The National League of Cities has released a new tool kit for local officials, which seeks to provide guidance about outreach, dialogue and deliberative problem solving.  I haven’t had a chance to explore it yet, but wanted to draw it to the attention of our readers:

The new guide is organized in two parts and provides a series of practical strategies that lead to a stronger local democracy. Part 1, Key Questions to Ask About How to Engage the Public, guides the reader through a closer examination of the strengths, weaknesses and history of the citizen-government relationship in cities. Included are models of practices from pioneering local officials, their staff and democratic governance practitioners from around the country. Part 2, Developing Shared Civic Infrastructure, lays out a collaborative process for using that knowledge to construct a better framework for public engagement. Together, the two parts can be key components to assist in the development of your strategic plan for governing more democratically.

You can find out more here.