The Best Practices Committee needs citizen input to do its work recommending possible changes and improvements to Northampton decision-making processes. Do you have a suggestion? Please e-mail it to the "suggestion box" c/o northamptonbestpractices@googlegroups.com.
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Implementation Research Links
The Community Problem-Solving Project @ MIT
www.community-problem-solving.net
Working Smarter in Community Development
http://web.mit.edu/workingsmarter/
Submitted by Daryl G. LaFleur
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I'd like to call your attention to these cities using online
technology to serve and engage with citizens...
Love Lewisham - Citizens are invited to post pictures of problems they
want the city to address
http://www.lovelewisham.org/Public/Images.aspx
Customer Service Bureaus - Making help and information easy to obtain
http://www.seattle.gov/customerService/
http://stlcin.missouri.org/csb/
http://www.cityofstamford.org/content/25/52/138/164/168/default.aspx
Blogs of Local Officials
http://lowellma.wordpress.com/category/city-services/
http://www.eroundlake.com/blog/
http://www.mayorgordon.com/blog/
Submitted by Adam Cohen
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While people that know me know that I'm a bit obsessed with the issue (I run the RFP Database at www.rfpdb.com), I think the city's recent history with competitive bidding leaves much to be desired.
This can be resolved in a number of ways:
1) posting all RFPs to the city's website as well as the Mass procurement site in addition to advertising them in the Gazette or other sites
2) requiring a minimum number of bids for all projects (3 to 5 is a good number). If the minimum is not reached, put the project out for bid again until that number is reached and/or revise the RFP requirements. Solicitation of feedback on the RFP should be part of the process if a large number of potential bidders choose not to bid.
3) have a clear-cut and public scorecard for how each project will be evaluated with those results being publicly accessible
4) having a process for soliciting public input on projects before the RFP is released for bids
Submitted by David Kutcher
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Regarding appropriate ways for city employees and volunteer committee members to be available to the public, I believe it would be a Best Practice to:
- List all employee and committee member e-mails.
- Provide any necessary employee training regarding the use of e-mail.
- Establish protocols requiring employees to check their e-mail at least once daily.
Submitted by Jack Hornor
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Here’s an idea given to me by another citizen:
Let’s make it easy for citizens to submit comments to public meetings without having to physically attend. Comments could be submitted by mail or email and read aloud at the meeting.
Submitted by Adam Cohen
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I'm asking that the committee consider scheduling some of its meetings during the mornings and/or early afternoons when other city meetings are not taking place. Though I realize that this might not work for all members of the committee, with outreach it might allow for others in the community to participate, like stay-at-home/work-at-home residents and retirees. Of course it might not.
It might also help if you announced a meeting schedule ahead of time, so people can plan to attend by working the meeting into their personal schedules earlier. I notice that there is nothing on the city calendar for August or September. Typically when we're planning our family's appointments/schedule we do this months ahead of time.
Submitted by Daryl G. LaFleur
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