AUBURN — A series of seven meetings designed to boost community involvement in city affairs kicks off Sept. 17 at Edward Little High School.
The meetings, facilitated by University of Southern Maine Community Planner and Auburn resident Mary Sylvester, will continue through Oct. 15.
Sylvester is working on the conversations free of charge to the city.
They are part of a City Council effort to make better contact with residents, taking City Hall to various neighborhoods for more intimate and less threatening discussions.
Each meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and is expected to be two hours and 30 minutes long — a 3- minute social period, followed by two hours of discussion. Chairs will be set up in a circle, encouraging residents and neighbors to talk and interact, rather than give speeches.
City Manager Clinton Deschene said Tuesday that all departments have been invited to attend the meetings. That includes the School Department and school officials.
Meetings will move around the community and most will be hosted in neighborhood schools, including Park Avenue School on Sept. 24, East Auburn Community School Sept. 25, Sherwood Heights on Oct. 2 and Washburn Elementary Oct. 15.
The Danville Grange will host a meeting Oct. 1 and the Auburn Public Library will host one Oct. 8.
Auburn Community Conversations
Social hour begins at 6 p.m., discussions begin at 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 17, Edward Little High School chorus room
Sept. 24, Park Avenue Elementary School cafeteria
Sept. 25, East Auburn Community School cafeteria
Oct. 1, Danville Grange, 15 Grange St., first floor meeting room
Oct. 2, Sherwood Heights Elementary gymnasium
Oct. 8, Auburn Public Library Community Room
Oct. 15, Washburn Elementary School gymnasium
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