"Some clear directions emerge ... from our citizen focus groups: ... people respond to being addressed personally and politely; it works to ... provide a forum where everyone is listened to and ... afforded a response; ... people want to be given a real chance to affect decisions that affect their lives; and finally, it is nice to not only be given a choice but to be given information to help make a reasoned decision ... What is not so clear is when to involve people.

Some clear directions emerge from the input received from our citizen focus groups: it is evident that people respond to being addressed personally and politely; that it works best to provide a forum where everyone is listened to, and just as importantly, afforded a response; that people want to be given a real chance to affect decisions that affect their lives; and finally, it is nice to not only be given a choice but to be given information to help make a reasoned decision. The public involvement guidelines found in the following chapter elaborate on these principles.

What is not so clear is when to involve people. While some participants felt they wanted a chance to give input from the inception of a planned action, many others were willing to wait until alternative scenarios had been developed and ramifications identified. Resolving this question will involve a sensitivity by project managers and planning directors to the unique situation and circumstances of each project. Information found in the succeeding chapters of this document on identifying stakeholders and developing public involvement plans should help to frame this issue.