Engaged Community and Responsive Government

 Definition: Includes involvement of citizens in the community, volunteering, neighborhood participation, responsiveness of government organizations to citizen input, and the connection between government and the people

What the community said:

• "Greater opportunities for real participation in planning and the decision making process; When people feel that their opinions don't count, it is a source of frustration and alienation."
• "Better communication between government and the people they serve."
• "Approach urban problems on a metro level, not in a costly, divided fashion."
• "Town halls in all the communities around Tucson would give the elected officials an idea of what the community wants to happen."
• "Nurture vibrant neighborhood associations with written communications and monthly meetings."

City Department/Office Support for this Goal:

• Agenda – working closely with Mayor and Council, city staff, other governmental agencies, and citizens to ensure that issues, concerns and emergencies are scheduled properly
• Citizen and Neighborhood Services – overseeing interdepartment Neighborhood Enhancement Teams, which work directly with neighborhoods to deliver needed city services
• Independent Police Auditor – promoting citizen awareness of the citizen complaint process and responding to citizen concerns regarding police matters
• Information Outreach – producing live broadcasts of Mayor and Council meetings and producing Topic of Tucson, and publishing CityPage and InfoGuide
• Office of Intergovernmental Relations – advocating for issues that are in direct response to community needs
• Special Projects – overseeing the Livable Tucson Vision Program, which offers citizens the on-going opportunity to establish priorities for the city
• Zoning Examiner – providing a forum for citizen input in development and land use issues
• Office of the Public Defender – maintaining a dialogue with other governments, the courts, and mental health experts to be responsive to the changing needs of clients and the community
• City Clerk – providing timely notice of Mayor and Council meetings and advisory body meetings, providing access to public records, and overseeing the Mayor and Council Citizen Comment Line
• Budget and Research – providing an avenue for citizen input by staffing the Budget Advisory Committee and the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee
• Information Technology – promoting citizen access to interactive government services, working with the Telecommunications Policy Advisory Committee, and leading the deployment of the city Institutional Network (I-Net), which will expand electronic access to city services and staff
• Operations – managing the design and installation of a 120 mile fiber optic network that will enhance voice, data, and video conferencing capabilities for city staff and citizen use
• Police – responding to citizen needs through geo-based policing and obtaining public input through the department's Citizen Steering Committee
• Fire – participating in Neighborhood Enhancement Teams
• Planning – promoting citizen input on planning and zoning proposals and providing swift response to neighborhood concerns through zoning enforcement
• Development Services – participating on Neighborhood Enhancement Teams and participating in neighborhood meetings to address development-related code enforcement
• Community Services – conducting community planning processes for program development and staffing the Community Development Advisory Committee and the Metropolitan Housing Commission
• Library – providing free meeting space at libraries and participating on Neighborhood Enhancement Teams
• Parks and Recreation – providing space and assistance to community groups and supporting numerous citizen advisory groups
• Solid Waste Management – seeking citizen input through surveys to determine optimal residential collection services
• Tucson Water – encouraging public input through the "At the Tap" Program, attending citizen advisory committees, conducting focus groups and citizen surveys, and interacting with neighborhoods

Key Indicators of Progress:

1. Number of active, cohesive neighborhoods Cohesive neighborhoods encourage a pedestrian-friendly environment by planning traffic patterns, sidewalks, crosswalks, and shaded areas. Neighbors know each other and communicate through meetings or associations for future planning. Citizen and Neighborhood Services monitors neighborhood associations and neighborhood activity.

The number of neighborhoods registered with the Citizen and Neighborhood Services Division of the City Manger's Office is an indicator of an engaged community.

	Pre 1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999*
Registered	49	13	9	9	21	15	5
Cumulative	49	52	61	70	91	106	111

*to date

Source: Citizen and Neighborhood Services records.

The number of mailings of Neighborhood Newsletters and the number of copies made for neighborhoods (meeting agendas, notices, etc.) is an indicator of active neighborhoods.

	FY 1995-96	FY 1996-97	FY 1997-98
No. Items Mailed	130,663	216,635	171,050
No. Items Copied	562,535	1,068,006	628,027

Source: Citizen and Neighborhood Services records.

2. Participation rates in community meetings Neighborhoods are improved by the involvement of the residents in planning and decision-making. Attendance at community meeting including neighborhood associations meetings, town hall meetings, and zoning meetings will be reported.

Source: Citizen and Neighborhood Services, and Planning Department records

Under consideration by Citizen and Neighborhood Services (CNS). Currently, Neighborhood Associations are only required to provide minutes of their annual meetings. CNS is considering a request that Associations report on the attendance at neighborhood meetings.

3. Percent of citizens rating local government as responsive Citizen perception of local government is a direct measure of how responsive government is to community needs and concerns. Citizens can be asked in a survey about their perceptions of local government's responsiveness.

Source: Resident survey

What YOU Can Do

• Volunteer with community-based organizations or events
• Participate in a neighborhood association
• Share your opinions with government officials
• Vote
• Help a neighbor
• Provide excellent service

Featured Project for this goal indicator.