Prominence Public Engagement Ordinance 2025
Preamble: To enhance transparency, accountability, and communication between the government and the citizens of Prominence, this ordinance mandates bi-monthly (once every two months) town hall meetings at City Hall. These meetings shall provide a structured forum for residents to voice concerns, ask questions, and engage directly with elected officials.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE DISTRICT OF PROMINENCE COUNCIL HERE ASSEMBLED THAT,
SECTION 1 - Definitions
(a) Town Hall Meeting – A public meeting held for the purpose of direct engagement between government officials and residents of Prominence.
(b) Office of District Affairs (PODA) – The designated office responsible for organizing and advertising the bi-monthly (once every two months) town hall meetings.
(c) Elected Officials – The Mayor and all members of the District Council of Prominence.
(d) City Hall – The designated venue where town hall meetings shall be hosted unless an alternative official location is determined by the PODA. The City Hall is defined as the building that falls in these bounds: https://i.imgur.com/bgBE43q.png
SECTION 2 - Town Hall Mandate
(a) The Mayor and all members of the District Council shall be required to attend a bi-monthly (once every two months) town hall meeting ingame to discuss city affairs, hear public concerns, and answer citizen inquiries.
(b) These town hall meetings shall be scheduled and organized by the Office of District Affairs (PODA) to ensure proper structure and coordination, with each meeting being logged on the PODA Trello board. The PODA shall be required to inform the public about upcoming town hall meetings.
(c) Meetings shall be open to the public, allowing residents to directly address city officials with concerns, suggestions, and questions regarding municipal governance.
SECTION 3 - Meeting Structure & Scheduling
(a) The Office of District Affairs (PODA) shall announce the date, time, and location of each town hall at least seven (7) days in advance via official government communication channels.
(b) Each town hall shall last no less than ten (10) minutes and no more than ninety (90) minutes, allowing sufficient time for citizen participation.
(c) The town hall shall be moderated by a representative from the Office of District Affairs (PODA) to ensure orderly discussion and adherence to time limits. If no PODA representative is available, the Mayor shall be required to moderate the meeting.
SECTION 4 - Meeting Cancellation
(a) The District Council may vote to cancel a scheduled town hall meeting by a simple majority (1/2) vote.
(b) This vote must take place no later than 12 hours before the scheduled start time of the town hall meeting.
(c) If a meeting is canceled, the Office of District Affairs (PODA) must issue a public announcement explaining the reason for the cancellation at least six (6) hours before the original start time.
SECTION 5 - Enforcement & Compliance
(a) Attendance of the Mayor and District Council members is mandatory unless excused due to emergencies or prior official commitments, in which case they must provide written notice to the Office of District Affairs (PODA).
(b) Failure to attend without valid justification may result in a public statement of non-compliance issued by the Office of District Affairs (PODA) and recorded in the official district records.
This District Ordinance shall go into effect immediately upon passing the legal processes as described by the District Charter.
Respectfully submitted to the District Council of the District of Prominence.
CHIEF SPONSOR
Councilman, iHamzahs
COSPONSOR(S)
(Position, name)