Mom, Apple Pie and 4-H
LOBBYING THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
TIPS FOR 4H Leaders
4-H Leaders should never underestimate their potential for
influence in approaching County officials during this budget crisis.
4 H Leaders and members are the most effective lobbyists. County Commissioners --as elected officials want to be responsive to your needs especially if given in public meetings. Phone calls, visits, emails, or fax messages from you to your County Commissioners and staff carry tremendous weight.
Develop a rapport with members of your County Commission.
Read about them in the newspaper. Find out their positions on issues and what their favorite causes are. Find out if they are 4-H Alumnae or if anyone on their staff is. Be a source of information where a County Commissioner can get some idea of the impact of the 4-H budget cut on an entire community. Mostly, they will be hearing from lobbying organizations and individuals who have a very narrow, self-interested constituency. 4-H programming is more important than Capital improvements but the developers are the ones making campaign contributions. 4-H clubs represent votes from allover of the County and/or single member districts. Get the County Commissioners to give a Proclamation for 4H day to honor students from your county who won county, regional, or state awards.
Plan on visiting their Office. Make appointments with members of your County Commissioners and staff. Visit with them in their offices and attend all budget meetings with children in 4-H outfits. Contact the leaders of urban programs and collaborating agencies that benefit from 4-H materials like YMCAs, churches, and schools and get them to join in with the visits, emails, and phone calls. Talk about how 4-H youth quality educational programs based on research address current County problems and prevent future problems, i.e. crime, etc. Discuss the multiplying effect with 4-H agents training the leaders and agencies who train youth who in turn reach into families throughout the community. Explain the concept of Extension Education while discussing matching funds with the United States Department of Agriculture and the University of Florida and the loss of matching funds to the County if the budget is cut.
Regular phone contact is important. Let Commissioners know how budget cuts would affect your and their constituents. In a separate event, organize an email day to flood all the Commissioners with the same positive, upbeat message in each individuals' own words.
Know how to reach your County Commissioners. Be sure to have your County Commissioners' telephone and fax numbers, addresses and email addresses. Double-check this information each year since new offices are sometimes assigned after an election.
Know the best time to reach them. Ask them when they are usually in their office. Keep in mind that schedules are not predictable and may have last minute changes.
Offer technical support on issues you share in common. If your County Commissioner is sponsoring an issue you support, provide him or her with local anecdotes and situations, as well as the fiscal impact it will have on your area. Factual information and local impact will help your County Commissioners argue more effectively.
Attend all Budget meetings. Attend all budget meetings with children in 4-H outfits and carrying signs. Alternate clubs to cover each meeting with personal testimonials from the children about the importance of 4-H impacting their life. Even if you can't come to the meeting, your phone call or email can be helpful, especially if you have already developed a relationship with your County Commissioner.
Give County Commissioners an early "heads up" call if the staff still tries to cut funding for the 4-H program. They will appreciate your early warning of problems they may expect as their budget moves through the process. Also, they may wish to team up with you early to work out the problems.
Maintain direct contact with your County Commissioners. Virtually all County Commissioners will welcome personal appearance opportunities in their district which make great photo opportunities--i.e. judging your events, dedicating a garden, welcome remarks and leading the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of a highly attended event. Invite the press. Make a point to come to their events, provide a student speaker, flag group from your club to open up a local meeting, visit them, arrange periodic meetings with them. Do they belong to your Rotary, Kiwanis, Moose, Elks, etc. group? Personal contact is essential.
PERSONAL RELATIONS WITH County Commissioners...WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO
Avoid attacking County Commissioner if they do not agree with your position -especially in public or the press. Publicly attacking legislators is rarely effective communication.
Be direct in giving your opinions. Most County Commissioner want to know what you think about an issue. Use the "golden rule" as your guide -treat your County Commissioner, as you'd like to be treated.
Don't burn your bridges. It's natural to be disappointed if your County Commissioner doesn't vote the way you ask him or her to. But don't let one vote destroy your relationship -you will need their support on many other issues in the future.
Thank your legislators for the positive things they do. Complaints not balanced by appreciation can wear thin over time. Take the time to send a letter or make a call to say "thank you."
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