What's Next Alexandria Handbook for Civic Engagement

110 Pages·2014·6.56 MB·English

APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON JANUARY 25, 2014
RESOLUTION NO. 2597
Establish Civic Engagement Principles and supporting processes as set forth in the Alexandria Handbook for Civic Engagement (‘Handbook’)
to guide the City’s effort to involve the public in the development of public policy, program and planning decisions in the City of Alexandria.
WHEREAS, the City Council in 2012 charged the City Manager’s office with launching a civic engagement initiative to gather information
and develop and implement strategies for improving and expanding civic engagement in Alexandria; and
WHEREAS, the primary goal of the civic engagement initiative, What’s Next Alexandria, is to improve the quality of Alexandria’s public
participation process so that members of the community are actively, constructively, and meaningfully involved in the public decisions
that affect the city; and
WHEREAS, collaboration between community members and Alexandria city government leads to better results than either working
separately, and as an outcome of that partnership, results better stand the test of time; and
WHEREAS, effective civic engagement:
• Improves understanding of the value of working together to solve common problems;
• Creates and encourages a fully informed public that knows how to participate and embraces commonly held Principles of Civic
Engagement and the processes that support full participation;
• Increases public participation, representative of the City’s demographic diversity;
• Ensures active leadership by the public in organizing their community to participate in civic engagement processes and help shape
broader goals of the City;
• Inspires members of the community to endorse decisions and actions by the City because decisions clearly reflect public participation
in a transparent process;
• Stems from consistency across City departments, Boards and Commissions in the application of civic engagement principles and
process;
• Results in confidence in the equity of the public decision making process; and
• Reinforces mutual trust between the community and City government; and
WHEREAS, the attached Handbook and Principles for Civic Engagement serve as the foundation for public participation in Alexandria
and is intended to guide the city government and members of the community in how Alexandrians can best participate in public dialogue
for decisions that shape the city;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA:
That the City Council of Alexandria, Virginia:
1. Establish as City policy the concepts contained in the attached Civic Engagement Principles and process framework specified in the
Handbook for the purpose of more meaningfully engaging the community in the development of City policies, plans, and projects. It is
the purpose of this policy to ensure that public participation in the formulation of City public policy shall be welcomed and encouraged.
Further, it is the purpose of this policy to ensure all members of the Alexandria community, regardless of station or circumstance, shall
have the opportunity to express their views on matters of public policy and that their views are given fair and respectful consideration.
2. Ensure that prior to the adoption of public policies which will significantly impact the quality of life of members of the community,
(1) the nature of the proposed policy or action has been fully disclosed, (2) the public has had reasonable opportunity to be informed,
consulted, involved, or to collaborate on the proposed action, and (3) the decision-making body has had sufficient opportunity fairly to
consider and reflect before acting.
3. Charge the City Manager’s Office with providing oversight to ensure that expectations are clear, request for resources are adequate to
meet expectations, and staff is held accountable for results;
4. Charge the City Manager’s Office with directing city departments to conduct ongoing assessments of civic engagement performance
by project as stipulated in the Handbook, including but not limited to:
• Assessing community evaluation of performance vis a vis each principle;
• Assessing the organizing and communication process;
• Reviewing and assessing use of the Framework;
• Assessing project accountability and transparency;
• Managing resources to provide appropriate facilitation training to staff involved in civic engagement work throughout the City; and
• Incorporating internal and external evaluation methods for further measurement and insights into the quality of the civic engagement
process as a whole and each department’s performance in pursuit of the Civic Engagement Principles.
5. Direct the Civic Engagement Interdepartmental Working Group to advise city departments, the City Manager, and City Council in
these assessment processes and to develop a proposed plan for future annual review of civic engagement performance in collaboration
with the community.
