07/12/2021
What is the Community Congress of Greater Sayville?
• The Community Congress asks Sayville Schools residents and community organizations to submit and publicly present proposals for projects that would make life better
• Sayville Schools residents thirteen (13) years and up can submit proposals.
•Organizations are encouraged to submit proposals. Our goal is to support all organizations that make life so enriching in Greater Sayville.
• The Community Congress invites all Sayville Schools residents to public forums to listen to proposals.
• The Community Congress organizes socials after each forum. We want neighbors to connect. It will be nice for us to get to know each other.
• The Community Congress distributes and collects ballots to Sayville Schools residents to vote on all of the proposals.
• All Sayville Schools residents thirteen (13) years and up can vote.
• The Community Congress counts ballots and announces the top three (3) vote getters.
• The Community Congress organizes its last forum. The purpose is to have residents sign up to help one of the top three proposals.
Example
• James Bertsch is proposing to plant 1,000 trees in Sayville and West Sayville.
• James has developed a two-year plan to pay for and recruit residents to plant these trees.
• If James’ proposal is one of the top three vote getters, the Congress will ask residents to sign up to help James achieve his goal.
• It is James’ job to plant trees.
•It is not the Congress’ responsibility to plant these trees.
• The Congress is to help make people aware of all proposals and to get volunteers to help
Goals
• Empower neighbors and unify our community.
• Model democracy and instill faith in good government and citizen advocacy.
• Communicate priorities and needs to elected officials.
Key Beliefs
• We care deeply about where we live. Margaret Mead's was right, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtul, commited citizens can change the world.”
•We WILL step up to help support people whose dreams will make our community a better place.
• This Congress allows us to identify and communicate our needs through a vote.
• Now aware of what Sayville Schools residents care about, made possible with votes, our elected officials can support our projects. They now have the confidence that they’re giving us what we want.
We can and should tell our own story. What unites us is far more than divides us. The media and elected officials sometimes perpetuate discord, changing us from active citizens to passive spectators. Life is not a spectacle we are powerless to change.
CCGS Modeled After
Philipstown Community Congress
