Engaging the Public

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there does anyone hear it?

How do we engage the public? We have always relied on advertising in the local paper but that method only seems to reach so many people. In our society today people do not always *gasp* read the local paper to see what is going on in their community. It seems especially, in the new areas of town there is a transition from when people move in to when they start engaging in the activities of the Town. Some go on to become great volunteers like I spoke about yesterday. Some quietly work behind the scenes at schools or other groups. Others settle in and do not become part of the community until many years later.

Society today seems so busy with our lives we do not always get to follow those things going on in the Town until they impact us. We use our website, advertising, notices on properties for some applications and have used direct mailing. But unless people think it is going to affect them it can all end up in the Blue Box. (Well I hope there and not the garbage!) Our Council meetings are close captioned for any one with hearing impairment and the Region Webstreams the committee meetings.

All orders of government need to look at and embrace new ways to engage our citizens. Social media such as this blog, Facebook, Twitter and other services can be a good way to get the message out. It can also be a good way to receive instant feedback on issues. Or receive complaints or requests for services. I have received numerous ones from my Facebook page.
But if someone is not looking for it or paying attention is the message heard?

Recently during the discussions of the New Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw and the Official Plan Conformity Exercise we had citizens come forward as we were hoping to finalize them, expressing concerns that they did not know about it. Both these exercises had been publicized in the local papers. In the case of the Official Plan Conformity Exercise, it was started over 4 years ago in response to the Provincial Places to Grow Document.

Obviously when our citizens are concerned or feel uninformed when we are about to pass legislation that can impact their property we need to do a better job. What is the answer? I am not sure. But we need to look at all of the ways we can. Whether it be e blasts, social media, direct mailing, public meetings, websites, newspaper advertising, newsletters or flyers. I know we will need to have that discussion sooner, then later. I hope I can be part of the discussion.

We as government need to find the way to engage our citizens. Not just to tell them what is coming up, but to hear from them to plan and work together.