6. Through this resolution establish binding city policy.
Adopted:
WILLIAM D. EUILLE MAYOR
ATTEST:
Jacqueline M. Henderson, MMC City Clerk
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page Section Page
Introduction 1 Communication and Outreach 43
Background and intent Getting the Word Out! Building community awareness to
increase participation
Focused on Outcomes 5 In-person Communication 44
The goal of this handbook is to be a tool for pursuing, es Online Communication 48
achieving, and measuring positive outcomes for civic es Other 50

engagement es
es Reaching the Community’s Full Diversity 51
Principles of Engagement 7 Strategies for encouraging participation from all parts of the
community
Principles for civic engagement developed by the es
community, including actions and outcomes es
Implementation 55
Framework for Engagement 17 Ensuring consistent and efficient execution of the City’s civic
engagement operations
Standardizing the civic engagement process
Evaluation
Shared Responsibility 58
21
Building in ongoing assessment of the City’s civic
Responsibilities of the City and community in improving
es
engagement implementation
civic engagement in Alexandria
es
Appendices A-1
Engagement Strategies
23
Tools and strategies for engaging all members of the public A What’s Next Alexandria Process A-2
in decisions affecting their communities es B Resources A-8
In-person engagement es C Meeting Ground Rules A-10
• Meeting Types 25 D Printable: Civic Engagement Framework Template A-11
• Meeting Strategies E General Threshold Applicability Guidelines for A-14
Civic Engagement Process
• Developing an Agenda
• Conducting a Meeting F Communications and Engagement Toolbox A-18
• After a Meeting G Printable: Sample Meeting Evaluation Template A-32
Online engagement 36 H Printable: Sample Project Evaluation Template A-34
• Social Media I Printable: Sample Community Evaluation for A-37
Engagement Strategy Process
• Online Comment Boards & Virtual Town Halls
• Online Polls
Contact Information
Acknowledgements
City Council Aisha O’Brien, ACTion Alexandria
Mayor William D. Euille John Porter, Director, ACTion Alexandria
Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg Carrie Fesperman Redden, Health Planner, Health Department
Councilman John Taylor Chapman Marti Reinfeld, Division Chief, T&ES/Transit Services
Councilman Timothy B. Lovain Diana Reynoso, Department of Community and Human Services
Councilwoman Redella S. ‘Del’ Pepper James Spengler, Director, Recreation, Parks, and Cultural
Councilman Paul C. Smedberg Activities
Councilman Justin Wilson Tom Trobridge, former Director, Information and Technology
Services
City Manager Tracy Viselli, formerly with ACTion Alexandria
Rashad M. Young
Consultant
Interdepartmental City Team Concordia
Joanna Anderson, Assistant City Attorney, City Attorney’s Office
Rich Baier, Director, Transportation and Environmental Services City Staff
Carrie Beach, Division Chief, Department of Planning and Zoning Andrea Blackford, Communications Officer, Office of
Tony Castrilli, Director, Office of Communications and Public Communications and Public Information
Information Katherine Carraway, Department of Planning and Zoning
Margaret Dhillon, Supervisor, Department of Community and Craig Fifer, Deputy Director, Office of
