FENWICK ISLAND – One resort representative is hoping a series of “Town Talks” will provide residents with the chance to share concerns and ideas in Fenwick Island.
Council member Julie Lee announced last week that in September she’d begin hosting “Town Talks” each month. The first is set for 5 p.m. Sept. 23, immediately following that afternoon’s town council meeting.
“I felt it’s important to listen to the community and hear what is important to them and what they’d like the town to be doing,” Lee said. “I am accountable to the people who elected me.”
Though citizens do have the opportunity to voice comments and concerns during the public input portion of each council meeting, Lee would like to allow for more of a back-and-forth conversation. At the council meetings citizens are limited to three minutes and typically aren’t really given the chance to ask questions.
“I didn’t feel the community was able to get into enough detail and get into the issues themselves,” she said. “Maybe this is an opportunity for us to constructively come up with ideas.”
Lee plans to come up with a topic for each meeting so that residents can come prepared to share positive comments as well as potential improvements. She’ll have sheets of butcher paper on which attendees can write comments.
“I just wanted an opportunity for residents to come in and express ideas,” she said. “We’ll see how well this goes.”
For the first of her “Town Talks,” Lee is inviting citizens to come and talk about the beach. She says she wants to hear what people like about the beach and what if any changes they’d like to see. She believes that by choosing a certain topic for each session, people might be inclined to come because of interest in that particular issue.
“Maybe people that don’t necessarily come to a council meeting might decide a topic is important enough,” she said.
She also plans to vary the times and dates of the sessions so they won’t always be after council meetings. While it’s hard to gauge what level of interest the meetings will receive, Lee is eager to launch the process.
“I thought rather than not do anything let’s try it,” she said. “Let’s see if I get any interest.”
