It's time to Ask A Council Member Again!
Vol. III, No. 99 - This Quarterly Event Comes to Westbrook
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Back in 2017, Council Member Todd Severt and I ran for City Council with a desire to improve communications between city hall and the residents we serve. As part of that effort was the establishment of the quarterly “Ask-A-Council Member” workshops. These workshops weren’t designed to discuss pending legislation, but were a more general discussion to bring our residents and council members closer together in a way to facilitate open discussions on those items that residents felt were important.
And with the exception of a few of these events being cancelled throughout 2020, these gatherings have continued to inform residents and give them access to elected ofifcials in a way that is rarely seen.
Many of the issues that are brought up at these events are the bread and butter concerns that make up local government — everything from faded stop signs to parks that needed attention to mailboxes. But many of these fruitful discussions also focused on how the government works. There have been questions about what departments were responsible for certain functions. Other questions have often dived into the role of council in the decision-making process. These discussions are always informal and informative.
The format creates a free-flowing discussion of our community without having to navigate a city council meeting and waiting until the very end to have an opportunity to discuss issues. And while city council meetings are opportunities to for residents to express their concerns, these meetings aren’t necessarily the best format to have an open dialogue between residents and elected officials.
One of the reasons that makes these events so unique is that as residents, we get to hear directly from our elected officials. Sometimes, it is a sharp departure from what residents see at a council meeting, where elected officials are traditionally tight-lipped and often have nothing to say. At these events, it’s elected officials that lead and participate into the discussion; as someone in the audience, we get a refreshing look at the thoughts and ideas of our elected officials.
The next “Ask-A-Council Member” workshop will take place Saturday, September 13 at 9:00 a.m. at the Hobart Institute of Welding Techololgy, 400 Trade Square East. Coffee, donuts and juice are always provided.
I plan to be in attendance and if you have a question that you want asked, please feel free to send me your question to pinnaclestrategiesltd@gmail.com or leave your question in the comment thread. I’ll ask your question and follow up with you on the answer.
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September means it’s time for our every-other-month community survey. This three minute survey helps gauge our community’s thoughts on the progress being made in the community and asks you, our residents, on what our opportunities and challenges are.
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A New Handbook to grow Civic Capacity!
Recently, we created a new digital handbook, “The Citizen’s Guide to Public Records”. This handbook is designed to help residents have a better understanding of public meetings and meeting records. It’s filled with templates, ideas and other information that will open a new world of public affairs.
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