Last Monday was a good day for a local democracy in Kamloops.
About 15 people came to Cowboy Coffee for a pre city budget meeting get together that I organized. I wasn't quite sure how this would turn out, I had sent emails to about 280 friends and also had emailed the vast majority of people who had contacted me through my Council email address since I was elected. I had some great interactions, even with folks who could not make the meetings.
The Cowboy coffee meeting turned out to be a great opportunity to talk about budget related issues in a more relaxed and informal manner. We gathered around the comfy couches at the back, I passed around some of the budget documents, and we had a pretty good discussion it seemed to me. Skylark, commenting on the post below, also had good impressions. Thanks Skylark!
There were about 50 people at the official city budget meeting later that evening. I was happy to see more people I had invited in the audience. People were pretty respectful, and there was a lot of important questions asked.
An old "saw" is that the public budget meeting is a bit of a waste of time. The city advertises the meeting, and only people who "want to throw rocks" show up. It does take work and creativity to get the diverse attendance of these meeting up. But, I think it is worth it. Council gets a better broad sense of community interest and concern. The community at large has a great opportunity to influence the process. City managers also get a handle on community concerns and ideas, and their time is well used at a well attended meeting.
Lets try for 100 next year!
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