Citizen cross section needed at meetings
I thank the Hamilton County commissioners for the two-month trial period for a 4 p.m. meeting time (in November and December) — it is a step towards establishing a more accessible meeting time for citizen engagement.
Our Hamilton County Commission has long been the only body of publicly elected officials in Hamilton County who meet at 9:30 a.m. All other elected bodies in Hamilton County meet at 3:30 p.m. or later.
I, along with other advocates for a more citizen-friendly meeting time, are disappointed that the commission has not advertised or announced on their website or on social media the trial period of 4 p.m. Doing so would have helped citizens to be aware of this trial period.
The commissioners and county Mayor Weston Wamp need the attendance of a more varied and representative group of informed citizens to be a part of our commission’s governance.
Citizens have an opportunity to attend at 4 p.m on these remaining Wednesdays: Dec. 3, 10 and 17. The commission meets on the fourth floor of the Hamilton County Courthouse at 625 Georgia Ave. in Chattanooga; parking is available on the street and nearby parking lots. The meetings typically run around 90 minutes.
I encourage the commissioners to look at the times that their fellow county elected bodies meet. A cross section of citizens representative of their constituents will make for better representative government. A more accessible meeting time will help citizens to stay informed and to contribute to decisions that shape their communities — something we can all agree is necessary for authentic and successful local government outcomes.
Therese P. Tuley