Aug 14 2009
Town Hall Meetings – A Great Way to Raise Awareness About Infrastructure
You may have heard news reports of unruly Town Hall Meetings with legislators across the country, in most cases centered on the issue of healthcare reform. Many civil engineers (and other citizens) may be thinking, “I don’t want to get involved in that mess!”
Town Hall Meetings are the very essence of democracy. They present a chance for citizens to confront those elected to represent them in government directly. The hope is that all involved will treat others with respect, but news reports have shown that this is not always the case. While it is tempting to lament the loss of decorum and respect, we should also reflect on the thought that people still care enough to make the effort to get their voices heard. Despite negative campaigning and lackluster approval ratings, we have not totally given up on the democratic process.
In short, citizens and lawmakers should not shy away from these opportunities for engagement!
ASCE’s Report Card for America’s Infrastructure is designed in a way so as to make the most challenging and complex problems facing the nation’s infrastructure, understandable by the average person. Summer town hall meetings are the perfect opportunity to share that message. And who knows, people might list that much more if you’re the one person there not talking about health care!
A few tips to help you get something out of your next Town Hall Meeting:
- Arrive early to get a seat and possibly meet with an elected official’s staff on hand for the event, or maybe even the elected official himself/herself.
- Always treat elected officials and staff with respect for their position and the office, even if you don’t agree with the opinions and actions of the individual that currently holds office.
Don’t be afraid to bring up a subject not listed on the agenda. - Even if you’re not comfortable speaking in front of the group, you can still interact with elected officials and staff before and after the program.
- Keep your remarks brief, whether addressing the assembled group or in one-on-one interactions before and after. If the topic demands more than a few minutes of discussion, ask to set up a meeting in the lawmaker’s district office at a later date.
- Download briefing information from the ASCE Government Relations webpage and the Report Card Advocacy Site to learn background on the issues to share with your lawmakers and their staff.
- Provide feedback to ASCE through the grassroots activity form.
Remember, there are other ways to interact with your lawmakers besides potentially contentious Town Hall Meetings: write a message using the Report Card Advocacy site or request a one-on-one visit with your lawmaker in his or her district office.