Public Meetings: Engaging Citizens in Solution-Making - Essay Sample

Introduction

Public meetings are generally done in the United States purposely to engage citizens in the discussion of particular issues or topics. It majorly tends to achieve a solution to a specific problem together with public and governmental officers. It values the opinions of a wide range of audiences. Various groups do it, for it aims at considering the views of the people involved. On the side pf the government, it is a way of public policy where political visions are translated into programs and actions (Abbell, 2010). It also intends to frame a particular change in the way people typically conduct their activities. I have had an opportunity to live stream on the participation of the school board public meeting on the 4th of February at 7:00 pm at the Central Administration office. The chairman of the board spoke and the members of the board also.

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The meeting was done according to Washington's Open Public meeting act. There have been public notices on the same. The conference was organized, as there was an order of running programs from the start to the end. The board of schools as generally handles the funds for running developments of many schools in various districts, the main point of discussion was to publicize to the government the way of handling finances. Money being a determining factor of success in every sector, it was a forum to ensure the citizens that their money was well utilized. This would much aid in creating trust and transparency of resources to the citizens.

From the previous notices, people send comments, questions, and suggestions on what they felt would be done with funds. It opened the room for making it clear to the citizens of what had been done and what was about to be done. A high level of accountability and transparency on the resources is observed. The chairman of the board ensured that there was order both from the members of the board and from the attending citizens.

The chairperson of the board gave a clear report on the usage of finance to that time. In the report, there were many mentioned ways of how the resource had been used. First, the allocation of the fund on the technology, that is, in the purchase of school computers and other components in aid of digital learning and information technology. A list of schools was said to have benefited from the finance. After that point, the chairperson gave a chance to whoever had attended the meeting to as question or comment on that matter. Many hands were lifted to react on the same. The feedback from various people seemed positive, and the board was appreciated for having made a mighty step in ensuring that technology was emphasized. Many termed the act as of great importance to the entire state due to the states for playing a part in bringing up students with knowledge on computers.

The chairperson promised to keep on working to ensure that is the desired resources were to be bought. Second, the chairperson said that another percentage of finance had been accrued in the preparation of national exams. This included payment of labor work and printing services, among other activities related to the same. This was an important point, for it gave students hopes of acquiring certificates after completion of their academics. The government was said to have ventured a lot in to the same and promised to be supportive. People appreciated the fact that the students will study sure of sitting for their final exams according to the curriculum.

It did nod not end there; instead, the list for other done activities continued. Specific finance was allocated aside to support the individual schools that had students with disabilities. Those students require extra funding to cater to their unique needs, for they tend to have difficulties in their day-to-day activities. The allocation of the money had caused so many positive changes, for each student was studying with less or no challenges. This had in-turn, created a sense of equality to all the students.

From the above act of school board, there were suggestions for increasing a certain percentage of finance to cater for a student with disabilities. The committee headed by the chairperson promised to check on it. The reactions from the public were positive about the initiative, and from the comments that had been sent to their emails and website, many people seemed to have liked the way of work of the board. Public participation gave a chance to the people to give their opinions on the same, and this aided in formulating strategies to make the sector a better one. It also ensured that even the government was aware of what the board of schools was doing in its efforts to ensure that the United States remains to superstate in all fields.

The chairperson did not forget to talk about the allocation of resources to the building of new schools and developments in the schools that already existed. Many schools were reported to have improved facilities and classrooms, among other projects. This assured the citizens that things were working for better. With the kind of meeting, the people in attendance had to react systematic manner, and there seemed to raise different suggestions. In such situations, there is a possibility of disagreement between different views from different people. With the board of directors of schools within, they took notes, and there were to come up with formulations that would best fit the rules of the government and satisfy the needs of citizens.

There was also mention of allocation of the finances to pay teachers' salaries. They confirmed it in attendance who were teachers that they received wages in good times. It was a great show to the United States government that through the board of directors, it was ready to pay teachers in time. Many other things on how the government through the school board had genuinely spent the finance was said. This seemed like a way of the government to assure its citizens that it is working well with public resources to benefit the entire state and not individuals.

Among the main issues of the public meeting was to solve the problem of how to finance had been utilized. It is from that the board of schools preferred to publicly let it known to everyone how it had spent the finance. It was by the law that the meeting was and is always publicly to keep the citizens updated on the progress of the school board. By so doing, the state was solving the challenges that always arise when associated with money. This shows a high level of transparency and accountability of other people's resources and gives them the morale to continue contributing.

I was pleased by the fact that public meeting is acceptable by the government and how they are generally conducted systematically. However, it seemed to confuse in the way of running programs, but with a presence on instructor or event manager, things can work exceptionally well. It was good to see citizens being given a chance to give their suggestions when all the board members are government representatives present. It strengthens the confidence of members into a state in that with the particular finance, the government will be able to put across several developments. It also ensures the views of people are considered and hence working towards providing the satisfaction of what the citizens require. It also aids is in introducing a new project to the state without much resistance since before the project initiation, they will be informed and allowed to voice their suggestions (Kraft & Furlong, 2012). Nonetheless, this kind of meeting can be faced by challenges where communities are not willing to work together.

Conclusion

In conclusion, public meetings have played a role in ensuring that the United States is one of the developed countries. This is because once the public meeting is there, it boosts the sense of trustworthy state since there are transparency and flow of how resources are utilized. It fights corruption to the highest order because not only the board members know about the usage of funds but also the citizens. It gears towards a democratic action by the state to the citizens by involving them in speaking out their views on various parts.

References

Abbell, M. (2010). Appendix C. United States Code of federal regulations: Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Prisons regulations relating to the implementation of international prisoner transfers. International Prisoner Transfer 2010, 179-185. https://doi.org/10.1163/ej.9789004178847.i-426.74

Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2012). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives (4th ed.). CQ Press.