"Cutting-edge Public Participation for your Budget," Saturday, February 9, 10:15 am - 12:15 pm

NCI and Placematters present the latest tools to gain public support for your project. The session will cover a set of high-tech to hi-touch tools for low to moderate budgets. David Brain from NCI will present the low cost methods used in Sarasota County. Chris Haller from Placematters will provide an overview of approaches to strengthen civic engagement processes by offering different venues of participation, combining face-to-face, with online and mobile communication channels. Joe Schilling from Virginia Tech will describe techniques used to engage local public officials, staff and citizens in the formation of a strategy to make Alexandria an "eco-city."

Moderator: Ken Snyder, Placematters
Presenters: David Brain, NCI, Chris Haller, Placematters, Joe Schilling, Virginia Tech.

The New Partners for Smart Growth Conference is the "premier" annual smart growth conference. We expect the conference this year to be the largest ever, surpassing the tremendous success of the recent 2007 New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in Los Angeles which boasted over 1500 participants, 300 speakers, and 96 sessions over three full days.

The conference takes place 2/7-2/9/08 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington DC. For more information and to register, visit: http://www.newpartners.org/registration.html .