Robert Pegel stepped from the crowd of 150 people packed into a south DeKalb school lunchroom Saturday morning, casually heading to the coffee station where county Commissioner Stan Watson stood.
The pair swapped pleasantries but quickly got down to business. Pegel, an unemployed land surveyor, wanted more information about the county’s $1.35 billion upgrade of its sewer system in the hopes it could lead to a job.
He walked away with information about an upcoming meeting and the feeling Watson wanted to help.
“To talk to someone who is a bit more involved, I feel a little closer to the source,” Pegel said after the encounter. “I feel like I’m getting more out of government this way.”
State lawmakers long have known that holding off-hour community meetings can help keep voters informed -- and keep their own profiles up.
Now some officials are bringing the idea down to the local level, with turnouts that dwarf the handful of gadflies who turn up at regular government meetings.
Watson’s monthly breakfasts routinely draw 150-200 people, the same number who turn out for quarterly listening sessions held by Fulton County Commissioner William “Bill” Edwards.
In Gwinnett, Commissioner Mike Beaudreau has met with as few as half a dozen and as many as 80 people in his monthly meetings. But he remembers vividly the impact a woman made for the whole county by coming in one Saturday.
“One very nervous woman came in with a tip on a drug house that she was too afraid to make on her own,” Beaudreau said. “It led to a major takedown and bust. It was immediate action based on what a citizen could share.”
Such opportunities to engage a county official are often not possible for voters who are at work when commissioners meet midday during the week. Even evening meetings don't help for residents with long commutes or busy family lives.
Watson started his breakfasts 14 years ago as a state lawmaker, when residents made the case to him about their lack of time. What began as coffee and pastries for a handful of people has become hot meals of eggs, sausage and grits. The discussions, too, have become heartier.
“We’ve had three governors come, representatives from utilities, local elected leaders ... really making a one-stop shop for people to talk about their issues,” Watson said. “The more informed and involved I can make a citizen, the better off I am.”
The cynic in Kerwin Swint believes the community meetings could be a springboard to higher political office for some local lawmakers.
But even Swint, a professor of political science at Kennesaw State University, thinks the potentially self-serving aspect is more than outweighed by the benefits for residents.
“The best thing is, it’s an opportunity for people to hold their officials accountable and force transparency,” Swint said.
But while big issues like property values and taxes might get discussed, what really counts for some residents is getting to talk about local gripes like barking dogs and potholes.
Edwards, for instance, prioritized a sidewalk project on Will Lee Road in south Fulton after hearing from residents who had to walk in the busy street. There are now nearly two miles of new walkways on the road.
"On the weekends, it's the community that's coming out, not someone being paid to be there," said Brenda Rhames, vice president of the Glen Haven Community Association in south DeKalb. "This gives us a place to voice our opinions."
About the Author
