​Numbers 4 Neighborhoods

Promoting Civic Engagement

Numbers 4 Neighborhoods is a program designed to bring the kind of data driven discussions and decision making that we use in our LowellSTAT program to the residents, in order to promote civic engagement. In the world of Municipal Management, this is often referred to as "Government 2.0."

Goals

The goal is to connect residents from all different backgrounds to City Hall, providing valuable information to residents and using their feedback to improve city services. Numbers 4 Neighborhoods aims to inform the discussions that happen at the neighborhood level, and bridge the gap that can often separate city government from its most engaged citizens. Unlike our LowellSTAT meetings, in which we report to the City Manager who leads the discussion, Numbers 4 Neighborhoods puts the constituent in charge.

Implementation

The actual implementation of the program will encompass a wide variety of possibilities. Numbers 4 Neighborhoods will host neighborhood-based, data driven community meetings with the City Manager, City Councilors, and high-level City Staff from such departments as: Development Services (Code Enforcement), Lowell Police Department (Crime Statistics and Trends), Neighborhood Services (local concerns and priorities), and others depending on the specific topic to be covered.

Communication

We also hope to address residents' concerns and questions regarding City policies and services through a Numbers 4 Neighborhoods Blog. This blog will be an online community forum designed to address residents' concerns in a transparent, public sphere. We also intend to maintain email lists to provide information on city-sponsored and local events and announcements in Lowell, including those specific to each subscriber's neighborhood.

Another major goal will be opening up City data to the public through our website. The hope is that this program can help the City take the next step in both transparency and performance management while allowing the citizen more input into the City's operations.

If you missed our first meeting of Numbers 4 Neighborhoods, you can download the Presentation (PDF).

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