Dunedin Symbols: Thoughtful Research or Communication Breakdown?

Southern magnolia vs. citrus tree.

Blue osprey heart vs. colorful wavy E.

In each matchup, one image became a symbol that represents Dunedin, the other a metaphor for a possible communication problem between residents and officials designated to represent them.

Some city leaders also question using social media and other non-traditional ways to reach residents in light of the dust ups.

Each of the winning symbols — the magnolia tree and wavy "E" — had full support from citizen advisory boards before receiving majority approval from Dunedin city commissioners.

But the symbols branding Dunedin also received widespread public backlash from residents who felt blindsided by the decisions.

In the case of the magnolia tree, Dunedin's citizen advisory committee on environmental quality spent more than a year trying to get the non-native bauhinia tree ousted as the city's official tree, a designation it held for 45 years.

The committee sought input from the parks and recreation committee and some local garden clubs, all of which agreed on the magnolia tree as a suitable replacement.

A couple days before their choice went to city leaders for final approval, many residents, who'd just learned of the initiative through a story on Dunedin Patch, began a last-ditch campaign for the orange tree, but to no avail.

The city's recent designation of the southern magnolia as its official tree on April 18, rekindled memories of the citywide branding initiative in 2011-2012.

Vice Mayor Julie Ward Bujalski was sympathetic, and recalled lessons learned a year earlier after the city unveiled the osprey logo.

City leaders  to a consultant tasked with creating a unified marketing campaign for Dunedin.

The consultant conducted a survey, made available on the city website through September 2011, asking what people loved most about Dunedin. The results were used to design dozens of potential logos to brand the city.

The first choice, a blue and green osprey heart design, was endorsed by a temporary branding selection group, comprised of various citizen committee members and branding experts within Dunedin, in January 2012. But the osprey design drew much public outcry, causing the group to rethink their choice. They ultimately endorsed the city's current logo, depicted as just the word "DUNEDIN" in multiple color letters with a wavy "E" in the middle. 

"I think one of the mistakes we made there was not including the general public in getting feedback as far as like on our Facebook page to garner ideas," Bujalski said April 18 during a discussion about the magnolia tree. "In hindsight, I think that's a mistake we made here."

The city has at least two dozen citizen advisory groups, comprised of resident volunteers typically serving three-year terms. The groups meet monthly and serve in an advisory capacity to city leaders on a range of topics from public safety to arts and culture. 

But not everyone knows they exist or who serves on them.

Wanda Dow, a resident who favored the orange tree over the magnolia, commented, "I beg to differ about the citizen committees being representative. Ask anyone on the street to name their so-called representative. How do we get in touch? I would agree most are concerned citizens, but I've been here 20 years and couldn't tell you when and where they meet." 

Do you agree? Is there a communication problem? What could be done to enhance community dialogue?

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Related Coverage:

• Magnolia Squashes Orange in City Tree Debate
• City Brand Approved for Stationery
• City Attorney Clears Dunedin 'E' Brand for Discussion
• Another Brand Design for City Leaders to Consider
• City Moves Forward on Unified Brand for Dunedin