City Commission Policy 122 - Neighborhood Outreach Policy
DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood and Community Services
DATE ADOPTED: November 13, 1984
DATE OF LAST REVISION: December 16, 1992
122.01 AUTHORITY: Approved by the City Commission.
122.02 PURPOSE: To help neighborhoods receive needed available City Services; strengthen self-help efforts; promote understanding of government programs, procedures and activities that affect the stability of neighborhoods; and to develop, when possible, solutions to problems caused by City Government policies, procedures, and/or ordinances. To encourage the formation of neighborhood organizations and their involvement in the governmental decision-making process.
122.03 SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY: These guidelines apply to the establishment and operation of the Neighborhood Outreach Program, the responsibilities of departmental staff and the rights of the neighborhood associations.
122.04 RESPONSIBILITY:
A. Community Relations Office: The Community Relations Officer shall have overall responsibility of the Neighborhood Outreach Program. The Program will be administered by the Neighborhood Affairs Coordinator.
- To serve as the primary liaison between neighborhood organizations, the City administration and the City Commission.
- To act as a conduit for information between neighborhoods and City Government.
- To provide timely information to neighborhoods and a means of exchanging and sharing of ideas among neighborhood groups and the City.
- To work cooperatively with neighborhood groups toward the attainment of neighborhood goals and to encourage the participation of all citizens in the municipal government process.
- To assist neighborhood groups in gaining better awareness of and access to the carious City services, the budget process, and the available resources for neighborhood planning and development.
- To provide a structure for community involvement in the co production of such public programs as neighborhood crime watch, beautification and clean-up programs, and for early detection of problems with City services.
- To ensure that neighborhoods are notified in ample time to allow participation in the decision-making process of proposed changes in City policies, design of projects, services, and activities having a significant effect on their neighborhoods.
- To offer assistance to groups in forming a neighborhood association and defining the boundaries of their organization.
B. City Departments:
- To provide a department liaison to the Community Relations Office to assist in resolving neighborhood concerns related to departmental services or programs.
- To ensure the Community Relations Office is notified of proposed changes in departmental policies, projects, services, and activities having a significant effect on neighborhoods in ample time to allow participation by the neighborhood associations in the decision-making process.
- To provide technical support at neighborhood meetings when proposed changes in policies, projects, services and activities are presented for citizen input.
- To provide information to the Community Relations Office on services and programs for distribution of articles to neighborhood associations for inclusion in association newsletters.
- To provide speakers for neighborhood meetings to promote a better understanding of City government operations and services.
122.05 EFFECTIVE DATE: This policy became effective November 13, 1984. Revised December 28, 1992.
122.06 RESPONSIBLE AGENCY: The City Manager shall make amendments as required for the purpose of keeping this policy complete and up-to-date.