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HomeMy WebLinkAbout020521-0.5 SERVICE DELIVERY AFTER COVID-19 INTRODUCTION The onset of the Coronavirus pandemic in March 2020 resulted in the need for the Town to make immediate adjustments to both the range of public services provided and methods of service delivery. The range of services was affected by the need to close public buildings and facilities, while reducing staffing to offset fiscal impacts. Immediate adjustments were required with respect to areas including: • Conducting meetings and public hearings • Community outreach and engagement • Permitting and conducting business with the Town • Ensuring the safety of Town employees • Space planning and the physical configuration of employee workspaces This paper discusses some of the advantages and disadvantages of these changes, lessons learned, and how some of these changes might be expected to carry over into future post pandemic models for service delivery. DISCUSSION Much of the business conducted by public agencies occurs by virtue of meetings that occur at all organizational levels, up to and including public hearings held by the legislative bodies and the advisory commissions that support them. A variety of different meetings involving staff occur internally, interagency and with customers and the public. This is also the case with meetings involving elected officials serving on multi-jurisdictional committees, boards and Joint Powers Authorities. Even internal staff meetings require certain logistical coordination with Town staff located in several different locations. The use of platforms such as “Zoom” and “Teams” has replaced traditional meeting formats featuring live, in-person participation in conference and meeting room settings. After an initial adjustment period required to assimilate a different meeting dynamic, it has become apparent that the convenience and ease with which these meetings can be coordinated and staged is such that use of these platforms to conduct virtual meetings will continue post-pandemic. Though unlikely to replace all live 2 meetings, the use of live meetings will be much more selective and dependent upon purpose and occasion. Public Meetings Under the state’s emergency declaration, virtual meetings have also been permitted to be used for public meetings and hearings. Though necessitated by the pandemic, this change has proven to be beneficial in a number of ways. Virtual participation is more convenient for potential meeting attendees who may have technological access but be constrained by time, distance, work and/or family obligations or mobility limitations. For all of these reasons, virtual public meetings have achieved greater viewership. The added convenience has also allowed public meetings to be scheduled earlier in the day on set dates, when people are, generally speaking, less tired and better prepared to engage in decision-making processes. At present the Town plans to continue utilizing a virtual meeting format for Town Council and Town Commission meetings through the end of the current fiscal year, or until advised that live meetings can safely be resumed. Upon resuming live meetings, incorporating certain aspects of the virtual meetings warrants consideration. One example would be the use of a “hybrid” meeting format for the Town Council. Council meetings could be held on the first and third Tuesdays, starting at 5:00 p.m., at the Town Meeting Hall. In addition to the Town Council, staff and members of the public, additional public attendance/participation could occur virtually, allowing the Town Council to receive public input and/or testimony both in person and virtually at the same meeting. Community members wishing and able to attend in person would be encouraged to do so, while those unable to do so, would have the option of engaging remotely. Based upon discussions with the Town’s I.T. staff, the technology required to support this hybrid meeting approach is feasible and staff can present more specific details upon direction of the Town Council. Community Outreach and Engagement Effectively engaging and communicating with residents and businesses is one of the Town’s priorities. Over the past decade, the Town has sought to communicate and engage with residents through a community outreach program that seeks to inform, educate and inspire residents about the programs, projects and activities that take place in Danville. The Town utilizes various approaches toward this goal, including print, digital, media relations, and person to person contacts. Despite the use of varied formats, prior efforts to invite community members to attend “Town Hall” style meetings have produced underwhelming attendance and engagement. Looking at options available to improve this was a featured topic at last year’s workshop. 3 Takeaways from that discussion included: • Considering greater use of online surveys to ask questions and gather community feedback on specific subjects. • Getting out into the community, physically and virtually going to the places where our residents are. • A belief that better topic content drives increased meeting attendance. • The need to meeting focus to be on education or engagement. • An openness to considering multi-modal ways of engagement. Focused implementation efforts were delayed as the Town was required to address the pandemic. However, some of the approaches utilized by the Town to adapt information sharing and engagement efforts to the pandemic have picked up on the themes identified last year. These efforts have also demonstrated that the community is both receptive and willing to engage in new ways that are both user friendly and convenient. Some examples include:  A Zoom meeting that featured the Vice-Mayor, Town Manager and Health Services Officer responding to questions about the County Health Order;  A regular Facebook Live program hosted by the Police Chief, addressing public safety and other topics of community interest.  