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status. In particular, Young (1996) opposed a view of deliberation that is restricted to a narrowly

defined perspective. Young (2002) argued for a broader perspective, and considered various forms

of reasoning, including narrative, rhetoric, and civil disobedience, thus capturing a wider array of

voices and perspectives.

Reflections on Town Meetings and Public Hearings

The origins of civic public and citizen engagement are derived from the public square with

its town hall, where, since colonial times, the public gathered to engage in issues of importance

with respect to the well-being of the collective. Although decisions culminating from town

meetings are governed by votes cast by registered members of the municipal subdivisions, there

are also less formal deliberative gatherings to engage individuals in the sharing of ideas and

development of collective consensus as a means of rendering decisions. A standard approach for

gathering the thoughts and opinions of local citizens and stakeholders by governmental leaders has

traditionally taken place in town meetings and public hearings. The town meeting offered a public

place for members of the community to gather and discuss issues of common concern as part of

the decision-making process.

Modern-day town meetings are fashioned after the New England town meetings of the past,

an invention of colonial governance that remains today, “the New England town meeting is the

longest standing institution of public deliberation in the United States” (Williamson & Fung, 2004,

p. 6). The town meeting is modeled after an ancient form of public gathering dating back to Athens,

Greece, and the premise that all members of the community should have a role in local governance

(Williamson & Fung, 2004). Unlike participatory venues in which citizens offer input or discuss

plans without deciding, the town meeting is a citizen legislature, with law-making authority and

resource allocation and decision-making authority (Bryan, 1999).

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