[Durham INC] Engaged Durham Pilot Launches

[Blalock, Amy]

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CITY OF DURHAM
Office of Public Affairs
101 City Hall Plaza
Durham, NC 27701


News Release


News Media Contact:
Amy Blalock
Senior Public Affairs Specialist
(919) 560-4123 x 11253
(919) 475-7735 (cell)
Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov<mailto:Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov>
http://Facebook.com/CityofDurhamNC
http://Twitter.com/CityofDurhamNC


For Immediate Release: September 16, 2013


City of Durham Launches "Engaged Durham" Pilot
Online Forum Seeks to Harness Resident Input for the FY 2014-2015 Budget

DURHAM, N.C. - If you had $500, how would you spend it next year to provide services in the City of Durham?

That's the first question in the City's new online forum, "Engaged Durham," created through a partnership between the City's Budget and Management Services Department and Peak Democracy. The forum is designed to increase resident engagement and learn what they value most in the budget process.

The pilot program is now underway at http://durhamnc.gov/ich/as/bms/Pages/Open-City-Hall.aspx and will be active until October 31, 2013. Once subscribed, residents can participate in two budgeting exercises centered on the question, "How would you spend $500 to fund what is most important to you in Durham?" The first exercise involves spending $500 across the five Strategic Plan goals. The second exercise is more detailed, and asks residents to prioritize spending across 22 Strategic Plan objectives. Residents will also have the opportunity to make general comments about the budget process, upload photos or videos to illustrate their concerns or suggestions, and put a value on the priorities they think are most important.

According to Bertha Johnson, director of the City's Budget and Management Services Department, the feedback collected from this program will be incorporated into the budget development process for fiscal year 2014-2015. "We are constantly looking for ways to involve more residents in the budget development process," Johnson said. "Each year we hold five Coffees with Council, two public hearings, and last year we conducted our first e-Town Hall. We're hoping that more residents will participate and give us their feedback so we can develop a budget that is even more tailored to meet the needs of as many of our residents as possible."

According to Johnson, if Engaged Durham is well received during the pilot phase, it will be used again in the spring to solicit residents' input on other budgetary concerns. "We want our residents to be part of the process," said Johnson. "This is an incredibly cost-effective way to empower residents to participate in City decisions from the privacy and convenience of their own home or office."

Engaged Durham was created for the City by Peak Democracy, a non-partisan company based in California. Their mission is to broaden civic engagement and build public trust in government. About 50 other cities and counties across the country are using this online forum platform, including Arlington County, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Decatur, and Salt Lake City. There is no cost to the City to use this forum during the pilot phase. For more information, visit http://www.peakdemocracy.com.

For more information about Engaged Durham, contact John Allore, assistant director of the City's Budget and Management Services Department, at (919) 560-4111, ext. 20292 or by email at John.Allore at DurhamNC.gov<mailto:John.Allore at DurhamNC.gov>.

About the Budget & Management Services Department
The Budget and Management Services Department is primarily responsible for the development and oversight of the City's annual budget and Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The department is also responsible for organizational development, performance management, and strategic planning<http://durhamnc.gov/ich/as/bms/Pages/Strategic%20Plan/sp_SPHome.aspx> as well as for providing policy and management analysis to support decision making. The department primarily supports two Strategic Plan goals - Well-Managed City and Stewardship of the City's Physical Assets. Overall, the department is focusing on furthering the goal of transparency and accountability with its operations and communications and enhancing resident and employee engagement. To learn more, visit http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/as/bms/Pages/Home.aspx.

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