Shaping Burlington

An explanatory note

The Vision and Mission represent a long-term view for Shaping Burlington. As the successor organization to Shape Burlington, our initial focus was to advocate for full implementation of the recommendations of the Shape Report. The new City Council has now responded to the Shape Report, giving strong support to most of the recommendations. We continue to work with City Council and advocate for the Shape recommendations as City Council and staff work through related specific measures (such as the establishment of a senior Civic Engagement staff position).  Hence objectives 1 to 6. The Shape Report noted that citizens also have a responsibility to become more engaged in municipal governance. Therefore we have added encouragement and facilitation of citizens to become engaged in municipal government to our mission, along with matching objectives – 7 and 8. Objectives 7 and 8 are longer-term objectives. The objectives are for 2011 – and therefore would need to be reviewed for 2012 and beyond.

Vision:

Greater civic engagement

Mission:

To advocate with the City government and the public for full implementation of the Shape Burlington Report recommendations as well as to encourage and facilitate citizens to be more engaged in municipal government.

Objectives for 2011:

1. To monitor and participate in the 2011 City of Burlington Strategic Planning process to ensure that enhanced civic engagement opportunities are part of that process.
2. To advocate for the inclusion of the implementation of the Shape Report recommendations and enhanced civic engagement opportunities as a strategic objective in the City Strategic Plan.
3. To monitor the process and work with the City in the City’s development of an Engagement Charter consistent with the Shape Burlington report and Shaping Burlington’s presentation to City Council.
4. To monitor the process and work with City in the establishment of a position of a Civic Engagement staff person and that person’s work
5. To present ideas to the City and work with the City in developing models for neighbourhood or community councils consistent with the Shape Burlington Report.
6. To monitor the processes the City uses to provide information to the public and to meaningfully consult with the public; and to advocate for improvements to these processes as required.
7. To provide information about Shaping Burlington’s activities and possible civic engagement opportunities through the Shaping Burlington website and social media tools.
8. To develop ideas and methods by which Shaping Burlington can further advocate with the community for increased civic engagement. These ideas and methods could include a spectrum of communication modes, education and other opportunities, and assisting individuals and organizations.

Shaping Burlington, June 2011