So Many Issues, So Little Time: Adapting the National Issues Forum Model for Local Public Issue Forums

After several years of contentious, growth-related public meetings in the county, the Extension educator and citizen-volunteers adapted the National Issues Forums model to produce monthly, locally focused public issues forums. They provide a venue for citizens to learn about and deliberate the emerging and current issues in a non-threatening environment. As a result, public issues education has increased many times over, and citizens are better able to participate in public decision making. Public officials often attend the forum and are willing presenters.