Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin answered questions from a studio audience as well as those from viewers using social media during a live town hall meeting Thursday night.
The event was the first of its kind, taking place inside the Valley PBS studios and aired on CBS47.
Following the event, Mayor Swearengin said, "It's really important as we start this new year to think about the future of our city, dealing with the immediate crisis but also where we're headed and that's what I think happened here tonight."
The live studio audience members included community and business leaders.
Judy Rodgers, executive director of United One Productions asked the mayor a question about the city and the private sector working together. She says events like this one bring the community together. "At a time that really everyone describes has been a struggle, we have never been brought closer, we've never been so supportive of each other and more encouraging of each other and together we'll get through this," said Rodgers.
Fresno City Council members were also in the audience. Councilman Clint Olivier says this is what City Hall is all about. Listening to the people of Fresno and this type of an event is making it possible. “I really believe in the medium of television to reach in people's homes to entertain, to inform and educate and I think all three of those things were accomplished tonight," said Councilman Olivier.
The live town hall also took questions from community members through email, Facebook and Twitter. The event was a chance for people to reconnect with their city.
Carolyn Pierce, campus president of Heald College hopes there will be more to come. "I think everybody will feel like they can make a difference and do something about it and not just complain about it," said Pierce.
The event was a partnership with Valley PBS.
Following the event, outside the PBS studios, a group of protestors gathered, angry with some of Mayor Swearengin's policies.
Most of the protestors are solid waste workers, angry with the mayor's proposal to privatize commercial solid waste.
They say not only will it cost them their jobs, but could also raise rates for customers.
Protester Daniel Santos said, “This is a service that’s provided by the City of Fresno, basically at cost and to hand it over to a company… they’re just going to try to make money off the citizens.
The mayor says privatize commercial waste will save the city money and at one point she went outside to talk directly with the protesters.
The event was the first of its kind, taking place inside the Valley PBS studios and aired on CBS47.
Following the event, Mayor Swearengin said, "It's really important as we start this new year to think about the future of our city, dealing with the immediate crisis but also where we're headed and that's what I think happened here tonight."
The live studio audience members included community and business leaders.
Judy Rodgers, executive director of United One Productions asked the mayor a question about the city and the private sector working together. She says events like this one bring the community together. "At a time that really everyone describes has been a struggle, we have never been brought closer, we've never been so supportive of each other and more encouraging of each other and together we'll get through this," said Rodgers.
Fresno City Council members were also in the audience. Councilman Clint Olivier says this is what City Hall is all about. Listening to the people of Fresno and this type of an event is making it possible. “I really believe in the medium of television to reach in people's homes to entertain, to inform and educate and I think all three of those things were accomplished tonight," said Councilman Olivier.
The live town hall also took questions from community members through email, Facebook and Twitter. The event was a chance for people to reconnect with their city.
Carolyn Pierce, campus president of Heald College hopes there will be more to come. "I think everybody will feel like they can make a difference and do something about it and not just complain about it," said Pierce.
The event was a partnership with Valley PBS.
Following the event, outside the PBS studios, a group of protestors gathered, angry with some of Mayor Swearengin's policies.
Most of the protestors are solid waste workers, angry with the mayor's proposal to privatize commercial solid waste.
They say not only will it cost them their jobs, but could also raise rates for customers.
Protester Daniel Santos said, “This is a service that’s provided by the City of Fresno, basically at cost and to hand it over to a company… they’re just going to try to make money off the citizens.
The mayor says privatize commercial waste will save the city money and at one point she went outside to talk directly with the protesters.