Madison Bibbs and Courtney Thomas (SUMREX) joined ODU’s ASERT team in providing community engagement for in support of the City of Virginia Beach Comprehensive Sea Level Rise and Recurrent Flooding Response planning efforts. The City has undertaken an extensive process to evaluate and prioritize policy and planning responses as part of the city’s comprehensive response to flooding. Our ODU team designed a series of public meetings, using our Action-oriented Stakeholder Engagement for a Resilient Tomorrow (ASERT) framework, to educate and engage residents in the planning process.

Courtney and Madison staffed the first two Virginia Beach Comprehensive Flooding Response Plan public meetings at the Virginia Aquarium (May 29) and Kempsville High School (May 30). The remaining events were postponed indefinitely following the Virginia Beach Municipal Center shooting.

Courtney staffed the Check-in/Overview Station, so she was the first point of interaction for Virginia Beach residents attending the public meeting. She was the welcoming face that greeted attendees and engaged them in completing the participant questionnaire so we could keep track of who attended the meetings. Madison staffed the station that focused on site and parcel structural solutions (such as elevation, dry and wet floodproofing, etc.). City staff and consultants were available to answer residents’ questions, and Courtney engaged them in providing feedback about the site/parcel structural solutions included in the City’s response plan.

Courtney and Madison provided thoughtful reflection on their involvement with the community engagement events. Our team appreciated their insights, particularly since they reminded us of the constant challenges of hosting public meetings and effectively engaging residents in complex and complicated issues like flooding and sea level rise. Since the remaining events were postponed, we also had time to consider and incorporate some of the feedback from Madison and Courtney as we plan for the next events.

Thoughts from Courtney:
My experience with the two ASERT community engagement events were better than my experience with the research project. I was happy to be involved with the meetings and understand the purpose. I gained a sense of how studying community resilience and sea level rise are important in helping policy makers and homeowners in vulnerable communities. The first meeting was hectic and seemed to be rushed. I would recommend having someone check out the venue space before booking for an event, or going the day before to see the space to get an idea of how things could be set up to run efficiently. However, the second meeting was better; everyone was more prepared and the venue space was more fit for the meeting.

“I gained a sense of how studying community resilience and sea level rise are important in helping policy makers and homeowners in vulnerable communities.”

Courtney thomas

My experience with the two ASERT community engagement events were better than my experience with the research project. I was happy to be involved with the meetings and understand the purpose. I gained a sense of how studying community resilience and sea level rise are important in helping policy makers and homeowners in vulnerable communities. The first meeting was hectic and seemed to be rushed. I would recommend having someone check out the venue space before booking for an event, or going the day before to see the space to get an idea of how things could be set up to run efficiently. However, the second meeting was better; everyone was more prepared and the venue space was more fit for the meeting.

“I noticed that most of the people attending the meetings were white, older aged homeowners; there were few people of color, which I thought was significant.”

Courtney thomas on residents’ participation in assert public meetings

I noticed that most of the people attending the meetings were white, older aged homeowners; there were few people of color, which I thought was significant. I am not sure of how the meetings are advertised and who they are advertised to, but considering the importance of the work being done, I would recommend finding more ways to spread awareness of the meetings. On the other hand, I look forward to seeing what comes from those meetings and how the information helps.

Thoughts from Madison:

My experience with the two ASERT community engagement events were interesting. Although the first one started off on a rocky start, I do believe our second one was much better. The first community engagement event was rather unorganized and there was not an adequate amount of space. The second event was more enjoyable because we knew what needed to be done after we saw what didn’t work with the first one. Despite this, one suggestion I would make for future ASERT community engagement events would be to have more efficient communication with those local officials. Being that I was at a station, I saw how the officials were not engaging with the residents or ODU staff. Oftentimes, I had to motion for them to come answer a resident’s question amid their conversations with one another. Being that these are not my communities, whether officials were personable with me didn’t matter, but I can see how some residents could feel alienated. The officials acted as though they did not want to be there, and it was apparent to those residents who were there. I had numerous residents come to me looking for help and complaining about how no one attempted to stop their side conversations to help them. In the future, if the ASERT community engagement events are continued, I believe there needs to be a debriefing of expectations from both sides, so that the residents are given the chance to learn and voice their concerns.

“I can see how some residents could feel alienated. The officials acted as though they did not want to be there, and it was apparent to those residents who were there.”

Madison bibbs on interactions between city staff/consultants and participating residents