Norwalk Council Members Want to Hear From You

NORWALK, Conn. – Four Democratic Common Council members are inviting the public to meet with them monthly to share opinions and ask questions.

Michael Geake of District B, John Igneri of District E, Matt Miklave of District A and Warren Pena, who is at-large, will hold the first of their "2012 Council Conversations" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, at the Norwalk Public Library on Belden Avenue. They plan to host meetings in each district throughout Norwalk, one every month for the remainder of the year, except in July.

"Being new to the council, I wanted to have a chance to really listen to the concerns of the people who elected us," Pena, a freshman on the council, said in a statement. "We have meetings several times each week to consider and vote on items, and often we either do not have sufficient time or folks cannot come to the meeting to voice their views. So we wanted to find a way where we could meet with Norwalk residents to listen to what's on their minds."

Miklave, who served on the council from 2001 to 2007, said the public has the right to speak at council and committee meetings, but there often not a sufficient opportunity.

"Under the council rules, any Norwalk resident can speak on any item that is listed on that meeting's agenda," he said in a statement. "But this does not give people a chance to tell us what is on their minds. They have a chance to tell us what they think about the particular issue we are debating. That is limiting. We wanted to have a broader discussion, to let the public set the agenda."

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