Peter Lombardi, Town Administrator Jackie Bresnahan ... · Importance of Feedback •Multiple...

PeterLombardi,TownAdministratorJackieBresnahan,SpecialProjectsAssistant

MMAConferenceJanuary19,2018

TownofWenhamCitizens’LeadershipAcademy

AboutWenham• 5,035residents• BOS/TA/OpenTownMeeting• Full-timeemployees:45• Electedofficials:36• Appointedofficials:115+• FY2018OperatingBudget• $17.9millionTotalGeneralFund• $9.3millionofwhichisapportionedtoregionalschooldistrict

PhotocourtesyofJayBurnham,Wenhamresident

CitizenEngagementEfforts2015-2017/Ongoing

• WenhamatWorkdepartmentprofiles• WelcometoWenhampacketfornewresidents• Websitecontentupdate• GFOABudgetDocument• CommunityCompact:CitizenEngagementBestPractice• SeeClickFixApp

• Expandedseniorvolunteerprogram• Annualworkshoponlocalgovernmentforgraduatingseniors• CitizensLeadershipAcademy

CitizenEngagementEfforts2018

• Websitere-design• CommunityCompact:CitizenEngagementBestPractice• VisualBudget• ResidentSurvey

• CommunityCompact:ITgrant• Accela CivicPlatformupgrade(e-permitting)

• OpenSpaceandRecreationPlan– survey&forums• AffordableHousingTrustActionPlan– survey&forum• AgeFriendlyCommunityInitiative– survey&forums• Wenham’s375th Anniversarycelebrations

WhyRunaCitizensAcademy?• Opportunityforresidentstolearnaboutservicesandfunctionsofeachdepartmentorboard/committee

• FamiliarizenewresidentswithTownpersonnelandservices

• Providelong-timeresidentswithfreshperspectiveandchancetolearnaboutdifferentareasoftowngovernmentthanwhatthey’vepreviouslyexperienced

• Teachesresidentsaboutvolunteerandleadershipopportunities

GoalsofourAcademy• Increaseparticipationofresidentsinelections,AnnualTownMeeting,andpublichearings

• RecruitvolunteerstoserveonTownboardsandcommittees(electedandappointed)asactivepolicy/decisionmakers

• Createsocialconnectionsbetweencitizensandstaffthatfosterpositiveworkingrelationshipsandinterestintowngovernment

• Enhanceunderstandingofservices,physicalassets,andbenefitsofferedbyeachdepartment,especiallyinthecontextoftheTown’scurrentfinancialsituationandupcomingbudgetprocess

Wenham’sAcademy

• 10weeklysessions• September(lastweek)throughDecember(firstweek)

• 15-18residents• Wednesdays• 6:30– 8:00pm• Variouslocations

WheredoesaCommunityStart?• Selectpointperson• Setasidesmallbudgetforsnacksandfolders• Buildbuy-inwithTownstaffandofficials• Identifyandcommunicategoals

ResourcesforBuildingYourAcademy• CitizensAcademiesProject– UNCSchoolofGvt• Databaseofexistingacademies• https://www.sog.unc.edu/resources/microsites/citizens-academies#!/

• TEDTalk:“TheSecretStructureofGreatTalks”• https://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_duarte_the_secret_structure_of_great_talks/transcript

• Lexington,MA• https://www.lexingtonma.gov/2020-vision-committee/pages/development-lexington-citizens-academy

DevelopingSessionContent• Pointpersonshouldschedule1:1meetingwithDepartmentHeadorCommitteepersonmakingpresentation

• Threeitemsneededfromeachpresenter• Goalsofthepresentation• Activityortour• Mediaormaterials

• Develophandoutsandhavethemreadyforthepointpersontoreferenceastheyprovidesupportduringthesessions

SchedulingSessions• Schedulethesessionsearly– fallsessionsshouldbescheduledwithcommitteemembersandDepartmentHeadsinJulyforalateSeptemberstart

• Alignsomesessionsbytopicarea– suchasTreasurer/CollectorandFinanceDirector,soparticipantsunderstandhowtheyinterconnect

• Planotherswithdissimilartopics– suchasAssessingandPublicWorks,toprovidecontentvarietyandallowback-enddepartmentstobebalancedbymoreeasilyrelatabledepartments

