🗞️ How Commerce City Engages With the Local Business Community, Upcoming Events, Fresh Insights, Hot Jobs, & more!
August 20, 2024 edition
EngagingCities shares outstanding work by our network of planners and changemakers, who actively involve their communities in creating better places and a brighter future.
🔥 Fireside Chat with Stew Meek
Elevate Commerce - How Commerce City Engages With the Local Business Community
Stew Meek is the Local Business Manager for the City of Commerce City in Colorado. Our conversation centers around 'Elevate Commerce,' a business retention and expansion program aimed at fostering relationships with local businesses to help the local economy thrive. Stew explains the foundational strategies behind the program, the importance of proactive and relationship-based community engagement, and the innovative aspects of creating a smart, interactive website. We also touch on the challenges faced, such as low survey responses, and reflect on the positive feedback from businesses. We explore the long-term benefits of building meaningful connections within the business community and how these relationships can be leveraged for broader economic initiatives.
Main Takeaways
Importance of Relationships: The focus on building genuine relationships with local businesses is essential for long-term success, highlighting the difference between transactional and meaningful engagement.
Smart Website: The innovative use of a smart website allows businesses to easily access relevant resources, streamlining support and fostering better connections.
Business Blitz Concept: Rapid outreach initiatives like the Business Blitz can effectively enhance engagement and awareness of local programs, showcasing the city’s commitment.
Playing the Long Game: Emphasizing patience in relationship-building reflects a strategic approach, ensuring that engagement efforts yield sustainable outcomes over time.
Survey Strategies: Low survey response rates indicate the need for tailored communication strategies to avoid overwhelming businesses and to improve engagement.
Feedback Loop: Continuous adaptation and responsiveness to business feedback are critical for refining engagement strategies and meeting community needs effectively.
Collaboration with Other Departments: Integrating efforts with other city departments enhances overall community development, demonstrating the interconnectedness of economic and planning initiatives.
“Community engagement is not how many people responded to surveys or how many people showed up to your event, it is how many relationships were established and how robust the interactions were.”
Stew Meek, Local Business Manager for the City of Commerce City.
👀 Watch the Fireside Chat on YouTube.
👂 Listen to the Fireside Chat on Spotify or Apple.
📧 Contact Stew Meek on LinkedIn.
🌐 Visit the Elevate Commerce website at elevate.c3gov.com.
🎙️ Liked this Fireside Chat? Listen to more podcast episodes here.
📅 Engaging Events
📌 APA California Chapter Conference, September 28 - October 1
Whether you’re a seasoned planner, a budding urban strategist, or someone simply passionate about building better communities, this conference is your chance to connect, collaborate, and contribute to the ever-evolving field of urban planning. Discover fresh perspectives, share your expertise, and be part of a vibrant community of professionals dedicated to shaping the future of California’s cities and regions. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to learn, network, and be inspired – mark your calendar for the American Planners Association California Conference from September 28th to October 1st in beautiful Riverside, California! View more information on the conference website.
📌 APA Colorado Chapter Conference, October 2 - October 4
Experience the excitement of the annual fall conference hosted by APA Colorado, the pinnacle event for planning professionals in the state. Our conference promises an unparalleled blend of learning and networking opportunities that will elevate your career. This extraordinary event boasts a diverse array of professional development sessions, all of which are eligible for AICP Certification Maintenance (CM) credits. Immerse yourself in enlightening workshops, captivating sessions, and immersive mobile tours. Hurry, registration closes on August 31st! View more information on the conference website.
🚀 Fresh Insights
💡 Harlem River Tour Boosts Environmental Efforts and Community Engagement
Approximately 130 passengers, split between Manhattan and the Bronx, including city legislators, members of local green organizations and Fordham University students, shared their research and ideas for future environmental projects to enhance and clean the Hudson River.
— Read more here.
💡 CDFW to Hold Public Outreach Meeting Regarding Northern San Joaquin Valley Wildlife Areas
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Central Region, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), will hold an online outreach meeting from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024 to take comments and recommendations from licensed hunters regarding hunting programs in the northern San Joaquin Valley. The meeting will include updates on habitat conditions and the availability of water for wetlands.
— Read more here.
💡 Uptown Transit-Oriented Development Moving Forward With Public Engagement
The first round of public engagement for a transit-oriented development near Uptown Shopping Centre in British Columbia will run from Monday, Aug. 19 until Sept. 18, 2024. The public engagement will seek feedback on a potential transit exchange beneath the residential buildings that could be integrated with the Lochside and Galloping Goose regional trails.
— Read more here.
✨ Read more fresh insights here.
💼 Job Opportunities
📎 Chief Race & Equity Officer - City of San Diego, CA
📎 Senior Community Engagement Specialist - Sound Transit, Seattle, WA
📎 MWBE Community Engagement Specialist - City of Raleigh, NC
🗃️ Find more jobs here.
🙌 Support for APA Interest Group
We believe the practice of Community Engagement should have its own Interest Group within the American Planning Association (APA) as a place to network, find inspiration, and share best practices. Help EngagingCities make the case by filling out this online form to express your support and get updates along the way. You may view the existing Divisions and Interest Groups within APA here for reference.
➡️ Visit EngagingCities.org and follow us on X and LinkedIn for more stories like these!
💬 Do you have an interesting story, event, or job to share? Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Email us at hello@engagingcities.org
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