With that in mind, we will host the 2008 Boston Civic Summit, an unprecedented gathering of community leaders, new and old, with two goals in mind: first, to offer those dedicated leaders better support and training to make their work more effective; and second, to begin a conversation-and truly just begin it-on strategies to increase civic participation throughout our neighborhoods.
We need people who recognize their role in making our city a better place and people who are ready to do something about it. This summit will be about solutions, not problems. We want people who are already involved in civic associations and in neighborhood watches, people who are engaged in friends of groups for our schools, libraries and parks, as well as other people who care passionately about our city. This event is most surely not about me or any politician; it is about the people we represent.
Many have expressed great excitement about this effort, but also some skepticism. I am so encouraged by all the feedback I have received, particularly the constructive criticism. Your ideas will help to make this event more successful and I hope that people continue to debate and discuss this summit as it takes shape.
I am so confident in the team of leaders that we have assembled thus far that will help to guide our efforts and set our agenda. The formation of an Advisory Committee is just our first step. Over the next several weeks, we will be reaching out to an even grater number of people to help fill vital roles as presenters and volunteers and on an outreach team to ensure that all of our city’s voices are represented.
But all of that is yet to come. For now, please share your thoughts and ideas with me, and send me your contact information so we can keep you informed as this event moves forward. Visit www.bostoncivicsummit.org and email at info@bostoncivicsummit.org. I look forward to hearing from you.
Let’s build a better city together.
Maureen Feeney
President
Boston City Council
Councilor Feeney’s efforts are most welcome. There is much to do, and many good effots already underway. Mayor Menino has put some momentum behind Hyde Square Task Force’s pioneering work to bring a civics curriculum to the Boston Public Schools. MassVOTE, where I work, is involved with the League of Women Voters, Common Cause and others in trying to pass Election Day Registration, to protect every citizen’s right to vote. “Civic engagement” in general can include everything from voting to volunteering to showing up at City Hall and State House meetings to simply knowing your neighbors. Any way you slice it, the more civic engagement we have, the better.
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p>Avi Green
Executive Director
MassVOTE
I too am glad to hear of Councilor Feeney and others’ focus on Civic Engagement with this upcoming summit. Back in November a diverse group of organizations put together a very successful Mass. Civic Engagement Summit, with some 700 people in attendance from across the state. I think there is even greater opportunity in a city level summit to come up with concrete action steps following the event.
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p>More on the statwide summit at http://masscivicaction.org.
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p>David Crowley
President
Social Capital Inc.
It’s one thing to enunciate this idea about civic engagement. It’s another to make the public records of our Boston City Council more available. The Council publications at
http://www.cityofboston.gov/ci…
http://www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil/citycouncilpub.asp
should be made available electronically for wider access. For example the Municipal Register, Organization of City Government and Boston Streets publications are not readily available even in paper format. The Annual Reports of City Departments are not even listed so people can request the Annual Reports. These are important communications of our government that are withheld and only made available to the selected few and to those who can persist in the face of the intimidating behaviors of officials.
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p>The public documents of government should be made available on the web. The City Council Library should be more open and available. A Mayoral Directive and a City Council Order are needed for the more routine transmittal of city documents to Boston Public Library’s Government Documents Department
http://bpl.org/research/govdoc…
http://www.bpl.org/research/govdocs/index.htm
<
p>see also
http://SunshineBoston.blogspot…
SunshineBoston.blogspot.com