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Morgantown council debates workshop format and public-engagement trade-offs
Summary
Councilors at the June 2 meeting discussed refining the committee-of-the-whole workshop format, balancing staff presentations and stakeholder panels, using targeted online surveys, and improving accessibility for public input.
Councilors used a lengthy discussion on June 2 to evaluate the committee-of-the-whole workshop process and how the city solicits public input on major topics.
Councilor Jody Hollings said she appreciated the workshops for transparency and the chance for council members to deliberate publicly, but urged experimenting with different formats and times to boost participation. Councilor Jenny Seline said short, structured presentations or panels give the council and public common information to react to; she recommended varying presentation lengths depending on the topic. Other members, including Mark DS, emphasized the value of staff framing options rather than prescriptive recommendations.
The council debated whether to invite partner organizations and stakeholders to present in workshops or reserve that material for regular meetings, and weighed the pros and cons of online surveys after some members cautioned about outside manipulation and the need for filtering strategy. Practical suggestions included advertising bus passes or parking supports to improve attendance, rotating venues for topic relevance, and designing online tools that limit noise and focus input.
What happens next: Councilors said the committee-of-the-whole format will continue with refinements; staff will investigate accessibility measures, alternate times/venues and methods for soliciting higher-quality remote input.
