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>From its inception through its current use, TownTalk has functioned as a social forum for the citizens of Riverdale Park. It's a bit akin to a bar or cafe you can stop by to voice your opinion, ask a question, "voice" a comment, etc. It has never pretended to be, nor served as a direct means of communication with our elected representatives. Occasionally, they will weigh in on TownTalk if they happen to be reading it and/or such efforts clear up confusion. But if we have grievances or concerns to address with town officials, the best bet is to call them directly, call Town Hall, or e-mail/write them directly.<BR>
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Given that there are several thousand citizens in Riverdale Park, and less than 200 on this list (please, correct me if I'm wrong, Dwight), TownTalk would be one of the least efficient ways for our government to communicate with the citizens as a whole. Some of Riverdale Park's most active and concerned citizens are on this list, but we're a small minority. It's a great place to connect with neighbors, share information with one another, and start the ball rolling for civic iniatives, but an e-mail to TownTalk is not the same as actually contacting our government. It would be a good place to start a discussion about best practices for local governments and how they communicate with their citizens in terms of keeping them informed and maintaining transparency.<BR>
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Kindly,<BR>
Marc M.<BR>
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