Citizens can, and should, be involved in their local governments. That’s the philosophy behind a series of sessions held by New Hanover County, aimed to educate the community on the inner-workings of local services and programs. The all-day sessions are being held today and tomorrow at the county’s Northeast Library.
Some of the conference’s topics include health and wellness, hurricane recovery, affordable housing, and serving on county boards and committees. The county’s Community Affairs Coordinator, Tufanna Bradley-Thomas, says they’re all aimed to address one common misunderstanding:
“... Some people may feel that the government is going to do what the government does and they're not a part of the government. But we are.... We live here, we work here, we have children here, we have our families here… I think the misconception is there isn't a voice, but there is, and as a county, we want to make sure that our community understands that they do have a voice.”
Bradley-Thomas says the county will administer a feedback survey to participants, which will then be used to determine whether or not the conference will become a biannual event.
