Hampton Engages Citizens in Budget Effort
Hampton Utilizes Award Winning Method to Gather Input
To gain maximum citizen input in this year’s budget, the City of Hampton is once again turning to its “I Value” engagement effort.
The City kicks off this effort on Saturday, February 26 with Budget Week, several days of opportunities for citizens to give input regarding city services they value. Budget Week will feature keypad polling as well as open discussion. The schedule is as follows:
- Saturday, February 26; 10 a.m.-noon;
Aberdeen Elementary School, 1424 Aberdeen Rd.
- Tuesday, March 1; 7 p.m.-9 p.m.;
Ruppert Sargent Building, 1 Franklin St.
- Thursday, March 3; 7 p.m.-9 p.m.;
Jones Magnet Middle School, 1819 Nickerson Blvd.
- Saturday, March 5; 9 a.m.-11 a.m.;
Hampton Teen Center, 300 Butler Farm Rd.
Last year Hampton’s City Manager Mary Bunting partnered with citizens to create a community input process for developing the City’s budget. Thousands of residents participated, resulting in a budget that best reflected the community’s values, and one that Hampton City Council approved without major contentions or controversies. The City gained national recognition for the “I Value” process, winning the 2010 Governor’s Technology Award for Innovation in Local Government, 3CMA Savvy Award for Citizen Engagement/Community Planning, and Virginia Municipal League Achievement Award for Communications.
“The ‘I Value’ engagement effort gives citizens the chance to express their opinions in a variety of ways, and encourages them to stay involved,” said Bunting. “We’ve made it convenient for them to give input by telephone, computer, or in person, spending as little as five minutes or up to two hours.”
Getting engaged is easy! Citizens can visit www.hamptonvalues.com to find out how they can weigh in. Whether by taking an online survey, attending a chat (in person or online), calling 311, or commenting on Facebook, the City offers a variety of ways for residents to have their voices heard. Residents can also call 727-6392 to schedule a chat for their civic organization or other group.
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