This month’s editorial is one of particular importance as it relates to the wellbeing of District staff and members of Council. The topic is engagement. Over the past couple of years, some residents of the District of Sparwood have taken a keen interest in expressing their thoughts and feelings about District issues or projects on social media. While discussions on these platforms do have benefits when there is healthy and respectful dialogue, many of the posts have turned out to be malicious, demeaning and demanding. The District is not obligated to have social media accounts. This is something we chose to provide to the public to increase our communication efforts and broadly share District news. However, should this approach continue to become more negative than positive, this may not be something the District will always continue to do.
Negativity and incivility on social media play a big part in the mental health of District staff. While you may think that you are posting into an anonymous digital world, it is employees, people who live in Sparwood and who you interact with in many other facets of life that monitor and read the comments. It is shameful, that in a community where members of Council and I are so accessible that misinformation spreads so quickly, consuming peoples time and energy with matter that is completely incorrect.
Given this, I challenge this community to rethink the rules of engagement. The first step is including yourself in the decision-making process, before anything even begins. You can do this by watching or attending Council meetings. At the end of each meeting is a public question period where you can share your thoughts or ask questions on a topic that was presented during the meeting. You can read staff reports that are part of each agenda and can be easily found on the Council portal here https://sparwood.civicweb.net/Portal/. You can learn about projects during the budget process, displays and open house events are coming up next month. Take the time to understand what is happening and be involved in the discussion. You can submit your comments via the Contact Us form on our website or call or email Mayor, Council or staff if you have questions or concerns, all of which can be easily done by visiting https://sparwood.ca/contact/.
The comments and messages left on District social media platforms will not be regularly monitored and will not be an avenue to expect engagement with Council or Staff. While we understand that not everyone will be happy with decisions or projects, sharing your thoughts in a reasonable and respectful manner is an approach that we strongly encourage everyone to take. The power to make change is in your hands. Please take the time to stay informed and participate in the public engagement avenues and opportunities available to you.
Post Date: February 29, 2024 | Category: Mayor's Monthly Editorial News & Updates