Carmel Tests Online Platform for Public Feedback
INDIANAPOLIS –The City of Carmel is partnering with Change.org on a public engagement initiative aimed at gathering resident feedback on ways to support local businesses.
The effort, called Civic Dialogues, allows residents to submit ideas and vote on suggestions from others through July 6.
Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam said the platform gives people a way to share ideas without being overshadowed by louder voices at traditional public meetings.
“We love this platform because it allows anybody and everybody to give an idea for improvement. At a town hall, a lot of times the loudest voices win, and so maybe the best ideas aren’t always advanced,” Finkam said.
According to the city, the first phase of the program focuses on identifying ways local government can help businesses in the community.
Finkam said the platform allows people to weigh in on ideas in a simple format without debate or commentary.
“This particular initiative with Ideas for Change allows anyone to put an idea up there for other people to consider and vote up or down. There’s no commentary. It’s just: you like it, thumbs up; you don’t like it, thumbs down,” Finkam said.
After the submission period ends, Change.org plans to review the responses and identify the ideas that receive the most support. A group of residents will then be invited to participate in discussions to further develop those proposals.
“Then they’ll bring in the next phase of the process, which will be to identify roughly 100 people in our community who match the demographics of Carmel. They’ll come online anonymously and talk about how these ideas could potentially be implemented,” Finkam said.
The recommendations will be presented to city leaders for consideration. Finkam said she plans to review the proposals and evaluate whether the city can support or implement them.
City officials said the program is designed to collect community feedback and identify areas of agreement among residents on issues affecting local businesses.
Carmel Tests Online Platform for Public Feedback was originally published on wibc.com
