This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
The City of Longmont recently launched Engage Longmont, a new website for community members to share input and discover community projects and programs.
Engage Longmont was created to provide a convenient way for community members to offer feedback on city issues on their own time, from any location.
According to the website, “The City of Longmont encourages and welcomes its residents to be involved in all aspects of city government.”
As the website explains, citizens typically must attend public meetings or send written submissions to the City Council in order to have a say on government matters.
But now, “getting involved begins with a click,” says the website.
Engage Longmont makes it “quick, safe, and convenient” to provide feedback on city programs and issues through the website’s forms, surveys, polls and forums. Additionally, website visitors can respond directly to other community members’ comments to create discussion.
Engage Longmont outlines four types of engagement permitted, depending on the project. According to the website, this includes:
- Inform, give information to the community
- Consult, obtain feedback from the community
- Involve, community input and feedback influence the process
- Partner, city and community work as equal partners.
Each project page on the website indicates which level of engagement is allowed for that specific project. Viewers will also see which government official(s) are reviewing the provided feedback, the project goals and details, related projects and documents as well as other users responses to the project.
Anyone can visit and brows the Engage Longmont website. However, in order to interact with other comments or provide feedback, you must register. Registration requires a username and password as well as an email address, the ward you live in and your relationship to the city (i.e. resident, visitor, etc.).
Registered users also have the option to be notified via email of new projects or discussions of interest to them. This includes topics such as public safety, transportation, parks and trails, and sustainability.
Current projects open for feedback, which can be found on the homepage of Engage Longmont, include the Longmont Main Street corridor plan, updating the wildlife management plan, signage and wayfinding plan, planning for active transportation and more.
The website is moderated by a third party organization, Bang the Table Pty Ltd., to ensure quality participation and privacy is not violated.
Engage Longmont is also available in Spanish.
To learn more about Engage Longmont or to provide input on city projects and issues, visit engage.longmontcolorado.gov.
