Sometimes you get the strongest indicators of a situation in the simplest ways. Since I've been attempting to generate some momentum for the notion of town hall meetings, I've been struck by the cynicism and negativity that's been tapped into by 'observers'.
I won't get into specifics here, but suffice it to say that people have a hard time seeing beyond current reference points and imagining another paradigm, and this inability is fueled by their hard-won nihilism.
The thing is, from where I'm standing, while things can certainly get worse...this week's GIC meeting and all its revelations about missteps and faux pas and either bad communication or shadow directives taking place providing ample proof...if we take steps to move towards an increase in engagement between residents and their Council representatives, then we have so many opportunities for improvement. Sizeable benefits. Such as?
1) Increased Sense of Community. The dreaded 'Us vs Them' mentality that dogs most municipal relationships would be lessened simply because of the greater contact. I don't know how many times I've been told how frustrating it is to try and track down someone's Councillor, or get a response from an email or a left message, or that Council meetings are scheduled at incovenient times.
There's nothing like in-person contact. It's real, it's unambiguous, and it's reassuring on an elemental level. It's very difficult to feel you're part of a community unless you're actually engaging with them...and it's even harder to feel a connection to your representative at Council unless you have a chance to be in the same room as them on a somewhat-regular basis. While admitting the dangers of the analogy, I think there are parallels to be drawn between church-going and town halls; opportunities for connection are provided, for a sense of belonging, and for feeling reassured as to what's being done in the name of the common good.
2) Better-informed Residents. No longer would information be issued on a 'need to know' or 'when it's convenient' basis. Right now, Councillors pretty much left to their own devices by their constituents has become the default setting. News is disseminated via mainstream media, by press release, perhaps by way of a personal blog or website, but it's done according to the elected official's sense of urgency...and inclination. In a nutshell, in most cases, there is a bulwark.
With town halls, there'd be regular opportunities to relay information about ward issues, about city-wide concerns. Residents would feel more involved, feel not so less being held at a distance, and Councillors should find that their efforts being appreciated more. And because nobody likes secrecy...especially in the governance they're paying for...residents are likely to feel more trust. Towards their Councillor, towards City Hall itself, and mostly towards the very concept of local governance.
On a practical level, it might very well be possible to prevent the kinds of situations that are now possible to see unfold, because residents wouldn't be kept in the dark...and then have to light torches and storm the castle when it's clear that action is required.
3) Better Resident Feedback. We have governance in place to ensure that local needs are being addressed while the right decisions about our future are being made. We have Councillors so that all of this can be executed efficiently and with as high a degree of proficiency as possible. But if there's no regular consultation, then a further default is that it's City Hall staff recommendations that form the strongest 'lobby' for action. And of course, the problem here is that city staff are not elected and if there's no commiseration between them and those for whom and about whom the decisions are being made- Well, does this make much sense?
One of the biggest complaints you'll hear from residents is not feeling heard. Not feeling part of the process. Or, when they're included in the conversation, being patronized by those who are in office to serve them. Which is part of the reason we have such a low voter turnout rate: people have given up hope.
Town hall meetings make it possible (for those who are inclined to get involved; not all are) for a better sense of contribution to the overall dialogue. The notion of improving engagement through deeper contact is the basis for improving all relationships.
In fact, the core of all these benefits is this what's at the core of all successful enterprises, be they businesses, teams, organizations: relationship-building.
