Participation Guidelines
The City of Flagstaff (the “City”) has partnered with OpenGov, a third-party online forum provider, to create a civic engagement platform that will allow the citizens of Flagstaff get more involved in City government. Flagstaff Community Forum is a forum for the discussion of proposed City projects and upcoming policy topics related to local government in the City and its partner agencies. The topics are generated by City staff, commissions, and Council for the purpose of public participation in current government decision making.
To ensure that all voices are heard and that forum participants are able to speak freely about the posted topics, participants who register to use the forum must agree to not post disruptive statements. Disruptive statements include the following:
- Statements that do not relate to the posted topic;
- Personal attacks and statements that threaten or abuse other forum participants, members of the public, City staff or City officials;
- Statements that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual preference, age, region, disability, etc.
- Hate speech of any kind;
- Statements containing any sort of commercial advertising or soliciting funds, goods, or services;
- Repetitive or meaningless messages (“spam”);
- A statement from a user who has falsified their registration information with the intent to post multiple statements in one topic or to misrepresent their city of residence; and
- Statements that include obscene, pornographic, abusive, or otherwise illegal material.
OpenGov, acting as the forum monitor, will remove any disruptive statements that are posted on the forum. Forum participants who post disruptive statements may lose their posting privileges.
Frequently asked questions about the participation guidelines
Why does Open Town Hall monitor for disruptive statements?
OpenGov is a non-partisan company dedicated to building public trust in government and broadening civic engagement. Many people will not participate, if the forum has disruptive statements.
Does Open Town Hall find many disruptive statements?
No. Disruptive statements are quite rare - less than one in a thousand statements on OpenGov moderated topics nationwide are disruptive.
What does Open Town Hall do if they find a disruptive statement?
OpenGov
- moves the statement to a different web page,
- describes the problem in an email to the author, and
- invites the author to change the statement.
Does Open Town Hall ever edit or delete statements?
Never. Only the statement's author can edit or delete a statement. If a statement is removed from the public website, it will still be seen by the City of Flagstaff and be part of the public record.
If I disagree with someone, can I post my opinion?
Yes. Open Town Hall encourages open dialog and debate which, by necessity, includes disagreements.
How do I know if my statement is a 'disagreement' or a 'personal attack'?
Personal attacks are disparaging remarks which impute motives to a person's action. Statements of fact, or of your own opinion are generally not personal attacks.
Here are some examples of statements which are, and are not, personal attacks.
Personal Attack v. Not A Personal Attack
He is a liar. V. He said he did X, but in fact he did Y.
She misrepresented the truth. V. I don't believe what she said.
He is greedy. V. He is making money from this project.
It is merely a power play on her part. V. She will announce her candidacy soon.
Translate
1. Please mark which of the following statements best describes where you live. Please mark one statement.
2. Please mark which of the following statements apply to your Flagstaff home. Please mark all that apply
3. Did you evacuate from your home because of the Museum Fire? Mark all that apply.
4. Mark the statement(s) that best describe the level of insurance you have for the property this survey was sent to. Please mark all that apply.
5. Did you attend any public meetings about the Museum Fire and/or subsequent flood risk? Please mark all that apply.
6. Please indicate the extent to which the Museum Fire has improved or impaired your ability to undertake the following recreation activities in the Flagstaff area. Please mark one answer for each statement. If you do not participate in a given recreation activity, mark N/A.
Other
No response.7. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about your experience with the Museum Fire and/or post fire flood risk. Please mark one answer for each statement.
% A wildfire occurs anywhere in Coconino County
100% A wildfire occurs on private property in Coconino County
75% A wildfire occurs within Flagstaff City limits
75% A wildfire damages a neighborhood in the City of Flagstaff
75% A wildfire damages your Coconino County home
50% A post-fire flood occurs anywhere in Coconino County
100% A post-fire flood occurs on private property in Coconino County
75% A post-fire flood occurs within Flagstaff City limits
75% A post-fire flood damages a neighborhood in the City of Flagstaff
75% A post-fire flood damages your Coconino County home
508. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about flood risk reduction efforts (e.g. sandbags, road closures). Please mark one answer for each statement.
1. How trustworthy or untrustworthy were the following sources of information for making decisions about risk posed to your household related to the Museum Fire? Please mark one answer for each statement
Other
No response.2. Are you signed up for the Coconino County emergency alert system? Mark one answer
3. How do you expect to be notified about a wildfire or flood event that threatens your Flagstaff home? Please mark all that apply.
4. Which social media platform(s) do you use to find local emergency information? Please mark all that apply.
5. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about communication during the Museum Fire and subsequent post-fire flood risk. Please mark one answer for each statement.
1. Please mark to the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about the Ready, Set, Go! evacuation system. Please mark one answer for each statement.
2. Was your Flagstaff home placed under evacuation using the Ready, Set, Go! system during the Museum Fire?
If Yes:
3. Have you ever been evacuated from your home during a wildfire prior to the Museum Fire? This could be any home you have lived in in the past. Please mark one answer.
1. Please indicate how important or unimportant it is to protect the following values from potential wildfire impacts in the Flagstaff area. Please mark one answer for each statement.
2. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about forest management around Flagstaff. Please mark one answer for each statement.
3. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about wildfire risk in the Flagstaff area. Please mark one answer for each statement.
4. Please indicate how acceptable or unacceptable you find the following strategies for financing forest management to reduce wildfire risk in the Flagstaff area. Please mark one answer for each statement.
Other
No response.5. Please indicate below how much you would be willing to pay a month to support wildfire risk reduction in and around Flagstaff. Please write a dollar amount in the box.
25.006. Please indicate how acceptable or unacceptable you find the following forest management outcomes. Please mark one answer for each statement.
7. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about the Museum Fire. Please mark one answer for each statement.
8. Please mark the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about the Museum Fire. Please mark one answer for each statement.
Please drop 1 to 3 pins on the map below indicating where you think a wildfire is most likely to start within Flagstaff city limits.
Please describe or label this area and tell us why you think it poses a wildfire risk.
1. Do you remember how you voted for Question 405, “Forest Health and Water Supply Protection Project” in 2012? Please mark one answer.
2. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements. Please mark one answer for each statement.
1. Are you aware of the reported cause of the Museum Fire? Please mark one answer.