INNISFAIL – Local citizens will soon have the opportunity to “speed date” their advice and concerns to town councillors.
At council's regular meeting on Nov. 14, Todd Becker, the town's chief administrative officer, presented a “unique communication process” from Cindy Walker, the youth and adult program director at the Innisfail Public Library. It was an idea the local library heard was successful in Camrose.
“In the library world we just share ideas amongst us. So Cindy and I were talking about what they did and we thought it would be a good idea to do here,” said library manager Sara Kepper, adding she was excited about the idea when she first heard about it. “I thought it was just awesome.”
In Walker's email to the town, she said the idea is to have citizens sign up for a specific 20-minute time to “speed” through council members and staff. She is proposing there would be two to three 20-minute sessions for up to 10 citizens.
During each 20-minute session citizens will have two minutes with each councillor or staff member to ask questions or make suggestions.
At the end of the two minutes, a bell would ring and the citizen moves on to another councillor or staff member. When the 20-minute session has ended there would be a short break before a new one starts.
“I think it would be fun, as well as provide for further communication between local residents and those who serve them, while nurturing greater community engagement,” said Walker in her email.
And council members agreed. They gave administration the green light to pursue the novel community engagement tactic.
“I've never seen it before. It will be an interesting experience for sure to see how well it is received,” said Mayor Jim Romane, adding it's important council pursue any chance or idea it can to work on public engagement.
“That is the whole idea. We want to get out there. I want to get council more into the community, more involvement,” he said, noting he and Becker were meeting with Innisfail Kinsmen on Nov. 15. “We will sit down with them and ask, ‘what can we do for your guys? We appreciate everything the Kinsmen do, what can we do for you?'”
In the meantime, library officials are eager to get the ball rolling on the idea. Becker said last week after council that administration would reach out to the library and set a date, likely in the new year.
“I wish we would have heard about it earlier because the Camrose council and library actually did it before voting (Oct. 16 election), so they used it for a way for current and potential councils to get out there and engage with the public,” said Kepper. “That would have been cool to do before the vote, but I think it is awesome to do now actually.”
Mayor Jim Romane
"I've never seen it before. It will be an interesting experience for sure to see how well it is received."
