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Municipal Research News - Ethics in Government
Ethics in Government
Getting the Word Out
Opinion polls and a growing docket of initiatives indicate that citizens do not feel that local officials listen to them, or that they have significant influence on community decisions. Government officials may need new tools for better gauging and understanding the preferences and needs of constituents in increasingly diverse communities. Polls also indicate that the average citizen is acutely aware of government shortcomings, but far less conscious of the day-to-day benefits government provides. The message about government failures has been more vigorously promoted than the story of its successes and of the services it offers. Cities and counties need to be more vocal about the value of government and the mutual responsibility of all citizens to make it work.
Our communities are increasingly made up of diverse groups that have diverse interests and that obtain information in different ways. The most effective community involvement programs use a combination of approaches to reach a cross section of citizens. A rapidly changing world and new technology offer new opportunities for quick and cost-effective ways to get out information. Busy schedules mean that citizens will appreciate convenient, comfortable, and quick ways to stay informed about government services and community issues. Citizens may also enjoy combining the responsibility of staying informed with the opportunity for social interaction and even a little fun! Local governments should make an effort to get out information about accomplishments as well as what's going on.
We are including here a few examples of local government approaches for "getting the word out." You may see additional examples on our web page at http://www.mrsc.org/Subjects/Governance/Participation/Effective.aspx.
Convenient, Comfortable Settings and Informal Meeting Formats
Bellevue Crossroads Mini City Hall - The Crossroads Mini City Hall is a neighborhood-based customer service center, offering personal assistance, information, and referral to the people of Bellevue's most diverse and densely populated neighborhood. Located inside Crossroads Shopping Center, the facility emphasizes quality customer service as well as outreach and education programs specific to community needs. The service center is a fully-equipped satellite office, staffed by a coordinator and community volunteers from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. They have volunteer interpreters/translators in Armenian, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Bengali, Hindi, and Urdu who provide services at various times during the week. See Neighborhood Outreach--Crossroads Mini City Hall.
Speakers Bureaus and Presentations to Existing Groups
Clark County Speakers Bureau - The speakers bureau program offers experienced, informative speakers ready to talk with citizens about important county issues and projects. The web site lists speakers by topic or by department. The topics list covers topics from animals to youth and includes subjects as diverse as domestic violence, the Endangered Species Act, noxious plants, and voting, to name just a few. See http://www.clark.wa.gov/speakers/index.html.
Reaching Citizens Through Technology
Yakima Community Television (YCTV ) and Yakima Public Affairs Channel (Y-PAC) - YCTV is Yakima's Public Access TV channel. Community members can learn how to produce TV programs at the YCTV production facility and then see their finished programs air. The diversity of YCTV programs mirrors the diversity of thought, philosophy, culture, and interests of the Yakima area. The web site provides information on how a citizen may produce his/her own TV show.
Y-PAC is Yakima's Government Access TV channel. Y-PAC provides unedited local public affairs events and issues. The election coverage includes interviews with candidates, issues forums, and live election night coverage. See http://www.ci.yakima.wa.us/services/yctv/.
Reaching Citizens Through Web Sites
Scottsdale, Arizona, Citizen and Neighborhood Resources - This web page contains useful information geared to residents with the purpose of creating collaborative relationships and partnerships among citizens, groups, and local government.
The Citizen and Neighborhood Resources is a service department for citizens, with services that include code enforcement, outreach, education, communication, and customer service on a variety of levels. The department works primarily out in the community to communicate with citizens to understand their needs, and then takes that information back to the city government to improve all city services.
One of this department's programs is the Neighborhood Notification Program. Once a neighborhood is registered with the city, a designated neighborhood contact will receive direct, accurate, and timely information about projects or issues affecting that neighborhood. With this information, the neighbors may participate effectively in providing input to the city on projects and issues from a neighborhood perspective. See http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/departments/deptDetail.asp?deptID=29.
Citizen Guides, Brochures and Orientations
Citizen Participation Guide, Clark County WA - This web site stresses the importance of citizen involvement in striking a balance between the interests of the community as a whole and those who have a special stake in a particular issue. It encourages citizens to become actively involved in their government so that decisions can better reflect the will of the people. This site offers a concise guide on how citizens may participate in shaping government policies, programs, and decisions and where to get pertinent information. See http://www.clark.wa.gov/citizen-guide/index.html.
Newsletters, Newspaper Columns, Flyers, Displays and Media Campaigns
"City Currents Newsletter," Des Moines, WA - The newsletter is available in both print and electronic form. Their web page provides current newsletter information and the ability to search past newsletters. See http://66.175.4.144/artman/publish/.
Civic Education for Youth
Kidsville - City of Rockville, MD - These kid-friendly web pages are designed to educate kids about their local government, the environment, and the community. See http://www.rockvillemd.gov/residents/kidsville/homepage.html.
Citizen Education
Citizen Academy (Police) - Renton,WA - This free academy is designed to educate Renton residents and business merchants in how their police department operates. Included in the academy are an optional ride-along with a patrol officer, tours of the 911 dispatch center, police department, and jail. A variety of classes are offered, including classes in bike patrol, animal control, K-9 units, local gangs, narcotics investigations, use of force, and many others. See http://www.rentonwa.gov/police/citacad.htm.
Effective communication and citizen involvement entail more than just "getting the word out." Also important is getting feedback from your citizens on "how you are doing," involving citizens in community improvements, communicating about government spending so citizens know "what they are getting for their money," and communicating about available government services so citizens know "what's in it for them." For information on these subjects and more, see our web page at http://www.mrsc.org/Subjects/Governance/Participation/Participation.aspx.
Keeping citizens informed about local government issues and encouraging them to become actively involved will help make government more of a partnership. This partnership will hopefully build greater understanding and trust between local governments and the citizens they serve.
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