Atlantic City will have one of the first of three ward-focused town halls next week.
The Atlantic City Initiatives Project Office will co-host a town hall for those who live and work in the First and Second wards from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Uptown School Complex at 323 Madison Ave.
Meetings for the Third and Fourth wards and the Fifth and Sixth wards will be announced later.
“Town hall meetings are a great way to hear from people who have a stake in the city and want to contribute to its vibrancy,” said acting Gov. Sheila Oliver, who serves as DCA commissioner.
The meetings are a follow-up to the citywide town hall held in January and a Spanish language one held in June.
“By making the next few town hall meetings smaller, more intimate events, we are hoping to reach even more people, including those who may have been overwhelmed by the size of the last two citywide meetings," Oliver said. "Everyone’s opinion matters and we want people to feel comfortable providing their input.”
The meeting is being held in collaboration with the First Ward and Bungalow Park civic associations.
The meeting will begin with introductory remarks, including Jim Johnson, the governor's special counsel who is helping lead Atlantic City renewal efforts and helped author the Atlantic City Transition Report.
People will then break out into dialogue groups focused on topics important to Atlantic City, such as government accountability, land use development, economic development, workforce development, public health and wellness, public safety, youth opportunities, and civic and cultural development.
Each group will have a facilitator to encourage constructive conversation and a recorder to write down what was discussed.
After the group discussions, the the attendees will reconvene to review the input each group provided and to learn about how their ideas will be utilized to improve Atlantic City’s future.
