Policy on the #NNK

If you are interested in public health and want to learn more about how to effect positive change in the community, participate in Healthy People 2030 Development Thursday, June 22, 1:00 pm . After participating in the free webinar, participants will be able to understand how to use Healthy People 2020 to promote public health and understand the process of developing the Healthy People 2030 Framework. The federal government's Healthy People initiative develops and works toward successful completion of "science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans." This is not pie-in-the-sky. The 2020 topics are: Access to health services Clinical preventive services Environmental quality Injury and violence Maternal, infant, and child health Mental health Nutrition, physical activity, and obesity Oral health Reproductive and sexual health Social determinants Substance abuse Tobacco To make this a little more real and to understand...

The Westmoreland County Planning Commission met May 22 for a work session in preparation for the Monday, June 5, 2017, 1:30 pm meeting (George D. English, Sr. Memorial Building, 111 Polk Street, Montross) ( June 5 agenda ) (PDF). CASE# 1706-CBAE-01 Request by Bushfield Farms LLC, 1111 Charles Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401- for the consideration of a Bay Act Exception of the Westmoreland County Zoning Code requirements found in Article 3, section 1, subsection 15, to repair stabilize and replace landscape elements destroyed in the 2015 storm. The property is described a Bushfield subdivision, as shown on zoning map 24A1, section 2, lot B1, also known as 997 Bushfield Road, Cople Magisterial District. CASE # 1706-CBAE-02 Request by Larry & Christina Pullen, 12689 Clawson Lane, Manassas, VA 20112 and (agent) Allison, Baird & Sehl, P.C, P.O. Box 838, Montross, VA 22520- for the consideration of a Bay Act Exception for land disturbing and construction within the 50-fo...

The data sources series continues with Virginia Performs , the Commonwealth's performance leadership and accountability system and data aggregator. The site pulls data from a wide range of sources including U.S. Census Bureau; Virginia State Board of Elections; U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics; and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Cancer Institute. The complete list of data sources is on the Data Sources and Update Calendar page. Counties are divvied up into eight regions and the four counties on the Northern Neck are among nine included in the Eastern Region. Eastern Region counties are: Accomack, Essex, King George, Lancaster, Middlesex, Northampton, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland. Performance As the Scorecard at a Glance , above, shows, performance in the Eastern Region is a mixed bag. Of the 24 indicators, the region is improving in 46%, doing worse in 46%, ...

Lancaster County The Lancaster County Wetlands Board will meet June 15, 2017 at 9:30 am at Lancaster County Administration Building (8311 Mary Ball Rd, Lancaster) in the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room. Per the website, agenda items are: Philip A. Robinson and Heather L. Sheehan c/o Bayshore Design, LLC., P.O. Box 339, Kinsale, VA 22488; requests permission to construct a 93’ and 166’ linear foot riprap revetment along the shoreline of Moran Creek. Located off VSH 630 (Taylors Creek Road) on Moran Creek Road. Tax Map #27-24N. VMRC# 17-0594. Stephen V. Armstrong and Bonny J. Forrest c/o Bayshore Design, LLC., P.O. Box 339, Kinsale, VA 22488; requests permission to construct a 154’ linear foot riprap sill and 246’ riprap sill with nourishment and associated plantings along the shoreline of Little Bay. Located off Route 3 (Mary Ball Road) on Windmill Point Road. Tax Map# 36-13E. VMRC# 17-0670. Douglas N. and Marilyn K. Lankey c/o Glenn Lester Co., Inc., P.O. Box 42, Wicomico Church, V...

Part 2 of the proposed FY 2018 Northumberland County budget analysis contains two things: A spreadsheet of the proposed budget that includes the percent change from approved FY 2017 to proposed FY 2018 and a review of differences greater than 20% between FY 2017 and proposed FY 2018. Proposed FY 2018 Northumberland County budget is a modified version of the proposed budget published on the county website (PDF). Modified in three ways. First, the original is a PDF, second because all the programs are in separate worksheets, and third the percent change is included. Without any narrative explaining why changes are proposed, it is not possible to do much analysis of the proposed budget. Administrative-related activity differences: Unemployment insurance : The majority of changes in this category are reductions of approximately 80%. At least two programs had a UI reduction of more than 90%. Other activities : Common change areas are office supplies, books and subscriptions, staff-...

