Monday, May 5, 2008

Capital Project Communication:

Please assist the City as we formulate a communication strategy to better reach our residents durng construction projects.  Please provide us with your ideas/strategies to better elicit public comment - early and often.

Thanks for the input!  We will use this information as we vuild our communication strategy.

1 comment:

Shawn Donovan said...

Here are some ideas that work in my experience:

-informal newsletters mailed to residents with good graphics;
-community neighborhood meeting in living rooms to explain large infrastructure projects(I've done it and it's effective);
-periodic post cards with information;
-Neighborhood bulletin boards--set them up like Woodstock did;
-'Sketch-Up' graphic rendering of design information in 3-D that the public can understand more than plan and profile views of engineering projects;
-Organizing a public meeting and explaining a project in the neighborhood where it is supposed to happen;
-pre-construction staking of clearing limits with numbered stakes so residents can see the impacts and location of improvements like sidewalks to name one example;
-Use existing forums like Rotary luncheons/church newsletters/etc. to explain projects;
-Don't speak in jargon;
-Don't be afraid to engage in discussion (unelected public officials often are reluctant to explain their position and reasoning and come across as stonefaced or adament);

Don't fool yourself that official 'scoping meetings' or 'warned public hearings' are the most useful way to educate the public. They aren't typically.

Shawn M. Donovan
30 Shaw Street, Lebanon, NH