Advocacy

1. Advocacy Kurt Eggebrecht Appleton Health Department

2. Advocate for policy change to better your community's health • How to influence policy from a proactive vs. reactive perspective • Compare different advocacy/education strategies • How not to get fired

3. Three Key Questions • What do you want? • Why do you want it? • Who has the power to give it too you?

4. Three case scenarios • Outdoor Wood Boilers • 100 % Smoke Free Indoor Air • Backyard Chickens

5. How are local ordinances' drafted? • Elected officials submit a resolution • Staff recommended (often based on updates) • Most often a combination…resolution with direction for staff to draft language

6. Advocacy/Education Strategies • Know your elected officials- nurture your relationships -Who are informal leaders within the elected body? -Why do they serve? -Who influences them? -What are their pet areas of interest? -Who is up for election? -Where do they work? -Where did they grow up? -Others?

7. Advocacy/Education strategies • Pick your battles wisely • Find appropriate meeting location • Clearly articulate /Create the need and desired outcome • Identify and communicate the potential barriers to success

8. Wood Boiler

9. Wood Boiler

10. History Community Assessment Three key questions • Needed to act quickly as vendors were setting up shop • Experience in Menasha • One company already using this heat source • Not much experience or research • What do I want?…ban from using in the City • Why do I want it?....... Clean air , asthma rates in children, prevent neighborhood disputes • Who has the power to give it to me?....Common Council by passing local ordinance

11. Education Strategy Common Council Support Risks? • Identify champion • Set up meeting and provide written documentation to support your “Why” , “How”, and what are the perceived barriers? Where would you begin? • Suggest resolution wording to include language should be drafted by Health Officer/Health Department • What if you pick non-supporter? • Strength of those apposed to action

12. Wood Boiler Advocacy Result Reinforcement Opportunities • Worked into existing Fire Prevention and Protection Ordinance resulting in Fire Chief support ( key influencer) • Past unanimously • Minimized vendor push back by proactively passing quickly • Later Studies and newspaper articles from other communities • Local Alderperson newsletter/brochures

13. Questions?

14. 100 % Smoke Free Indoor Air

15. History Community Assessment Three key questions • Organized a local tobacco control coalition in 2000 • Experience success with low hanging fruit…cars/buildings/youth access/cessation opportunities/ • Other parts of the Country have implemented • What do I want?…clean indoor air in the City • Why do I want it?....... Chronic disease, asthma rates in children, increase revenues • Who has the power to give it to me?....Common Council by passing local ordinance

16. Education Strategy Common Council Support Risks? • Identify champion • Set up meeting and provide written documentation to support your “Why” , “How”, and what are the perceived barriers? Where would you begin? • Suggest resolution wording to include language should be drafted by Health Officer/Health Department • What if you pick non-supporter? • Strength of those apposed to action

17. 100 % Smoke Free Indoor Air Result • Well written ordinance without loopholes • Resulted in tie vote on Council floor after months of debate • Created a great deal of community discussion and divisiveness • Media split - biased coverage • Coalition strained • Direct legislation alternative provided opportunity for majority to have a voice • Battle got personal • New alliances were formed • Sophistication of resources brought to the effort

18. Reinforcement Opportunities • New establishment wait list • Hospitality workers survey • # of closed establishments compared to surrounding communities • After third referendum Elected officials speak publically in support • Articles related to successful implementation counters misinformation from TLW • 5 years later State passes Smoke Free Indoor Air

19. Questions?

20. Backyard Chickens

21. History Community Assessment Three key questions • Organized a local backyard chicken group called “PEEPS” • Experienced success with Council member support • Sustainability and Green Issues a priority for Mayor’s Office • Just passed a contentious Bee Keeper Ordinance • What do I want?…everyone to get along • Why do I want it? Sustainable Food Source.....yet this will be a staff time sucker ( animal control, CD, licensing ) • Who has the power to give it to me?....Common Council by passing local ordinance

22. Common Predators in Appleton

23. Common Predators in Appleton

24. Education Strategy Common Council Support Risks? • Recently elected Council Members very supportive • Set up meeting and provide written documentation to support your “Why” , “How”, and what are the perceived barriers? Where would you begin? • Suggest resolution wording to include language should be drafted by Health Officer/Health Department • What if you work against your staff’s concerns? • Strength of those for and apposed to action • How will Media judge you short term and long term?

25. Backyard Chickens Result • Well written ordinance with a requirement of neighborhood consent. • Resulted in defeat vote on Council floor after months of debate and deletion of neighborhood consent • Created a great deal of community discussion and some divisiveness on Council • Media split - biased coverage • By Council rules… one year before issue can be discussed

26. Reinforcement Opportunities • Educate Board of Health and Common Council on CD resulting from handling backyard chickens • Continue to nurture relationship with PEEPS group

27. Questions?

28. Advocate for policy change to better your community's health Three Key Questions • What do you want? • Why do you want it? • Who has the power to give it too you? • Know your elected officials- nurture your relationships