City Council Candidate Proposes 'Traveling' Meetings
Hark says Salem Hills, Hilltop, Pine Bend and the Middle School/High schools would be ideal locations.
Inver Grove Heights City Council candidate Paul Hark is proposing “traveling” city council meetings four times per year hosted throughout the community, according to a release from the Hark campaign.
These meeting would be spread out over the course of the year at the different schools, or other facilities equipped to host council meetings.
“As I knock on doors every evening, I have learned that most residents, especially those with families are very interested in city business, but are too busy to trek down to City Hall," Hark said. "However, if we move the meetings to their neighborhoods, or schools, they may make an extra effort to participate in the meetings."
By holding meetings throughout the community, residents may feel more comfortable addressing the City Council with issues unique to their neighborhood or area.
Hark is proposing holding the traveling meetings once per quarter. He says Salem Hills, Hilltop, Pine Bend and the Middle School/High schools would be ideal locations.
Hark's idea comes on the heels of a local elections forum hosted by Town Square Television in which he said the city council is in dire need of new faces, fresh ideas and a technology overhaul.
“We need to look for new ways to connect with residents," Hark said. "Let’s try neighborhood meetings. If they don’t work, we can try something else."
In This article
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Salem Hills Elementary School
5899 Babcock Trl, Inver Grove Heights, MN -
Hilltop Elementary School
3201 68th St E, Inver Grove Heights, MN -
Pine Bend Elementary School
9875 Inver Grove Trl, Inver Grove Heights, MN -
Simley High School
2990 80th St E, Inver Grove Heights, MN -
Al Tate
11:39 am on Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Come on, the City Hall is not that far for anyone in IGH, not matter where they live. Why not just have them at City Hall. If someone lives on Babcock and can't drive down to city hall, really? If someone lives by Hilltop they can't drive to city hall? What are they going to do in the winter "walk" to pine bend along Inver Grove trail because it's in their neighborhood? City Hall is not far for anyone to drive to and people who can't make it to the meetings because it's "too far" are just making excuses.
That being said, I do like Hark's thought that "the city council is in dire need of new faces, fresh ideas and a technology overhaul" so I may still vote for him. At least he's thinking of something new.
George Tourville
1:01 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
We have done Town Hall Meetings in some of the church's in the past and they went very well. We will continue to look for ways to get citizens engaged and informed it is important to get feed back and we will look for additional ways to deliver and receive information.
Jeff Roberts
1:24 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Thanks for weighing in here, Mr. Mayor.
Paul Hark
3:41 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
I am very pleased to hear the Mayor is in agreement with my idea of traveling council meetings. It's about making what goes on at City Hall relevant to residents. I am hopeful I will have the opportunty to work with the Mayor and make these traveling council meetings a reality next year.
Pork Chop Guy
10:32 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
This is actually a great idea. I don't know why, but I've never considered attending a meeting at City Hall. And I am not saying I will attend one now, but feel the alternate sites will likely bring in people that wouldn't normally attend.
Jodie Miller
10:18 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
Just a friendly reminder that IGH city council, planning commission, parks commission, and environmental commission meetings are televised LIVE and replayed on local government cable channel 19 and web streamed LIVE and on-demand at www.townsquare.tv, provided by NDC4 Cable Commission and Town Square Television. We know that for every one resident who attends in person, there are many who watch on cable and the web. It would be technically more difficult to present these meetings from school or church locations. However, this is not to say that an occasional open house or town hall meeting event out in the community is not a good idea!