Marketing• BOSmeetings&Townwebsite• Localnewspaper &localcableaccess• Flyersinpostoffice/localbusinesses;withstaffwhointeractwiththepublicregularly(Permitting,TownClerk,COA,Veterans,Library,etc);andatcommunityevents

• Lastyear’sgraduatescanbeyourbestadvocates• Encourageelectedofficialstoinvitepeopletheyknow…andpeopletheydon’t

• Havearesidentyou’veworkedonanissuewiththatyouwouldlovetoseegetmoreinvolved?Sendapersonalnoteoremailofencouragement!

EngagingPresentations• SameMCforeverysession• Videosandtours• Keepitinteractive!• Anonymousquestionbox• Bethejargonpolice• Avoidacronymswithoutexplanations,commonphrasesorshorthandthatresidentswhodon’treadthebudget,attendlandusemeetings,oraren’tregularvolunteersdon’tunderstand.

• Getbacktothebasics• Howdoesthemunicipalwatersystemwork?What’sthedifferencebetweentheAssessorandtheTreasurer?Whatisthe

generalledger?Whenyoustartaproject,whopermitsyoufirst(ZBA?BuildingInspector?PlanningBoard?)?

QuickTipsandTricks• Offersnacks• Utilizevideos&photos• Taketours• Changelocationseveryfewweeks• Employactivitiessuchasmindmaps,mocktownmeetings,andequipmentdemonstrations

• Providehandoutsofallpresentationsforresidentswhowanttofollowalongorwhomissthesession

• Takeattendance• Haveelectronicandhardcopyevaluationformsavailable

FY 1643 Annual Town Report

Part II Warrant for the Mock Town Meeting With Reports and Recommendations Of the Finance & Advisory Committee

Hearing on the Whimsical Warrant

Wednesday, October 5, 2016 BOS Meeting Room at 6:30 pm

Presented by Michael Lucy Chair, Finance & Advisory Committee

Annual Mock Town Meeting

Citizens Academy Wednesday, December 7, 2016

BOS Meeting Room at 6:30 pm Presented by Dianne Bucco, Town Clerk

Trudy Reid, Town Moderator Jackie Bresnahan, Special Projects Assistant

Please bring this Part II with you to the Hearing and Town meeting. Matters to be voted on are false, whimsical, and educational and do not

appear in Part I of the Town Report

ImportanceofFeedback• Multiplestagesoffeedback• Beginning:Understandbackgroundofeachparticipant• Board/Committeemember?Newresident?Involvedinotherorganizations?Whyaretheyhere?

• During:Weeklyevaluationsoneachsession• Goalsofthepresentationmet?Wastheactivity/approachengaging?

• End:Finalevaluationonlogisticsandlastingimpressions• Questionstoask:• Whatdidresidentslearn?Whatweretheysurprisedby?Whatdidtheywantmoretimefor?

• Wastheday/timefeasible?Wasthelengthoftheprogramtooshort/long?Howdidtheylearnabouttheprogram?

FeedbackonourAcademy• Positiveresponses:• Logistics,includinglocationchanges,formatofsessions,day/time,scheduling

• Dedication,knowledge,andenthusiasmofstaffandcommitteememberswhopresented

• Varietyofactivities,tours,videos,etc.ineachsession

• Whatwe’reworkingon:• DaytimeversionfortheCouncilonAging• Moretimeforeachpresentation• Continuingtorefineourpresentationsandhelpingnewstafftodeveloptheirpresentations

TangibleResults• 31residentshavecompletedtheWenhamCLA• 16in2016and15in2017

• 3(soon-to-be4)graduateshavefilledvariousboard/committeevacancies&2graduateshavepulledpapersforthisyear’sAnnualTownElection

• 14werealreadyonboardsorintheseniortaxwork-offprogram• Severalresidentswhousedtovolunteerhave“re-engaged”• Othervaluecreatedbyengagement• Developinglocalchampions• TownMeetingattendanceandparticipation• Connectionsbetweenresidents,staff,andtownofficials• Buildingoutreachlistforotherengagementeffortssuchasforumsandsurveys