Human Services/Center for Children and Families Communications and Public Information
Laura Durham, Urban Planner, Recreation, Parks, and Cultural MaryAnn Griffin, Director, Division on Aging, Department of
Activities Community and Human Services/Center for Adult Services
Tom Gates, Deputy City Manager Richard Lawrence, Urban Planner, Department of Planning and
Lisa Guli, Health Department Zoning (Handbook Design and Layout)
Faroll Hamer, Director, Department of Planning and Zoning Pat Mann, Urban Planner, Department of Planning and Zoning
Val Hawkins, President and CEO, Alexandria Economic (Photography)
Development Partnership Justin Thompson, Communications Content Manager,
Stephanie Landrum, Senior Vice President, Alexandria Economic Office of Communications and Public Information
Development Partnership Peter Watkins, Division Chief, Office of
Allen Lomax, City resident with expertise in civic engagement field Communications and Public Information
Karl Moritz, Deputy Director, Department of Planning and Zoning
FINAL | JANUARY 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Alexandria Boards & Laurie MacNamara Allyson Coleman Jose Wilfredo Aleman
Commissions Merrick Malone Mina Day Kelly Alexander
Dr. Tammy Mann Kim Durand Kathy Allegrone
Mary Lee Anderson
Sean McEnearney Edith Marybel Enriquez James Allgood
Adrienne Barr
Carolyn Meza Craig Fifer Safa Al-Obaedi
Peter Benavage
A. Melvin Miller Belinda Goodwin Marianne Anderson
Don Buch
Kurt Moser Ariel Giles Scott Anderson
Bill Campbell
Jeff Murphy Nathan Imm Sharon Annear
Katy Cannady
Stephen Mutty Patrice Linehan Margaret Ano
Louren Chen
Susan Newell Janet Macidull Mohammed Ansari
Bill Conkey
Kathleen Pepper Anita Martineau Jean Antole
Rose Dawson
Kevin Posey Jennifer Murphy Jose Luis Baires
Helen Desfosses
John Renner Eileen Oviatt Elizabeth Baldwin
Bill Dickinson
Josh Sawislak Sahr Pombor Linda Bankerd
Stewart Dunn
Fay Slotnick Ryan Price Tricia Bassing
Carter Flemming
Ellen Tabb Joyce Rawlings Julio Cesar Basurto Vilchez
Donna Fossum
Steve Walz Diane Ruggiero Alison Bauerlein
Seena Foster
Maria Wasowski Heather Scott Bonnie Baxley
Susan Amber Gordon
Christa Watters Diane Stoy Kevin Beekman
Gail Gordon Donegan
Roger Waud Nancy Benjamin
Bill Harris
Converse West Community Dialogue Janet Bezner
Ann Marie Hay
Latriece Prince Wheeler Derek Bibbs
Masters of Ceremony
Arlene Hewitt
Tae’Von Bibbs
Chris Lewis
Michael Hobbs
Community Dialogue John Porter Carol Black
Richard Hobson
Manrique Blanco
Facilitators Robert Shea
Derek Hyra
Nadine Boland
Canek Aguirre
Charlene Jeanes
Julie Bosland
David Kaplan Rusty Barber Community Participants
Lynn Bostain
Robert Kaufman Owen Barwell Doris Ablard
Anne Bradford
Susan Kellom Shane Bechtold Oscar Acastro
Carla Branch
John Komoroske Aurpon Bhattacharya Peter Ackerman
Elliott Branch
Dana Lawhorne Mary Breslin Israel Aguilar
Jack Browand
Mary Lyman Noraine Buttar Herman Aguilera
Delana Browning
Nate Macek Dave Cavanaugh Blair Aiken
CITY OF ALEXANDRIA | CIVIC ENGAGEMENT HANDBOOK
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Marion Brunken Richard Dorman Andrea Hamre Azeb Kifle
Esperita Bullard Carol Downs Dak Hardwick Betty King
Don Burke Joan Dreyer Nisa Harper Janet King
Semone Byrd Ricardo Drumond Lama Hasan Becky Kotuby
Bob Calhoun James Durham Andrea Haslinger Joshua Krantz
Delaine Campbell Libby Eife-Johnson Al Havings Robert Kraus
