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Erie launches Old Town social‑capital outreach, staff to embed in neighborhood for 4–6 months
Summary
Senior planner Josh Campbell presented a 4–6 month outreach plan focused on Old Town to better understand residents’ sense of being overlooked and to build community connections via activations, events and one‑on‑one interviews. Council welcomed the plan and volunteered to participate.
Erie — The Town of Erie will begin a focused outreach effort in Old Town aimed at rebuilding social connections and addressing residents’ stated sense of being overlooked, staff told the Town Council on June 3.
Josh Campbell, senior strategic planner, said the town plans to "embed ourselves within the community, specifically Old Town," over roughly four to six months. The program will include attending and hosting community activations — block parties, neighborhood walks and park events — followed by longer one‑on‑one interviews to capture residents’ experiences and histories.
Campbell said the goal is to listen first: “It’s one thing to come to the community and give them solutions, but it’s another to listen and take back what we hear and try to synthesize that into a process moving forward,” he said. The effort aims to measure and strengthen “social capital” — trust, neighbor relationships, and a sense of belonging — and to identify tangible steps staff can take to address perceptions of neglect.
Council members praised the approach and volunteered to join outreach events. Several members cited past successful Old Town engagements (tree walks, cleanup days) and asked staff to coordinate an event calendar so councilors can attend in ways that avoid quorum/notice issues when three or more members would be present. Staff said a communications kickoff and sign‑up mechanism will follow.
Next steps: Staff will coordinate with communications staff and return to council with a timeline and signup approach; individual council members were encouraged to participate in activations and 1‑on‑1 interviews where feasible.
Quote: “We plan to embed ourselves within the community, specifically Old Town, to try to understand some of this misconception that may exist,” Campbell told the council.
