News - CE Report - Community Engagement report coming soon

    Track 1 included the implementation of consensus recommendations for immediate improvements to the City’s community engagement system.  Track 3 (the Work Plan) was described as determining the focus, funding and governance of NRP Program and Action Plan Activities after 2009.  In Track 3, the City Council is in the October 2007 time period to convene a “policy discussion with joint-powers partners to determine the focus, funding and governance of NRP after 2009” and in December 2007 to “jointly frame and adopt 2008 NRP legislative strategy.”  Camden News readers may recall the topic of NRP future funding was given to a previous task force established in June 2005 by the NRP Policy Board. That task force reported its findings in April 2006, including a recommendation that the city eliminate $16.7 million in Common Project payments to the “Legacy Fund” for 2006-2009 as a single step to restore NRP funding to the levels projected in 2004.

    Among the 22 voting participants on the task force were six representatives from neighborhood organizations, four representatives from cultural organizations, four representatives from business associations or community development corporations, and two at-large and two block club representatives. Non-voting participants included Council Members Lilligren, Hofstede and Gordon, Mayor Rybak’s aide Cara Letofsky, and staff resource people.  The project has been coordinated by the City’s Community Engagement Coordinator and soon-to-be Camden resident Jennifer Amundson.

    The task force report had not been finalized at the time Camden News went to press.  The body has developed draft “Core Principles of Community Engagement” modeled after those of the International Association for Public Participation (www.iap2.org). A matrix comparing features of community engagement systems from other jurisdictions across the U.S. was prepared by city staff for the group’s consideration. Downtown Journal reported about the Task Force in its July 23 edition.  Complete Task Force meeting minutes and process information are available at http://www.ci.minneapolis. mn.us/communications/CETaskForce_Minutes.asp or contact the Communications Department, Community Engagement Coordinator at 612-673-3163.  Camden residents should watch for the release of the Task Force report and the opportunity for community review and feedback during September-October.