In preparation for the June 1 hearing on the FY 2018 proposed budget generally and specifically the proposed $ .02 increase in the real estate tax rate, we're delving into the budget. According to the proposed budget summary in the June 1 hearing advertisement (PDF), the FY 2018 budget will be $2.3 million greater than the FY 2017 approved budget. This represents an increase of 6.24%. Half the increase comes from the Estimated Beginning Undesignated General Fund Balance revenue category. An additional amount comes from the Board of Supervisors' proposed $ .02 increase in the real estate tax rate. Other differences include: an additional $50,000 for the YMCA—doubling their FY 2017 appropriation an additional $149,325 for the Sheriff for an important records software purchase $100,000 for contractual services related to the reassessment a reduction across the board for unemployment insurance Notable elements of the proposed budget Lack of a narrative : The budget pro...

The Northumberland County Board of Supervisors is holding a public hearing on the proposed FY 2018 budget (PDF) Thursday, June 1 at 7:00 pm at Northumberland County Courts Building (220 Judicial Place, Heathsville). The public is encouraged to attend the hearing and question and comment on the proposed budget. More information, including a high level summary of the proposed budget, is in the hearing announcement (PDF). I'm taking a look at the proposed budget and will publish some thoughts by Friday, May 26.

Volunteers participating in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's 29th Annual Clean the Bay Day Saturday, June 3, 2017 from 9:00 am-Noon will be doing more than simply cleaning rivers, streams, and beaches of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. According to CBF, This short, three-hour annual event has a massive cumulative impact. Since 1989, Clean the Bay Day has engaged over 146,000 volunteers, who have removed approximately 6.4 million pounds of debris from nearly 6,900 miles of shoreline in Virginia! Perhaps more importantly, While litter is easily prevented and can be picked up by anyone on any given morning, tackling the major unseen threats to the Bay watershed, like habitat loss, sediment and nutrient pollution, require broad and focused support. Clean the Bay Day often performs as a gateway program through which children and adults alike embrace environmental stewardship of their waterways. Participate on the Northern Neck at one of three locations: Belle Isle State Park (Lanca...

The 19th Annual SPIN Academy will be held August 22 - 25, 2017 in Petaluma, CA, and will feature top-notch trainers and consultants leading workshops, offering one-on-one clinics and sharing their expertise on topics such as communications strategy, storytelling, social media, and more. There will also be opportunities for participants to connect and learn from each other in work sessions and informally around the campfire. Apply by June 16 . This is a terrific opportunity for nonprofit staff to skill up on policy and advocacy comms.

The proposed FY 2018 budget for the town of Warsaw is based on a total general revenue estimate of $1,390,095. The line item proposed budget is available for review at the town office (78 Belle Ville) during regular business hours. The town held a public hearing May 11 on the proposed FY 2018 General, Water, and Wastewater Budgets.

Lancaster County Minutes from the May 16 Board of Supervisors Special Meeting about the public schools capital project and budget work session will be available June 19 following approval at the regular supes meeting. The Town of Kilmarnock's Vimeo channel is home to recordings of Town Council and Planning Commission. As of this writing, there are 104 videos posted. The Irvington Town Council meets the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm at Town Hall (235 Steamboat Road). More information is available by calling 438-6230. The Irvington Planning Commission meets the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm at Town Hall (235 Steamboat Road). Northumberland County The Northumberland County Economic Development Commission meets the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm in the new courts facility (39 Judicial Pl, Heathsville). This is a correction from last week. If you missed the play-by-play of the Northumberland County Board of Supervisors' budget work session Th...

[ View the story "May 15, 2017 Virginia Register of Regulations tweeted" on Storify ]

[ View the story "Recap: May 18, 2017 Supes Work Session on Schools, County FY 2018 Budgets" on Storify ]

In all my years doing public policy work, the most important tool was the meeting box. All the things I needed for a meeting of almost any size were in this box. Going to a sponsored meeting or training? Grab the meeting box and go. That sure beats gathering everything you need every time you have a meeting. Here's a list of typical meeting box contents . Is there something you include that's not on the list? Feel free to add it to the spreadsheet. In the past, I put everything in a plastic box with a handle. These days, since I do fewer events and am only support staff, I carry a shoe box-size meeting box.