Virtual comedy shows and arts programming.  A virtual Community Awards and Mayoral Installation program that blended pre-recorded and real time content into an event that garnered considerable viewership.  Increased availability of e-permitting and ability to conduct business with the Town remotely.  An enhanced and expanded website that provides better and more interactive content. While continuing with these efforts, potential additional steps could include: o Continuation of the “Government 101” program started in 2019, using a virtual platform. o Utilizing Zoom to conduct a periodic, virtual “Coffee with the Mayor”, which would present speakers and provide information on topics of community interest. o Virtual Town Hall meetings for the Town Council to solicit ideas and feedback on topics such as the upcoming Housing Element. o Other forms of ongoing virtual programming that provide content of interest and benefit to the community. o Greater use of citizen surveys through available social media platforms. 4 Permitting and conducting business with the Town – business by appointment For several years, the Town has aspired to expand the use of technology to broaden the range of services and business that can be provided remotely or virtually. Resource limitations coupled with the heavy ongoing workload have slowed and delayed these efforts. The pandemic presented an immediate need and opportunity. Safety and social distancing protocols necessitated an immediate re-tooling of operations by significantly reducing the amount of business that could be conducted in person. Development Services is a prime example of how the Town has adapted: • An expanded range of applications, from Building to Encroachment Permits, can now be submitted electronically and many can be issued online; • Certain tasks, from Building to Engineering plan check, are transitioning to more extensive use of electronic plan review; • Where in-person service is required or preferred by the customer, appointments can now be booked electronically from the Town’s website and directly from the Danville Connect app; • The ability for the customer to view and select an available appointment of their choice (in-person, online or telephone) will be expanded to all of Development Services and eventually organization-wide. This feature gives the customer an ability to consult with Town staff at a time that is convenient for them; • To ensure business continuity, new technology will be installed to connect staff working (or quarantining) remotely at the permit center, though this is less than ideal and would function only as a back-up situation. Similar approaches, albeit on a more limited basis, have been employed in other areas of service delivery. Looking forward, many of these services are expected to continue and expand organization wide, as they afford both convenience and scheduling predictability that customers have come to expect in all aspects of their lives. This will involve both additional investments in technology hardware, software, training as well as potential expansion (or redeployment) of personnel to facilitate online service delivery in the back office. Working Virtually The Town has always maintained a relatively small workforce (fewer than 100 regular employees) in combination with the use of contract services. Approximately one- third of the staff works in the field, while many others perform specialized duties that are unique to specific position classifications; and, Town staff is deployed in six different service delivery locations. These factors, combined with the strong customer service approach, have necessitated having all staff on site and publicly accessible. 5 The pandemic has necessitated changes in order to meet new federal and state safety standards directed at ensuring employee safety. Owing to the small size of the workforce, the Town has designated all employees as essential. However, it has been necessary to reduce the number of employees working on site at any given time in order to increase spacing, reduce proximity and ensure safety. A significant number of employees currently have schedules that have them working remotely for periods of time throughout the week. This varies by department and function. All employees are accessible by phone and e-mail meaning that service delivery continues uninterrupted. In many areas, remote work schedules have been able to operate effectively with little or no change in productivity. Certain critical front line and field personnel do not have the option of working remotely and it has been necessary to incorporate other safety measures. In Maintenance Services, field personnel have been divided into smaller cohorts with operations staged from several remote locations, rather than being consolidated at the Town Service Center. Once health orders are lifted to allow for re-opening of facilities and return to full public access, Town service delivery will shift back toward the pre-pandemic staffing model. However, based upon lessons learned over the past year, this will continue to include increased use of remote work schedules for some employees. