A July 28 closed-door meeting on downtown safety failed to address urgent issues like open drug use and enforcement, writes Owen Sound resident Sasha Fernando.
The Owen Sound Police Board instigated meeting of over 100 committed representatives of the River District was about 2 hours long and produced engagement and willingness to continue to collaborate to improve the River district. It also signalled the need to move into strategy mode to solve problems in future meetings.
The high expectation that it could, in that time with that number of people, forge the outcomes detailed in Sasha Fernando’s letter, is perhaps too high. She has given a “road map”of potential strategies that could be created by engagement and collaboration, in those future meetings.
A useful vision from someone who obviously cares about our city.
I don't think we've met, but nice to e-meet you. My contact details and the full agenda for the meeting were sent out in advance to all participants for questions/comments/concerns/feedback. Perhaps you didn't get the communication? Anyway, that offer still stands if you'd like to connect.
Sasha Fernando’s comments cut through the BS and echo ongoing frustrations with Owen Sound’s clumsy efforts at public engagement. As he so clearly describes, it needs to be done well, because, done badly, it corrodes the public's trust in City Hall and in each other.
Fernando points out – a lack of ideas is never the problem. The Owen Sound Future Vision 2050 Project came up with the same ideas, after asking the same questions about safety and downtown revitalization. Over 18 months, more 1000 residents answered the Vision survey and hundreds more attended in-person meetings. In June, the promised strategic plan Vision that residents are waiting for, and that senior staff presented to council, was again delayed by a unanimous vote of council. The $90K plan and its $100K 2025-2026 budget for implementing community-led actions was not mentioned by either Councillor Merton or the facilitators of the recent stakeholders meeting.
By not approving and publishing the plan and connecting the dots back to residents, we lose the social cohesion and leadership needed for implementing ideas.
Demonstrating to our community that our feedback was heard and tied to an action plan shows us the value and reward of participating in public processes.
If city council wants public trust, stop asking what we think while ignoring what we’ve said. Over and over and over again. We’ve told you. We made a plan. A plan you and every member of the council voted not to approve.
Councillor Merton, if building trust is the foundation for “a kind, compassionate, inclusive and vibrant community”, the city council needs to start getting its own house in order, building a culture for authentic public engagement before gaining the public confidence sorely needed for community-wide change.
The Owen Sound Police Board instigated meeting of over 100 committed representatives of the River District was about 2 hours long and produced engagement and willingness to continue to collaborate to improve the River district. It also signalled the need to move into strategy mode to solve problems in future meetings.
The high expectation that it could, in that time with that number of people, forge the outcomes detailed in Sasha Fernando’s letter, is perhaps too high. She has given a “road map”of potential strategies that could be created by engagement and collaboration, in those future meetings.
A useful vision from someone who obviously cares about our city.
Hi Sasha,
I don't think we've met, but nice to e-meet you. My contact details and the full agenda for the meeting were sent out in advance to all participants for questions/comments/concerns/feedback. Perhaps you didn't get the communication? Anyway, that offer still stands if you'd like to connect.
Joel
Sasha Fernando’s comments cut through the BS and echo ongoing frustrations with Owen Sound’s clumsy efforts at public engagement. As he so clearly describes, it needs to be done well, because, done badly, it corrodes the public's trust in City Hall and in each other.
Fernando points out – a lack of ideas is never the problem. The Owen Sound Future Vision 2050 Project came up with the same ideas, after asking the same questions about safety and downtown revitalization. Over 18 months, more 1000 residents answered the Vision survey and hundreds more attended in-person meetings. In June, the promised strategic plan Vision that residents are waiting for, and that senior staff presented to council, was again delayed by a unanimous vote of council. The $90K plan and its $100K 2025-2026 budget for implementing community-led actions was not mentioned by either Councillor Merton or the facilitators of the recent stakeholders meeting.
By not approving and publishing the plan and connecting the dots back to residents, we lose the social cohesion and leadership needed for implementing ideas.
Demonstrating to our community that our feedback was heard and tied to an action plan shows us the value and reward of participating in public processes.
If city council wants public trust, stop asking what we think while ignoring what we’ve said. Over and over and over again. We’ve told you. We made a plan. A plan you and every member of the council voted not to approve.
Councillor Merton, if building trust is the foundation for “a kind, compassionate, inclusive and vibrant community”, the city council needs to start getting its own house in order, building a culture for authentic public engagement before gaining the public confidence sorely needed for community-wide change.