Public Involvement

“Stop the Pain…See the Light, Ending the Headaches of Public Involvement” (ICMA Annual Conference, September 20, 2008, instructors Susan Wakins and Tweed Kezziah

Guiding Principles are:

1. Open to everyone, all given a chance to participate

2. Honest: Listen to all, reflect concerns in final decision. All information (both positive and negative) provided

3. Fair: All voices are heard equally

(I agree these principles are absolutely necessary.)

APPROACHES:

1. Goal is citizen judgement, not just opinion-People need factual information, ability to clarify information, discuss it with each other.

2. Public process is a discussion involving technical expertise with lived experience. Desired result is a decision that is responsible and politically supportable.

3. Set Ground Rules for discussion, but encourage discussion, keep process out of it

4. If you already have made a decision, don’t use this process and don’t involve the public, will only make it worse

5. Process trumps content. If perception is that process is unfair, solution is doomed, no matter how good.

6. Involving citizens is well worth the time

CONSIDERATIONS:

-DON’T come in with a “plan” or a “recommendation. Hear the citizen values, problems etc. first

-Avoid “yes/no” issue. Show how we reach a goal.

-This process is for residents. By time gets to elected Commission, should be a plan with recommended action

STEPS IN PUBLIC DECISION MAKING

1. DEFINE THE CHALLENGE OR OPPORTUNITY

-DON’T SELL SOLUTIONS!!!!

-Specify the challenge or opportunity, ask people to help you come up with decision

-Issue can be a challenge or opportunity

-View issues from all views. Don’t get caught up in internal view

-Keep asking “why” to view issue at it’s most fundamental level.

-Consider “doing nothing” alternative

-Create Challenge or Opportunity Statement that is:

-Clearly establishes what the process is designed to accomplish

-Is concise

-Is Factual

-Is written in non-technical language

STEP TWO: ESTABLISH THE “GIVENS”

“Givens” are extremely important. DO NOT ADD GIVENS as the process precedes.

“Givens” are th box within which we make decisions.

1. Givens are the non-negotiable elements of a decision which have to be part of the process for ethical, safety or legal reasons Givens should not be “preferences”.

2. Make sure “Givens” are genuine constraints and not preferences

3. Test Givens to insure you’re not making assumptions or expressing preferences.

4. Keep the list of “’Givens” as short as possible.

5. Givens are presented at the beginning of the process. Do not add “givens’

6. ALWAYS include a “given” on whom is making the final decision

STEP THREE: IDENTIFY LIKELY INTERESTS AND ISSUES

“Interests” are groups and individuals who will be affected by or whom care (or should care) about the final decision.

1. Interests include those who feel they are affected, even if they are not actually affected.

2. Don’t “assume” who will care or not care

3. Participants select themselves (no “committees”)

4. Remember internal interests such a organizational interests and the news media

5. Brainstorm to make up lists of “interests” and “issues”

Issues are the “things the interests will car about”.

Lists of interests and issues should not be an exclusive list. It has three objectives:

-Helps shape the challenge/opportunity as interests may see it.

-Gives a contact list

-Helps define the scope or the process

STEP FOUR: SEQUENCE OF STEPS-FROM OPINION TO JUDGEMENT

(imagine a “funnel”)

--Define Values, Beliefs and Issues—(What is most important about, What would you achieve in solving…what are you worried about when it comes to…)

--Technical/Applicable information (next level in funnel): (What information do people need to address their concerns…What are the technical considerations of any solution?)

a--Alternative Solutions (on down the funnel): Would you prefer to spend more to add amenities like….or least cost?; What criteria should be applied in choosing a solution? …What alternative solutions would you like to consider?

--Implications of Alternatives: (What are responses to trade-offs?...Selection of alternatives….etc.

Preferred Solution: (Describe consequences and costs of alternative, ask if any adjustments.

ACTION

SEQUENCE OF STEPS (INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL)

Identifyl hopes, concerns and issues (external)

Organize issues, development information, apply givens: (internal)

Prioritize issues as basis for options (external)

Develop options and implications (internal)

Respond to Options (External)

Develop Preferred Options (Internal)

Respond to Preferred Option (external)

Adopt and act

(External is public action, Internal is staff action)

STEP FIVE: DESIGN THE DECISION PROCESS

-The factors that influence the final design process are cumulative

-Essential considerations in the process design

1. The broader the scope of the problem and the greater the number of interests nd issues, the more repetitive methods and time needed

-Spread geographically, etc.

2. Structure the process for deliberation (essential persons can sort through option choices)

3. “Cast a wide net” at the project beginning (Use lots of different methods of communication and involvement)

4. Use personal contact to recruit participants (Friends asking friends)

5. Go where the people are. Move process activities to where people are

6. Good public process brings out conflict (better to get conflict on the table so they can be addressed.

7. The process should drive the calendar, not the other way around (calendar shouldn’t drive process, especially if it is an arbitrary deadline

8. Keep the process flexible and responsive

9. Make participation easy, especially for those most affected and especially for opponents!

10. Include all groups (cultural, age, race, national orgin, young people etc.)

FOCUS QUESTIONS

Focus questions guide the discussion at each step of a public involvement process

-Develop focus questions for each process step

-To develop a focus question, ask: What do we need to know from people/what will people need to know from us to complete this process step

-Create a specific questions to be asked and answered through whatever process methods is chosen.

FOCUS QUESTION IS:

1. Open-ended

2. Impossible to answer with a “yes/no”

3. Framed for a positive response

4. Neutrally worded

Never underestimate the power and importance of face-to-face communications

\Allow as much time as possible for face to fact communication.

DON’T use a Committee if at all possible.

STEP SIX: PROMOTE THE PROCESS

Extensive communication and promotion effort serves a number of purposes:

-Helps people understand the challenge/opportunity and the relationship to their lives

-Lets people know the process will be followed

-Encourages broad and active participation in the decision making process

-Keeps participants and the community informed as the process progresses

-announces the results of the process.

I plan on implementing this both for internal and external projects. I feel it will have a substantial impact on projects. I also plan on instructing key staff in utilizing this process so the process will be utilized on all projects.

Comment: This is valuable for “internal” decisions (as far as important decisions affecting personnel etc.) as well as “the public”.