Comprehensive Citizen Involvement / Public Relations Programs

Introduction
Public Involvement/Public Relations Plans and Guides
Coordinated Programs with Help of Public Information Officer or Team

Cities and counties should consciously develop comprehensive programs for involving citizens and "telling the story" about what local government offers. The best programs will include staff training (for staff from all departments) to assure that daily contacts with citizens are positive. Local governments may further benefit from creating an office or team to ensure a coordinated effort. Local governments can and should make use of techniques from the marketing world but must focus on delivering an honest message. Efforts to manipulate or co-op citizen support, without addressing priority citizen needs, will only increase distrust in government.

Public Involvement/Public Relations Policies, Plans, and Guides to Guide Government Officials and Staff

City of Bellingham, WA - Public Involvement Needs Assessment (), prepared for the City of Bellingham, Final Report December 2006. Includes study results and consultant recommendations.
Tacoma WA - Public Relations Plan ()- Plan for an information campaign to "tell Tacoma's story."
Spokane, WA - Community Development Citizen Participation Plan, 2008.
Walla Walla, WA - Communications Program - Resolution 93-39 () Work program launches comprehensive, multi-department effort to improve communications; includes objectives, steps, measures.
How to Participate: Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan - Web site highlights 6 easy ways to get involved, including the creative Meeting -in-a-Box technique that was also successfully employed in an earlier Spokane, WA planning effort. Includes link to Making Austin: Public Participation in a New Comprehensive Plan, 2009.
Portland, OR - Public Involvement Planning Guide, Portland (OR) Metro - Guide for departments to develop public involvement plans including forms that aid staff in thinking through an involvement plan.
Billings, MT - Citizen Participation Plan, 2010 - Committed effort to involve diverse interests in a HUD consolidated plan process.
Corvallis, OR - Comprehensive Communications Plan, 2007 - Brief but excellent summation of goals, strategies, key messages and action program to proactively tell (the city's) own story.
Minneapolis, MN - Community Engagement (CE) Process Model Guidebook (), 2006 - Encourages departments to develop more meaningful, efficient and cost-effective community engagement activities, and to evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts
Public Participation Strategies Final Plan () - Vigo County (OH) Comprehensive Plan Public Meeting for December 2004 - Proposed early and continuous citizen participation process.
Ashland, OR - Citizen Participation Plan, 2000 - Useful outline of principles, staff and officials roles and responsibilities, and steps to guide the public involvement process.
Public Participation Plan for Ozaukee County's Multi-Jurisdictional Comprehensive Planning Effort () - Effective brochure summarizing public plan and involvement opportunities for comprehensive planning effort.

Coordinated Programs with Help of Public Information Office or Team

Pierce County, WA - Department of Communications - Including department role description, media policy, sample ad campaigns, 24-hour access line.
Richland, WA - Community Information, Public Information Office - Including community newsletter, CityView Cable TV, school and community education program, speakers' bureau and city facility tours.
Snohomish County, WA - Communications & Public Involvement - Communications office within Public Works Department.
Clark County, WA - Public Information & Outreach - Contact point for information, neighborhood outreach program, speakers' bureau.
Clark County, NV - Office of Public Communications - Description of communication office services and responsibilities.
Multnomah County, OR - Office of Citizen Involvement - Citizen involvement committee, budget forums, citizen feedback to departments about operations, diversity training and other two way communications programs.
Corvallis, OR - Public Outreach - Communications plan and descriptions of programs to share information with citizens, including newsletter, Council Comment Corner, annual citizen attitude survey, 24-hour City Hall, neighborhood meetings and city service guide.
Corvallis, OR - Citizen Involvement Committee - Committee formed to facilitate citizen involvement in all phases of land use planning and decision making.
Portland, OR - Metro Committee for Citizen Involvement - Portland (OR) Metro - Advisory committee advises on improving citizen involvement efforts.