CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND LAUNCHES “ENGAGE PT” CAMPAIGN

Campaign aims to be one-stop shop for broad engagement on a range of initiatives, providing a clear, coordinated and consolidated approach to community-led decision-making.

PORT TOWNSEND – The City of Port Townsend has launched Engage PT, a clear, coordinated and consolidated campaign meant to build greater community engagement and involvement in key decisions during 2020 and into 2021.

With a visible brand and multiple ways to be engaged and involved, Engage PT aims to generate awareness, excitement and interest in being part of a collective solution. A range of initiatives – the Mill agreement, golf course future, streets, budget, sewer, library strategic plan, and more – will come together in one campaign. Information on Engage PT will be available on a new website (www.cityofpt.us/engage), at outdoor events like the PT Farmer’s Market, and through many of the City’s existing communications channels like Facebook and the City Newsletter. New resources like an Ambassador Toolkit will be made available in the coming months as part of Engage PT.

City Manager John Mauro says: “Especially in the time of COVID-19 when normal engagement methods are challenging or impossible to use, we need to innovate in how we engage and enable the community to play a bigger role in the decision-making process. This new approach is meant to draw from a diversity of perspectives by activating new voices and to deliver a higher standard of information and engagement that our community expects and deserves.”

While each individual initiative will have its own timeframe, requirements and tailored process, one campaign and a consolidated approach will make it easier for residents to engage while recognizing that each initiative is integrated into holistic policy making for our City.

Through Engage PT, the City intends to reach a wider diversity of our residents, recognizing that some people are simply not heard or may not have the time or interest to engage. Broader community engagement is important to inform the decisions that affect the entire community as well as being intrinsically important as a creative and fun community process that builds a stronger, more inclusive and more connected social fabric.

The Port Townsend City Council will consider each of these initiatives in some form in their formal decision-making during 2020 and into 2021. City Council agendas are posted at: https://cityofpt.us/citycouncil/page/agendasminutesvideos. Beyond the events and opportunities of Engage PT, public comment will also be accepted as part of business meetings and workshops.