Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
CCRPC staff to update public participation plan, consider language access and equity advisor work with municipalities
Summary
At the July 16 meeting CCRPC staff reported priorities for outreach and engagement work: finalize environmental benefits and burdens engagement for the Ecos plan, update the federal public participation plan, consider an equity policy advisor arrangement with municipalities, and revisit interim stipend and language‑access policies.
CCRPC staff reported on July 16 that outreach and engagement work will focus this summer on the environmental benefits and burdens analysis for the regional Ecos plan, an update to the regional public participation plan required for federal transportation programs, and possible language‑access and stipend policy changes. Charlie (staff member) told the board that Ann Nelson, the RPC’s outreach and engagement manager, had returned to work part‑time and would prioritize the environmental benefits and burdens work tied to the regional plan. Charlie said Nelson is also in conversations with Winooski and Essex Junction about whether those municipalities would contract to buy some of her time for local equity‑policy advising. Staff noted the public participation plan (a federal requirement) has not been substantially updated since about 2014 and that the immediate work will include clarifying when to use translators, which documents to translate, and updating an interim stipend policy for community participants. Charlie said those items may appear before the community engagement advisory committee and be visible to the board before the full public participation plan update. Why it matters: Public participation procedures, language access, and community stipends affect the reach and legitimacy of the Ecos plan’s environmental benefits and burdens analysis and the municipal engagement the plan requires. Staff said they expect more engagement on the regional plan late this summer and into fall. Next steps: Staff will continue the engagement analysis, follow up with municipalities on potential equity‑advisor arrangements, and return draft updates to the community engagement advisory committee and the board for review. The transcript records no formal vote; items were presented as informational and for follow‑up.
