Hampton Roads Civic Engagement Summit

April 4, 2009

Comments from Evaluations

What is the most important thing you learned from this Summit?

• Ideas and thoughts for greater civic involvement

• Common themes exist for the need to improve civic engagement

• Ideas that participants viewed as important in establishing civic discourse

• Learned from Chris Gates’ presentation

• That successful cities/regions, etc. have a healthy civic element

• Many individuals do not understand, or care to understand, the process of civic engagement. In other words, my viewpoint is the only one and rest of you don’t matter.

• Keep at it

• Desire for more civic involvement is very strong

• There be no hope, but we shall persevere – old Dutch sailing saying

• Ideas on engaging citizens. I learned a lot and heard good ideas.

• Similar opinions

• Citizen concerns are basically that the need for accessibility of information and their local leadership is key to feeling civically engaged

• The difference among ages on views on decision making

• Need civic education. The agenda of the Hampton Roads business lobby

• Issues on regionalism

• There is interest in the general community

• Chris Gates is not from the region

• The importance of civil discourse

• There is no emphasis on changing government structure to adapt to citizens; instead, it’s all about educating citizens to better fit the existing and planned processes and structures. This is not change or improvement for the individual citizen.

• Values

• Self-licking ice cream cone is alive and well; most of the attendees live off the public; regionalism as articulated is about further disempowering citizen activists

• I was impressed that so many people from across the region were interested in having this conference.

• There has to be a collective, informed citizenry in order to govern effectively.

• This is not the forum to get underrepresented groups to attend.

• That there are a lot of citizens who want to help make the region a better place

• Listen respect, education on civic issues

• Voice/opinion of engaged citizens

• Enough people still want to be more involved, but need more help

• Most important – new ideas to think about civic engagement

• Health survey

• How to – and the need – to educate the public

• The region’s commitment to improving/enhancing its position for competitiveness

• Referendum – positive and negative

• Folks are willing to participate

• Civic engagement, govt partnership and business communities are very important for our regional growth

• I learned about the response card. Not to use apathy in civic engagement. And, government process model does not work

• How disenfranchised civic engagement has been in the past

• Everyone has their own opinion; very vocal group

• Hampton Roads’ struggle with civic engagement is commonplace around the country.

• Despite best efforts, extremists will not communicate respectfully and will continue to drive away moderates from meetings.

• Chris Gates presentation was excellent.

• Structure/issues misconnect

• How many people were present and interested

• A lot of people want to be engaged

• Data/survey results

• More are needed; make discussion groups accessible to all; publicity

• Regionalism is the agenda, not regional cooperation. There is a difference.

• The regionalists are alive and well and uninformed regarding the objective of regionalism.

• I’m being brainwashed toward regionalism.

• That in the Hampton Roads region, a large % of people that make up the population. We had a skewed % at the summit today. That brought a specific perception and left low income and working class perspective out of the picture.

• Lack of trust in government

• How important to us and our region it is that we get organized

• Challenges to civic engagement

• Disconnect between citizens’ feeling that input is not desired and “leaders” supposed desire for citizen input

• Gates’ presentation was highly engaging. Presented lots of good food for thought re: citizen engagement

• Chris Gates’ presentation was wonderfully educational

• The structure vs. issue diagram

• We need to get “organized.”

• Better understanding of regional values and personal perceptions on how these values could be integrated into civic engagement

• Principles of civic engagement, the discussions were very insightful

• Chris Gates’ perspectives – someone from outside the region

• The engagement of most individuals in the room

• Need to reach more citizens who do want to be engaged

• That many people came to protect or advance their agenda – i.e., No Regionalism”

• Gates’ perspective

• Definition of regionalism from Chris.

• 4 problems to civic engagement – Chris Gates talk

• Gates presentation

• Technology is available that can work in canvassing larger numbers of people

• Need better representation at these meetings

• Gates’ info; connecting

• Everyone has a concern about our region

• Transportation is the #1 concern but elected officials do nothing

• Material from Chris Gates – if recorded, need to make available to attendees

• That there is concern about a disrespectful society

• Chris’ presentation was informative and presented well

• The engagement process is alive and strong in the community.

• Level of citizen interest

• Issues need to be framed for public discussion

Will you follow up on anything you heard or learned today? If yes, on what and how?

