close each Citizen's
Academy. This will educate the attendees on how they can get involved in areas of their
interest. Encourage each department to include a tidbit regarding participation in their
presentation.
• Also, consider either an abbreviated or summarized Citizen's Academy for people who
cannot give 20+ hours of time towards the entire Academy program. This mini -session
could be designed to target more of the public and try to whet their appetite for either the
full Citizen's Academy and/or other participation opportunities within the City. This will
open up the business of City government to more people.
• Another option is to open up certain sessions to anyone who wants to attend (with notice
of course) without getting the graduation credit. The thought is that many people might
like to go to certain sessions they are interested in, but not others. This would allow
people to concentrate on their interests and get them in the door for later participation in
a particular area.
7.) Web Streaming of Council/Public Meetings
• Continue to explore streaming City Council meetings and other public/community events
and meetings. This action is included in the IT Master Plan as a priority.
• Also, work towards the live airing of City Council meetings on cable Channel 10
o Hire video specialist and fund purchase of equipment to record and replay city
council meetings on channel 10.
o Once the City is recording meetings digitally and saving as digital files, look at
options to stream video on the website and link to the online agenda.
8.) Expand content on Cable Channel 10 and City YouTube site
• Expand the amount of content that is shown on Channel 10, both video and
informational. Add more streaming audio and video content to City website and more
photographs.
• Increase content for the YouTube channel. Post web videos, promotional information,
meetings, etc. Use to encourage participation, publish documentation, etc.
9.) organize a centralized database for citizen contact information
• This database would be an internal centralized location for citizen's contact information
that could be accessed by City employees interested in. putting together working
groups/task forces, etc. This would expand the pool of applicants for boards/commissions
or other City working groups and provide instant connection to people when needed. It
may contain the names and contact information of all citizens who attended meetings,
spoke at hearings, etc. and update and confirm contact information once aear through a
Y g
reconnection. This database would be used also for marketing the website and
participation opportunities, potentially controlled by Communication Team members or
individual departments.
o Could be structured like the City of Austin where people or groups who sign up
on the website personally enter their contact information.
appendix A
Page 4 of 6
Citizen Participation Plan
�1
d
Exhibit A
0
ita
1.) Invest in a digl screen(s) for Library and City Hall for City information
• This screen(s) would allow people to learn about news and information, maps and
directions, City or community events, required agenda postings and also general
information about board meetings, City Council, etc.
o A large screen to display channel 10 or the City website would be simple. But a
specially -programmed kiosk to display custom information would involve special
software, hardware, and programming, and therefore is a more involved and
expensive proposal.
o The Library screen could be the more interactive screen and include more
information. City Hall could have the simpler screen.
ngoinaLContinuing Actions o Begin Immediately, No Timetable for Comoletion
1.) Market the City of Georgetown website
• Set standards to advertise the website on everything the City does. Establish the website
as the place for all City information. Use marketing in publications that are not always
obvious (example: traffic citations). Develop linkages to other City media sources so there
is never content that is not connected back to the website.
o Even if using traditional (or non-traditional) media sources for communication,
tying it back to the website gets people focused on and familiar with the content.
The goal is to reduce claims that people "didn't know about it."
2.) Strengthen communication with neighborhood/community organizations
• A framework would be set up to easily connect with designated heads or other members of
social, professional, neighborhood, church, etc, organizations through email or similar
connection. Similar to the HOA/Neighborhood database connection system currently under
development by the City. Names to be included on the mailing list will originate from
public meetings and hearing sign -in sheets, written correspondence, recognized community
organizations, as well as through individual requests.
o This would allow the City to send out information, call for information, amplify
public notice, encourage participation in projects, etc. This could be set up through
the existing Neighborhood database, the Communication Team and an effort to
find the players and establish the link. It could be used by each department.
Note: Extra care will be taken in the privacy of the names and contact information
used for this database. It may be that the City formally asks each person prior to
becoming part of the database.
• Reach out to local youth organizations to encourage civic engagement and education
regarding city government and the like. Encourage meeting attendance and public
outreach through these organizations. Maybe begin a youth citizen's academy.
Appendix A
Page 5 of 6
Citizen Participation Plan
Exhibit A
• Work with public relations departments in other local government and quasi -
governmental entities. Use communication with Williamson County, the Georgetown
Independent School District, etc, to help spread information about the City.
3.) Reach out to Spanish-speaking community organizations and media
• Developing a better relationship with local media and organizations that cater to Spanish-
speaking and other under -represented minority or second -language residents will help
open up new opportunities for citizens that are not involved because of language or
cultural barriers.
• Establish team of existing staff with Spanish translation ability to work on Spanish-
language materials.
• Work at expanding Spanish translation of website/newsletters to email and start
including directional information in Spanish for all public notices, so people can know
who to contact or where to go to get more information. Also work on physicalostin s in
p g
locations that are used by these residents.
4.) Create greater integration between all marketing and communication tools
• This would be a simple way to link news stories/web posts/Reporter articles/Channel
10/YouTube/Facebook or Twitter posts /etc. for employees and communication staff to
easily target all sources of information for their marketing, communication, and
participation needs
o The idea is to not have to create new content for all media sources but rather
seamlessly cover all the ways people learn about the City in a simple fashion. This
connection will expand beyond just news, but also information and video/audio
content.
