City of San Mateo Launches Online Engagement Platform

SAN MATEO, CA – The City of San Mateo launches Speak UP San Mateo!, an online engagement platform that makes the public process more accessible and provides the community with opportunities to share ideas, respond to comments, and stay informed about specific programs or initiatives.

Speak UP San Mateo! is one additional way for those living and working in San Mateo to participate in meaningful discussions with the city. It will not replace public meetings and workshops or the digital channels that are available for sharing information. Rather it offers a method for community members to exchange ideas with decision-makers and participate in the public process on their own time.

“Many of the initiatives we are implementing will bring significant change to our community. We can’t make decisions in a vacuum,” says San Mateo City Manager, Larry Patterson. “We need to hear from the community, but many people may not have the time or interest to attend a public meeting. Technology eases the barriers to participating in the conversation, and encourages more engagement with the city.”

Speak UP San Mateo! is easy to use. Access the platform online via the city’s website and click on an active topic. Review the questions or subject detail and click on the button to add an idea. You can do so anonymously or by creating an account and logging in. Share ideas publicly or privately with the project manager, and if you choose others can respond to your comment. The project manager will track responses and will use this information when considering the next steps of a project.

Speak UP San Mateo! also provides the ability to post surveys and polls as well as topics that provide the community with opportunities to prioritize project goals, initiatives or outcomes; it offers the capacity to invite input into the budget process and gather feedback at various milestones within a larger project. Some topics encourage community members to share photos and post ideas to an area plan or a map.

The platform also simplifies the analysis and reporting process. Once the topic closes, the project manager can run a report that automatically analyzes the information collected. It can be shared online with those who responded as well as with other decision-makers. This enhances transparency, ensures that the community is informed, and maintains community engagement in the issues that the city is considering.

To introduce Speak UP San Mateo! to the community, we are asking people to share what they enjoy most about living or working in San Mateo. Other topics are coming soon. We look forward to your participation and input. Please contact Rebecca Zito, Communications and Marketing Program Manager if you have questions about using Speak UP San Mateo!

– Announcement submitted by the City of San Mateo.