Councillors in South Kent are aiming to bring a new initiative to their ward.
Trevor Thompson, Mary Clare Latimer and Anthony Ceccacci have announced that they will be bringing town hall meetings to South Kent.
The meetings will be a chance for residents to connect with the councillors and share their opinions in an informal manner.
According to Ceccacci, the three councillors met directly after the 2018 election to discuss what they want to bring to their roles. Something they agreed upon was improving community engagement and the idea was able to flourish from there.
"I think it's going to be a benefit to the community. It's really important. There's a lot of people who won't pick up a phone or send an email to tell you their concerns, but they'll tell you verbally," said Ceccacci. "It's a benefit to us as councillors and it's a benefit to them [residents] to know that they're opinions and voice are being heard."
Ceccacci said the meetings will be driven by the residents, and those who attend will be able to ask questions, voice concerns and make suggestions to the councillors who can then move any issues to a formal process.
"We really want the residents to have the floor, that's why it's really important and we're hoping there's a good turn out," said Ceccacci.
Ceccacci said he's excited to show people that their municipal representatives are approachable and willing to listen.
Latimer echoed statement, saying she's hopeful these meetings will improve the relationship between residents and members of council. She also hopes they'll give residents a better understanding of how the decision-making process works in council.
"An education on both parts, where the councillors can relay to the municipal staff where constituents are being let down. Likewise, the constituents can learn what challenges we [councillors] face budget wise and where we have a lack of control," said Latimer.
The meetings will be held at the Blenheim Legion located at 34 Catherine St. Dates for the meetings are February 12, May 7, August 6 and November 5 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.