On Thursday, May 18 at 7:00 pm , the Northumberland County Board of Supervisors will discuss the FY 2018 schools budget and the overall budget at a work session. The meeting will be held in the old courthouse Board of Supervisors room. The meeting is open to the public. Presuming I have an internet connection, I will tweet from the meeting. Follow me: @susiecambria . To prepare for the meeting, we've got two documents to review. One is the proposed budget and the other is the presentation of the NCPS School Board to the Board of Supervisors in March 2017. FY 18 Proposed Budget for Northumberland County Public Schools by Susie Cambria on Scribd Fy18 School Budget Presentation to Board Of Supervisors by Susie Cambria on Scribd

In addition to being an advocate on the outside of government, staffer in a DC deputy mayor's office, and blogger, I'm a citizen (in the citizenry sense). As one, I use government services and believe services access should be seamless and information accessible and open. One important note: What's most important are the four buckets. The details are simply examples. Consume information Talk with neighbors Attend meetings Reading local newspapers, listening to the radio, watching tv Reading electronic discussion lists/boards (Yahoo, Google groups; Reddit) Reading blogs and discussion boards Following group activity on Facebook Following journalists, other electeds, bloggers, policy wonks, advocates, community leaders on Twitter Share your views with elected and appointed officials and staff Attend public meetings Write letters and emails, make phone calls Testify at public hearings Schedule a one-on-one or group meeting with public officials Engage with and...

If voter engagement and registration is not about public policy, I don't know what is. Nonprofit Vote 's Being Nonpartisan: Voter Engagement Dos and Don'ts for 501(c)(3)s , a free webinar, takes place Thursday, May 18 at 2:00 pm . According to the invitation: If your new to voter engagement work, you may have questions about what your organization is permitted to do as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The answer is a lot, as long as you do it on a nonpartisan basis. In this webinar, we'll discuss how to ensure your nonprofit remains nonpartisan while engaging clients, consumers, staff, and constituents around voting and elections. The webinar includes explanations of IRS rules, do's and don't's for nonprofits, and more.

Another new feature is "#NNK meetings, policy news." I'll share notes from meetings I attend as well as upcoming meetings, minutes, agendas, and more. Lancaster County Board of Supervisors Special Meeting , Tuesday, May 16, 5:30 pm , Lancaster County Administration Building (8311 Mary Ball Rd, Lancaster in the Board Meeting Room). The purpose of the meeting is to discuss public schools capital project financing with U. S. Department of Agriculture - Rural Development (USDA - RD) officials and conduct a work session on the FY 2018 Lancaster County budget. [UPDATED 5/14, 8:11 pm] Upcoming BoS meetings : Meetings will begin at 7:00 pm and are held at the County Administration Building (8311 Mary Ball Road also known as Virginia Primary Highway Route 3, in the Board Meeting Room) in Lancaster Court House. Immediately before the meeting, supervisors meet "to review and, if necessary, modify the tentative agenda for the regular meeting. This meeting shall be open to th...

[ View the story "May 1, 2017 Virginia Register of Regulations tweeted" on Storify ]

Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. [Former National Basketball Association player, Bill Russell.] , photo by U.S. Information Agency. Press and Publications Service. (ca. 1953 - ca. 1978) on Wikimedia Commons Boosting the power of activism and advocacy could not be a more important read. This "new research shows we really are 'stronger together.'" History has shown us that the citizenry can be a powerful force in ensuring government hears and takes action on the will of the people. Consider the Boston Tea Party, the demand for safer factory working conditions in the early 1900s, women getting the right to vote, civil rights, and more recently the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Two recent University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy doctoral alumnae are researching "ways to improve the effectiveness" of advocacy and activism, "powerful drivers of change." Identifying the most common and important characteristic...

