Our Mission

Watertown Community Conversations facilitates the use of dialogue to strengthen the social fabric, build understanding across difference, and support community-engaged decision-making in our City.

Background

In the past several years there have been a number of community policy and planning issues affecting residents and people who work in Watertown that have generated much discussion, some of which has been acrimonious and has furthered divisions within our community. We believe that our community would benefit from employing processes that have been used with great success in many other communities nationwide to:

• Promote civil discourse on important issues 

• Involve diverse viewpoints

• Strengthen the social fabric of the community

• Help the elected officials and staff make more widely supported decisions.

Purpose

Watertown Community Conversations promotes the use of successful, proven techniques, tools, and technologies to engage in thoughtful and productive public dialogue about issues and concerns affecting the Watertown community.

Overall Benefits

• Improved civil discourse across diverse viewpoints 

• Strengthened sense of community and local democracy

• Better-educated public regarding difficult, complex issues

• Increased public involvement on important issues

• Informed input for City officials, resulting in better and more widely supported decisions

• Potential increase of volunteerism on City Boards.

Our Role

Act as a catalyst to: 

• Provide information and skill building to stakeholders interested in improving civic engagement and public dialogue

• Promote new ideas and methods for civic engagement and dialogue 

• Collaborate with City officials, community leaders, and the public to identify issues appropriate for enhanced public discussions.