Public Participation in Public Decisions

This straightforward and practical guide outlines a strategic approach to public involvement in government decision making. Prepares public managers for the difficult task of involving citizens more fully in the affairs of government while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency. Written in easy-to-understand terms, Public Participation in Public Decisions presents the Effective Decision Model of Public Involvement that managers will find to be an invaluable asset when making decisions about when and how to involve the public. 1. The Challenge of the New Public Involvement.

2. Finding a Practical Approach to Public Involvement.

3. First Steps in Public Participation in Decision Making.

4. Defining the Relevant Publics.

5. Sharing Decision-Making Authority with the Public.

6. Involving the Public for Information Only.

7. Involving the Public to Build Acceptance.

8. Building Strong Relationships with Citizens.

9. New Forms of Public Involvement.

10. Public Involvement and the Effective Public Manager.

Appendix: A. Testing and Refining the Effective Decision Model.

Appendix: B. Public Involvement Cases. JOHN CLAYTON THOMAS is professor and director of the School of Public Administration and Urban Studies at Georgia State University. He has held leadership posts in several urban affairs and public administration organizations: he served as president of the Urban Affairs Association from 1990--1992 and was program co-chair for the 1994 National Conference of the American Society for Public Administration. He is the author of Between Citizen and City (1986), and Big City Politics in Transition (1991). More and more, citizens are demanding and are being given a voice in the decision-making process of such diverse public interests as community development, crime prevention, mass transportation, environmental planning, and hazardous waste disposal. This growing trAnd of citizen activism combined with new legislative requirements and changing professional values has legitimized the role of the citizen in myriad areas of public management. How can managers meet the challenge of increasing citizen involvement in public management? John Clayton Thomas has written a straightforward and practical guide for public managers in which he outlines a strategic approach to public involvement in government decision making. Public Participation in Public Decisions prepares public managers for the difficult task of involving citizens more fully in the affairs of government while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency. In easy-to-understand terms, he presents the "Effective Decision Model of Public Involvement" that managers will find to be an invaluable asset when making decisions about when and how to involve the public.The author explores the sensible steps managers can take to successfully enhance public support and acceptance. The book is filled with illustrative examples and includes such useful information as:

• How to build strong and lasting working relationships with the public.
• The do's and don'ts to keep in mind when contemplating public involvement.
• How to make decisions that call for extensive public involvement.
• Which mechanism to employ if only information is desired from the public.
• And much more.

Written for government officials at all levels, students of public administration, public planners, and consultants and trainers to government, Public Participation in Public Decisions outlines a strategic plan for including citizens in public decisions—a plan that goes a long way in creating a stronger democracy for all. A straightforward and practical guide for public managers in which he outlines a strategic approach to public involvement in government decision making. Public Participation in Public Decisions prepares public managers for the difficult task of involving citizens more fully in the affairs of government while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency. In easy-to-understand terms, he presents the "Effective Decision Model of Public Involvement" that managers will find to be an invaluable asset when making decisions about when and how to involve the public.