Have Your Say, Beacon
Beacon’s Main Street at sunset early this summer.
Everyone living in Beacon knows it’s a community of people who really care about where they live and what happens here. Opinions are as diverse as the city’s constituents, and they’re often expressed in street conversations, coffee shops and bars, or on social media.
The challenge with social media platforms is that they are rarely the best place to be truly heard or to have a constructive conversation. Engaging with controversial viewpoints and clickbait content may be a way to let off stream and get some instant gratification, but what does it actually do?
Ways to be Heard
With life and work commitments at the forefront of everyone’s minds, it’s easy to feel there’s no useful way to be heard. But there are, in fact, several constructive ways to let the City Council know what’s on your mind regarding issues affecting Beacon and things happening here. Every other Monday (except for Holidays), City Council meetings are open to the public with time allocated for public comments. The City Council meetings alternate with workshop meetings which don’t include public comment.
The second Tuesday of each month (except for Holidays) is dedicated to Planning Board meetings, and a portion of each Planning Board meeting is assigned to public comment on new developments the city is considering. Agendas are posted a few days in advance and each meeting is recorded and posted on YouTube afterwards. Everyone is welcome to attend at Municipal Plaza in person or virtually online.
Municipal Plaza, home to Beacon’s City Council.
Plus, City Council ward and at-large representative host monthly open-door meetings nearly every month. You can make an appointment or just turn up – or request a private meeting. Details of how to contact your local council member are here.
A New Way to be Heard
And now there’s now an additional, time-friendly and easy way to make your voice heard on the issues that matter to you in Beacon. It’s not widely known, but in Fall 2024, the City of Beacon launched a homeowner and tenants’ survey online and one for business owners to gather community perspectives on quality-of-life concerns residents may have, and to provide a way for people to submit their ideas to the city’s representatives. Updated versions of the surveys recently launched for summer. Both surveys are also available in Spanish. Now’s the time to take a few minutes and let your thoughts be known if you haven’t yet completed one of these surveys.
Homeowner/renter survey - English
Business owner survey - English
Homeowner/renter survey - Spanish
Business owner survey - Spanish
This initiative was led by Ward 2 City Council member, Jeff Domanski. We recently sat down with Jeff to dig into it further.
What prompted you to create the surveys
Art by Alyssa Follansbee at a Free Loop Bus Stop on Main Street.
“I really believe that in today’s world—with so much noise on social media and in the national news—local connection and communication are more important than ever. It matters that people have ways to share what they care about, hear from each other, and know what’s going on in their own community. I also think we need to make it as easy as possible for people to do that—to lower the hurdles and give them ways to be heard that fit into their lives. That’s why I started the survey—just as another simple tool to help bring more community voices forward.”
What has the response from residents and business owners been so far?
“It’s been encouraging. People have taken the time to share thoughtful responses—not just quick answers, but real reflections about what they value in Beacon and what they’d like to see improved. You can tell people care about this community, and they want to be part of shaping it. Many more people have expressed gratitude that the survey is available, even if they haven't responded yet.”
What will you do with the results of the survey?
“I’ve already shared the first set of results with the City Council, which have reinforced some important priorities—including around improving how the City communicates and keeps people informed. That’s why I updated the current version of the survey to focus more on communications—what’s working, what isn’t, and how we can do better. It’s also helped us think about ways to coordinate better internally across departments so we are speaking with a more consistent voice. I'm going to continue to push for more discussion and development of strategies to improve communication from the City and within the community.”
So far, what do you think the burning issues are?
Beacon’s vibrant Main Street, with more than 90 shops and 90+ places to eat & drink.
“For homeowners and renters, housing affordability and the pace of development are the biggest concerns shared—how to make sure Beacon stays livable and inclusive for everyone. Business owners are concerned about affordability, too, and about keeping Beacon’s character intact. Across both groups, there’s also a clear message that people want better, clearer communication from the City. That’s something we can absolutely work on and improve.”
What might you tell a resident or business owner to encourage them to complete the survey? What's in it for them?
“I’d tell them: this is a way to have your voice heard. If there’s something you want City leaders to know—what’s working, what’s not, what matters to you—this is your chance to tell us. And the feedback does get shared and used, so it’s worth a few minutes of your time. It's not a statistically valid survey—only a small sample—so we need to be clear and cautious in how we present the data. I’d love to see more people participate so that we can hear from many more voices and perspectives.”
What's next?
“My hope is that the surveys will continue, and that we will adapt questions as needed so we can stay connected to what’s on people’s minds and stay focused on how we can keep improving.”
So, if you care about community engagement and having your voice heard, take a few minutes to complete the relevant survey below.
Again, here are the links:
Homeowner/renter survey - English
Business owner survey - English
Homeowner/renter survey - Spanish
Business owner survey - Spanish
If you’re looking for ways to get involved with the community, dig into our Community Directory for all the local resources available to all residents.
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Until next time…
The Beacon Beacon 🧡