Community Conversations 2010
Imagine being able to sit and chat with Alachua County officials on the biggest issues facing residents and local businesses.
Better yet, imagine being able to offer solutions on how to deal with those fiscal problems and cutbacks.
Citizens will have three opportunities to do just that this month at Community Conversations 2010, an event of three public discussions between county officials and citizens.
“It’s very easy to do, it’s a very accessible type meeting,” Alachua County Manager Randall Reid said. “It’s a very open discussion, and there are some open-ended conversations.”
Put on by the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners, Community Conversations is an event being held for citizens to contribute to fiscal decisions being made about next year’s county budget. Reid is planning to submit a proposed budget in July to County Commissioners, who will finalize the budget Sept. 30.
Reid said each meeting will begin with a brief presentation of the county’s budget and current trends. Citizens will have a chance to ask the questions and offer the suggestions that are more difficult to get on the table at formal county meetings.
“We don’t want to intimidate anyone from coming,” Reid said. “It’s not two sides arguing, and their minds are made up. It is a conversation about ‘these are the real issues, and these are the challenges.’”
The discussions come at a time when Alachua County is entering its third year of budget cuts with no employee salary increases. Each department is being asked to cut at least 7 percent of its budget and perhaps more if county commissioners don’t raise taxes, Reid said.
At the first Community Conversations event held last year, Reid said many business owners showed up to talk about their fears of losing their livelihoods. Others came to discuss which non-profits and contractors would get priority for county funds despite the economic downturn. In the end, about 40 people showed up to each meeting last year.
This year the county received a $5,000 grant through the National Center for Civic Innovation to purchase electronic polling equipment for the event so citizens can give input during the discussions. Reid said citizens can respond to questions anonymously with the handsets, avoiding the pressures of public opinion.
Moderators will also organize small think-tank groups to discuss the county’s current issues and offer suggestions, Reid said.
“It’s not just good enough to come to one of these meetings and say ‘Lower taxes,’” Reid said. “You have to talk to your neighbor about what government provides.”
If you go:
Saturday April 17, 2010
Tower Road Branch Library
3020 SW 75th Street
Gainesville, Florida 32607
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Monday April 19, 2010
Alachua Branch Library
14913 NW 140 Street
Alachua, Florida 32615
6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Monday April 26, 2010
Alachua County Health Department
224 SE 24th Street
Gainesville, Florida 32641
6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.