Community ready to get engaged
By: Jeffrey Strand 12/01/2007
The Minneapolis Task Force charged with studying Community Engagement delivered its final report to the Minneapolis City Council on November 15. The report contains 36 recommendations, a set of seven “Core Principles of Community Engagement,” along with 10 characteristics of organizations that can receive resources from the city with which to engage the community. Camden News readers may recall (from the September edition) that the task force was appointed by Council President Barbara Johnson in June 2007 to consider recommendations for reforming the city’s formal system for community engagement. The council’s “Track 2” charge to the group included identifying the types of organizations to receive formal recognition or resources from the city, to develop clear sets of reciprocal expectations for these organizations and the city, to describe connection points between the city and community organizations, to develop alternatives for an improved organizational structure to support the connections, and to delineate the official support necessary for the success of this organizational structure.
The task force recommendations included allocation of resources and staff to administer adopted NRP Neighborhood Action Plans and contracts beyond 2009, creation of a resident-based Commission of Community Engagement, and recommends the city communicates with both geographic and non-geographic community organizations about community engagement processes. Complete Task Force findings and recommendations are too lengthy to include in this article, but are available at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/communications/CETaskForce_home.asp.
The report and findings were presented by Community Engagement Coordinator Jennifer (Amundson) Lastoka, a Shingle Creek resident, and Task Force Co-chair Matt Perry, who serves as East Harriet Farmstead Neighborhood Association President. Nine council members attended the committee meeting, while four were absent attending to other city business. Mayor Rybak was absent, attending to negotiations with Governor Pawlenty regarding the need for a special legislative session to address local government aid, but the administration was represented by Mayoral Aide Cara Letofsky and City Coordinator Steven Bosacker. Council members voted 9-0 to receive the Community Engagement report and approved adoption of the seven Minneapolis Core Principles of Community Engagement: Right to be involved; Contribution will be thoughtfully considered; Recognize the needs of all; Seek out involvement; Participants design participation; Adequate information; and Known effect of participation. The next step is consideration by the full City Council, likely to occur at its December 7 meeting.
The 21-member task force included representatives from neighborhood organizations, cultural organizations, business associations, community development corporations, issue-focused organizations, block clubs, at-large residents, along with a community engagement innovator and a civic participation advocate. Non-voting participants included Task Force Co-chair and Council Vice-President Robert Lilligren and Council Members Diane Hofstede and Cam Gordon. The facilitation of the task force was performed by the consultant firm GrayHall (Karen Gray and Nora Hall). Camden residents may contact the Communications Department, Community Engagement Coordinator at 612-673-3163 or Community.Engagement@ ci.minneapolis.mn.us for information about the final report or process.
Editor’s Note: Jeff Strand served as a neighborhood representative on the CE Task Force.