It would be a small move, but a good one.
At its monthly workshop on Monday, Great Falls Town Council discussed the idea of moving regular council meetings to the third Tuesday of each month. Presently, the meetings are held on the third Monday of each month, which puts them in direct conflict with Chester County Council meetings. Part of the reason the idea has been pitched is so that members of Great Falls Town Council can attend County meetings if they’d like. It would also allow members of Chester County Council to attend Great Falls meetings. County Councilman Mike Vaughn, who represents the Great Falls area, is active and involved in his district and attends local meetings when possible, but just can’t be in two places at one time.
We are glad officials from one body want to be more involved in others in terms of attendance. That improves communication and allows more direct feedback between the two bodies. With whitewater recreation coming soon to Great Falls, keeping Chester County Council directly plugged in is certainly important. We think there is another benefit, though.
Presently, folks who might have interest in both Great Falls Town Council and Chester County Council have to choose which meeting they want to attend. Chester County Council does broadcast meetings online and they are archived, but attending both in person is an impossibility. We’ve seen firsthand on many occasions that attendance by the public at meetings can make a difference and sway votes. People might want to address one council or the other about an important matter but can’t as of right now.
Any move that creates more opportunity for public attendance creates more openness and that’s always a good thing. Changing a meeting date by one day is a small move but a big step towards transparency.
