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Moderating Public Hearings
Barry Lawson Associates moderates public meetings and hearings, supporting a dignified and respectful environment for collecting public input on potentially controversial public projects. Establishing ground rules for civility and holding participants to them are essential for a successful meeting.
Roles of the Moderator
Our reputation has been built on assuring fair and productive participation and encouraging appropriate behavior when controversies loom and tensions rise.
A federal agency was planning a potentially controversial project: the transportation of many tons of hazardous waste from a storage site to a waste recovery facility. They asked Barry Lawson Associates to moderate public hearings on the proposal
that several hundred people were expected to attend
.
Our approach was to learn about the program and the decision-making process of which the hearing is a part, and to understand the stakeholders. Then we consulted with the proposing agency to design the hearing as well as associated events such as open houses and media opportunities. Finally we led the rehearsals for the hearing, consulted on the agency's formal presentations, worked with the court reporter to assure an accurate record of the proceedings, and moderated the hearing in a respectful manner.
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