Improving Citizen Participation and Feedback in Your Bagh: AManual on Town Halls
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addition to describing their perspective on the issue and the
steps the municipality is taking to address the issue, they
highlight which government office, branch or agency is re-
sponsible for the components of the issue as well as how to
contact the officials in charge.
After the presentations are finished, the moderator opens
the floor up to constituents in attendance for the next 45-60
minutes. While the moderator seeks to ensure that every-
one is heard, they are responsible for keeping the flow of
the event moving, even if that means they need to (politely)
interrupt long-winded constituents. In some cases, people
have already written their questions on paper provided by
the municipality – in others, they ask their questions direct-
ly, using a microphone if the room is large. Mayors and mu-
nicipal officials in attendance will then answer all questions
received or, if the answer they seek isn’t readily available,
direct the constituent to a staff member who will take down
their information so that the mayor can get back to them
with the information requested. At the prescribed ending
time, the moderator concludes the event with the Jordanian
anthem and a thank you from the mayor.
