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Residents urge outreach and education as Charter Commission begins work
Summary
Public commenters at the Aug. 6 hearing asked the commission to improve outreach, explain the charter plainly, and encourage broader turnout; one resident thanked commissioners and urged online and in-person engagement.
Residents who spoke during the public comment period asked the commission to do more proactive outreach and to make charter materials easy to find and understand. Greg Garnett of Lisbon Falls thanked commissioners for their service and encouraged neighbors to attend or submit feedback: “I want to thank all of you for donating your time…and I'm a little, I won't say upset, but surprised that not more people come here because Facebook is all alive and fired and all that stuff.”
Another commenter described the challenge of representation at town meetings — that special-interest groups can dominate turnout — and urged the commission to consider how to ensure broader participation across neighborhoods. Commissioners acknowledged those concerns and committed to posting materials online, using multiple communication channels, and holding public-input opportunities at future meetings.
