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Ongoing Activities

Following are some examples of activities that will assist your city with effectively communicating with legislators, candidates and key local, state, and federal leaders.  Be creative - these are examples of tools that have been successful, but you should use activities that fit your community.  It will be helpful for you to share with the League what activities work for your community.  

One-on-one contact

Whether you meet for coffee with a candidate to go over the “Hometown Voices:  Wise Choices” brochure, or speak to a local Rotary club, each contact is an opportunity to educate, build a relationship and open lines of communication.  

Effective one-on-one contacts include:

• Meet with candidates to educate them of the important role your city plays in your community, build a relationship, open lines of communication, and establish yourself as a credible, knowledgeable and valuable resource; 
• Meet with legislators on a regular basis to maintain a relationship, inform them of issues that are important to your community, keep lines of communication open and clarify where they stand on issues;
• Meet with citizens, key stakeholders on a regular basis to maintain relationships, keep lines of communication open, and build effective coalitions;  
• Invite legislators and candidates to city events, ask them to coffee or to have lunch and  
• Call, write, or send an e-mail when there is an urgent issue to communicate that impacts your community.

City Tour

An effective education tool for both candidates and legislators is to take them on a tour of your city.  This will familiarize them with city departments and the services your city provides.  You can get their buy-in on local projects and talk with them about the value of your city having the authority to raise revenue and make decisions that fit your community.  The tour can be done on an individual basis or by organizing multiple candidates and legislators.    

City Council Meetings

Invite both candidates and legislators to attend a city council meeting.  This is not only a great educational opportunity, but it illustrates that you, as a city official, are accessible to your community.  Legislators and candidates will see that you are on the front lines, represent the same constituents, and are held accountable for the decisions you make.

During the legislative session, inviting legislators to participate in city council meetings on a regular basis maintains open lines of communication, fosters a good relationship and gives you a public opportunity to clarify where they stand on issues.  It is useful to inform the legislator before the meeting what issues will be discussed.

Coalitions

Coalitions allow city officials to interact with legislators, candidates and other key community leaders.  The structure of a coalition may look different from region to region.  They exist in individual cities and on a regional and statewide level.  

Some are formal organizations, and some less formal with a focus on social activities.  Coalitions can include individuals and organizations such as citizens, business leaders and civic groups, other cities, mayors, councilors, city staff, and other key partners.

Coalitions serve an important role during the legislative session and in the interim.  They help educate legislators and candidates, build relationships and maintain good lines of communication.  Coalitions are an effective way for a city or group of cities and their constituents to communicate a coordinated message on city issues to legislators and candidates. Coalitions can also be very useful for communicating with other elected officials, such as Oregon ’s congressional delegation.

Phone Conferences

Weekly or bi-weekly phone conferences are a good way for cities or regional coalitions to stay in communication with legislators, particularly during a legislative session. 

Typically cities will set up a phone conference at a time that is convenient for a legislator.  It is also useful to provide an agenda for the meeting and keep it brief (usually not more than an hour) to respect everyone’s time.  This tool can also be an effective way to communicate with a group of legislators serving a particular city or region. 

The conference serves to hold legislators accountable to their constituents while they are in Salem and positions the city or coalition as a valuable resource for the legislator.  Phone conferences can also be useful for communicating with Oregon ’s congressional delegation.

Local Recognition

Look for opportunities to spotlight legislators and our congressional delegation.  These can be events such as a ribbon-cutting ceremony, or the completion of a public works project.  When an elected official votes or does something to support your community, recognize them in a public way, such as at a city council meeting or through local media coverage.  Local elected officials also have the opportunity to endorse candidates and statewide elected officials who they believe support what matters to their community.

Targeted Events

Targeted events are different from ongoing activities as they typically happen once a year or less.  Targeted events are an effective way to gather large numbers of people together and deliver a coordinated message.  The following are two examples of events the League is coordinating through Hometown Voices: 

City Hall Day

Calling all city officials!  October 14, 2004 marks Oregon’s first City Hall Day.  The event will be held in 24 host cities across the state, representing all 90 legislative districts.  Legislators, candidates and city officials will come together to discuss priority city issues.  As a city official, your participation is critical.  You have been elected or appointed to represent your citizens and know best what issues are vital to your community.  Participating in City Hall Day on October 14 may be the single most important opportunity for you to lay the groundwork for a successful 2005 legislative session.  If you do not represent your community, who will?  Click here for a list of City Hall Day locations and contact information, or contact Andrea Fogue, League of Oregon Cities at (503) 588-6550 for more information.
Click here for a list of City Hall Day locations and contact information.       

Legislative Day at the Capitol

During each legislative session, the League schedules a day for cities to come to Salem to present a unified front.  It is an important opportunity for cities to meet with legislators about current legislative priorities and issues that matter to Oregon communities.  This event is a powerful illustration of how cities are strongest when they speak with a unified voice and mobilize to deliver a coordinated message on city issues.