LYNN — At Tuesday evening’s City Council meeting, Council President and Ward Three Councilor Coco Alinsug announced that the Council would be dedicating 15 minutes of the agenda time for Lynn commissions and boards in the future.
Alinsug said the change follows ongoing discussions among councilors about the lack of visibility surrounding many of the city’s boards and commissions.
“This is a discussion (that) we’ve talked about… since this month about bringing some of the committees and commissions in the city,” Alinsug said. “It’s a fact that a lot of us, even as councilors, were not familiar with some of the committees and commissions in the city.”
Beginning next month, one commission or committee will be invited to give a 15-minute presentation at the start of a council meeting. The presentations will allow members to introduce themselves, explain their responsibilities, and discuss funding and challenges.
Councilor Cardeliz Paez expressed support for the initiative, saying it would help residents better understand what is happening across city government.
“For folks that are listening, to know that there are roles available for people to get involved in the city,” Paez said.
Alinsug noted that while City Council meetings are broadcast, most commissions and boards are rarely seen by the public.
“When I became president, one of my 10-point agenda was to be transparent to the community, that’s always been that way,” he said.
He added that limited exposure has made it difficult for the council to understand how best to support these groups.
“Because we want to support them in any way we can. But we have no idea what their needs are and what their challenges are,” Alinsug said.
With nearly 28 commissions and boards listed on the city’s website, Alinsug said the council had to determine which groups would be scheduled to present during the year.
The Parking and Traffic Commission is scheduled to present at the next meeting, a choice Alinsug said reflects frequent constituent concerns.
“A lot of people call their councilors if they have traffic issues,” Alinsug stated. “We have no power there; it is the traffic commission.”
Alinsug made it clear that with this change in the City Council meetings, “The goal is to be transparent,” he said.
