About League City, Texas
Home to a population over 120,000, League City is a waterfront community nestled along the shores of Clear Creek and only 30 miles from downtown Houston, with proximity to Galveston Bay. League City recognizes, anticipates, and proactively responds to the needs of citizens and is 100% committed to its core value of promoting trust with public accountability through transparency, effective communication, and active citizen involvement.
“Our mission and vision are all about serving the residents we work for. One of the key components to accomplishing that is community engagement. We can’t serve our residents unless we know what they’re needing from us.”
– Amber Pedigo-Byrd, Manager of Community Engagement and Special Projects, League City
Listening to community members has made League City an award-winning place to live. The city regularly ranks among the safest, most affordable, and best places to live and raise a family in the state of Texas. It is the third largest boating community in the U.S. with residents that represent a diversity of backgrounds and lifestyles. League City is also one the fastest growing cities in Texas and undergoing rapid development.
The Goal
Engaging with residents on a larger scale to hear what they think their local government should be prioritizing to grow the City in a positive way.
With over 40 percent the City yet to be developed and a population expected to double in the next 20 to 30 years, League City sought new ways to engage residents for their feedback, suggestions, and input. Traditional in-person public meetings were attracting the same 10 to 15 people and missing feedback from the majority of residents.
It’s difficult for some people to make it to public meetings,” explained Amber, “especially since 80% work in Houston and it can be a 45 minute commute depending on traffic. Maybe they are attending soccer games, baseball games, or going to the theater. We wanted a better way to hear from residents on a larger scale to ensure we’re meeting the current and future needs of our community.”
The city’s quest for a better online engagement tool led them to choose Social Pinpoint, after evaluating multiple platforms.
“We wanted a tool that I could maneuver through quickly and easily and would be fast to learn,” explained Amber. “Some platforms were complex and it took 15 clicks to get something done. With its simple drag-and-drop interface, Social Pinpoint stood out for its ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and exceptional capabilities with over 40 engagement tools. My goal is to use them all!”
The platform’s setup and initial learning curve were met with ease as Amber spearheaded the initiative. Today, League City Listens has become the City’s beloved interactive digital platform, marking the beginning of a new era. It allows residents to engage in upcoming projects, plans, and initiatives, and provide their feedback 24/7 to a team of staff members who are truly listening. It provides a place for residents voices to be heard, “so we can all work together to make League City the best place to live, work, and play,” said Amber.
The Approach
Dedicated to effective online community engagement across 18 initiatives, from shopping local to master plans!
With Social Pinpoint, League City embarked on a journey of learning and adaptation. Today, League City has engaged over 12,000 residents, informing them about 18 initiatives and collecting valuable feedback. Let’s explore a few examples.
Amber is working with the League City Parks and Recreation Department to collect public input on future upgrades, improvements, and additions residents would like to see in the Dr. Ned and Fay Dudney Clear Creek Nature Center. How often are residents visiting the Nature Center? Would they like to see a new Educational and Interpretive Building or Bird Rehabilitation Facility? What are some of their big ideas? League City Listens has already collected 100 survey responses and 29 Visioner ideas that will help guide the future development of the Nature Center.
What’s more, Amber has helped to support the Community Cat Program on League City Listens. She describes social media as the “wild west” when it comes to topics that residents are passionate or sensitive about. By using Social Pinpoint as its online engagement tool for the “Trap-Neuter-Return” program, Amber was able to collect over 260 contributions via a Survey, Quick Poll, and online Q&A to better understand resident needs and desires, while staying on topic and focused solutions for the issue.
“Social Pinpoint was a great tool because we were able to focus the conversation on a solution. We were able to hear from residents and get to the solution,” shared Amber. “For this project, it was important to City Council that we exclusively engage residents. By requiring registration and collecting zip codes, we were able to hear from League City residents specifically on how they feel about this program and its results.”
“Another thing that matters to us,” said Amber,” is we really focus on shopping local.” League City is using an online Survey to learn about resident shopping habits and a Social Map for local businesses to highlight their goods and services. “Talk about Town” is aimed at boosting local businesses and fostering economic development. “Seeing our community rally around local businesses through the platform has been truly inspiring,” Amber remarked. “This public engagement program is helping us understand what residents want League City to look like from an economic perspective as we continue to grow and develop.” League city has received over 700 responses (and counting) for the its commercial and residential development survey!
The breadth of digital public engagement initiatives at League City is truly remarkable, with less than a year in using Social Pinpoint. Projects also include a Development Services Strategic Planning, Master Mobility Plan, Parks Master Plan Update, and a Public Art Initiative.
The Results
League City Listens has already seen 16,000 views engaging nearly 10,000 visitors online!
The impact of adopting Social Pinpoint at League City has been nothing short of revolutionary. Community engagement has increased exponentially, leading to deeper, more expansive dialogue between the city and its residents. Incorporating a hybrid approach to engagement has given League City’s residents a myriad of choices to get involved and also to learn about projects. The City has even seen increased participation for in-person consultations.
“I would 100% recommend it to other cities. We were averaging 10 people per public meeting. Now we’re engaging thousands online. Social Pinpoint has also increased engagement at public meetings because League City Listens is a place people can go to learn about upcoming events and it’s created a more robust two-way dialogue. If they follow a page or project, residents get alerted to updates specific to issues they care about. We’ve seen a fivefold increase in community participation!” Amber proudly noted, also commenting on feedback from residents. “We’ve had so many people tell us that they love it! People appreciate being listened to, and the platform has increased our ability to listen to our residents.”
In 2022, City Manager John Baumgartner was awarded the University of Houston MPA Public Official of the Year! Amber is excited to work with John, “He is very, very much focused on what the residents want in League City. He wants to hear from them. He wants to know what it is they’re needing, what they’re seeking.” Here is what he says about his new online community engagement site.
“League City Listens has been a very useful tool in gathering feedback and information from our residents on a variety of issues. The bulk of our residents commute to work outside of our city, so they cannot engage with city staff in the traditional fashion, such as public meetings in the evening. Having a 24/7 online engagement platform has given a voice to our residents who normally wouldn’t be able to share their feedback in person with staff. Not only have we heard about areas where we can improve, but those who have engaged on the platform also have shared what they love about our community.”
– John Baumgartner, City Manager and Chief Administrative Officer
A Bright Future of Meaningful Engagement
Looking ahead, League City is committed to expanding its use of Social Pinpoint, aiming to further enrich its community engagement efforts.
This is just the beginning. We are excited to see where this journey takes us,” Amber concluded, optimistic about the city’s path towards even greater civic involvement. “It was a learning curve for all of us, but the results speak volumes to the platform’s effectiveness.”
The story of League City and Social Pinpoint is a testament to the power of embracing innovation in community engagement. Through strategic decision-making, dedicated implementation, and a commitment to continuous improvement, League City has set a new standard for community interaction, demonstrating the transformative impact of listening to and engaging with the community.
