8. How would you communicate with residents, and what communication standards will you be setting and following?
My office would operate according to clear and measurable communication standards.
Resident inquiries would be acknowledged promptly, assigned to a responsible person and followed until there is either a resolution or a clear explanation of the next step. Residents should not have to continually repeat their concerns or wonder whether anyone is working on them.
I would provide communication through regular newsletters, social media, community meetings and scheduled town halls. I would also maintain a public list of significant unfinished Ward 3 projects, including their status, expected timelines and reasons for material delays.
Most importantly, communication must work both ways. A councillor should not only speak when there is an announcement or a photo opportunity. Residents deserve honest updates when work is progressing, when challenges arise and when something does not go according to plan.
9. How do you plan to actively involve and include residents in decisions?
Residents should be involved before major decisions are effectively finalized, not invited to comment after the direction has already been chosen.
I would hold regular town halls on a published calendar, with residents helping determine the agenda. I would also use neighbourhood meetings, surveys, online consultations and community visits to reach people who may not attend traditional public meetings.
Consultation must also be inclusive. Seniors, renters, condominium residents, parents, young people, people with disabilities, business owners and residents from different cultural communities must all have meaningful opportunities to participate.
Following major consultations, my office would publish a clear summary explaining what residents said, what changed because of their input and why the final decision was made. Engagement is meaningful only when people can see how their participation influenced the outcome.
10. Please provide your campaign website.
mendikabashi.ca