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Regular-General Government # 35.
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| Board of Supervisors |
County Administrator |
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| Subject |
| Approve Community Engagement Policy to replace the Public Noticing & Outreach Guidelines & Best Practices. (No general fund impact) (Blacklock/Jhajj) |
| Recommended Action |
| Approve Community Engagement Policy to replace the Public Noticing & Outreach Guidelines & Best Practices. |
| Strategic Plan Goal(s) |
| Operational Excellence |
| Reason for Recommended Action/Background |
Community engagement, also known as public engagement, refers to the various methods of informing, consulting, involving, collaborating, or empowering the public in the policy decisions and actions of local government. While many County staff and departments participate in various forms of community engagement, it is the desire of the County to strengthen engagement efforts in the organization and align them with best practices. To assist in this effort the County has established a team of staff trained in engagement by the Institute for Local Government and prepared the proposed Community Engagement Policy.
The Community Engagement Policy emphasizes the responsibility of the County to engage the community in order to ensure transparency and accountability in government while also establishing an organizational culture that is responsive to the values, needs, and concerns of the public. Ultimately, the purpose of the policy is to serve as a guide and foundation for staff on best practices in community engagement when working with the public, in any form or capacity, to assist in local decision-making. For this reason it is meant to apply to all facets of County operations when conducting a decision-making effort; including financial, asset management, environmental, community services, health and human services, public safety, and strategic planning. The Community Engagement Policy incorporates and expands upon the Public Noticing & Outreach Guidelines & Best Practices policy approved by the Board on May 7, 2013 and would therefore replace that policy.
The policy establishes the following key principles:
- The County shall conduct community engagement that is inclusive and accessible to all groups and residents incorporating all ages, abilities, races/ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds.
- The County shall provide information that is clear, easy to understand, and accessible to all.
- The County shall appropriately consider and incorporate public input gathered.
- The County will regularly report to the Board on public engagement efforts.
- The County shall work to create an environment where all County departments are encouraged to continue developing their engagement capabilities and to make engagement an integral part of departmental planning and operations.
- The County shall build skills and knowledge across County departments to conduct community engagement activities and processes.
These key principles are reflected in the policy guidelines which detail best practice protocol for planning, conducting outreach, implementing, and evaluating an engagement effort; with consideration to available resources and potential constraints. The policy also encourages staff to inform the Board of Supervisors of community engagement efforts undertaken for a particular project or decision in the “Collaboration” section of staff reports.
To assist staff in implementation of the guidelines and best practices provided in the policy, the County has established a team of staff, known as the Community Engagement Work Group, and has recently hired a new Communications Coordinator. These individuals will provide various trainings, tools, and resources to staff. |
| Collaborations (including Board advisory groups and external partner agencies) |
The Community Engagement Work Group includes representatives from the CAO, District 2, HHSA, and Community Services.
The work group shared the draft policy with the following groups to gather feedback, which was then incorporated into the policy:
- Department Leadership
- Employee Council
- Community Services Action Board
- County Service Areas
- Special Districts: Community Service Districts, Fire Protection Districts, River Port Districts, Resource Conservation Districts, Water Districts, Cemetery Districts, Reclamation Districts, Multi-County Districts
The draft policy was also posted on the County webpage and advertised on social media for the public to provide input. |
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