February 24, 2004

SUBJECT: Update on Council Outreach to the Community

REPORT IN BRIEF

In January 2002 Council approved a City Council community outreach program, proposed by then-Councilmember Howe, to encourage resident input in city governance and enable councilmembers to be better informed of community member and neighborhood concerns. While the program was well received in its first year with eight associations requesting Councilmembers' attendance, its popularity declined significantly in 2003. However, in 2003 Council held eleven community outreach meetings on the City's budget crisis.

Due to the amount of preparation required, the cost for the 2003 budget outreach meetings was significantly higher than the cost for the current Mayor's outreach to neighborhoods meetings.  The cost for eight Mayor's outreach to neighborhoods meetings, which is the number estimated for 2004, is approximately $2,000 and is included in the FY03/04 and FY04/05 operating budgets.

Because Council visits are well received by the community and are a low-cost way to provide community members with a forum for dialogue with Councilmembers, staff recommends Council continue the Council outreach program.

BACKGROUND

In January 2002 Council approved a City Council community outreach program, proposed by then-Councilmember Howe, to encourage community member input in city governance and enable councilmembers to be better informed of resident and neighborhood concerns.  As part of this program, Council members participated in eight of these types of community meetings in 2002: five neighborhood association meetings, and three community outreach meetings.  A formal update on the program was provided to Council in February 2003.  This RTC reviews the program since then. While the Council outreach to associations program waned in 2003, since January 2004 it has regained popularity, particularly at the neighborhood level.  In January, the Mayor launched the Mayor's outreach to neighborhoods program, wherein the Mayor, another Councilmember, and a Planning Commissioner visit a neighborhood association meeting.

EXISTING POLICY

Goal 7.2A Achieve a community in which citizens are informed about local issues and City programs and services.

Policy 7.2A.1 Use community and business organizations and networks as a resource for community education and outreach.

Policy 7.2B.3 Support local neighborhood organizations and strengthen contacts between the City and community groups.

Policy 7.2C.5 Provide opportunities for community input and monitor feedback.

DISCUSSION

While the Council outreach to the community program was well received in 2002 with eight associations requesting Councilmembers' attendance, its popularity declined significantly in 2003. In 2003 Council was invited to attend two meetings of associations: the Downtown Businesses Association, and a meeting of the City's employee associations. In addition, however, Council held eleven community outreach meetings on the City's budget crisis. The table in Attachment A identifies the meetings that were held in 2003, attendance at each meeting, and associated staff time. 

After the Council's series of community budget outreach meetings, no subsequent requests were received from associations for visits from councilmembers. Staff provided frequent reminders to neighborhood association officers, placed an ad in the Summer Quarterly Report, and posted a recurring banner on the City's web site.

Budget Outreach Meetings

The Council held eleven budget outreach meetings in 2003. As indicated in Attachment A, these meetings were not generally well-attended, and required significant staff time to develop publicity, secure facilities, coordinate televising, prepare councilmember presentations, and do the follow-up needed to address community members' concerns.  Despite limited attendance, however, the budget outreach meetings did provide community members with step-by-step updates on the budget reduction process, and direct access to councilmembers in venues that were geographically distributed throughout the city. Additionally, the meetings were replayed several times on KSUN.  The budget meetings concluded in June 2003.

Publicity for all meetings included:

• issuing a press release,
• noting the meetings on the Community Calendar located on the City's Web site,
• making an announcement at Council meetings,
• placing flyers at highly visible City locations (library, senior center, City Hall, Columbia Neighborhood Center),
• posting meeting information on KSUN,
• placing a banner ad on the City's web site,
• placing a listing in the Quarterly Report, and
• placing one paid advertisement listing all meetings in The San Jose Mercury News' Guide. 

Council Outreach in 2004

Since January 2004 the Council outreach program has regained popularity at the neighborhood level.  In January the Mayor launched the Mayor's Outreach to Neighborhoods program, wherein the Mayor, another Councilmember, and a Planning Commissioner visit a neighborhood association meeting. At the time this report was written, six of the city's eleven active neighborhood associations, and one community association, are already participating.  The estimated staff time required for each of these types of meetings is approximately five hours, including: consulting with association leaders, coordinating dates with neighborhood associations and council calendars, inviting designated councilmembers and planning commissioners, developing and distributing press releases, developing Council meeting announcements, KSUN slides, attending the meetings, and thank you letters. Issue preparation or follow-up is not included in this staff time estimate. 

FISCAL IMPACT

The cost of staff time for eight Council outreach to associations meetings per year is approximately $2,000, and is included in the FY03/04 Community Outreach program budget.

PUBLIC CONTACT

Public contact was made through the posting of the Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, posting of the agenda and report on the City’s web page, publication of the Council agenda in the San Jose Mercury News, and the availability of the report in the Library and the City Clerk’s Office.

ALTERNATIVES

1. Council directs staff to continue the Council outreach program.

2. Council directs staff to discontinue the Council outreach program.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends Alternative #1, continue the Council outreach program.

Prepared by:

Coryn Campbell
Manager, Neighborhood and Community Services

Approved by:

Amy Chan
Acting City Manager

Attachments

A. 2003 Council Outreach Meetings