How do/would you encourage civic engagement in your community?

Given the current shortage of local news coverage, it is vital for the government to actively share information with the community. As a candidate, I am committed to working with the city administration to ensure transparent and timely communication. City affairs and Common Council decisions have been difficult for residents to understand due to insufficient details on meeting agendas. I propose using the South Milwaukee School Board’s information-sharing practices as a baseline for local government transparency as their agendas, minutes, and documents are easy to understand and accessible.

Furthermore, attendance at Common Council meetings has been consistently low. In the 3-4 years that I have been attending, only a few regular attendees and a handful of new faces have shown up. As a concerned citizen, I believe that the council must take proactive steps to reach out to the residents and foster meaningful engagement.

One of the ways I suggest achieving this is to organize an open house for the residents, where they can learn about the local government processes and understand how their participation can positively impact their community. By proactively reaching out to the public, the council can build trust and establish stronger relationships with the residents.