Citizen engagement is at the heart of all good local government.  Especially in times of disruptive change, it’s an area where the relationship between elected officials and city/county administrators can really shine.  Great examples of this can be found on Life, Well Run, ICMA’s initiative to raise awareness of the importance for the professionally managed government.  Here are just a few examples:

• During a budget crisis, Hampton Virginia’s “I Value” Campaign helped the local government make tough decisions easier.
• Longmont, Colorado., has used citizen engagement to build trust in the community for decades and dovetailed off of that when catastrophic floods hit the area in 2013.
• If you are looking for an example of how to use citizen engagement to build trust so that your jurisdiction might better withstand disruptive change, consider the Marana Citizens’ Forum.  The forum offered a new approach to citizen engagement for the Arizona town.

Learn more about civic engagement and find resources at Life, Well Run.