Town Hall Meetings Find New Home, Broader Audience Online

Dating back to Colonial days, the town meeting has been a longstanding staple of American society. Centuries later, the Internet revolutionized the concept of a community forum. And now, in at least one corner of the country, local governments are using the Web as a digital platform for public discourse. Last September, Polk County (FL) held its first e-town hall meeting, which was such a success that Pinellas County (FL) followed suit six months later. In both counties, the idea is not to permanently replace face-to-face meetings. But e-town hall meetings offer a cost-effective alternative that lets residents participate from the comfort of their own homes.