SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT

Transcription

1 Agenda Item No:.5.a Meeting Date: January 20, 2015 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Department: City Manager's Office Prepared by: Sarah Houghton, Library Director City Manager APprovaQJ~ SUBJECT: Report and recommendation for acceptance of a Community Engagement Action Plan as a result of the City Council's GREAT (Growing Resident Engagement and Transparency) subcommittee's work. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council accept the Community Engagement Action Plan. BACKGROUND: Periodically the City reviews its communication policies and revises them as needed. The City's General Plan 2020 includes several key elements in the Governance Section that prioritize the community engagement. Namely, within Goal 21 (Community Participation), including G6-G8 and G11, covering broad-based involvement, community stakeholders, community participation, city and community communication, information about community issues, a contact database, the San Rafael website, and empowering residents to take responsibility. In addition, City staff and City Council has received feedback over the past few years that the City could improve engagement with our community. In late 2013, the City Council appointed an ad hoc Council subcommittee to address resident and stakeholder engagement with City issues as well as City government transparency. The subcommittee was made up of Mayor Gary Phillips, Councilmember Kate Colin, and staff members Nancy Mackie, Jim Schutz, Rebecca Woodbury, and Sarah Houghton. The subcommittee was charged with several tasks: Performing outreach to community groups to receive input and feedback on what the City is doing well and where it can improve. Understanding where the City is perceived as being "non-transparent" to address and change this perception.. Determining optimal utilization of the internet by examining tools such as social media, online platforms, phone apps, current online contact forms, and the current City website. Review current practices for notification (posting at sites, snail mail pieces, etc.) to ensure that all members of the community can be reached and not just those with computer access. Researching best practices and then creating (as needed) specific protocols for the following: o One-way communication for agenda distribution, Boards & Commissions openings, and other general announcements o o Dialogue (two-way communication) around controversial issues or projects Modifying "city speak" so that all communications (one- or two-way) use natural language that is readily comprehensible. FOR CITY CLERK ONLY File No.: Council Meeting: Disposition:

2 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2 The subcommittee began with extensive research into government engagement and transparency, including best practices and proven successful strategies. The subcommittee members met with the City of Novato's Public Information Officer, Code for America representatives, and worked with numerous City staff to discover what we're doing well now and where we could improve. In addition, the subcommittee took stock of what actions and initiatives the City has in place today, including the use of our websites, public meetings, boards and commissions, newsletters.facebook.twitter. press releases, classes and academies, YouTube, outreach events, and more. In May 2014, the subcommittee conducted a public survey in English and Spanish, both online and in print, about how people get information about the City now, if people engage now and how they do so, and how they feel the City is doing currently on various types of engagement and transparency. The survey received over 1,000 responses. The five primary takeaways from the survey were as follows: 1. People very much want to hear about what's happening in San Rafael. 2. People value representative participation, including their own personal involvement, in City Council decision-making. However, many people don't currently participate (1/3 of respondents do not currently give their opinion in any way on City issues). This is reported as being due to a lack of time and energy as well as the feeling that City meetings and staff reports are too long. 3. People want the City to work harder on communication--to reach out to stakeholders on issues before decisions are made and to provide clear and understandable information on these issues. People also expect to receive information on the final decision if they offered input. 4. People use a wide range of sources to get information about City issues. How people get information varies widely based on age, gender, primary language, and family status. 5. People who work and/or own a business in San Rafael are even more interested and invested in City decisions than people who live here, and also report feeling more connected to the City as a community member. From the data gathered in that survey, including extensive comments offered by the respondents, the subcommittee developed short-term and long-term community engagement strategies. Those strategy ideas were then taken back to the public in the form of three public meetings, held at different times and days of the week in October 2014, and also via a survey in English and Spanish, both online and in print. Both in the surveys and at the meetings we asked respondents to give us feedback and prioritization of our suggested strategies, to tell us what we missed, and to offer additional feedback on ways the City can improve government engagement and transparency. Between the 65 meeting attendees and the 55 survey respondents, we gained valuable additional information about what the community feels are the most important steps for the City to take, including: 1. Spanish language information is critical to our community. 2. The community values the accessibility of City staff and City Councilmembers, including both inperson and digital interactions. 3. The many ways the City reaches out to stakeholders, and new methods the City will begin using, all reach different segments of the community; therefore, all are essential. This feedback has been incorporated into the proposed Community Engagement Action Plan. ANALYSIS: Based on the extensive input we received as well as staff analysis staff recommends five primary strategies to pursue in order to increase engagement and transparency. These strategies are outlined in detail, with suggested action items for each with timeframes and resources required, in Exhibit A. The five primary strategies we suggest pursuing are: 1. Demystify Local Government. Clarify City processes and how to encourage effective participation in civic affairs. Better communicate the type of engagement that we are seeking on a given topic and how representative government effectively functions. 2. Engage Earlier. Get the word out early to the community on projects and programs, including items on board and commission agendas, to increase participation prior to City Council meetings and decisions. 3. Hable Espanol. Improve communication and solicitation of feedback from our Spanish-speaking community. 4. Enhance Technological Tools. Utilize technology for improved communication, tracking, and online resources and engagement. 5. Close the Feedback Loop. Communicate better about the engagement process and the feedback that was received. Let people know about decisions and any follow-up actions or next steps.

