Refining best practices for effective public involvement means getting in front of the process
Dena Horton
Normandeau Associates Inc.
Kyle Brown
Normandeau Associates Inc.
When it comes to decisions and projects that affect neighborhoods and communities, people want to be informed and involved in a meaningful way. They want their questions answered and concerns addressed.
Many companies and government agencies shy away from involving the public. They opt, instead, merely to present their information with little or no opportunity for input. Others, with the best of intentions, provide and solicit information ineffectively or in ways that are unsuitable for that particular audience, project or issue. Some hire public involvement consultants to facilitate conversation with the public.
In January, public involvement staff from our firm, Normandeau Associates Inc., sat down with neighborhood association leaders from Vancouver and Clark County to ask a few simple questions with two common themes: How can we do our job better? What are the best ways to engage the public in the public involvement process?
The following lessons learned from the discussion offer a few important, but often overlooked, considerations when planning meetings and events to engage and involve the public.
Seek public input early in the process. The appearance of a "done deal" can cause the project and its proponents to lose credibility. Solicit input while the project is still at a point where the public’s input can help shape the outcome.
Seek partnership with the public. Solicit suggestions from the public on how to improve project aesthetics and how to cut project costs. You may be surprised by the innovative solutions offered.
Use a variety of outreach methods. One newspaper advertisement is not enough. Use newspapers, neighborhood newsletters, direct mail, websites, kiosks in key locations and other media to provide plenty of advance notice for public events. The last thing you want is for people to find out about a meeting on the day of or after it has taken place.
Provide useful information in a format appropriate for the audience. Don’t overwhelm the audience with text-heavy documents. Use large print, bulleted points and catchy, informative graphics. Clearly define the project, timeline, process and what you want from people in return.
Meeting logistics should cater to a variety of schedules and individual needs. Hold meetings when most people can attend, or hold multiple meetings. Use a building that is easy to find, has plenty of parking, is ADA accessible and so on.
Close the loop. Follow-up is imperative. It is critical to let the public know how their comments will be used in the process. It is also important to let people know what to expect in response, for example, a phone call, a letter, an email, a frequently asked questions (FAQ) sheet posted on a website.
If it is public information, be honest. The public does understand that sometimes the outreach is to let people know what is happening with a project or process. They appreciate the information. But if it is a public project involving public land, they expect to be involved early and throughout the decision making process.
Dena Horton and Kyle Brown are public involvement project managers with Normandeau Associates Inc., a public involvement and environmental consulting firm, with Washington offices in downtown Vancouver, Stevenson and Wenatchee.
