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Consultant outlines "Better Public Meetings" recommendations; council debates outreach and remote participation
Summary
Consultant Nick presented findings from interviews, a community survey and a public forum and proposed nine community-generated recommendations to strengthen civic engagement. Council members discussed practical pilots — tents at events, ward roundtables — and debated controlled virtual participation and simple 'report-back' mechanisms.
Consultant Nick gave the Rochester City Council a progress update on a "Better Public Meetings" study on Feb. 9, describing the project as roughly one-third to halfway complete and rooted in direct community work.
"We conducted 25 interviews" across city staff, boards and commissions, council members, residents, nonprofits and local media, Nick said, and described a survey that drew about 58 responses and a public forum on Dec. 4 that drew roughly 41 people. He said staff prepared a concise five-page memo of recommendations and a longer research report with the underlying data.
The consultant said the research shows clear strengths — "a very strong civic pride and volunteer culture" — alongside recurring…
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