Yesteryear’s concept of a “town meeting” seems nearly extinct as full-time jobs and the modern-day, hectic lifestyle causes citizens to miss out on the chance to become involved in their own communities – so Harry Mattison, a resident of Allston-Brighton, decided to give the concept a much needed face-lift.
Mattison, a community activist, started the Google Group “Allston Brighton 2006” to let busy residents get involved in their community and voice their complaints about potholes and broken streetlights from the comfort of their own homes or offices.
Allston Brighton 2006, a grassroots group formed to improve the Allston-Brighton area in the upcoming year and beyond, created the blog for residents to voice their concerns and help their towns grow and improve.
The group, which has acquired more than 60 members in less than a month, is a place where citizens can exchange updates because not everyone can make it to town meetings and know what is going on around the two towns, Mattison said.
“It allows people to start discussion from their home, if their schedule does not allow them to attend meetings,” Mattison said. “It was an effort to improve communication and community outreach.”
Ann Frenning Kossuth, resource coordinator and webmaster for Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, helps Mattison co-manage the site and called the online venture brilliant.
“It has the potential to be really neat and different,” she said. “The group could save you from having to go out to town meetings all the time – and it seems to be working so far.”
With the widespread use of the internet, Mattison said he could capitalize on the Google Group feature to share information about meetings and town activities, because besides city bulletin boards and library postings, town information is not widely spread.
“The group is an effective way to keep the community together,” Mattison said. “It is also a way to build upon personal networks and to find strength in numbers.”
Kossuth said, “the site allows people to discuss the specific nitty, gritty issues that they have to deal with.”
And such issues include complaints about overcrowding, tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike, cleaning up local parks and areas surrounding the Charles River, parking and transportation.
Without any formal advertising, Allston-Brighton 2006 has reached its unexpected success solely via word of mouth, Mattison said, describing his Google Group as an online-threaded discussion board where members are emailed with new postings as well as a daily summary of the site’s activities.
The blog, which was created last month, has also gained support from several local community groups including Allston Village Main Streets, Allston Civic Association and Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation, all of which could not be reached for comment.
With most discussion conducted online, Mattison said he plans on holding meetings periodically rather than on a regular basis. Twenty-five members attended the group’s kick-off meeting on Jan. 28, and Mattison said several members expressed interest in meeting again.
Mattison also intends to make getting involved in community activities more accessible and plans to alternate meeting sites between Allston and Brighton locations.
At their first meeting, several public officials were also in attendance including Representatives Michael Moran (D-Brookline) and Kevin Honan (D-Boston) and City Councilor At-Large Stephen Murphy.
Mattison said he felt the group has gotten off to a great start and anticipates future success.
“Imagine if we had 600 members,” he said.
Group members also hope to increase student involvement because of the younger generation’s extensive use of the internet, Mattison said he feels it would be a natural way to get involved.
Frenning Kossuth added that area students interested in politics now have a great opportunity to get involved in something small and local.
The site is self-maintained and would only require work if there were inappropriate postings, which has not been a problem, Mattison said.