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September 19, 2012 <br />Item 7.b <br />Civic Engagement Task Force <br />RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVED CIVIC ENGAGEMENT <br />1) Integrate Citizen Engagement into City Hall Culture <br />1.1 Policy Intent or Practice: The city should work to enrich and strengthen civic <br />engagement at city hall, and encourage employees and elected officials to appreciate civic <br />engagement as an asset. <br />Rationale: Demonstrating a commitment to civic engagement dispels public cynicism and <br />connects citizens more closely to their government, while also allowing them more <br />resources for authentic grass roots neighborhood planning and community building. <br />We recommend the City <br />a) Continue its practice of forming resident taskforces to assess significant issues and <br />make recommendations to the city council or city manager. In particular, consider <br />establishing a residents' task force to assess and make recommendations regarding <br />the transparency and accessibility of the Council's budgeting process. <br />a. Make the budget process more transparent and understandable to residents, and <br />utilize other resources such as a Roseville U course on budgeting, neighborhood <br />workshops, and /or webinars to engage residents in budgeting well before the <br />budget is finalized. (Also see Recommendation 6.1 d., below.) <br />b. See Edina Civic Engagement web page Public Participation in the Budgeting <br />Process. <br />b) Host two or three general community meetings per year in various locations (outside <br />of city hall) to talk with citizens about issues of concern, update citizens on upcoming <br />events and development proposals, and build trusting relationships within the <br />community. We encourage the city to seek cosponsors for such meetings if there are <br />neighborhood associations in those areas. <br />c) Recognize and reach out to the changing demographics of Roseville (increasing <br />communities of color, aging population, and other marginalized groups) in order to <br />understand how best to keep them informed and involved. <br />d) Sponsor an annual training /conference on the latest trends, technologies and tools <br />used to engage citizens. City staff and residents should jointly plan and publicize the <br />event, and be encouraged to participate. <br />2) Increase Effective Public Participation in City Council and Commissions <br />2.1 Policy Intent or Practice: The city should foster public participation at both the council <br />and commission level. <br />We recommend the City: <br />September 12, 2012, Penultimate Draft 1.2 8 <br />