From page 142 of the Town of Christiansburg Comprehensive Plan:
"Public Education and Community Involvement
The Town of Christiansburg should develop a public awareness program to inform local
citizenry of local planning efforts and issues. The intent of such a program is to solicit
citizen participation in making planning decisions and to promote public support for existing and future community improvement efforts. Local planning commission members should be encouraged to attend Planning Commissioner Institute training sessions offered periodically throughout the year by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (VDHCD). Educational materials are also available from VDHCD, which should be distributed to local planning commissioners."
Okay, I give up....where is the public awareness program? The one to inform local citizenry of local planning efforts and issues? I can't find it anywhere.
Nor can I find any other programs designed to solicit citizen participation and encourage public support....this could have made a BIG difference in the Aquatic Center. There is the infrequent use of a rare handful of citizens when activities like 'buying into the Aquatic Center' are needed.
As noted in a previous article,
What Training has been Provided to our BZA and Planning Commission Members? The Town's response, very little effort has been expended by the town to see that the training recommended in its own Comprehensive Plan has been provided to the people filling these very important roles in our community.
Maybe there is a way to encourage citizen involvement in particular issues. Maybe what is needed is for some citizens to promote a "sidewalks day", an "improve traffic conditions day" and just have their own meeting about these and other problems. Maybe individuals who have an interest in particular areas can set up their own blog sites (wow...dozens of blog sites each focused on particular areas of interest...what a great way to keep people informed of issues and how the Town Council and/or Town Manager is dealing with those issues). Maybe there are High School students studying civics who are willing to talk to people in their neighborhoods and write up reports from different areas to point out what people want and don't want.
A good thing to remember in thinking about any of this is that the government is to serve the people...ALL THE PEOPLE....not just their neighbors, not just their friends, not just the one's who did or are likely to vote for them.
How involved are you in your local government? How involved should you be for your sake and the sake of future generations. If you want to insure that a few make all the decision for the many...then simply keep quiet and don't get involved. Maybe you think it is because you won't be living here in a few years.....maybe someone in the place where you think you will be living in a few years is being silent also.