Greg Rikhoff, community relations director for the University of Oregon in Eugene, will be in Tallahassee this Thursday night as one of two “best practice” presenters on town-gown communications partnerships. He and his presentation partner, Eugene Assistant City Manager Sarah Medary, work closely on several town-gown initiatives.

Rikhoff knows Eugene city government well. He worked there for 19 years as the city’s human rights director before going to work for the university.

TAG asked Rikhoff several questions about what the University of Oregon and the city of Eugene are doing differently to make their community better for both town and gown there.

Thursday’s forum – from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Aquilina Howell Center, 3955 W. Pensacola St. – is one of several TAG forums still planned. The next one after Thursday – on public safety partnerships – is scheduled for Nov. 10. Get details on both forums HERE.

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TAG: What are the most significant changes that the University of Oregon and the community of Eugene have made in terms of communications to make both town and gown aware of events, opportunities and problems in the other’s sphere? How did those changes come about?

Rikhoff: I think the exchange of key employees has helped a lot — administrators from the university that have gone to work at the city and vice versa. Leaders accept the premise that our institutions are here to stay so we all need to accept interdependence as a reality and finally that each other’s success helps us. We attempt to talk early and often. We try to pay attention to what the other agency/ institution cares about. We try to show up for their important events. We communicate early when we are doing things that may impact each other. The university wanted to build a $200 million arena at the edge of a residential neighborhood. There were a couple fof alse starts and significant opposition at first. Something needed to change.

TAG: What specific problems were the university and the community trying to solve by making those changes?

Rikhoff: The university wanted to make its work easier and not have public battles and extended timelines for land purchases and building permits. The near-campus residents wanted to be heard, respected and accounted for. I think the city wanted to stop being the crucible on which these public debates we’re having positions forged. There were actually areas of potential mutual agreement where there was little shared effort and that wasn’t the best use of anyone’s time and energy.

TAG: What are some of the most important improvements since the changes were made?

Rikhoff: Cooperation is more abundant. Buildings are getting built, timelines are achieved. Public Education K-20 is having greater attention and cooperation. We’re surprising one another less.