2013-05-20 Committee on Citizen Engagement MinutesItem #2
COMMITTEE ON CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT MINUTES
May 20, 2013
After determining that a quorum was present, the Committee on Citizen Engagement convened
in a meeting on May 20, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. in the Council Work Session Room at City Hall.
PRESENT: Council Member Roden, Council Member Engelbrecht, Betty Williams (CMO),
George Campbell (CMO), Robby Stengel (PCO), Kevin McGinnis (PCO), Bryan
Langley (CMO), Brian Daskam (DME), Brian Lockley (Planning), Kiersten
Dierterle (PCO), Jennifer Walters (CMO), Jon Fortune (CMO), John Cabrales (PIO),
Tonya Demerson (Reprographics)
ABSENT: Council Member Gregory
1. Consider approval of the minutes from the meeting of March 25, 2013.
Council Member Engelbrecht motioned to approve the minutes, and Council Member Roden
seconded. Minutes were approved.
2. Hold a discussion regarding Police Department crime report data and social media
communication.
Police Chief Lee Howell gave a presentation on police crime report data and social media
communication.
Chief Howell described the five different applications utilized by the Police Department -
Twitter, Facebook, Nixle, NextDoor, Tip411 - and their usage.
Council Member Engelbrecht asked if the NextDoor site included apartments. Howell stated
that some of the sites included large apartment complexes, but that the sites were not specifc
to apartments.
Council Member Roden asked if there was any coordination between Planning and
neighborhood development. Brian Lockley, Director of Planning and Zoning, stated that
planning had talked with other departments but not particularly to the Police Department.
Chief Howell stated that most neighborhoods are defined by specific boundaries and some by
homeowner associations. The administrator of the program in the Police Department screens
applicants. Crime alerts can be pushed out to the registered neighborhood groups.
Chief Howell stated that the other methods of engagement used by the police department
included the Citizen Police Academy and the Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) program.
Council Member Roden asked how the culture of the department was developed and
maintained with new recruits.
Chief Howell stated that the department stressed the idea of customer service and engaging
people with respect, professionalism, and an open mind. Current policies were in place to
encourage excellent customer service, and service was included as part of the overall mission
of the department.
COMMITTEE ON CITIZ���f ENGAGEMENT MINUTES
May 20, 2013
Page 2
Council Member Roden asked what accounted for the innovation in the department.
Chief Howell stated that staff researched and compared the department to what other cities
were doing.
3. Hold a discussion regarding notices sent to citizens by Planning and Zoning for public
hearings regarding, but not limited to: annexations, replats, plan amendments, specific use
permits, zoning requests, etc.
Brian Lockley, Director of Planning and Zoning, gave a presentation regarding Planning and
Zoning notices.
Because the Planning Department had a successful process for sending notices, discussions
were being conducted with Denton Municipal Electric (DME) regarding Planning assisting
DME's citizen involvement efforts by taking over the notification process.
Council Member Roden asked about the department's use of signs because signage seemed
to engage citizens.
Lockley stated that signage was done routinely but not mandated by ordinance.
Council Member Roden asked if there were a way to engage citizens earlier in the process.
Lockley stated that Planning could investigate incorporating EngageDenton or twitter.
Lockley also stated that staff could possibly provide more detailed information in the notices
(i.e. graphics) sooner so that citizens may understand the scale of the project. The goal of the
notice was to provide accurate and timely information so the process could not be started too
early.
Council Member Roden requested that an informal staff report be provided on the progress of
moving DME notices to Planning.
4. Hold a discussion regarding board and commission annual reports and youth involvement.
Betty Williams, Director of Administrative Services, discussed the board and commission
communication and annual report process and stated that no feedback had been received
from board and commission liaisons.
Council Member Roden discussed his ideas on youth involvement and asked if the boards
and commissions were interested.
Williams provided a brief history of prior youth involvement with the YMCA Youth in
Government program.
City Manager George Campbell stated that staff would send a reminder to the boards and
commissions about annual reports and also seek input regarding their recommendations on
the use of youth representatives on the boards. Staff would submit that feedback prior to the
next appointment of board and commission members.
COMMITTEE ON CITIZr,i�1 ENGAGEMENT MINUTES
May 20, 2013
Page 3
5. Management Report
Williams provided the updated Topic Matrix for review.
6. Set next meeting date and topics for discussion.
Next meeting set for Thursday, June 27, 2013, 12 noon.
7. With no further business, the meeting was adjourned 2:45 p.m.
��:;'��1 RODEN
COMMITTEE CHAIR
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
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RECORDIN�* ��GR�TARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS