Public hearings for today’s public.

At People Speak, we believe Public hearings are one of the purest forms of democracy, helping to ensure that all policy decisions are in the public interest. But the way we conduct public meetings hasn’t changed in hundreds of years—they are held at a particular time and place, so public participation is limited to those who have time and ability to be present... Until now.

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Public hearings for today’s public.

At People Speak, we believe Public hearings are one of the purest forms of democracy, helping to ensure that all policy decisions are in the public interest. But the way we conduct public meetings hasn’t changed in hundreds of years—they are held at a particular time and place, so public participation is limited to those who have time and ability to be present... Until now.

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Receive Notice

Citizens are notified of upcoming meetings and meeting items as usual, but they are directed to a city-branded website & URL.

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Learn, Ask & Comment

Through a simple, intuitive interface they can review local issues, ask questions, and comment on their own time, or during the meeting.

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Get Updates

They can track their comments online, sign up for automatic email updates, and access an archive of past meetings and decisions.

Public Meeting Only

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Not Exactly
PUBLIC

In a study conducted in
Lakewood, CO, we found that most age groups were not accurately represented at public meetings.

PEOPLE SPEAK

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More
Representative

With People Speak, public participation was significantly more representative of the population.

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800% Increase in Participation

There was also a significant
increase in the overall quantity
of participation compared to
In-person only.

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More Convenient
Schedule

Interestingly, the data showed the least popular time for the public to engage was exactly when most meetings are held.

*Ages <25 not included from all sources, excluded from comparison

Get started today

Contact us to learn more and for a customized demo.

 FAQ

 

Is this Legal?

Yes! While the legal approval process for every municipality is different, every municipality is subject to some form of open meeting laws—essentially designed to keep you from adding anything that’s more restrictive. There is no open meeting law in the country that will prevent you from adding more access. While in-person, (and now virtual) options are widely accepted. we are simply adding an asynchronous option.

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How much extra work is required?

The platform generally requires at least a minimal amount of additional time to create items, add content, and publish for public engagement, but it’s generally about 5-15 additional minutes per meeting item. That relatively small investment of time opens the door for much higher public participation, and ultimately better public representation.

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How can we get it approved?

Obviously every municipality is different, and integrating a new tool like this can feel complicated, so we’re here to help. We’ll provide you with a best practices road map to help you understand the most efficient path to adoption. We’ll provide you with a deck template to help inform stakeholders and create internal buy-in. And we offer comprehensive partner support to help make your adoption process a smooth one.

 

Get started today

Contact us to learn more and for a customized demo.