3 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3 Implementation of the numerous action items listed in the report will require significant staff time and resources. The City does not currently possess the capacity to complete all of these goals simultaneously. Therefore, staff will prioritize two key action items to jumpstart the process. 1. City staff communications committee. The City Manager's Office can form and manage an internal committee with knowledgeable representatives from each City department to begin the prioritization and initial work on many of the action items in this plan. This can be achieved with existing staff resources, and can begin immediately. 2. The City Manager's Office can begin research into the fiscal possibilities of hiring or contracting for a public information officer or communications coordinator, full or part time, for the next fiscal year. The City Manager's Office can present costs for this position/contract along with other competing City staffing or programming needs as a part of the budget setting process. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no direct cost to acceptance of this Plan. The most significant cost for the implementing actions in the Plan would be the potential hiring of a public information officer and this item will require a City Council action in the future. In the longer term, technological enhancements will also require budgetary adjustments, With Council acceptance of the strategies in this proposed Plan, staff will complete the research and analysis needed for each of the actions. OPTIONS: Staff recommends option Accept the GREAT subcommittee's report and recommendation. 2. Reject the GREAT subcommittee's report and recommendation, and ask us to return with a different set of strategies and action items. 3. Approve specific strategies and/or action items, and reject others, asking staff to return with a modified report at a future meeting. ACTION REQUIRED: Accept the GREAT subcommittee's report and recommendation. Encls. 1) Exhibit A: Community Engagement Action Plan

4 Exhibit A Community Engagement Action Plan The City of San Rafael is committed to improving government engagement with the community and transparency. In late 2013, the City Council appointed an ad hoc Council subcommittee to address resident and stakeholder engagement with City issues as well as City government transparency. The subcommittee conducted two surveys and three public meetings to gather information about how people would prefer to engage with the City and perceptions of the City's transparency and outreach efforts. The City has identified the following five primary strategies to improve government engagement and transparency, with suggested action items for each with timeframes and resources required. 1. Demystify Local Government. Clarify City processes and how to best participate in civic affairs. Better communicate the type of engagementthat we are seeking on a given topic and how representative government effectively functions. A. Create a centralized online media center on the City website for all communications channels across different departments and topics, including simple sign-ups for topical alerts. (Timeframe: short term / Resources: moderate staff time, minor budget impact) B. Conduct a media blitz about the various ways to get information about City issues and processes. (Timeframe: short term / Resources: minor staff time, minor budget impact) C. Use clearer language in naming agenda items and add a summary at the top of lengthy reports. (Timeframe: short term / Resources: minor staff time) D. Hold meetings during non-standard working hours on topics where the city is seeking robust community engagement. (Timeframe: short term / Resources: minor staff time) E. Add a page to the Community Services Newsletter with a message from the City Manager for citywide issues. (Timeframe: short term / Resources: minor staff time) F. Support and enhance educational and engagement opportunities such as Citizen Planning Academy, Citizen Police Academy, community socials, and departmental "Open Houses." (Timeframe: long term / Resources: moderate staff time, minor budget impact) 2. Engage Earlier. Get the word out early to the community on projects and programs, including items on board and commission agendas, to increase participation prior to City Council meetings and decisions. A. Include key forthcoming issues on various Boards' and Commissions' agendas in Snapshot, social media, and other communication mechanisms. (Timeframe: short and long term / Resources: moderate staff time)

