By: MELODY HENNING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST, JEO CONSULTING GROUP

Growing up in the oldest part of Kansas City, I saw how the lack of community engagement and poor planning can divide a city and breakup tightly knit neighborhoods. A perfect example is Strawberry Hill. In1957, one-third of this historic neighborhood was bulldozed and the streetcar rails that transported people from Kansas City, Kansas, and Missouri on what was once called the Intercity Viaduct were ripped up after President Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act into law and Interstate 70 was built. The deterioration of this tightly woven community, where my great-grandparents rooted themselves after immigrating from Croatia, was a rude awakening to the American Dream that they and many others worked hard to envision and build. Over time, other socio-economic factors contributed to the relocation of wealth to the sprawling suburbs. Planning projects often have dramatic impacts in the present and vast implications for the future, so it is essential to unearth as many considerations as possible early in the process to produce the most favorable outcomes. To develop a thoughtful approach to planning and community engagement, one must turn to the experts and connect to the breadth of knowledge available through similar boots on theground. In a former role with my local city government, I learned about the premier professional organization – the International Associationof Public Participation (IAP2), which guides practitioners in engagingpublic input to solve problems and make decisions effectively. Thisorganization is recognized worldwide and active in Australia, Canada,Indonesia, Latin America, South Africa, and the USA.IAP2 USA leads, advances, and advocates for best practices in publicparticipation. As members, we have access to resources throughwebinars, conferences, training, research, and mentorship witha community of more than 2,500 members across 48 states. Theorganization’s three pillars—its Core Values, Code of Ethics, andSpectrum of Public Participation—drive its mission and vision, which is“a country where public participation is deeply embedded and widelyapplied, and where equitable, efficient, and informed decision-makingprocesses improve the quality of our democracy.” IAP2 principles arebased on the belief that those affected by a decision have a right to beinvolved in the decision-making process.

Painting by Marijana Grisnik. 1983. Strawberry Hill before I-70 was built

Good public participation should:• Include the promise that the public’s contribution willinfluence the decision.• Promote sustainable decisions by recognizingand communicating the needs and interests of allparticipants, including decision-makers.• Seek out and facilitate the involvement of thosepotentially affected by or interested in a decision.• Seek input from participants in designing how theyparticipate.• Provide participants with the information they need toparticipate meaningfully.• Communicate to participants how their input affectedthe decision.Source: About IAP2 USA. https://iap2usa.org/aboutIAP2The Spectrum of Public Participation is widely utilizedto determine levels of engagement for the public andall stakeholder groups, establishing expectations andlimitations, transparency, and accountability. Recently, IAP2gathered feedback from practitioners around the globe whouse this tool in hopes of improving it iteratively. I am excitedto see the evolution of this tool and thrilled to be part ofa network with high aims for societies worldwide, workingtogether toward the greater good.Within the US, approximately fifteen established andemerging chapters, including the Midwest Chapter, providemore localized support for practitioners in that part of thecountry. I am honored to have been recently elected toserve on the Board of Directors for the Midwest Chapter.This position will springboard my efforts to establish aneven more localized network of practitioners in Kansas andour metropolitan areas, using the connections I made lastyear at the IAP2 Midwest Conference.People-Centered Planning: Elevating Voices, Shaping Places - ContinuedThis spring, the Midwest Chapter will host its annual conference in Omaha,Nebraska, from April 23 – 25, with the theme “Weaving vibrant networks thatenergize engagement.” Learn more and register soon at the conference website:https://iap2usa.org/Midwest-Conference.Planners could benefit by attending this conference to learn about other regionalprojects where practitioners utilize tools and techniques from IAP2 to deliversuccessful outcomes. Engaging the public, even at the inform level, to helpunderstand a problem, alternatives, opportunities, and solutions – necessitatesthe promise of keeping those who are impacted abreast of the project andimplications as it unfolds. Challenges that make outreach to affected parties nosmall feat range from the determined scope of community engagement (time,money, authority) to the variety of communication platforms (websites, socialmedia, television, email, post, texting, phone calls) that must be used to accessdiverse populations, all with barriers of identity.

Furthermore, there are non-negotiables, with the governing bodyas the ultimate decision-maker. Tensions between a less informedrealm of public opinion and experts in public and private sectors mustbe managed, and the IAP2 community and wealth of knowledge areinvaluable for practitioners tasked with bridging the gap.As a Community Engagement Specialist with JEO Consulting Group, Iam committed to this work because we are all inherently connectedand often face increasingly complex problems that transcendboundaries. To some degree, we all feel the effects of climate change,rely on energy and goods in a global economy, and are affected bydecisions made in the public realm. I am energized that the StrawberryHill community where I grew up is making a comeback, along with themore recent revitalizations that have taken place in downtown KansasCity, MO. Recognizing the industrious force of immigrants workingtoward their own experience of the American Dream is a history thatcontinues to enrich this place. There is even a KC Streetcar expansionproject underway!Ultimately, better processes can potentially rebuild the public’s trustin government and urban planning where it has been broken. I amgrateful for IAP2 as a source of inspiration and professionalism. As welook to the future, remember that the best decisions are made whenthe voices of those impacted most are included.