How should the Town Council track its work and respond to residents?

This question was about transparency, and I have three ideas:

• Set goals and track them publicly. I love a good syllabus, and I think the town should plan the same way. We’ve done this before: from 2012 to 2014, the Town Council kept a goal tracker covering every committee, office, and department, updated regularly. We should bring it back.

• Listen during public comment, then act. School boards across the country follow a simple model. Members don’t debate residents during public comment. They write down the concerns, ask the administrator to look into them, and then summarize what they heard, what they’ll do about it, and when they’ll follow up. I was surprised to find our council doesn’t work this way.

• Follow through. A resident came to the Town Council about problems on Douglas Pike, and nothing happened. Months later I knocked on their door while canvassing, recognized the issue, and called Senator Reid’s office. Soon after, the Department of Transportation reached out to say they’d fix it. We already have these resources. We just need to use them.

Being transparent, setting goals, and following up when residents raise concerns. It’s really not that hard.