• Not what I’ve learned, more along for what needs to be done. Improving communication.

• Yes. Explore more technological tools for engagement. Inform others about the results of this event.

• Yes, will share info with my community and try to help facilitate the adoption of recommendations

• Will be more aware of communications related to civic involvement

• The correlation between civic health and economic health

• I will continue to work towards fostering a true civic engagement in this part of Virginia

• Reinforce the messages in my own civic engagement

• Yes, data collection

• Some of the entrepreneurs

• I like to be more involved with this org. This effort is so important to the success of Hampton Roads.

• Yes

• Yes

• Don’t know

• Possibly

• Yes, I will be sharing what I learned with many civic activists

• Yes, details on civic capital assessment

• Yes. Looking up communications opportunities

• Yes – ensure regionalism is not forced on us

• S.A.A.

• Yes – civic education from the viewpoint of the sovereign citizen and voter

• Staying engaged to protect my wealth and income from government regionalism. The summit’s agenda was less noble to the discerning eye.

• Find better ways (on public transit issues) to get public input, and inform the public

• Civic health survey

• I will follow up on the need for respectful listening by striving to be more patient in my listening.

• Continue to research more and better ways to effectively communicate and solicit from citizens.

• Civic education

• The disconnect between structures (national, state, local) and issues (international, regional, neighborhood) and how to address it. Research and participation in alternative structures.

• Yes! Encourage civic organizations to come to the table and be part of the solution.

• Yes – TBD

• Have Dr. Kidd come speak to my civic group

• More contact with HRCCE

• Council – contacting people

• DWC Group

• Yes, report back to my civic league

• Yes. The results of the survey and questionnaire. I will refer to your website.

• The information that I learned will be used at my civic league.

• I’m sure – but don’t know yet. Need more discussion

• Yes. Explore some suggested strategies to enhance civic engagement

• I may attend our next civic league meeting.

• Yes – will think about ways to integrate the technology into my work

• Yes – meet with others

• Seek more personal opportunities to engage

• Greater neighborhood involvement

• Influence elections

• Connect with others who understand we must reduce the cost, size and scope of government

• Try to un-elect our council persons

• I made some contacts that I would like to connect with. Also, to look into partnership with HRCCE

• Push for convenience for govt meetings. (People are working at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.)

• Get more involved with issues important to me – help figure out how to get things organized

• Ways to foster civic engagement; follow the work of HRCCE

• Not sure how – would like to. Next step by your group?

• Teaching public officials and administrators to “listen respectfully”

• I will integrate Chris Gates; “Structures vs. Issues information into my organization business model

• Yes – bug HRCCE, push library participation in civic engagement

• Improve my civic participation

• Yes. Transportation discourse that is occurring in local neighborhood – planning to attend

• Yes, the turning point technology is a wonderful resource that I am interested in learning more about

• Become more informed/educated!

• Will share info with others

• I will stress regional aspect of my civic issue – a Fort Monroe National Park. Only the city of Hampton has a say on the Fort Monroe Authority, the state board planning for Fort Monroe

• Not sure. Somewhat frustrating experience – a lot like the process of active engagement in civic issues itself

• I met two activists in my community I hope to have more contact with.

• Bring Chris Gates back and build next conference around him and omit other “stuff.”

• Collaboration is a necessity and the need to include/engage diversity of opinions

• Yes – share with my group

• I’ll follow the discussion to see where this is going.

• Volunteer more time to promote these types of meetings and regional issues

• Yes – apply Gates’ video to Hampton Roads

• Yes, communicate with all new contacts

• Yes – enhancing civic engagement in my community

• I’ll be studying the results of the survey and correlate with other studies.

• Yes – working within my organization

• Yes – more involvement

• Continue working of civic leadership

Any other comments about the Summit?

• It was good it was free but like what I came away with from the summit overall is better communication of what’s going on.

• Good venue; good attendance. When are you planning the next event? Don’t let the momentum from this event wane.

• Worthwhile to attend this event

• Communities should be notified on these summits

• Very well planned and organized

• Where were the elected leaders? Tell them the old system of appointed boards and ceremonial public hearings are not the way to grow.

