Agenda Packets - 2015/09/08 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

City of Mounds View Memo To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Desaree Crane, Assistant City Administrator Date: September 3, 2015 Item Title/Subject: Supplemental Information for September 8, 2015 Work Session – Item 05 Discuss Community Events and Engagement Planning Commissioner Julianne Love met with me to discuss ways for better communications between Mounds View residents and City Staff to assist in better community relations on a variety of issues facing area neighborhoods. Ms. Love shared information with me on an organization called Everyday Democracy (information attached). The mission of this organization is to help communities develop their own ability to solve problems by exploring ways for all kinds of people to think, talk, and work together to create positive change. This organization works with neighborhoods, cities, and states, helping them pay particular attention to how racism and ethnic differences affect the problems they address. Everyday Democracy can provide training and tools to help assist the City in organizing dialogue groups to help address neighborhood issues they are facing. The City of St. Paul developed district councils in 1975. These are independent organizations that ensure community participation. The mission of this community participation process is to facilitate effective, informed, and representative participation of neighborhoods in government and self-help initiatives, and to provide a channel for communication with elected officials, city staff, and other government agencies. These district councils are not city employees. Each district council is composed of volunteers elected primarily by residents. Attached for your reference is the St. Paul District Council System Overview. During past Work Sessions and City Council Meetings, the City Council discussed volunteer opportunities and discussed ways to achieve better community engagement. Please keep in mind if the City Council is open to the idea “district councils”, then this would require significant staff time to implement, and may require additional hiring of staff. The cities of Roseville, Inver Grove Heights and West St. Paul (to name a few) have a Volunteer Coordinator on staff to help facilitate volunteer programs. Ms. Love wanted to share this information and her ideas to the City Council. It is Ms. Love’s intention to discuss these ideas during the September 8, 2015, City Council Work Session. Sincerely, ____________________ Desaree Crane