2. Public Hearings: Lessons Learned from An Underutilized Tool Deborah Blanks Dave Celata

3. Presentation Overview 1)What is a public hearing? –Typical community action hearings v. civic orientated hearings 2)When should you have a public hearing? 3)What are the benefits of civic orientated hearings? 4)Example of a public hearing & lessons learned

4. What do we mean by a “public hearing”? We will use the term public hearing to refer to any event where the public is invited to discuss or submit comments on a budget, plan, policy, or social issue For this presentation, public hearings can be formal legislative hearings or more informal committee meetings

5. Typical Community Action Public Hearings Presentation of a plan –Budgetary (typically CSBG) –Programmatic (state or local) Designate a community action agency Component of community needs assessments

6. Civic Orientated Public Hearings Solicit public comments on issues in the community e.g. affordable housing, education, public health Receive public feedback BEFORE a plan is developed —SDC Commissioners receiving testimony at a public hearing

7. When should you have a civic orientated public hearing? For issues that are newly formed, but not the “flavor of the day” When more qualitative information is needed to understand an issue When a stimulus is needed to mobilize the community around an issue

8. When should you NOT have a civic orientated public hearing? When there’s little interest in the issue When it’s been repeatedly done before When you’re not ready to do something about it –Nobody likes to be a part of a report that only collects dust on a shelve

9. Benefits of Public Hearings for Community Action Agencies Provides direction Creates community buy-in Inspires civic action/mobilizes the community Helps build collaborations & attract partners

10. Example of Civic Orientated Public Hearing On June 18, 2009 SDC hosted a public hearing on the issue of black male joblessness The purpose of the hearing was solely to compile the experiences and thoughts of community members —Community member speaks at public hearing

11. Why black male joblessness? –It’s an important issue for the community Milwaukee has the highest racial disparity in male joblessness in the nation –It’s an issue that’s getting worse –There have been few public venues for discussing this issue before –There was a great deal of quantitative data, but little qualitative data on the issue