To schedule: call or email your councilmember's office, identify yourself as a constituent, and ask to meet with your city councilmember for 30 minutes to discuss your issue. Prepare a factsheet. Sample language from other city council resolutions. Consider other supporting materials. Do you have any neighbors you can invite to join you for the meeting? More constituents your councilmember hears from, more likely to say yes when introduced with a resolution. Can bring in special expertise or unique point of view, faith leaders, civic group leaders, professors. Roles (one person can do multiple roles): + Leader: leads introductions, gives meeting overview, closes meeting, keeps things on track + Expert: Someone who can relay facts and why there is an urgent need for action + Storyteller: Delivers message, makes it personal, speaks to why council should act + Ask: Makes hard ask and is prepared to respond + Notetaker: takes comprehensive notes and shares with group + Timekeeper: makes sure meeting ends on time + followup: leaves materials the group may have When you arrive to the office, introduce yourself and explain you have an appointment Suggested Agenda (30 minutes): + Introductions (1min) - very brief; names and hometowns + Meeting overview (1min) Why are you here? What do you want to talk about? + Issue (10 min) - + Problem: what it means for your community and state + Solution: why your solution is the only guaranteed way to solve problem + urgency/opportunity: why endorse a ban? why is councilmember right person to introduce resolution + Ask (1min) - yes or no: will your councilmember introduce resolution? why or why not? + q&a: (5min) - answer questions + info gathering (5min) - Have they heard from anyone on this issue? who? is there anyone they need to hear from? How quickly can they introduce the resolution: who do they think would vote for it? who do they think wouldn't? How can you help them get it passed? + Closing (1min) - thank them for time and agree on follow up plan. After meeting: email your councilmember in 1-2 days and thank them for their time, include follow up materials with your email and reiterate timeline for action