Changing Municipal Policy: Lessons Learned in Lincoln, NE

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Changing Municipal Policy Lessons Learned in
Lincoln, NE

• Tom Workman
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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Environmental Change The Three Factor
Strategic Model
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TYPES OF POLICY

• Hospitality management policy
• Municipal ordinances
• State laws, rules, and regulations
• Community covenant
• Corporate and school policy
• Responsible business guidelines
• Greek risk-management policies

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Policy work of NU Directions

• MUNICIPAL
• Mandatory Manager RBS Training (Pre-coalition)
• Bottle Club ban in City of Lincoln
• Limit on number of unrelated persons allowed to
  live together in Lincoln
• Extending Disorderly House violations to
  landlords
• Revised procedure for granting SDLs on Football
  Game days in Lincoln
• Revised procedure for reporting Last Drink Data
• Reporting municipal citations to UNL Judicial
  Affairs
• Mandatory Server RBS Training

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Policy work of NU Directions

• STATE
• Secure digital drivers license law
• Increased penalties DUI, MIP
• Add Gaseous Liquor to Statute
• Outlet density consideration for license approval
• Certification for RBS training for state

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Critical Components for Policy Change

• A strategic PLAN
• Clear and credible data
• Relationships with policy-makers
• Flexibility for diverse interests
• Dialogue across stakeholders
• Model policies
• Consensus among key stakeholders
• Consensus within the community

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Sample Strategic Plan New Digital Drivers
License in Nebraska

• Raise issue in state-wide symposium on policy
• Establish coalition of supporters regardless of
  interest in underage access
• Establish key partnerships with DMV, Retailers,
  Hospitality Industry find correct party to
  write/intro bill
• Educate the legislature and solicit public
  support through the media using all available
  forms of argument
• Utilize coalition to produce testimony to leg.
  committee
• Keep the issue in the public eye until passage

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Clear and Credible Data
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Last Drink Data 1/2003 1/2004
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UNL Student Admissions Cornhusker Place
Detoxification Center September 1, 2004
December 31, 2005
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UNL Student Admissions Cornhusker Place
Detoxification Center September 1, 2004
December 31, 2005
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UNL Student Admissions Cornhusker Place
Detoxification Center September 1, 2004
December 31, 2005
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Neighborhood Party Complaints
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Party Complaints by Time of Day
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Party Complaints by Day of Week
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Relationship with Policy Makers

• Involving policymakers into your organization
• Coalition membership of policymakers
• Task force membership
• Becoming involved in THEIR structures
• Internal Liquor Committee
• Mayors Neighborhood Roundtable
• Municipal task forces
• Ongoing, open communication outside of issues

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My relationships with Policy Makers Four Key
Questions

• Do they see me as a PARTNER?
• Do they see me as a RESOURCE?
• Do they see me as HONEST and my work as having
  INTEGRITY?
• Do they see my solutions as VIABLE and EFFECTIVE?

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Creating Stakeholder Dialogue

• Create opportunities for community/stakeholder
  involvement
• Community Forums
• Roundtables
• Bar (neighborhood, tailgate) Walks
• Discussion within existing groups

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The BAR WalkThe Neighborhood Walk, The Tailgate
Walk

• Chance for policy makers and community leaders to
  see the reality of an environment
• MUST be framed AND debriefed
• Use set guides to point out elements
• Have written materials that compliment the
  experience

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The Community Forum
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Successful Community Forums

• Allow ALL perspectives to be shared and
  interaction between stakeholders
• Provide credible and specific information that
  creates a unified perception
• Are carefully planned to move from the analysis
  of a problem to potential solutions
• Are carefully framed and debriefed so that clear
  next-steps are in place and momentum is
  maintained

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Communication Advocacy

• Develop mechanisms to communicate the message
• Information briefings/White papers
• Press kits
• Symposiums/Press Conferences
• Create visual opportunities for the media
• Utilize a message box
• Find/Develop credible spokespersons
• Do the medias work for them

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The Message Box Pass the New Drivers License
Bill
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US Drivers License Systems
Digital
Digital
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Film
Digital
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Film
Digital
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Digital
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Digital
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Digital
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Digital
Digital
Digital
Digital
Digital
Digital
Digital
Digital
Film
Digital
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Digital
Film Jurisdictions
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Digital
Digital Jurisdictions
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Total
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• Lessons from NU Directions
• OUR issue/interests may not be sufficient to pass
  the legislation/ordinance. We need to work with
  other partners who may have different interests,
  and show them how our policy meets their
  interests.
• Key credible spokespeople are critical. They
  must be prepared, trained, and provided full
  support. Remember that credible is read
  differently by different audiences. The Mayor,
  Police Chief is not ALWAYS the best spokesperson.
• Visual images are essential for good media
  coverage.
• Always know what other cities, states are doing.
  Research in model policies is ALWAYS worthwhile.
• Its all about RELATIONSHIPS! Seek consensus
  from stakeholders who might oppose the policy
  EARLY.