Nonpartisan Hacks

Public Engagement Isn’t Broken, It’s Misunderstood

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Two city councillors break down how public hearings, emails, and civic engagement actually work

Public hearings, council emails, Facebook rants — everyone has an opinion on how to make their voice heard in local government. But most people have no idea how any of it actually works from the other side of the table.

Joel Grenz and Sean Wood — both three years into life as Parksville city councillors — break down what public engagement is actually for, what works, what doesn't, and why your strongly worded Facebook post probably isn't moving the needle the way you think it is.

Listen in for:

  • What public hearings are (and aren't) designed to do, including why council can't correct misinformation on the spot
  • Why a personal email will always outperform a form letter
  • The underrated power of just asking your councillor for coffee
  • The uncomfortable truth about social media as a civic tool
  • Why "being heard" and "getting your way" are two very different things — and why that's actually okay

    • We're a representative democracy. That means we elect people to make tough calls on our behalf — even the unpopular ones. This episode is about understanding that system well enough to actually work within it.

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    Nonpartisan HacksBy Joel Grenz and Sean Wood