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Letter: Engage in vital dialogue

Your feedback will affect council's strategic community planning, writes Peter Matheson.

If you were given a personal invitation to sit down with the mayor, any councillor, any staff member, or a City Works liaison who would take your individual civic concern straight to the council table, what would you want to say?

Will you procrastinate until a big problem develops—or will you accept a pro-active invitation?

On Monday, March 23 you are personally invited to participate, comment and collaborate regarding how you wish to see our community develop ...or to simply become better informed by asking questions.

Your comment will be recorded and become part of the public record that will drive council's future strategic planning decisions.

Can you suspend any historic judgements and trust that this invitation is sincere and genuine—that your voice will be heard?

This community visioning process will be presented as an open house, resulting from the due diligence of our mayor and council to create inclusive, transparent and responsible long-term city planning intended to satisfy our city's social, financial, environmental and sustainability values.

You are urged to attend.

Your feedback will affect council's strategic community planning.

Your suggestions are solicited and encouraged.

The decisions of council will be based on this dialogue. It will affect you.

This is a sincere invitation from your elected officials to collaborate on an innovative and exciting fusion of heritage, sustainability, economic development, infrastructure management, alternative transportation, recreation, social fabric, arts and culture...

Your mayor and council are asking for your personal input right from the beginning, and I appeal to the citizens of Grand Forks to attend in a positive, collaborative, respectful and open manner so that you can engage in the many creative possibilities of this vital community dialogue.

Mark your calendar: May 23, upstairs in City Hall, 3 - 7 p.m.

Peter Matheson, Grand Forks