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, it will be necessary to ensure that uninterrupted service delivery is maintained along with employee productivity and the ability for supervisors to effectively oversee performance. Space planning and physical configuration The pandemic has changed employee norms and expectations with respect to factors such as proximity, need for minimum separation, need to avoid physical contact, need to provide for greater separation between employees and public at areas of public interface, and re-assessing whether and how certain spaces can be shared. In general, this will result in the need to evaluate our space planning for regular and temporary employees to ensure that adequate spacing is provided between employees, especially in shared work spaces. SUMMARY The Coronavirus has prompted adjustments to some methods of service delivery to the community. Based upon the experience gained and lessons learned, many of these adjustments are expected to carry over into future post pandemic models for service delivery. Town Council feedback and input is sought preparatory to development of the draft 2021/22 Operating Budget. Attachment A – 2020 Paper on Community Outreach and Engagement COMMUNITY OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT “Effectively engaging and communicating with residents and businesses” is one of the Town’s priorities. The constant evolution of social media and related platforms has created a new paradigm within which local governments now operate. The Town foresaw this trend and was among the first local governments of this size to hire a full time Public Information Officer in 2010. Over the past decade, the Town has sought to communicate and engage with residents through a community outreach program that seeks to inform, educate and inspire residents about the programs, projects and activities that take place in Danville. The program seeks to engage and inform residents through print, digital, media relations, and person to person contacts. The Town’s Communications and Outreach efforts include: 1. Print Media a. Quarterly “Live Locally” Newsletter - A printed 12-page newsletter which is mailed to +/- 21,000 households and businesses in Danville. b. Triannual Recreation Activity Guide - The Recreation, Arts and Community Services Activity Guide is mailed three times each year to 26,000 residents in Danville, Alamo, Blackhawk and unincorporated Danville. c. Silver Streak Newsletter – A printed quarterly newsletter for seniors which is mailed to +/- 7,500 households in Danville. 2. Digital Media a. Town Website - The Town’s website features information about Town services, current news and announcements, a community calendar, meeting agendas and minutes, publications, press releases, and embedded social media content. b. Danville Connect Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system - Available on Google Play, the Apple App Store and on web browsers, Danville Connect provides a centralized point of access for all Town information, concerns and inquiries. ATTACHMENT A 2 c. Public Meeting Video Streaming- Town Council and Planning Commission meetings are video streamed in real time through the Town’s website. d. Nixle- Nixle is used to provide police and public safety-related alerts to the public on a variety of issues. e. Facebook- The Town maintains three Facebook pages for General Information, the Police Department and the Village Theatre & Art Gallery. f. Facebook Live - Facebook Live is used to livestream information to the public. g. Twitter - Twitter is used as a fast and reliable mode of communication when the size and type of message are appropriate for this platform. h. Instagram – The Town has three Instagram accounts. Instagram posts are shared and reposted among the accounts to help build subscriber numbers and expose existing users to other images and stories from the Town. i. Nextdoor- Over 75% of Danville households are on Nextdoor. Through creating a second account solely for the Danville Police Department, residents are able to provide tips and information to the police department due to the increased functionality. j. LinkedIn - LinkedIn is used primarily for Business Outreach/Economic Development and Human Resources purposes to provide information about Town-sponsored business workshops, events and job postings. 3. News Media For residents that continue to rely on news media for information, staff maintains relationships with reporters who cover Danville and the region. In addition to media press releases, staff regularly reach out to reporters with updates on Town activities or suggestions on human interest or program-focused story ideas. At the local level, DanvilleSanRamon.com continues to cover the San Ramon Valley, including most Town Council meetings and sharing nearly all Town press releases with the public. The Sentinel and the East Bay Times also continue to cover more prominent news stories about Danville’s efforts. The Danville Patch continues to be a popular news site at the local level. 4. In-Person Outreach a. Town Council Office Hours at Farmers’ Market - The Town Council continues to hold weekly office hours at the Saturday Danville Farmers’ Market engaging in one-on-one conversations with residents, providing informational materials and handouts and relaying requests that require further follow-up back to staff through the Town Manager’s Office. b. Coffee/Recess with the Cops – The Police Department holds Coffee with the 3 Cops events throughout the town to engage with a broad range of residents. Police officers also visit one elementary or middle school per week throughout the school year. These efforts allow law enforcement to connect with the community in a friendly environment to build positive relationships with all segments of the community. While each of these efforts have succeeded in connecting with segments of the community, current trends continue to further underscore a move away from “personal” contact and engagement with residents toward increased dependence upon “impersonal” communication – i.e. the use of social media to express views and opinions which may sometimes be lacking in civility or factual accuracy. While always respecting free speech rights, the Town attempts to manage and balance this through having the PIO monitor various media platforms and as appropriate, weigh in with answers to questions or correct factual information. 