Plug: new workshop on managing high conflict public meetings

Government-citizen relations have always had a high degree of tension. It’s inevitable. Citizens feel they lack power to control their lives and perceive the government as monolithic, while government workers feel that citizens are loose canons that can control the process of their work. This mutual misjudgment is the cause of many, many disputes, as I have written about before.

More recently, however, there has been an emerging trend of the political misuse of public meeting space. Proponents of particular viewpoints have been resorting to organized disruption. I don’t mean espousing their viewpoint, I mean shutting down the meetings entirely. It is a form of intimidation, a tactic designed to deny anyone the ability to have their voice heard. It is anti-democratic to its very core.

The most famous example of this dynamic has been the recent spate of health care related town halls — even when meetings had nothing to do with health care at all:

And lest anyone think this is simply a matter of bashing one political viewpoint, this tactic has been employed by both sides of the debate:

For communications professionals in the public sector, this is rarely charted territory. What does one do if your meeting generates a highly contentious turnout, or even an organized one bent on shutting the meeting down rather than engaging in dialogue? How can you keep the meeting functioning and allow the broadest range of citizens to have their voices heard?

The Cascade Chapter of the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) is hosting a workshop dedicated to anger, emotion, and organized hostility next month here in Portland:

NEW IAP2 CASCADE CHAPTER WORKSHOP:

PUBLIC MEETINGS SOS: Navigating minefields and fending off organized hostility

Portland, Oregon | Thursday, December 10, 2009

From the national health care debate to neighborhood issues, dealing with anger and emotion in a public meeting can be hard. The emerging trend of organized disruption makes this situation even harder. How can you effectively deal with these challenges?

Join the IAP2 Cascade Chapter at its Public Meetings SOS workshop and help craft a practical, useful response.

The workshop will begin with a panel discussion bringing more than a century of public involvement experience, including:

Jeanne Lawson, founder of JLA Public Involvement

Jim Gladson, Public Involvement Senior Project Manager, Berger/ABAM

Sheri Wantland, Public Involvement Coordinator, Clean Water Services

Tony Faast, Staff Biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Following the panel discussion, attendees will work with their colleagues to help to develop practical, effective methods for dealing with these difficult situations.

Together, we will find ways to address these challenges. Join us!

Event Details:
DATE: Thursday, December 10, 2009
TIME: 1:00 PM-4:30 PM
LOCATION: McMenamins Kennedy School Gymnasium, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR [Google Map]
(Snacks and refreshments will be provided.)
COST: Cost: $35 (Cash or check at the door only)

RSVP is highly recommended. For more information contact Sheri Wantland at 503-681-5111 or wantlands@cleanwaterservices.org. It should be an interesting afternoon of sharing problems and strategies that will help to deal with difficult meeting situations.