Planning Office vows better communication

An action plan to maximize efficiency and beef up the Flathead County Planning Office’s communications with the public, the county commissioners and the development community won unanimous approval from the commissioners on Tuesday.

The plan was a written response to an earlier peer review conducted by four top planners from around the state.

Organized by the Montana Association of Planners, the review was aimed at studying the Planning Office and providing recommendations about how to improve its operation.

Flathead County was the first to participate in the new program.

The peer-review team found evidence of a “bunker mentality” here that it said is often found in planning departments in rapidly changing areas. The team suggested management needs to do more to discourage an “us against them” attitude and work on customer service.

In response, Planning Director Jeff Harris pledged to have office management “work harder to set the example of a cooperative tone.” He also said office personnel would follow up with feedback from business and industry representatives to ensure success.

The team suggested weekly informational “planning status” meetings between the commissioners and Planning Office staff to complement public hearings. But Harris maintained, and the commissioners agreed, that such meetings could complicate the review process.

Commissioner Dale Lauman said status meetings could “open up a can of worms,” especially if new information were introduced after a public hearing.

The Planning Office will go ahead with another recommendation to host monthly meetings with business and industry representatives to provide a forum for emerging issues. Harris said he will contact the Flathead Business and Industry Association to gauge interest in regular meetings and perhaps establish a feedback group.

Commissioner Jim Dupont supported the plan to create better rapport between the office and business/development community.

“The more you can show yourself, the better,” Dupont said. “When you have that common ground it will make a lot of difference.”

Lauman agreed, noting that “the buzz word these days is transparency in government.”

Some of the recommendations involve spending money and were put on hold. For example, the team had suggested the Planning Office invest in enhanced communication techniques such as random telephone surveys and keypad polling at public meetings.

Harris said keypad polling was considered during the growth policy drafting in 2006 but was cost-prohibitive.

The review team found a need for better consistency with staff reports and other planning documents. Harris pledged to have Assistant Planning Director BJ Grieve read all files to ensure consistency.

Grieve said he had begun such comprehensive review a few years ago but when the Flathead moved into a high-growth phase in 2006 and 2007, there simply wasn’t time to review all staff reports.

Harris said his office will work to implement the action plan and improve office functions over the next six months.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com