This past fall, Dick’s Drive-In owner Dick Spady convinced the King County Council to run with his dream to create an elaborate network of community forums, envisioned as a venue to give the people more say in how government is run (see “Dick’s Picks,” Sept. 26, 2007). Now all he has to do is convince citizens to participate.

So far it hasn’t been easy. To get the network started, Spady needs at least 1,000 volunteers. To date, he’s got 40. Spady’s son, Jim, says it didn’t help that they started looking in December, right in time for the holidays.

“It takes a while to get the wheels moving,” he says, dismissing any notion of apathy. The Spadys expect to generate more interest once the forum’s first topic is announced. (Officially it’s hush-hush, but word is the topic will probably be transportation.)

Jim Spady says they’ll buy some radio spots to find volunteers if it comes to that, but for now they’re going to spend a few more weeks relying on word of mouth. (His dad is footing the bill for the effort, which the county estimates could cost more than $100,000 annually.) “We’ll do whatever we need to do to get our 1,000 so we can move forward,” says Jim.

Might that eventually include free french fries or half-price cheeseburgers? “I don’t think that we’re going to go that far,” he says. However, if they don’t have the needed volunteers by spring, the Spadys plan to print the sign-up sheet on the back of Dick’s signature white paper bags, a tactic that’s been successful in the past in regard to the chain’s annual scholarship drive. “If we don’t have 1,000 by March, that will put us over the top,” Jim predicts.