1. Top Ten Opportunities for Civic Engagement at the City of Gainesville Samantha Wolfe Senior Strategic Planner October 7th, 2015

2. What is Civic Engagement?
Follow us On-line
Participate in a Focus Group
Apply for an Internship
Participate at a Town Hall Mtg.
Volunteer at Ironwood Golf Course
Attend a Neighborhood Crime Watch Mtg.
Serve on a Board or Committee
Developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make a difference in the civic life of our community.
individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern

3. Citizens’ Academy #1
Offered in the Spring and Fall and is your greatest opportunity to directly connect with city staff as a learning opportunity.

4. Neighborhood Crime Watch Meetings#2
Monthly meetings, sponsored by GPD in coordination with established subdivisions and communities.
Meetings often attended by city staff like Code Enforcement and PDS to address issues or upcoming projects in the area.
Visit GPD calendar of events online to learn more about locations and dates.

5. Town Hall Meetings #3 cityofgainesville.org/openGNV/talkGNV
Annually, in-person meetings with the CCOM and executive leadership to kick-off the budget cycle.
This year’s forum was held last week at the Hippodrome Theatre’s basement.
Informal discussions in small groups to focus on key priorities of the community.
This year’s topic was reimagining the delivery of public services and included break-out discussions about Communications & Technology, Development Review Services, Access to Non-Emergency Services, and Senior Services.
cityofgainesville.org/openGNV/talkGNV

6. Local Elections #4
The next City of Gainesville election is March 15, 2016
Held every spring and typical turnout is 12-14%.

7. Quasi-Judicial Boards Advisory Boards CRA Advisory Boards
Boards and Committees #5
Quasi-Judicial Boards
Advisory Boards
CRA Advisory Boards
You will be receiving additional information from the city clerk’s office providing detail of the different boards and committees.
Residents and students can voluntarily participate and there are difference eligibility requirements for each committee; some requiring residency in the city and not.
Quasi-judicial boards: has some limited authority and makes formal recommendations to the CCOM; ex: Development Review Board
Advisory boards: do not have judicial authority and simply advise the CCOM; ex: Bike/Ped Advisory Board
CRA Advisory Boards: a board to represent each of the four CRA districts & provide advisory suggestions to the CRA.

8. Citizen Surveys & Focus Groups#6
Similar to the Norm
Gainesville as a place
to live
78%
My neighborhood as
a place to live
73%
Overall quality of life
in Gainesville
72%
Like in city elections, typically low response rate.
Not everyone receives survey, distributed per statistically valid method so encourage to respond.
Gainesville as a place
to work
53%
xx%
Percent responding (Excellent + Good)

9. We typically have 20-25 paid interns
Internships #7
We typically have paid interns
College age students interested in public service career.
Some paid, some un-paid and meet volunteerism requirements.
All paid are advertised on the city website.

10. Volunteer Youth Sports Morningside Nature Center Senior Programs#8
Youth Sports
Morningside Nature Center
Senior Programs
City Hall Front Desk
Adopt-A-Street
Downtown Festival
Hoggetowne
Medieval Faire
Multitude of opportunities to volunteer.
Use contact list on hand out to connect with area of interest.

11. Charrettes A charrette is a meeting to resolve a problem or issue. #9
Rebuild SE 4th Street
Depot Avenue
NW 8th Avenue
Specific meetings held in communities to address a project or issue.
Opportunity to provide feedback and receive more information from city staff.
A charrette is a meeting to resolve a problem or issue.

12. 50+ performance metrics shared
Online Engagement
#10
dataGNV
35+ datasets presented
statGNV
50+ performance metrics shared
cityofgainesville.org/openGNV
engageGNV
580+ statements posted
311GNV
340+ issues reported
Social media – 38,000 Facebook fans & 2,100 Twitter followers

13. Questions?