The City of Auburn felt like it had a communication problem.
While city employees were issuing press releases and trying to acclimate to social media, they were also learning that those methods for getting out information weren’t perfect.
There was a dysfunction between the citizens of Auburn and their government, said David Dorton, director of public affairs for the city.
“Across age groups, word of mouth is really how people tell us that they get their information,” Dorton said.
That’s where AJ Harris, the city’s new public affairs neighborhood specialist, stepped in.
“That kind of personal interaction that people seek was kind of missing,” Harris said. “So, that’s where I feel like I’m stepping in—to help bridge that gap.”
Harris grew up in Auburn and started working with the city government at an early age. In high school, he was a team leader for the Parks and Recreation Department, and even though he had always wanted to be an engineer, he graduated from Auburn University with a degree in public administration in 2013.
From there, he was hired by the utility billing office in Auburn, where he set up accounts for the water works board.
But Harris was ambitious.
He started regularly attending City Council meetings three years ago, just so he could be updated on what was going on in the city.
“I was just trying to put my face out there, doing as much as I can on the front end,” Harris said.
With that attitude, and a few big ideas for outreach programs, Harris caught the attention of Dorton, who was looking to fill a new position.
Having only spent a few months in this position, Harris has already started making a difference in the city.
When a new speed bump was recently installed on Carlyle Drive, Harris was knocking on doors in the area, informing people of the coming construction.
“We have so much going on, so it’s hard for people to break away to take that time to do human interaction on a regular basis,” Harris said. “I went out there personally and knocked on each door.”
While a speed bump being put in may not seem like a huge change, Harris brings a sense of sincerity to his outreach.
His other two big ideas include a Citizens Academy and a series of neighborhood conferences.
The academy, which is currently scheduled to take place this fall, will take citizens on tours of every department of their local government.
“You will go through, touch every department, learn about how the city runs and get a better understanding of how the process works,” Harris said.
He wants the neighborhood conferences to be a form of focus group, where councilmembers and city staff can test ideas before presenting them to the city.
Harris is also currently working on a master’s degree in public administration at Auburn, which he hopes will help him further his career in public service.
Looking ahead, Harris sees himself staying at the local government level.
“When you’re dealing with local government, I think we have the most benefit out of any other level of government,” Harris said. “You actually get to see the change and the impact that you make ... I don’t really have the appeal to go to state government right now. I’m a homegrown kid. I love Auburn. I love the fact that when I’m out in the community I can see people that I know, see people that I can influence.”
Though his plans are to remain local, he is quite ambitious within Auburn.
“My ultimate goal would be (to become) city manager,” he said.
He and Dorton are also very much aware of the problems the government is currently facing. Public distrust, a lack of engagement and a general apathy toward local leadership were a few examples Harris cited.
“One of the biggest problems is disinformation,” Harris said. “People bring their own truth up as an issue, and my biggest thing is getting out there and educating people on how city government works.”
Regardless of those disagreements, Harris remains committed to the idea of good local government. Not only that, but he calls on others to do the same.
“If you want to make an impact, we need good, young innovative people in government right now,” Harris said. “If you value impacting your country, there are ways to serve in your community.”
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