RESIDENTS FORUM SETUP CHANGED TO INCLUDE ALL T.O. COUNCIL MEMBERS.

Byline: Lisa Mascaro Daily News Staff Writer

New Mayor Linda Parks' inaugural initiative to create a Mayor's Residents Roundtable has been amended to drop ``mayor'' from the title and allow all City Council members a chance to meet with residents.

Under the plan approved Tuesday night by the City Council, the new Residents Roundtable will meet once a month, with each council member taking a turn at the helm for a five-month trial basis.

Parks, who introduced the idea as one of a series of initiatives on the night she was elected mayor last month, said Wednesday that she was pleased the council was interested in the plan, whether the mayor's name was in the title or not.

``The issue is to have the dialogue with the community; it doesn't really matter who'' from the council facilitates that discussion, said Parks.

``It makes it even better. The community has a chance to interact with the different council members,'' she said. ``I'm glad we're going to give it a try.''

Parks said she also was glad the council agreed to allow invitations to be mailed to homeowner groups and to allow a city staff member to participate.

The meetings, modeled after the city's Mayor's Business Roundtable, were designed as a way for community members to meet regularly and informally to discuss issues of concern in the city.

The meetings will be held once a month for five months beginning Jan. 5.