“I think it is critical for people to get engaged with their local government. The Community Congress model is a tool to bring people together to discuss issues of significance that are not only local but global. Citizen action is needed on so many important initiatives and the Community Congress can provide another conduit for local leaders to open the dialogue that ultimately leads to positive outcomes.
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“The Philipstown Community Congress (PCC) occurred at a time when we were embarking on a major initiative to connect more people to land conservation by focusing on the benefits to water supplies. The PCC proved valuable in energizing the Clean Water Initiative though the recruitment of volunteers and press coverage that we would not have achieved otherwise. Now we are in a great position to garner both municipal support and grant funding to move this initiative forward.”