Today I’m going to share with you the number one secret to getting what you want from city hall.
In a nutshell, the number one secret to getting good governance is to SHOW UP.
I know that sounds too simple, but let me explain…
If you have good elected representatives, no matter how good they are, they aren’t all-present and all-knowing. They can’t know what it’s like from your perspective, on the street where you live, unless you tell them.
On the other hand, if you have crooked or negligent elected representatives, showing up will do two things. First, just being there and providing citizen oversight provides some deterrence. Second, you will be able to hold them accountable to their responsibility to provide honest, open governance.
What do I mean by showing up? I mean going to the meetings. Meetings are published on agency websites and in public places three days before they take place and usually occur on a regular schedule. You can ask the agency to email you notices of the meetings – it’s likely that they are required by law to do so.