Speak your voice at town hall meetings

When I was elected mayor in 2000, there were some big issues facing the city as a result of voter-approved initiatives.

I decided that the best way to get feedback from citizens was to hold town meetings. I held several in the Edmonds Theater. After a couple years, attendance at these events waned.

So I discontinued them in favor of much more localized meetings. I offered to come to people’s homes and meet with them and their neighbors about the topics that were of interest to their particular neighborhoods. For several more years, I met with the public in this fashion, and I still continue to do so today on matters of neighborhood concerns.

Three years ago I decided, after overhearing a coffee shop conversation, to attempt neighborhood meetings that covered topics that encompassed entire neighborhoods and were of broader concern than to just a few homeowners. That resulted in about six to seven meetings a year in schools, churches and community clubs. We tried different venues each year in an attempt to find a broad audience.

Attendance varied from neighborhood to neighborhood. Sometimes we had a packed house and other times only a few people came out. There are always competing interests on a weeknight with our busy lives, so it’s hard to always gather an audience. It’s also hard to get the word out about the meeting so that everyone is aware.

So with all that in mind, this year we are going to try still another format to provide you an opportunity to come and chat with me about your thoughts and concerns. We will be doing only three neighborhood meetings. Two will be held before school is out and one in the fall after school has started up again. They will be scheduled at three different locations throughout the city. The dates will be advertised in the city’s quarterly newsletter that’s mailed to everyone’s homes, and also advertised on Channel 21.

The first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 24, at 7 p.m. at Edmonds Elementary School.

I look forward to seeing you at these meetings to chat about the things that are important to you and to our town.

Gary Haakenson is mayor of Edmonds.