City Councilor At Large Ben Wheeler is advocating for more community meetings in the future.

 By The Times Staff

City Councilor Ben Wheeler said he wants to explore the idea of more community meetings that will help unite the community.

A resolution was approved at the City Council meeting on January 8 that asks the Wilson administration to consider convening issues-specific community meetings for residents to share their perspectives and experiences on long-term issues such as mobility and transportation, school integration, inclusion, choice, and specialization.

“When people get together and have the chance to work together towards articulating a common vision, that experience can be transformational and really powerful, and can really help reweave a community together,” said Councilor Wheeler.

Like many cities across the country, there’s a certain amount of division in Somerville. Bridging the divide involves a combination of individual actions focused on fostering empathy, respectful dialogue, and shared community goals, which start with practicing active listening.

Councilor Wheeler relayed a recent experience from a Davis Square Neighborhood Council community meeting at Tufts University that brought constituents together to talk about the potential future developments in Davis Square. People split into small groups and offered their input about their vision for Davis Square, he explained.

“It was a powerful experience, and I think we could do more of these, whether it’s city-organized or organized through nonprofit partners,” said Councilor Wheeler.