My first few months of being Mayor, I often times felt like a used car salesperson, as I was often stating “let me check on that and get back to you”.  There certainly is a lot to learn about budgets, projects and the multi-focal operations of a city of 5,000 residents.

However, now that I have some of the answers to the questions, I am ready to launch my Citizen Roundtable series, giving residents a chance to visit, ask questions and offer suggestions for how we can continue to make Becker a great place to live, work and do business.

The first event will be held on May 31 at 8 a.m. at Pebble Creek and will last one hour.  Please accept this invitation to stop by and chat, enjoy a cup of coffee if you wish and participate in local government at the grassroots level.  The format is wide open, and I might not have all the answers, but I have always enjoyed listening and interacting with citizens. There is much to be gained by having robust dialogue and I appreciate the opportunity to meet more of our residents.

My goal with these meetings is simple — to provide a forum where residents can interact with the Mayor and learn more about our city.  

In the future, there will be more opportunities and different sites playing host to the Citizen Roundtables. 

I recently held my first Business Roundtable with several business owners and this summer, I am planning a Nonprofit Roundtable, which will bring together the wonderful organizations who serve in our community.  By providing these opportunities, I hope to enhance the level of transparency and involvement in our local government and foster a great level of collaboration. 

I hope to see you on the 31st!