In response to (Snoqualmie Mayor Matt) Larson statements at the Leadership Eastside forum earlier this week (http://www.valleyrecord.com/news/eastside-mayors-talk-challenges-at-the-local-regional-level) to discuss regional challenges:

Social media allows for citizen debate and like-minded citizens to form consensus easier and efficiently, collectively distribute and share and monitor versus than in the past and to stay engaged. This forum is one of the better ones and is used for that purpose.

Local governments asked us to participate… and we are… but the statements by Mr. Larson indicate a lack of understanding of social media and a condescending attitude toward citizen effort to engage.

How folks engage is changing and local governments must adapt to serve their citizens, not the other way around.

Michael Thomas

North Bend