Dems unveil transition website, invite public to take part
Delaware County needs
MEDIA » you.
And, if you’ve ever wanted to have a say in your government, now’s your shot as incumbent Delaware County Councilmen Kevin Madden and Brian Zidek with Councilwomen-elect Monica Taylor, Elaine Schaefer and Christine Reuther launched Delco Transition, an effort to bring together people from wide-ranging backgrounds to give input on 12 major issues impacting county government for immediate, short-term and long-term consideration in an attempt to improve transparency and encourage public participation in government through the creation of 12 working.
“Delaware County Transition is an entity that will assist incumbent and newly elected members of Delaware County Council to gather important information, identify key issues and develop and recommend action plans regarding a wide range of issues and subjects relating to the governance and management of Delaware County,” Zidek said. “We really hope that we can engage people from all over the county, all political persuasions, who have an interest and knowledge about the subject matters that we’re looking to gain more information about.” Madden agreed.
“When we talk about wanting broad participation in Delaware County Transition working groups, we really mean it,” he said. “That goes out to current county employees, people involved in the county today, people who have previously worked in the county, folks who have been long time residents of Delaware County and for those who are relatively new to the area. We really want to get as broad of perspectives as we can.”
This transition includes the formation of 12 working groups to address elections; finances; ethics and transparency; workforce development; open space, natural resource protection and sustainability; government administration; government facilities; criminal justice; public health; public safety; social and human services; and the census.
“Really what we are trying to do is identify the key stakeholders within each subject matter group and identify immediate issues that the new council is really going to have to be aware of,” Madden explained.
These issues will be what needs to be done prior to the new council starting, what has to be completed relatively soon after it assembles and what the long term objectives of the county should be.
The effort seeks volunteers from a diverse array of backgrounds to apply on delcotransition.org by midnight Nov. 17.
“Please go to delcotransition.org and please sign up for any and all working groups that you believe you have something to contribute to,” Madden reinforced.