Public Meeting Paper - Essay Example

Under the open meeting law, Phoenix city hall building notice board is the only official board to be trusted with official postings of the phoenix city council. Alhambra village planning committee and the public was to hold a public open meeting on 26th February 2013, 6.00pm at Washington Adult Centre. The village planning committee of Alhambra usually meets on the 4th Tuesday every month at the Washington Adult Center. The residents of Alhambra village are mostly stable, mature and the area is characterized single-family home neighborhoods.

The area boasts of houses built in 1920s and 1930s but are well maintained (City of Phoenix 1). Located at the entrance of the meeting was the sign- in table for the attendees to register and to be given the handouts. Input and contribution to the meeting by attendees was encouraged in many ways. The attendees interested in public participation during the hearing were to fill the speaker card, write comment forms, and send emails to the planning committee. The total numbers of the local citizens who signed in and attended were one hundred and thirteen.

Also in attendance were the members of the Neighborhoods, Housing, and Development Subcommittee. The committee is empowered to provide policy guidance on matters of housing, historic preservation, preservation, homeless, planning, zoning, domestic violence, and reviews developments such as site plans and inspections (City of Phoenix 1). Apart from the people presumed to be the residents, local politicians and the members of the committee which represented the authority, there were no strange people.

The media was conspicuously absent. Also absent were the professionals like the surveyors and land economists. The attendees were given the option of returning their speaker cards and written comment forms before the meeting or even submitting comment forms or sending emails