Bonnie Carlson Jason Ellis R Hawn Paul Lachelier
Marvin Carranza Bert Ely Anne Gray Haynes Kenyon Larsen
Cherie Carroll Jeff Epperson Jose Hernandez Diana Lazo
Judy Carter Garrett Erdle Poul Hertel Rachel Leonard
Diane Caskello Celia Estrada Thomas Hickok David Levy
Carla Castro Erin Finn Rebecca Hierholzer Chris Lewis
Phil Cefaratti Annabelle Fisher Magaly Hirst Jacqueline Lewis
Margarite Damian Cervantes Rusty Fleming Tom Hirst Susan Lewis
Diana Cisneros Fredy Flores John Hodges Krishna Leyva
Fred Clapp Cassandra Ford Kathie Hoekstra Norman S. Lise
Jacqueline Coachman Lauren Freeman Jazmin Gomez Hoffman Elizabeth Livingston
Carolyn Collins David Fromm Kate Holder Mary Longacre
Gena Collins Richard Gear Aimee Houghton Blanca Lopez
Jane Collins Kristen Gedeon Charles M. Howe Margaret Lorber
Ammie T. Conner Father Daniel Gee Chanyia Hughes Dianne Lowther
Judy Cooper C.A. Gerlach Robert Hunzinger Debbie Ludington
Helenmarie Corcoran Julie Germany Omar Hussein Susan Mabazibwe
Brooke Cullan Ricshae Glymph Cameron Icard Kara Macek
Katie Darin Eric Goldberg Jorge Iglesias Nataki MacMurray
Monica Davis J Gomez Arthur Impastato Bob MacNab
Erin Dawson DeBerry Goodwin Carol Jackson Meredith MacNab
Jason Dechant Robert Goss Jake Jakubek G. Macone
Ted Dicken Harold Gossett Monika Jones Laura Macone
Andrea Dies Linda Greenberg Jackie Kammerman Janice Magnuson
Cynthia Dinkins Janet Gregor Joe Kammerman Ann Marie Maloney
Sergio Dipp Jennifer Greiner Dana Kauffman Carlos Maroquin
Marilyn Doherty Carolyn Griglione Eric Keber Miguel Marquez
Ann Dorman Stephen Haering Anne Kelso Brian Marquis
FINAL | JANUARY 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
David Martin Bob Ponichtera Ross Simons K. Taylor Wilson
Adelaida Martinez Bea Porter Charles E Simpson Danielle Wolf
Jose Martinez Alby Marilu Portillo Mickey Simpson Bob Wood
Barbara Martinez Silvia Portillo Michelle Smith Joyce Woodson
Dina Martinez Bill Potapchuk Rev. Leslie Steffenson Kitty Wooley
Israel Martinez Roy Priest Lee Stenberg Martha Wooten
C McBeth Bill Purdy Sarah Stott Elizabeth Wright
James H. McCain Jeannine Deem Purdy Ron Sturman Brandi Yee
Ann Cary McLain Frank Putzu Roger Sullivan Nelson Zavaleta
Iris Melendez Rebecca Quarles Charles Sumpter
Michael Menchel Kay Quirk Carol Supplee
Richard Merritt Juan Ramirez Jackie Surratt
Derek Meyer Brian Reagan Tom Suydam
Judy Miller Gayle Reuter Kate Theisen
Robert Miller Oscar Rider Ajashu Thomas
Jermaine Mincey Linda Ries Amy Thomas
Mike Moran Yolanda Rivera Lisette Torres
Ana Moreno Jim Roberts James Torretti
Carlos Moreno Lauren Roberts Simon Trumble
Mark Mueller Brian Robertson Samuel Ulm
T.V. Mukai C Roehrenbeck Crystal Vanison
Dorothy Mulligan Michelle Rose Daniel VanPelt
Lynn Nelson Rob Rutland-Brown Edith M. Vasquez
Bryan Noble LaDonna Sanders Santo Vega
Sandy Northrop Sherry Schiller Claudia Vita
Lisa Novakoski Bo Schnurr Paul Vogel
Jennifer Oehme William Schreiner Julie Segal Walters
David Olinger Heather Scott Carol Weber
Kathryn Papp Barbara Seaman John Wedeles
Mirian Parada Kim Sescoe Robert Weigl
Margaret Patterson Eva Shea Annie Weinberg
Peter Pennington Anne Shine Maria Mercedes White
Fred Phelps Carol Siegel Julia Williams
Pedro Ponce Lisa Silverman Nancy M. Williams
CITY OF ALEXANDRIA | CIVIC ENGAGEMENT HANDBOOK
P I l B
age ntentIonally eft lank
FINAL | JANUARY 2014