Agenda Packets - 2015/08/03 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC • 1 March 2014 1 Introduction Bloomington residents, businesses and other organizations have been active in sustainability, recycling, composting and other solid waste issues and expect opportunities to continue to partner with the City in each aspect of the solid waste planning and implementation. There are many individuals, organizations and private companies that are keenly interested in the development of the Solid Waste Management Plan (“Plan”). The City of Bloomington is committed to quality local decision making and community building, and therefore practices community engagement. Community engagement asks for the active involvement of residents and businesses at the earliest stages in a project, rather than merely participating in a public hearing just before a final decision is made. Engagement asks residents, in a variety of forms and venues, for advice and input on a topic the City is studying, before the problem solving is complete. Research has shown that effective resident engagement can foster a sense of community, engender trust, enhance creative problem solving, build consensus and increase support for community projects. This is especially important for municipal decisions that will affect the entire community and which will have long-standing effects. Residents often have information that officials want in order to design a sound program. The City of Bloomington is soliciting input and feedback from all concerned parties and interest groups through a wide variety of outreach tools. The City Council is scheduled to consider adoption of this Plan only after hearing from the Bloomington public and providing ample opportunities for comment and input. The City has assigned the development of the Plan to a Bloomington Project Management (Team PMT) including staff from the Department of Public Works (PW) and Community Development/Environmental Health. Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC (Consultant) was hired to assist in the community engagement process and to draft the Plan. As part of the PMT, the Consultant is charged with first listening and gathering information from affected parties, including City Council and City staff, and then drafting the Plan document for public review and comment. This Community Engagement Report (Report) documents the recent methods and results used by the City to engage interested parties. All public comments received to-date through January 31, 2014 are catalogued and addressed by this Report. Additional comments will continue to be received up through the public hearing on the draft Plan. The public hearing is tentatively scheduled for April 21, 2014 pending City Council authorization.