HomeMy WebLinkAboutConducting Neighborhood-Focused Town Halls - Submitted by Co /7PP/W✓FD -D
City of Huntington Beach
File #: 21-701 MEETING DATE: 9/21/2021
Submitted by Councilmember Kalmick - Conducting Neighborhood-Focused Town Halls
I recommend that the City Council direct the City Manager to develop a neighborhood-focused town
hall program for all geographic parts of Huntington Beach to be deployed later this year.
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CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
CITY COUNCIL MEETING —COUNCIL MEMBER ITEMS REPORT
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DAN KALMICK, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
DATE: SEPTEMBER 21, 2021
SUBJECT: CONDUCTING NEIGHBORHOOD-FOCUSED TOWN HALLS
It is important that the City engage in meaningful community engagement efforts, to ensure that
residents are informed about policy decisions being considered and made in Huntington Beach.
Currently, the City has implemented community engagement efforts through traditional
mechanisms and various new strategies during the past year.
One such mechanism that has been deployed consistently in the City has been the use of focused
neighborhood town hall discussions. To date, we provide discussion formats for the Southeast
Area and Sunset Beach areas of town on a regular basis, but not for other locations in Huntington
Beach.
To address that particular issue, I am recommending that the City conduct either bi-annual or
quarterly neighborhood-focused town hall discussions for all geographic locations in the City, in
order to better connect with our residents, understand issues affecting specific neighborhoods,
and communicate the latest information and news from the City. If approved, such an effort will
allow the City to be more proactive in its community engagement efforts by meeting residents
where they live.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
I recommend that the City Council direct the City Manager to develop a neighborhood-focused
town hall program for all geographic parts of Huntington Beach to be deployed later this year.
488
Moore, Tania
From: Frakes, Sandie
Sent Thursday, September 16, 2021 5:03 PM
To: Agenda Alerts
Cc: Fikes, Cathy
Subject FW:Comment to Councilmember Item 21, Sept.21, 2021 CC meeting.
From: Dan Jamieson<broker_advocate@hotmail.com>
Sent:Thursday, September 16, 20214:56 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL<city.council@surfcity-hb.org>
Subject:Comment to Councilmember Item 21,Sept. 21, 2021 CC meeting.
Sept. 16, 2021
To: City.Council@surfcity-hb.ors
Comment to Councilmember Item 21, Sept. 21, 2021 CC meeting.
Dear Councilmembers:
I support Councilmember Item 21, Conducting Neighborhood-Focused Town Halls.
I believe too many areas of the City tend to be overlooked by city hall. Because HB does not have district
elections, residents do not have specific councilmembers representing them. Some areas tend to be
overlooked--at least that is the impression of many residents, in my view.
This impression first came to my attention about four years ago when my neighborhood in North HB got
behind an effort to oppose a proposal to store cars on the abandoned Navy railroad right-of-way. Later, the
neighborhood fought to maintain the size and shape of Franklin Park, as part of the residential development
on the site of the old Franklin School. In both cases, I heard numerous residents express a belief that the city
had forgotten about this part of town. (In another instance, I had to inform city staff that a part of our
neighborhood had been left off of a proposed map included in the updated General Plan.) It is also my
impression that the council and staff tend to be overly focused on the needs of downtown merchants and
hotels, perhaps to the detriment of the rest of the city. (I do not begrudge the deserved attention paid to the
SE area and Sunset Beach.)
Neighborhood townhalls do not have to be too frequent, but I do believe they would be very useful in
connecting city leaders to residents, and be helpful in maintaining accurate communication.
Sincerely, SUPPLEMENTAL
COMMUNICATION
Dan Jamieson -
Huntington Beach Mae" Deb;
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