Kirkland city budget blog offers new way for public comment

Published 2:55 pm Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Looking for a new way to engage residents and businesses in its budget process, the City of Kirkland has gone to the blogs. The <a href="http://www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/budgetblog"<Kirkland Budget Blog is intended to offer an easier way for community members to share their ideas, concerns and suggestions about the 2011-2012 budget. The Budget Blog will pose budget-related topics, provide explanations and help to answer questions so that residents and businesses better understand the various aspects of the city’s biennial budget. To enhance its outreach, the city has created a “Kirkland Budget” Twitter account so that community members can “follow” the budget process. The Budget Blog will remain active until the Kirkland City Council completes its budget review process.

“We hope to prompt and sustain virtual conversations about the budget as the city council begins to discuss the preliminary budget in the coming weeks,” notes Kurt Triplett, city manager. “Kirkland recognizes the influence of social media and believes this blog is a new way to engage the community in an important conversation.”

Those who wish to comment on the blog will need to register; instructions are posted on the site. Additionally, remarks posted to the blog will need to meet the comment criteria. For more information, contact Marie Stake, Communications program manager, at 425-587-3021 or mstake@ci.kirkland.wa.us.