5.) Educate City administrative staff about new communication and participation tools
• Work with all Administrative staff, City Mall Administrative staff, City Secretary, City
Manager, etc, to use and help the public on new systems put in place by this plan.
• Also, establish a consistent review regarding what information is often requested from
the public, how such information can be more widely available, how the information can
be identified and how to track requests for such information in the future.
Appendix A
o This is an ongoing function for the website and other tools available to the City.
As new tools are implemented based on this plan and other new techniques,
helping City staff understand and communicate how people can become aware of
what is available to them will be crucial.
Page 6 of 6
Cirizen Participation flan
Exhibit A
rVu
The following survey was conducted from Qctoberl to December 31, 2009. Most participants
answered the online survey, which was publicized on the City's main web page and on the City's
Participation website. Many also received the survey via email although there were a handful of
paper copies filled out and turned in to the Planning Department. The survey was intended only to
be a helpful guide into some of the communication and participation methods that people
currently utilize and may not be an accurate indicator of broad citizen preferences.
'14 Magazines
.2 Hear other people talking about things and drivi
around town.
Appendix B Page 1
Citizen Participation Plan
Exhibit A
Appendix B I Page 2 Citizen Participation Plan
Exhibit A
Parks and Recs sends out an email every week with news and events. Maybe the City should do the same for public meetings
8' and items that are goin to appear before council.
9 An email subscri tion/distribution where I can select topics and frequency to receive notification of items.
10Postings at other locations in the city
11 Email and social networking sites.
1.2 e-mail
13 How about a sig n at Austin Ave and 7th
I guess that people could sign up to receive emails associated `wit different things.. they can opt for the departments that
14 they are interested in getting info from
1s city website
:16` email blast
Email blasts to citizens that choose to receive them. Or blasts on Social Networking sites that send you to a website for more
17 information.
:18 More visiblility in the newspaper and repeated in newspaper more often.
19 The "Reporter" newsletter
:20 email
21 I haven't ever received direct mail but this seems like it would be effective.
22 email
23 Email.
.24' Email
:25 Mass email to ci subscribers those who choose to subscribe to the city's email distribution list
26' Perhaps post at local gathering places? Really not sure how to do this. Always some folks will be out of the loop,
27 Email
28 Channel 10 and\or greater web presence
29' email with information about where to find background info on the specific issue
36 On a local radio station if there was one which there is none. But one is in the works.
31 Targeted e-mails to community associations
Again, I like facebook etc
....not really sure, but an intro of what city council is all about, why it can matter if we show up,
32 protocol of how we should act at a council meetin etc. would be helpful to those of us uninvolved in city procedures.
Appendix B Page 3 Citizen Participation Plan
Exhibit A
Appendix B Page 4 Citizen Participation Plan
Exhibit A
i The meeting times are not favorable to those who work 8-5
2 I don't know for sure if expanded opportunities are necessary since I don't know which ones are available now.
3 applied for a board last ear --received no answer
4 Don't really know much about the process,
Appendix B Page 5 Citizen Participation Plan
Exhibit A
Here is a mice unier searcn underway with zero information being put out. Would like to see how it's progressing before a
2 Chief is selected.
3 I would like to see students reached out to and included the college students here and the high school students
Some departments are very open and are glad to provide information. Other departments seem to be very secretive or want
to know why you want want to know the information request. When this happens the perception is one of avoidance instead
:4 of transpearancy,
maybe have a somewhat formalized roll for citizens who are very connected in the community syphon feedback back to those
in Managment rolls at the city or city council. Some way to make it easy for people who are not on the internet to easily tell a
. person in their neighborhood who they know has the ear of the city government and staff.
I would say it is very difficult to get correct information about plans and development for the City of Georgetown b/c it seems
to change with the wind. I don't have sound confidence in the city council and city staff to make the best decisions for the city
or the future development, every time a proposal is either changed or not implemented on any time schedule. It must be
$costing the city a tremendous amount in inefficiency. Plus it is almost impossible to get a correspondence from any GA.
6 public office holder.
7: more of the same
8 Not sure.
More utilization of the communication opportunities in Sun City. There are 8000 residents here, who bring a mriad of talent
9 and experience to our great ci of Georgetown'
10 more time to review new ordinances etc
I think the City could take more advantage of the Chamber of Commerce communications w/ members for communication
11 opportunities,
Attend random events such as PTA meetings, marketing networking meetings, etc, to increase exposure and increase
12 volunteering.
13 Do you publish the City Council Meeting agendas in the Sun? That would be my firstlace to look for local news.
The Georgetown Soccer Association is an example of an organization which does a lot for this community, and whose mission
could be furthered with help from the City. Having a City official attend GSA board meetings and having someone serve as a
14 GSA/Ci liaison would be examples of ways the two entities could help each other to better serve Georgetown,
Personally; I prefer not to receive an automated response when I phone a business, including the city. Customer service is
15 key in any organization and that means person to person, not machine to person.
I believe that in addition to adding more webcasts and/or podcasts of public meetings, increasing the detail and scope of
minutes taken at public meeting are a great tool. Jessica Hamiliton has done a tremendous job in enhancing the detail of City
16 Council minutes.
17 Forwarding of
information from the City to others
mid scheme of communications
Appendix B Page 6
Citizen Participation Plan