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Regional Housing Committee previews 'Continuous Engagement' public-engagement lesson
Summary
The committee reviewed Lesson 2 of a grant-funded public engagement training, which introduced a 'Continuous Engagement Framework' for land-use outreach, scheduled dry runs, and confirmed a November public education event in Chester.
The Regional Housing Committee spent the major portion of its meeting reviewing Lesson 2 of a grant-funded public engagement training, presenting a ‘‘Continuous Engagement Framework’’ intended to help towns choose and sequence outreach methods for land-use planning. Presenter Martha, the lesson facilitator, said the module—designed to run about 90 minutes—includes a scripted introduction, a list of tools for informing, consulting, collaborating and delegating, practice activities, and an assessment.
Martha told the group the lesson is “about public engagement, strategies, trade-offs, and tools,” and walked members through scenarios and handouts that pair engagement methods with typical planning tasks. She said the curriculum uses a circular model (a riff on Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation) so municipalities can ‘‘jump on at any point’’ and sustain relationships over the life of a project. “This is our Continuous Engagement Framework,” Martha said, adding that the materials and presenter notes are linked so anyone could deliver the module.
Committee staff said they intend to run another dry run—as they did for Lesson 1—before declaring the lesson ready for broad rollout. Eliza (committee staff) said she and colleagues aim to complete the preparation work soon and tentatively expected a public rollout in November, with additional lessons worked on concurrently. Members volunteered to participate in a second practice session and asked staff to circulate dates by email.
Eliza also confirmed the first booked public education session will be in Chester in November; the affordable housing convene will sponsor that event, and planning and zoning, economic development and selectmen have been invited. The committee discussed two remaining lessons—visualizing density (a LEGO exercise) and navigating difficult conversations around housing—that will follow the public-engagement module.
The meeting closed with staff promising to share slide decks and registration information for upcoming conferences and training resources via chat or email. The committee adjourned after no further business.
