Cities, towns and counties across California are rethinking how to tackle some of their challenges according to a report released Oct. 27 by Pepperdine’s Davenport Institute. According to the report, a new, collaborative approach is key.
The report titled, “Golden Governance: Building Effective Public Engagement in California,” is a collaboration between the Davenport Institute, the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC), California Forward and the Center for Individual and Institutional Renewal.
Seven California communities are the basis of the report. The report cites them as having its citizens rethink how they engage in governance in reaction to the current financial situation.
Simultaneously, the report indicates that local leaders are learning to change their approach to governance to meet the demands of its citizenry.
“This new kind of leadership produces better, more creative policy solutions and better, more engaged citizens committed to the hard work of self-governance,” said Pete Peterson, executive director of the Davenport Institute, in a press release. “In an era of tight budgets, public engagement has moved beyond ‘good government’ to necessary governance.”
The report highlights six projects, one of which is a $72 million water treatment project in Redwood City that was met by some citizen resistance. In a new approach to governance, city manager Ed Everett invited citizens to meet and develop alternatives to meet the city’s water conservation goals without resorting to the controversial water treatment project. The only stipulation was that the alternative had to stay within the city’s time frame and budget.
Citizens suggested that the public grass of the city be replaced with artificial turf. The solution was something that City Hall had not considered, but accomplished city goals with less controversy.
“Redwood City is just one example of how citizens and government officials can come together to identify innovate policy solutions,” Peterson said. “Local government officials simply need to be prepared to enter into collaborative governance with an open mind and not a predisposed outcome.”
“In short, government in the 21st century is not here to tell us what to do, but rather to serve as our partner to help achieve our common goals,” the project says. “The 21st century public sector leader should act as a convener, catalyst and facilitator of structured discussions in order to solve public problems.”
The report calls for a return to some of the earliest principles and practices of the U.S.: “The partnering of our governing institutions with civil society in delivering public services has been a part of how we define self-governance.”
