King County community forums on transportation

We invite Democrats to become Citizen Councilors to offer feedback to public officials on Transportation- Public Priorities, Choices and Funding. Please pass this information along to your list serves, networks, friends and colleagues who live and work in King County to provide feedback on public policy issues.

If you live or work in King County, sign up as a Citizen Councilor
to participate in the Countywide Community Forums. There is no minimum age requirement to be a Citizen Councilor.

Sign up before February 1: www.CountywideCommunityForums.org
Enter Organizational code "3"




Topic King County requests feedback on is

Transportation - Public Priorities, Choices and Funding

The official role of the Citizen Councilor is give your opinion on this important topic at a Community Forum hosted in your neighborhood. Community forums will be conducted in March, 2008 by citizens who volunteer to host one at their home, school, faith-based community, company, organization and civic group.

The King County Council recently passed Ordinance #15896 to implement a Citizen Councilor Network to generate feedback on public policy issues. The King County Council unanimously adopted Initiative 24 to create the office of Citizen Councilor Network within the County Auditor's Office. The intent of this program is to enhance citizen participation, civic engagement, and citizenship education in government by involving community members who live or work in King County as Citizen Councilor volunteers.

Instead of gathering at a big meeting at one place and time, where only a few people can talk and most have to listen, the Countywide Community Forums provide a way for small groups of citizens to assemble in small groups (similar to talking with friends, family and co-workers around a table) to discuss important issues and share their opinions.

To ensure the opinions of all participants are properly understood, all of the small group gatherings are networked together in two ways. First, everyone watches, the same short video and reads the same summary of the key facts and different perspectives on the issue being discussed. Following the discussion everyone fills out a survey that asks specific questions about the current topic and also asks participants which topics they would like to discuss next. The surveys are then tabulated with the results posted on the web and shared with government officials and the media.

Involvement in this project is a great way to learn about issues, use your voice, and engage in democracy.

All who register as Citizen Councilors may participate in the historic first round of Countywide Community Forums ever passed by elected officials! The ordinance includes those who work in King Co. even if they don't reside inside the county line. The Countywide Community Forums program will officially launch when the first 1,000 Citizen Councilors are registered.

Please distribute this email to help disseminate this information to involve as many people as possible in this effort. There is no cost involved and your information will not be sold or used for solicitations.

Link to Citizen Counselor registration form:
www.CountywideCommunityForums.org
Enter Organizational code "3"

Contact John Spady at (206) 296-1633 with questions.
Organizations may establish their own organizational code.
(Tell him Cheryl Honey, 2007 Jefferson Award Winner referred you)

http://metrokc.gov/auditor/CCF

Please contact us at communityforums {at} kingcounty.gov or
call (206) 296-1633 if you have any questions.

View Quicktime Video Clip about this project. Copy and paste URL below into your browser www.09_04_07_Spady_ KIRO_6_00pm.qtl

Mark your calendar: FEBRUARY 4th
Informational sessions about Countywide Community Forums program
1st monday of every month 7-9pm
Meet Dick Spady, Coordinator and John Spady, Deputy.

Location: Mosaic Community Coffee House, 4401 Second Ave NE; Seattle, WA,
(south-east basement corner of the First Church of the Nazarene, located directly south of the Dick's Drive-In on NE 45th St.)

First) The posting asks people to register as Citizen Councilors before February 1... don't worry about the date... The Citizen Councilor Network requests your registration regardless of the date.

Second) The date for Informational sessions IS NOT the first Monday of every month. IT IS the first Thursday of every month. The next meeting is February 7, 2008, at the Mosaic Community Coffee House as mentioned in the posting and mapped in the link below.

View Larger Map of Mosaic Community Coffee House

If you are interested in County policy decisions, I encourage you to participate in the Countywide Community Forums. Born out of Initiative 24, the first small group discussions will be held only after 1,000 people have signed up to participate. The first topic scheduled for discussion is transportation. Many of you have creative ideas and this is a great place to have your voice heard.

http://countywidecommunityforums.org/register.php