Abstract:
Public process is the method by which agencies most directly measure the pulse of the customers they serve, and by which the public has its most direct opportunity to make its voice heard. It can be used to help evaluate specific project concepts, such as traffic calming options for a neighborhood, or used to set broad policy directions, such as determining the best course for community planning decisions. At its best, public process allows public officials to genuinely understand and respond to the clearly expressed interests of the community. At its worst, it conjures images of unruly groups unfairly attacking the misunderstood city official. It is difficult to conduct effective public process; this is why many professionals have negative experiences and dread the thought of “neighborhood meetings”. The City of Kirkland uses public process extensively in a range of transportation related settings. Through this experience, the city has had the opportunity to discover what kinds of process works best and how to avoid common pitfalls. The paper offers six hints or principles for better processes. Each is illustrated with examples from actual field work. The principles are universal enough to be readily transferable to other jurisdictions and are useful in any situation where public process is needed. The six hints are: 1. Define a clear process – people like to know what to expect; 2. Allow venting – this must be done before progress can be made to a solution; 3. Remain interest oriented – positional arguments often cloud the real issues; 4. Push the process down – let the community own the solution; 5. Notify everybody about everything often – thorough communication builds trust; 6. Be flexible – protect your interests but be willing to let the group find a solution that may be unexpected.
