In an attempt to prove that the Denver government is of the people, Mayor Michael Hancock held his first “Cabinet in the Community” town hall meeting at Washington Park Recreation Center on Saturday.
“What (Hancock) saw throughout the campaign was that sometimes residents see our city as a nebulous entity, and he wanted to break down those barriers,” said Amber Miller, press secretary for the mayor.
The event brought together all the city’s department and agency leaders in a room and then opened the doors to the public. More than 200 residents showed up to utilize their democratic voices.
“We’re really jazzed about it, to just meet new people,” said Molly Urbina, Denver’s director of Community Planning and Development.
Following an hour and a half of presentations by various city officials, the Cabinet members and agency heads dispersed to individual tables throughout the gymnasium. The public freely wandered from table to table and visited with the department leaders.
“It seems like a lot of people are just thankful for this opportunity,” said Lindsay Neil, director of Children’s Affairs. “To put names, and faces, and initiatives together is really important.”
Neil said people’s comments were mostly positive and that there wasn’t one specific issue that trended among their concerns.
“People are offering their skill sets. They want to know how they can be used to add value to the community,” Neil said.
It was the first opportunity for many Denverites to meet new Police Chief Robert White, who was sworn in to his position in January.
“A lot of them are just welcoming me to the city,” White said. “I guarantee you that if we are held accountable — and this city sure doesn’t have a problem doing that — and if the residents hold each other accountable, and if we work together, we will see a decrease in crime.”
All of the officials visited with residents, but no one’s waiting line was longer than Mayor Hancock’s.
“This turnout tells us that people are really engaged,” Hancock said.
There was one trending topic that Hancock noticed in his conversations: conscientious city development.
“I think people are concerned about maintaining the integrity of the neighborhoods,” said Hancock.
Today’s meeting was the first in what Hancock’s administration plans to be a quarterly event.
Judy Schneider is the volunteer co-president of the Ball Park neighborhood and was elated by the event and attendance.
“This administration is just so different. The visibility and transparency is great,” Schneider said.
Miller said the four meetings will try to hit very different chunks of the city. The next “Cabinet in the Community” is scheduled for June 30 at Rude Recreation Center in the Sun Valley neighborhood.