• Too poorly structured. Could be done with shorter survey presentation. I am not comfortable with the voting to determine where we go next, particularly when we do not fully understand what we are voting about. However, I’m glad it was held.

• Hard to arrange but smaller breakout groups would have produced better discussion

• May we have copies of the breakout session summaries?

• Excellent, O’Bama – right on

• Keep it up

• Make sure the results and report are posted on the website. Schedule follow up meetings to continue the effort. This same conference should be addressed to mayors, city council and state legislators. Make sure Chris Gates returns for legislators and continued conferences. I believe parochial attitudes are severely hampering Hampton Roads.

• Should have more

• I learned plenty and enjoyed the use of the keypads

• A more diverse group then some, but not really representative of our communities

• A good start

• Inadequate time to actually discuss the questions and reach consensus; questions were too broad-based in scope (Note: “Invest regionally” did not include a “regional funding mechanism” – yet it showed up on the view graph?!)

• I hope this helps!

• We need less govt and certainly local govt not regional govt

• Good networking. But questions about geographic and income representation

• Not enough discussion about the costs of civic education and processes

• Well worth while

• Would not have missed it. The message was clear regionalism was more government spending

• This needs to be an ongoing conversation. Having asserted that, we need to develop ways to carry on the conversation in greater depth.

• Loved the electronic voting; see instant result

• Good job

• Wonderful idea – I hope it generates further similar activities. Loved the DWC guys, too!

• Great

• Have another one – 6 mos - year

• It was a great Saturday morning

• Great

• Bring it closer to other cities

• Thought session would focus on agenda or issues not process, i.e. regionalism or transportation

• Very good

• Christopher Newport professor a little weak

• Increase group discussion time; clarification of discussion questions in group breakouts

• Publicize the summit in minority neighborhoods and minority media

• Very well done, but it sure wasn’t very representative of a diverse population

• This should be a regular event.

• Y’all need better time management.

• Good work!

• Good network opportunity!

• Should be a repeat where they are smaller but just as diverse!

• Overall, an excellent meeting; location and facilities were great; Chris Gates was even better than advertised

• Well done!

• Great gathering of citizens

• More opinions should have been voiced – not just time for speakers

• Were any non-public paid people speakers today?

• This guided summit was not in my interest. I do not want a region or transportation plan. We need to improve the local roads.

• An excellent beginning – need to move to an issue focused setting

• Excellent idea as evidenced by attendance

• How to get input from people who belong to no organized group and may feel intimidated by participants who self-identify as members of x, y or z. Particularly intimidating: churches

• Superb. Need to get uniformed and civilian citizens involved

• Need to take control of time

• I appreciate how HRCCE staff stepped up to the plate and made coffee despite the cater company providing cold coffee.

• No

• Great job!

• A great opportunity to continue the dialogue on regionalism

• Did not stick to the time – if needed more time, should have scheduled more time; liked the breakout rooms, could hear each other. Voting – the statements voted on were misrepresented, not what was turned in, shortened and therefore lost meaning

• Maybe there could have been a way of bringing up specific regional issues and incorporating them into the summary presentation at the end

• Need to focus on increasing and improving citizen/civic engagement without seeming to have a particular agenda – ours need to be a neutral agenda. Key pads could have been used more usefully/creatively

• Lost half the people at end – run tighter ship on time management

• Facilitator/moderator must better adhere to schedule. We’re all busy people and falling 45 minutes behind in a 3 hour meeting is not good.

• Good start. We’ll see if government is interested in helping move forward or if they just want citizens to continue paying for their mistakes.

• Great idea! Keep doing these meetings.

• What’s next?

• Videotaping proceedings

Attendees who signed their evaluation forms:

• D. Ablowich

• P. Rublein

• L. Crevier (?)

• Tobin

• Al Wallace

• John Fenter

• Mark Gedulig-Yatrofsky

• Terry Danaher

• Martha Ann Creecy

• Michael Borysewicz

• Jennifer Lee

• Buzzy Hofheimer

• Ray Gromelski

• Mac Rawls

• John McMullen

• Henry Light

• Frank Roberts

• Howard Martinez

• Scott Butler

• M. Dingerson

• Jack Tuttle

• Carlton Hardy

• George Wallace

• Peter Shaw