The National Civic League is proposing to eliminate the current public comment processes – hearings and traditional public meetings. On face value, that sounds radically provocative, but in fact, they favor better, deliberative processes that allow for real public participation in the decisions that public officials grapple with. We’ve agreed and promoted that position for years, but convincing those officials who have suffered through decades of bad public hearings and rancorous meetings won’t be easy. Elected officials are now more inclined to push back on any additional public face time, shell shocked by their experiences. Those of us who know how truly effective real engagement can be need to continue demonstrating it. It will take time, but change will come.