Ward 2 Open House (#W20H) Part 3

Open Communication

What a great session we had on March 22. A group of very communicative residents gathered with me at the DQ to talk about how do you want elected officials to connect with you? Residents were loud and clear on the fact that often they did not feel that they were being heard. MLA Dave Quest and rural Councillor Linton Delainey joined us. I would like to thank our facilitator, local businessman Randy Moore for keeping us focused.

I have outlined residents’ concerns in my two previous blogs. This is the exciting part: a small group of residents took hold of the dialogue and came up with solutions. They listed their favourite forms of communication – how they would respond most positively to elected officials. Then they told us some unpleasant experiences – in effect: how not to communicate with them. Residents then talked about what effective communication was to them.

So what really is (Effective) Communication? 

Communication is listening with empathy and understanding. Both parties need to be willing to listen to the other person’s opinion.  Active listening – repeat what you’ve heard. Make sure you make yourself clear and are understood. Both parties have a responsibility. We can respect each other while holding each other accountable.

Here’s a Customer Service Process For You!

Residents said:

Step up and get involved - be persistent – remember if one resident has an issue – most often, others do too!

Report it – then follow up and follow through.

Don’t talk at us – engage us.

Don’t give us poor attitude- give us ‘can do’ attitude!

The resident can be factual, give clarification of the issue, lay out a time line of when they think it is reasonable to get a response back. Take the staff’s name, time and date of the call. The resident can expect that County staff will take a fair amount of facts down, including time and date of incident and may need time to get some answers, but should get back to you within a reasonable amount of time. If the resident cannot get satisfaction –then it’s time to ask for a manager. Failing that – call your elected official. 

Resident List the Solutions

Residents said they hated getting lost in bureaucracy. ‘Three times – you’re out’. No one needs to get forwarded to three different departments or more! Solution? Several residents say they want the 311 system that Edmonton and Calgary have. The 211 (available in Strathcona County) is not one stop shopping.

Residents also want a closer look at what’s happening in Council meetings. ‘St Albert has Shaw TV – why can’t we?’ Webcasting would give residents that flexibility of viewing Council meetings on line – but it has been over a year since the pilot project was implemented, with no action to date.

Residents echoed something I have heard in Council for four years now: ‘How about getting Council out of County Hall? Host a meeting in Millennium Place, the Mall, one of the high schools, a seniors’ centre, the library – anywhere people gather.’

A clear message was delivered that evening: ‘Visibility is a big step towards engagement. Urban and rural residents deserve to have their elected officials listen to them. Be where the people are and take their government to them.’

Several residents there were electronically savvy. They said ‘for those of us who are online, how about the County adding a discussion forum to its website? It might not get used much (at first), but then again it might grow.’

Residents proved something to me that evening at the Dairy Queen - there are so many things that local government can do to be increasingly more relevant, all it takes is the will, some imagination and passionate people to do it – I deal with those passionate community minded people every day – in the committees, and in the streets….all we have to do as elected officials have to do – is listen, and act.