City encourages civic engagement Provided by the City of North Port NORTH PORT — The city is hosting several activities during the month of October to encourage civic engagement and involvement, while celebrating City Government Month and Local Works Day. First launched by the Florida League of Cities, City Government Week will be celebrated during the week of October 19-25 in cities across Florida. Traditionally, North Port has celebrated City Government Week throughout the entire month of October. “The idea behind City Government Month in North Port is to increase civic engagement and provide an opportunity to connect North Port residents to their community. We want people to have a deeper understanding of the services that the city provides,” said Community Outreach Manager Erin Bryce. “We also want residents to learn how they can get involved civically. We are a community that prides itself on the strapline ‘Achieve Anything,’ and our residents truly do make a difference.” The city will kick off the celebration with a proclamation by the North Port City Commission during a special meeting on Oct. 2. This year, the city will participate in Local Works Day on Oct. 3. Local Works Day is a program through the Florida Local Government Coalition to showcase the importance of the work that city governments do and how it directly impacts the quality of life of a city’s residents. “City government is the closest form of government to residents and it is the one with the most direct and consistent daily impact upon a resident’s life — from building sidewalks and improving roads to offering top-notch fire and police service and providing parks and playgrounds,” Bryce said. “Local Works Day is about recognizing the services that the city provides. We’re enveloping its celebration into the city’s overall City Government Month activities.” A big part of the city’s celebration each year is its “Government on Wheels” program. First created four years ago, the program places city commissioners and employees as guest speakers in local classrooms and in community meetings. In total, the program reached an estimated 1,000 students in 2014. The city will be in the schools again this year throughout the month. North Port will also be reaching out to local nonprofits in hopes of being guest speakers at local community meetings. “Our goal is to try to reach North Port residents and engage them in their local government,” Bryce said. For more information about City Government Month activities or to schedule a speaking engagement, contact Bryce at 941-429-7165 or ebryce@cityofnorthport.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 22:40:41 +0000
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