5. Public Meetings and Participation Assisted by several commissions and boards, the Town Council continues to rely upon public hearings as the heart of the local decision making and policy setting process (local democracy in action). Several public meetings occur each month. Agendas and information are provided in electronic form in advance of meetings and in printed form at the meetings themselves. Though updated to provide electronic information more readily through the Town’s website, this process follows the traditional public input process used by local government – i.e. attend a meeting and provide input or testimony preparatory to decision-making by an advisory or elected body. Attendance at public meetings tends to be low, absent a contentious issue – typically one where residents are concerned that a matter may have a direct or indirect negative impact upon their perceived quality of life. A question facing all local governments is whether or not there may be additional steps that can be taken to more effectively promote and facilitate engagement with, and participation in, the local decision-making process. The annual workshop presents an opportunity to brainstorm ideas on what steps the Town can take to promote greater participation and engagement in the local decisionmaking process. Attached to this paper is an ICMA article entitled “The Extent of Public Participation”. The article identifies and describes a range of interactions that local governments can have with their communities. Some interesting highlights: Close to 40% of City Managers describe the “civic discourse” in their communities as “very’ or 4 “somewhat” polarized, strident and rude…” Given that the article dates to 2014, and considering the current state of discourse nationwide, these numbers have almost certainly worsened. Second, only 12% of those responding indicated a “high level of participation” in their city’s engagement efforts. These results support what we’ve seen locally. Looking forward, the types of issues that the Town will be faced with regarding state housing mandates present challenges and opportunities. Most recent experiences with the 2014-22 Housing Element and 2030 General Plan underscore as much. Brainstorming Exercise Consider whether or not there are steps or actions that could be considered to improve this process. How can the Town more effectively engage with residents both outside of and through our own meetings? Some Ideas: • Expand the use of Open Town Hall to conduct online polling. Engagement on subjects such as the skate park and Town Green Master Plan show that people respond when prompted. This platform could be used to gather feedback on both broad and specific questions – i.e. What do you love about Danville? Do you own an electric car, if so, do you have a charger at home, where else do you charge? What’s the most effective way for the Town to engage with you? Residents could potentially be polled on a new question each month • Expand the use of Social Media: o Post full agendas to social media ahead of upcoming meetings. (The Town currently posts about upcoming meetings and directs people to the website to see the agendas.) Cut out the middle step and consider summarizing issues to be discussed. o Consider livestreaming meetings on social media. o Redouble online efforts to get people to subscribe to the automated agendas so they have a better handle on what items are on the horizon. • Consider changes to current Town Council meeting format: o Use a ‘mixer’ format and set aside 30 minutes prior to the meeting for residents to come and meet/speak with the Council informally prior to the beginning of the meeting. o Augment in-person testimony at a public hearing with an Online Open House consisting of a short informational video and input collecting surv ey (i.e., MTC’s approach to soliciting input on changes to the Express Lane Toll Policy). o Invite residents to write in questions to the Town Council mailbox about issues in town. During the next Council meeting, following the ‘Good of the Town’ 5 the Mayor can read a question on camera, provide a live answer and recognize the resident for taking part in the meeting. • Bring printed meeting agendas for distribution at the Farmers Market. • Consider having more informal, mixer style informational meetings to inform and educate residents on various topics. Info sessions could even be livestreamed, and residents could ask questions online. • Consider conducting a series of “listening” sessions attended by the Town Council and staff. Invite residents to attend and speak for 3-5 minutes about a concern, something they like about Danville, something they think the Town needs, etc. The purpose is not to respond but rather to simply hear what residents have to say in a respectful and thoughtful way. • As we look forward to the 2022-2030 Housing Element, consider holding informational meetings similar to what the consultant did on the Parks, Recreation and Arts Master Plan. If the Town is required to zone for x number of housing units, get resident input on how they would do it. Consider using a facilitator rather than having the Town Council or staff run meetings, with the goal of getting people to think about how to achieve this without responding to a specific proposal. These are just a few ideas to get the ball rolling. Councilmembers are asked to consider the degree to which they are satisfied with the current level of citizen engagement occurring at Town Council and Commission meetings; and be prepared to brainstorm and consider other ways to increase and improve citizen engagement.