[ View the story "May 11, 2017 Northumberland County Board of Supervisors meeting" on Storify ]

Westmoreland County Electoral Board mtg: 9:00a, Thurs, May 11, 2017 https://t.co/uPG3Ta1qLw @westmorlndcova #NNK — Susie Cambria (@susiecambria) May 10, 2017 Richmond County Board of Supervisors Meeting Thurs, May 11, 9a. Mtg packet: https://t.co/JPaHdz0lze https://t.co/03sWFaNgJc #NNK — Susie Cambria (@susiecambria) May 10, 2017 5/11, 7:00p: Richmond County FY18 Budget / CIP Adoption https://t.co/9XQAlxunzk #NNK — Susie Cambria (@susiecambria) May 10, 2017 Thurs., 5/11. 5:30p: Lancaster County Board of Supervisors will convene a special meeting re: county budget https://t.co/NZGh8XkldN #NNK — Susie Cambria (@susiecambria) May 10, 2017 And the previously announced May 11: Northumberland County Board of Supervisor's meeting .

As is the case with the tools for advocates, connecting with people, hearing their stories, and engaging them in solutions is important to elected and appointed officials and staff. One important note: What's most important are the three buckets. The details are simply examples. Hearing from people, understanding what is important to them Finding ways to hear from people, to connect with them is essential. Some ways to do that include: Attending meetings and listening Reading local newspapers Reading electronic discussion lists (Yahoo, Google groups) Reading blogs and discussion boards Following group activity on Facebook Following journalists, other electeds, bloggers, policy wonks, advocates, community leaders on Twitter Paying attention to specific topics or people using, for example, Talkwalker Alerts and Google Alerts Making government accessible and understandable If you make the most fundamental information easily accessible and available on your website and/or...

Will I see you at the Northumberland County Board of Supervisor's Meeting 5/11, 5:00 pm? https://t.co/qql3Cr18Cz #NNK pic.twitter.com/iRB1MxV5se — Susie Cambria (@susiecambria) May 9, 2017

In my more than 20 years of experience in public policy on the national and local (DC) levels, I've determined that the most important elements of effective advocacy are hearing from people, understanding what is important to them; storytelling; understanding government; having a posse; and to keep learning. The ways to do the work has changed over time. When I began as a policy analyst working on local children's issues in 1997, neither Facebook nor Twitter existed. Email and texting were not ubiquitous. What was important, and still is, are connecting with people, hearing their stories, and engaging them in solutions. One important note: What's most important are the five buckets. The details are simply examples. Hearing from people, understanding what is important to them Finding ways to hear from people, to connect with them is essential. Some ways to do that include: Reading local newspapers Reading electronic discussion lists (Yahoo, Google groups) Reading blo...

Want to learn about the history of Virginia? Check out Charlie Grymes' Virginia Places , a website which explores "Virginia history and geography. History helps us understand things that have happened, and geography examines the places where things have happened... or will be happening." As a Northern Neck newbie, I'm drawn to: Local Government Autonomy and the Dillon Rule in Virginia (pictures, lengthy narrative, links, references) Counties (images, narrative, a ton of incredibly useful links) Potomac River (pictures, narrative, links) Virginia Government and Virginia Politics Read the other posts and subscribe to Policy on the #NNK to get blog posts in your inbox.

The world of public policy is vast. It includes policy makers (electeds, appointeds, staff), think tanks, advocates, the citizenry, lobbyists, academia, and the media. Over the next several weeks, tools useful to the various players in public policy will be identified. We'll start with advocates Monday, May 8. In the meantime, read the other posts and subscribe to get blog posts in your inbox.

Should a newly published sea level rise scenario come to pass, hundreds of American landmarks, neighborhoods, towns and cities would be submerged this century, at least in the absence of engineering massive, costly and unprecedented defenses and relocating major infrastructure. Ocean waters would cover land currently home to more than 12 million Americans and $2 trillion in property. (Climate Central (2017). Extreme Sea Level Rise and the Stakes for America. A Climate Central research report. ) While Climate Central does not believe the extreme sea level rise will come to pass, the fact remains that climate change will have a number of important negative effects on coastal areas. Effects include flooding, infrastructure degradation or ruin, transportation interruption, economic challenges, property loss most important of which is home loss, and natural habitat destruction and possible collapse. What will happen in Virginia? Virginia ranks fourth of the states "most affected st...