5 Exhibit A B. Develop consistent and effective communications guidelines for staff to follow on key issues and project, including outreach protocols, correspondence response expectations, and staff training on these guidelines. (Timeframe: long term I Resources: moderate staff time) C. Organize staff to regularly visit neighborhood associations and other interested groups. (Timeframe: long term I Resources: high staff time) D. Offer a city-staff-written guest column for neighborhood and other newsletters. (Timeframe: long term I Resources: moderate staff time) E. Coordinate press releases throughout the City departments, including sending press releases to the Chamber of Commerce, community organizers, schools, neighborhood and homeowners associations, and the Downtown Business Improvement District. Additionally, add RSS feed capability to press release webpages. (Timeframe: short term I Resources: minor staff time) F. Consider hiring a Public Information Officer or Communications Coordinator to facilitate communication and outreach to the public on key issues. (Timeframe: long term I Resources: high staff time, moderate budget impact) G. Increase number of ad hoc community meetings on topics of critical interest, including creating best practices on when and how to conduct meetings effectively as well as a pre-community meeting checklist. (Timeframe: long term I Resources: high staff time) 3. Hable Espanol. Improve communication and soliciting feedback from our Spanishspeaking community. A. Translate more documents and communications into Spanish. (Timeframe: short term I Resources: moderate staff time, moderate budget impact) B. Increase media coverage in Spanish language publications,including print, radio, and television. (Timeframe: long term I Resources: moderate staff time) C. Install bilingual electronic signage in front of the Albert J. Boro Community Center (Timeframe: short term I Resources: minor staff time, minor budget impact) 4. Enhance Technological Tools. Utilize technology for improved communication, tracking, and online resources and engagement. A. Create a City NextDoor account to engage with residents online, also including staff training and procedures. (Timeframe: short term I Resources: moderate staff time)

6 Exhibit A B. Improve timely handling of citizen complaints and correspondence with standardization of internal procedures and customer relationship management software. (Timeframe: long term / Resources: moderate staff time, minor budget impact) C. Add mobile reporting app options for community members to report potholes, graffiti, etc. (Timeframe: long term / Resources: moderate staff time, minor, budget impact) D. Explore online participation tools for topics and issues in the community. (Timeframe: long term / Resources: high staff time, moderate budget impact) E. Increase the City's participation in open data initiatives by releasing public data sets online. (Timeframe: short term / Resources: moderate staff time) F. Enhance accuracy and timeliness of information on the City's websites. (Timeframe: long term / Resources: moderate staff time) G. Enhance the design and content of the Snapshot newsletter. (Timeframe: short term / Resources: moderate staff time) 5. Close the Feedback Loop. Communicate better about the engagement process and the feedback that was received. Let people know about decisions and any follow-up actions or next steps. A. Create an internal Communications Committee with representatives from each department. (Timeframe: short term / Resources: moderate staff time) B. Add a community outreach section toall appropriate staff reports to City Council noting feedback received. (Timeframe: short term / Resources: minor staff time) C. On a project basis, as issues go before Boards and Commissions, include information about public feedback received. (Timeframe: short term / Resources: moderate staff time) D. On a project basis, gather contact information from people offering feedback on an issue (whether in-person, via , etc.), then communicate decisions at the end of the process. (Timeframe: short term / Resources: moderate staff time)