NANAIMO – Nanaimo residents wishing to discuss the City’s 2016 budget process will have the opportunity to do so by participating in an announced ‘eTown Hall Meeting’ scheduled for November 23, starting at 6:00 PM. The meeting follows the tradition of tabling a topic for discussion between Council members and the public but, unlike in a conventional town hall meeting; Nanaimo’s eTown Hall format enables wider involvement by allowing participants to submit questions via Twitter, Facebook, webform and by telephone call in addition to being present in person.
“2015 marks the third year in a row that Nanaimo’s eTown Hall meeting has been used to discuss the City’s budget. As with past events, Council encourages as many residents as possible to participate by using one of the many options available to them,” explained Mayor Bill McKay.
The eTown Hall will commence at 6:00 p.m. during the scheduled Committee of the Whole Meeting. The eTown Hall will run for one hour. If demand is high, an additional 30 minutes will be allocated.
Key Points:
- The November 23rd eTown Hall meeting will focus on the City’s annual budget. Residents are encouraged to review available budget information prior to the meeting beginning.
- The City’s annual budget process is completed over a period of several months. The November 23 eTown Hall meeting is being held near the start of the process to ensure comments and questions from residents are identified early.
Quick Facts:
- The City of Nanaimo’s eTown Hall meeting format provides greater community involvement by diversifying the methods by which the public can participate… and where they participate.
- To date, the City of Nanaimo has held three eTown Hall meetings. The first meeting, held in March of 2013, was awarded Bronze for Innovation Management by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC).