Traditional role: council set policy; manager implement and administer policy. (Some overlap) Studies show that members of City Councils are concentrating.

Traditional role: council set policy; Traditional role: council set policy; manager implement and administer manager implement and administer policy. (Some overlap)policy. (Some overlap)

Studies show that members of City Studies show that members of City Councils are concentrating more on Councils are concentrating more on short term issues and constituent short term issues and constituent advocacy.advocacy.

Councils expecting Mayors and City Councils expecting Mayors and City Managers to focus on establishing Managers to focus on establishing Mission and Long Term Goals.Mission and Long Term Goals.

Role change leads to tension between Role change leads to tension between manager and elected representatives.manager and elected representatives.

Role of City Council is fulfilling the public interest: :

outcomes best serving the long term well being of the public.

Taking actions that allow future generations to have the same quality of life that we enjoy today.

Based on public values; citizen rights and benefits; citizen obligations to state and one another; shaped by interaction and dialogue

Two roles followed by elected officials:

Trustee-Make policy decisions on what you Trustee-Make policy decisions on what you consider to be in the interest of the whole consider to be in the interest of the whole electorate.electorate. May or may not represent a majority May or may not represent a majority

opinion of the population.opinion of the population. Address the public interest or common Address the public interest or common

good; what is in best interest of whole.good; what is in best interest of whole. Public judges through election.Public judges through election.

Delegate-Make policy decisions in the Delegate-Make policy decisions in the interest of what is believed as popular interest of what is believed as popular opinion.opinion. Typically based on those who show up Typically based on those who show up

at meetings. Those who interact with at meetings. Those who interact with members of council. members of council.

Does not represent the public interest.Does not represent the public interest.

Public SafetyPublic Safety Police Police FireFire

Public ServicesPublic Services Parks and RecreationParks and Recreation Senior ProgramsSenior Programs Public WorksPublic Works

Streets, storm water ,street lighting, Streets, storm water ,street lighting, Signals etc, etc.Signals etc, etc.

EngineeringEngineering Code EnforcementCode Enforcement Building Permitting & InspectionBuilding Permitting & Inspection Public UtilitiesPublic Utilities

Water, wastewater, electricWater, wastewater, electric Community-Economic DevelopmentCommunity-Economic Development OtherOther

How do we establish policy that How do we establish policy that reflects the public interest? reflects the public interest? Do those few who show up at Do those few who show up at

meetings become the Public? meetings become the Public?

Our system of involving public in Our system of involving public in public policy is reactionary.public policy is reactionary. Public comment after agenda items Public comment after agenda items

or general public commentor general public comment

We formulate the basics of public We formulate the basics of public policy and then ask the public to policy and then ask the public to make comment.make comment.

Current process is not sustainable Current process is not sustainable for long term success, or identifying for long term success, or identifying the public interestthe public interest

Some new ideas for public Some new ideas for public participationparticipation Web based interactive meetings-social media 21st century town meetings –America Speaks Governance Councils.

Deliberative polling-representative sampling, community forums.

Citizen assemblies-World Café’ Citizen based budgets-strategic planning

Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning A tool for policy leadership that engages

citizens, community leaders, city council in identifying a common vision for where the City wants to be in the future, and establishes the most important strategies, & performance indicators the City must accomplish to obtain that common vision.

Citizens must be integrated into plan formulation; multiple entry points.

Policy must reflect plan.

Plan must be integrated into City budget.

I may be contacted at mabels@ mail.ucf.eduI may be contacted at mabels@ mail.ucf.edu