Transparency and Engagement Starts with Listening
Better Communication Starts with Listening
Council works for the community. Residents deserve to know what is being considered, have a meaningful opportunity to share their views and understand how and why decisions are made.
Somewhere along the way we seem to have lost sight of that.
I believe transparency, engagement and communication need to be a priority for the next council because they affect everything else we do. Whether we are discussing public safety, infrastructure, housing or the City’s budget, better decisions start with ensuring that the people those decisions will affect are included in them.
Too often residents hear about a decision after it has already been made. By then, the opportunity to influence the outcome has passed. Sharing the result matters, but we also need to share information earlier, while there is still room for questions, ideas and changes.
People should not have to know exactly which question to ask at the end of a council meeting to find out that an important decision has already been made.
Give residents more opportunity to speak
I would advocate for doubling the number of people who can speak during the public participation portion of council meetings.
I would also like to see residents’ letters acknowledged during meetings and, where appropriate, read aloud. People put time and thought into writing to Council. Their concerns deserve to be heard, and the wider community should have an opportunity to understand what residents are bringing forward.
This would give the community more opportunity to speak, and be heard.
Make information easier to find and understand
A stronger social media presence and a more user-friendly City website would also help people follow what is happening. We need clear explanations of what is being considered with enough time to digest the information and submit their comments and questions.
Posting an agenda is useful, but a lengthy document does not always make it easy to understand the issue or know when to get involved. Plain-language material would make that information more accessible.
Communication also needs to continue after a decision. Residents should understand the reasoning, the options considered and what happens next.
There will be matters that Council is legally required to discuss confidentially. Within those limits, I want us to share information as early and as clearly as we can.
Let’s have a conversation
I will periodically hold “Coffee with Council” sessions at local coffee shops, whether other councillors join me or not.
You should have a comfortable place to speak freely about what is working, what is disappointing and what concerns you. You should also be able to bring forward a new idea without needing to prepare a formal presentation or speak into a microphone in front of a room full of people.
Sometimes the most useful conversations begin with someone sharing an experience. Tell me what happened. Tell me how a decision affected you. Tell me what you think could work better.
Those conversations can help identify problems we have overlooked and ideas we have not considered. They also give us a chance to ask questions and understand each other.
Listening has to mean something
Engagement only works if we approach it with an open mind. Asking for feedback after a position is already settled does little to build trust.
I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, and I can’t promise everyone the outcome they want. However, I can commit to considering different perspectives, questioning my own assumptions and explaining the reasons behind my vote.
People should be able to see how their input was considered, even when Council ultimately chooses a different course.
My goal is for people to have the information they need, in an easy-to-understand format, early enough that they have time to share their thoughts. I also want people to feel comfortable bringing their concerns forward and confident that someone is listening.
Council works for you. Our communication should reflect that.
