Public Engagement That Works

Research has found that the traditional public hearing featuring public officials seated at the front of the room and speakers who get a short amount of time at the microphone often does more harm than good when it comes to building trust and connection between government and members of the public. With this in mind, GFOA is encouraging its members to rethink their approach to public engagement. Based on GFOA's research on this topic, this session will feature speakers who will explain why the current model isn't working and highlight case studies of local governments that have achieved better outcomes from their public engagement efforts.