Status Report on Outreach and Engagement

Location: Al Boro Community Center
Date: Saturday October 27, 2018
Time: 10AM – Noon

The format of each meeting is the same and includes:

• Welcome and introductions
• A 15-minute presentation explaining the purpose of the General Plan, the Plan Update process, and
  questions for audience members to consider
• A 90-minute polling and discussion exercise related to city planning issues in San Rafael and
  thoughts about San Rafael’s future
• Concluding remarks, including door prizes

There will be a short break midway through the meeting and a “mad libs” exercise in which participants create a visionc for San Rafael in 2040. The polling and discussion exercise provides a fun, innovative way for audience members to weigh in on various policy questions.

Audience members are furnished with 10-button digital clickers for real-time electronic polling. A question appears on the screen (i.e., How would you rate the quality of life in San Rafael?), with multiple choice options appearing below (A. Excellent; B. Good; C. Fair; D. Poor; E. Other).

At the close of the polling period for each question (15 seconds or so), the outcome of each vote appears on a large screen. Audience members are then given a chance to verbally express why they voted the way they did, and elaborate on relevant issues that can inform future policy decisions.

The polling questions also include demographic statistics about the audience (i.e., How long have you lived in San Rafael? etc.) and “trivia” questions about San Rafael history and demographics. The electronic polling adds a fun element to the meeting, and allows for more dialogue and interaction.