Mrs. Clark - I am surprised by your negative take on the town hall. I too attended. Here are some things that I noticed: 
A standing-room only crowd of people engaged with their community and listening intently (especially impressive for a Saturday morning). 
A variety of questions including some that voiced frustration and some about issues outside the liberal wheelhouse.
A moderator who worked hard to maximize the amount of questions asked and to keep crowd cheers/jeers to a minimum. 
Two Reps. who reached for genuine answers even when the topics were complicated or their responses were likely to frustrate.
A big pot of hot coffee! 
The non-attendance of our Senator, who was invited but declined. 

I'm sorry that you felt uncomfortable with your neighbors asking you if you wanted to sign up for their mailing list or learn more about their cause. This event seems like the perfect place for that type of dialogue. To quote you: "If not at a public meeting such as this, then when?"