DEPARTMENT: Government & Public Affairs
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Jeff Coyle
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All
SUBJECT: A resolution adopting Public Participation Guiding Principles for the City of San Antonio.
SUMMARY:
Approval of a resolution adopting a set of guiding principles to enhance public participation in the City of San Antonio.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In February 2018, City Councilwoman Ana Sandoval filed a Council Consideration Request to develop principles and standards for each City campaign to follow in order to create consistency, clear expectations and ample opportunity for the public to provide input prior to Council action. The CCR and the recommended guiding principles went before the Governance Committee in June 2018 and the Community Health & Equity Committee received an update on November 26, 2018.
The City's Government & Public Affairs Department (GPA), which oversees communications and City-wide campaigns on behalf of the organization, led the effort to respond to the CCR through the following scope of work:
1. Assessing current public participation techniques utilized by departments
2. Convening a cross-departmental working group to establish guiding principles
3. Researching best practices
4. Reviewing and making recommendations to improve the Citizens to be Heard process
5. Developing a tool for updating the community on specific issues
The City defines public participation as "any process that obtains and considers public input in a decision prior to taking action." Public participation is a two-way communication with the goal of engaging stakeholders in the decision-making process. Public participation campaigns differ from public awareness and education campaigns, which do not include the opportunity for the public to influence the decision or outcome of a policy, program or action. However, both campaign types utilize various marketing and public relations tactics to promote and...
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