City Council: Town Hall meeting format heightens communication

April 01, 2005
Santa Paula City Council

For the second time in as many years, the Santa Paula City Council will be holding a Town Hall meeting to encourage questions and dialogue with the community outside the regular council meeting format.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesFor the second time in as many years, the Santa Paula City Council will be holding a Town Hall meeting to encourage questions and dialogue with the community outside the regular council meeting format. The Town Hall meeting will be held Monday, April 4 at the Santa Paula High School Auditorium, 404 N. 6th St., starting at 6:30 p.m.The meeting will be preceded by a performance of the SPHS Jazz Band under the direction of Bandleader Ed Roina. The Jazz Band will start playing at 6 p.m., and will also perform the National Anthem after the flag salute starting the Town Hall meeting.“This will be the second time in two years that the City Council has taken one of their regular meetings ‘on the road’ into the community,” said City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz. The purpose of the Town Hall meeting is to allow a dialogue between community members and the City Council that the regular meeting format does not allow by law.According to City Clerk Josie Herrera, the council will amend its procedural rule for the public to be able to “ask questions and make comments and allow the council to respond to a question and comment. Any item that requires substantive discussion” will be placed on a future agenda, noted Herrera.
By law, the “Council can only discuss items that are on the agenda. If it’s not on the agenda they receive public comment, but cannot really respond to any public concern,” Herrera added.Things are different at the Town Hall meeting: residents are encouraged to attend, ask questions and receive answers from the Council and/or members of city staff. Simultaneous Spanish translation – as at all council meetings – will be available.Last year the Council held a Town Hall meeting at Barbara Webster School, an event that drew scant public participation. During recent months, several speakers during public comment have urged the council to hold another Town Hall meeting to broaden the scope of communication. In recent months the council decided to hold another meeting where residents can ask questions concerning a variety of issues, projects and programs.The Town Hall meeting will not be televised live on Adelphia Cable Channel 10 as usual, but will be rebroadcast on Tuesday, April 5 at 4 p.m. and on Thursday, April 7 at 6 p.m., adhering to the usual rebroadcast schedule. An additional rebroadcast will be on Sunday, April 10 at 1 p.m.Those attending the Town Hall meeting can park on the SPHS campus by using the 5th Street entrance.



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