Engage Task Force Members

The City of St. John’s today announced that the selection process for the new Engage! St. John’s Task Force has been completed and the group will begin its work on April 12 with a goal of submitting its report in late June, 2014.
 
More than 70 applications were received and reviewed by staff and City Council. Ultimately, 25 individuals/organizations were selected to represent wards, various demographics, interest in public engagement, experience and sectors.
 
“The quality of the applications was impressive and the selection process was challenging as a result,” said Dave Lane, Chair of the Task Force and Councillor at Large. “With so many interested in helping the City shape its engagement framework, I am looking forward to the process and the ultimate outcome. The residents and stakeholders of the City want to become involved and Engage! St. John’s gives them an opportunity to do that.”
 
There were 53 individual applications and 21 organizational applications.
 
Organizational applications were reviewed against the criteria presented in the Terms of Reference and were considered in the context of the stakeholders they represented, i.e. umbrella organizations and reach. Citizens were organized by ward and then reviewed against the demographic criteria and merit of the application, such as interest and experience in public engagement, years lived in the city, and ability to participate.
 
The Task Force will propose an engagement framework for the City of St. John's which will include reviewing best practices, developing draft guidelines and policy documents and making recommendations on tools and topics for engagement.
 
“Members of the Task Force will be encouraged to engage within their sectors and neighbourhoods and seek additional input that can be brought back to the group throughout the process,” said Lane. “We will continue to provide updates within the community as we work through this process.”
 
For further information:
Susan Bonnell
Manager, Marketing and Communications
City of St. John's
Phone: (709) 576-3906
E-mail: sbonnell@stjohns.ca