Millcreek Citizen Assembly 

Your questions, answered

Millcreek is partnering with the nonprofit YOUnify to host a citizen assembly: a randomly selected, representative group of residents who learn, deliberate, and recommend ways to put community voices at the center of city policy. Here are answers to the questions we've heard most.

1. Where did this idea come from?

From a neighbor. John Kesler, a 25-year Millcreek resident, shared the idea with Mayor Silvestrini. It was then presented and discussed at a public City Council meeting, where residents had the chance to ask questions.

2. Who's actually running this?

YOUnify, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, facilitates the process in partnership with the City. Following best practices for citizens' assemblies, an advisory body of local residents and assembly experts will guide the design, trained facilitators will run the sessions, and the delegates themselves make the decisions. YOUnify has no stake in the outcome; it's a neutral facilitator.

3. Who's paying for it?

Philanthropic foundations and individuals who fund nonpartisan civic-engagement work. It costs the City nothing, and funders have no say in the program beyond one requirement: everything must be nonpartisan. If Millcreek wants to hold future assemblies, the City and residents will decide together whether and how to fund them.

4. How do you keep it politically neutral?

Neutrality is built into the design. Broad outreach ensures every part of the community hears about it. Delegates are chosen by “sortition,” a stratified random lottery that produces a demographically representative group. Impartial facilitators guide deliberation, and the Advisory Body vets briefing materials so no one is steered toward a conclusion. Anyone in the community can nominate a subject-matter expert through an online form, and experts with a range of viewpoints will be invited.

5. What happens to the assembly's recommendations?

The City has committed to reading them and responding publicly, spelling out which recommendations it will adopt as-is, which it will adopt with tweaks, and which it can't implement and why. Delegates receive enough background during the learning phase to craft recommendations that are legal and realistic. The City keeps final say.

6. Is my personal information safe?

Yes. Participation is entirely voluntary and opt-in. Survey responses are anonymized. Anyone who volunteers or opts into further contact is covered by YOUnify's privacy policy (younify.org/privacy). All data lives in a secure, encrypted database, and any shared data is aggregate only: think “40% of respondents were under 35,” never “Jane Smith is under 35.”

7. Are residents being used as research subjects?

No. Two Harvard-affiliated researchers, Dr. James Ritchie-Dunham and Dr. Matthew Lee, are helping YOUnify interpret its impact data using well-established, publicly available measures. They are not collecting data for their own studies, so university research rules like IRB review don't apply. Any data they see is anonymized and covered by a data-use agreement.

8. How will you reach people who can't spare 30 hours?

By lowering the barriers. The assembly offers a hybrid in-person and Zoom schedule spread over time, need-based stipends, child and elder care, transportation help, and translation services. Outreach goes to where people already are: community events, mailers, phone calls, and door-knocking by the City, trusted local organizations, and trained resident volunteers. Everyone can opt in or out as they choose.

9. Will it be safe to participate?

Hundreds of assemblies worldwide have shaped a strong safety playbook. Trained facilitators set and enforce ground rules that delegates help write, and small-group formats keep quieter voices from being drowned out. Participants can step out anytime without penalty, and a confidential channel lets them raise concerns outside the facilitation team. Physical venue planning, emergency procedures, and online moderation are all part of the plan.

10. Only 30 delegates? What about everyone else?

The assembly is one tool, not a replacement for existing engagement, and it comes with a built-in feedback loop. Residents can share input through door-knocking, phone calls, community events, online forms, and two public forums held during the process. And the first topic, how Millcreek can better hear from its residents, means the assembly's recommendations could shape how everyone's voice is heard on every issue going forward.