Hi Maria,
I thought this one would be really useful for you, particularly as you’re talking local. Also the OGP guys have a Local (as well as a National) group who use the slack app
Regardless of the perspective - Local, National or in OGP’s case, Global - the problem, as you so nicely put it, is the same for every open government initiative.
only a small group of residents consistently engage, while many others do not seem to be aware of the opportunities to get involved or do not feel encouraged to do so.
The OGP project’s approach is a nice one as it aims to, firstly, bring together a civil group from inside and outside a government and design commitments, and then continuously update their progress. So it doesn’t become a talk fest (if its done well).
Only the Scots do it around here. Neisha is my ideal archetype of a secretariat.
Enough for now. Hope that’s of some use. I can get more focussed if you give me your state in the USA. All the best, Simon