INSIDE CITY HALL: Successful projects involve the community

By: 
Paul Snow, Brandon City Engineer

Paul Sanow, Brandon City Engineer

Editor’s note: Inside City Hall is a monthly column provided by City of Brandon staff. The intent of this column to further open the lines of communication between City Hall and the public. If there is a topic you’d like explored, please let us know.

Have you ever heard the saying “pitching by committee” used as an expression in a baseball game? This is when numerous pitchers in a pitching staff are employed in one game to come together with a plan, execute the plan, and win a ballgame. It is very uncommon for one pitcher to throw a complete game. Projects are very similar in a way that it takes numerous people to complete a project and an entire community to understand the importance of a successful project. Every year the City of Brandon works diligently to complete successful projects. The City of Brandon in this context does not refer to only city leaders and staff. Citizen involvement with each project in Brandon is just as critical in measuring that level of success.     

Projects get off the ground by being at the top of the long list of projects the city has prioritized. Criteria necessary prior to breaking ground include estimating the cost, establishing a budget, identifying the stakeholders, creating guidelines, putting plans together, acquiring permits, and getting the right people on board to plan, design, and construct the project. These projects have been discussed numerous times and include countless coordination meetings. Most of the time when everything goes as planned these complex projects are completed on time and under budget.

Sound familiar? Everyone has projects to complete. Does completing a project on time and under budget define the project? Unfortunately, this is too often the focus of projects. If a project were measured solely on these two goals too many projects would be considered failures. Many discussions of public projects directly involve public input as a measurement of a project’s level of success. Communication with the public is key in curbing unknowns and answering frequently asked questions. 

The City of Brandon continues to strive towards releasing as much project information to the public as possible when it is available. However, the public is still responsible to seek out the information. Public meetings and open houses are an excellent source of project information. When you are directly affected by the project, you will more than likely receive a mailed invitation. Most of the time the meeting date and time is also advertised in the local newspaper or on the city’s Facebook page. The Project Team including city officials, the project engineer and the contractor are often at these meetings with project and contact information readily available. This group is accessible for information and questions during and after these meetings to acquire the information most important to you. Most recently, the city added Facebook and Twitter accounts as popular paths of communication. Department posts include information from Police, Parks, Public Works, and City Hall. Additional posts on the City’s social media accounts include projects surrounding our community which can affect commuters. City Hall is a great source for information as well and phone calls with questions for staff are always welcome. For information regarding community projects and even questions on a project you may be planning at home please feel free to call Brandon City Hall at (605) 582-6515. 

Category:

The Brandon Valley Journal

 

The Brandon Valley Journal
1404 E. Cedar St.
Brandon, SD 57005
(605) 582-9999

Email Us

Facebook Twitter

Please Login for Premium Content