• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact
Monday, March 27, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTERS
Dana Point Times
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On DP
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • DP Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • DP Surf
    • San Clemente Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of DP
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classified
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
    • Legal Notices
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Best of Dana Point
    • Crib to College
    • Dana Point Trolley Information & Route Map
    • Dolphin Football Preview
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Home Improvement Guide
    • Money Matters
    • Ocean Institute Jazz Festival Fundraiser
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Turkey Trot Event Guide
  • DP Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On DP
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • DP Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • DP Surf
    • San Clemente Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of DP
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classified
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
    • Legal Notices
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Best of Dana Point
    • Crib to College
    • Dana Point Trolley Information & Route Map
    • Dolphin Football Preview
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Home Improvement Guide
    • Money Matters
    • Ocean Institute Jazz Festival Fundraiser
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Turkey Trot Event Guide
  • DP Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
No Result
View All Result
Dana Point Times
No Result
View All Result

Guest Opinion: Council’s Corner: City Government Needs Community Engagement

by Dana Point Times
June 9, 2017 6:45AM
in Opinion Columns, SOAPBOX
Guest Opinion: Council’s Corner by Paul Wyatt: Doheny Village Plan, Form-Based Codes and Expectations

Mayor Pro-Tem, Paul Wyatt

0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Mayor Pro-Tem Paul Wyatt

When I decided to run for Dana Point City Council, one of my campaign promises was to give a voice to the residents; to be their representative to city government. Accomplishing this goal requires great two-way communications with a broad cross-section of the residents. As I approach six months in office, I’m learning that keeping this promise is more difficult than expected. I’ve had many discussions with my fellow council members and with city staff where decisions could have benefited by a better understanding of the residents’ priorities.

The Institute for Local Government encourages cities to move from community communications to community engagement; to effectively involve the community in priorities and policies. Online technologies can allow residents to provide input at their convenience and make it possible to reach diverse audiences. A broader audience provides a broader perspective that better represent the larger community. A small number of residents are very involved in city government, they attend Council meetings or watch them online, speak to or email the Councilmembers and provide feedback. These interactions, while helpful and appreciated, provide a very limited perspective that we in government must work to broaden.

As the city of Dana Point enters Fiscal Year 2018 on July 1, the City Council has directed the city staff to initiate a priority-based budgeting process. A key input to this is a poll of the residents. It is the intent of the city to repeat this poll every two years so priorities can be adjusted at each budget cycle. For this to be as effective as possible the polls need to reach all residents and the residents need to believe that participating in the polls is worthwhile. This is one tool that the city hopes will result in a sustained engagement with its residents.

Community engagement relies on and promotes better informed participants. Traditionally cities have relied on the news media for their communication with residents and today this is still largely true. City web sites contain event information and meeting minutes for those specifically seeking this information but do not publish information to a broad audience. The Western Cities Magazine, June 2017 article titled “10 Changes Shaping Local Government Communications,” states that cities can “no longer rely on the media to interpret and distribute our organization’s news and perspectives.” Technology now provides cities, and everyone else, direct, unfiltered, immediate access to their audiences. But tools and access only provide the opportunity; transparency, accuracy, and authenticity are essential to overcome skepticism and truly engage our residents.

Once trust is established, the city can provide essential information with appropriate levels of detail to better inform residents. Whether the audience likes the message or not, trust is built by trustworthy, relevant communications.

When all segments of our community are engaged in key public decisions and the decision-makers’ choices are driven by their best sense of the public’s interest, I’ll feel that I have achieved my campaign promise…but not until!

Share this:

  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
Tags: City BudgetCity CouncilCity financesCouncil's CornerDana Point City Councilfinancespaul wyatt
ShareTweetPin

Dana Point Times

Related Posts

Planning Commission

Council Fills Three Open Planning Commission Seats

March 22, 2023
CUSD Superintendent

CUSD Trustees Certify District Financial Report

March 16, 2023
Planning Commission Approves Short-Term Rental Program

UPDATE: Council Approves Permit Fees for HOA Restrictions on STRs

March 9, 2023
Planning Commission Approves Short-Term Rental Program

Dana Point to Enact STR Program Inside, Outside Coastal Zone

February 8, 2023
Next Post

Sheriff's Blotter: Ding, Dong Ditch

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

DP Times Daily
Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Subscriptions
Don’t get the DP Times delivered to your home? Subscribe today.

Advertising
Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Advertise with us.

Support Local Journalism
For less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee a month, become an “Insider” member and continue to get “Local News You Can Use” from the only independently owned, dedicated local news organization in South Orange County.

Contribute today.

Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network.

  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Dana Point Times
  • San Clemente Times
  • The Capistrano Dispatch
  • DP Chamber Directory

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On DP
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • DP Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • DP Surf
    • San Clemente Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of DP
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classified
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
    • Legal Notices
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Best of Dana Point
    • Crib to College
    • Dana Point Trolley Information & Route Map
    • Dolphin Football Preview
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Home Improvement Guide
    • Money Matters
    • Ocean Institute Jazz Festival Fundraiser
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Turkey Trot Event Guide
  • DP Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.