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.
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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

May 15, 2008 at 1:27 PM

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