Pulaski County Commissioners agree to host town hall

Many Pulaski County residents have expressed concerns about the need for greater transparency and two-way communication in local government. Currently, public comment is limited to two minutes at the end of each public meeting. According to Brandi Larkin, some residents feel their voices aren't being heard, they're not receiving adequate information and they're disconnected from the decision-making process. During the Aug. 4 Pulaski County Commissioners meeting, Larkin asked the board if they would consider hosting a town hall series to help mitigate these concerns. She suggested that they host town halls quarterly and they could start with any of the two following topics: solar and energy storage; budget transparency and use; the county strategic comprehensive plan implementation. Larkin said that some future topics could include resident retention and attraction; economic development; tourism; government and nonprofit collaboration; quality of life; or any other topic that the board or the public comes up with. She explained that town halls would provide space for the public to ask questions and for leaders to share their priorities.