How Do People Know What's Going On In
Town?
No one ever complains that the Town
provides too much information.
People learn about the world around them in a variety of ways,
some old, some new -- newspapers, TV and radio, the web and blogs,
posters in the post
office and grocery store, word of mouth - and who knows what new
methods will arise tomorrow. No one method will reach everyone,
and using every method will still leave some people uninformed.
In the past, the expense of publishing and distributing
documents like town codes meant many remained unaware of town
requirements. In
the past, the cost of producing and mailing information prohibited
publishing frequent newsletters or surveys.
Today, the ability
to make source documents and minutes, calendars and educational
materials
available
on-line quickly and easily makes on-going communication possible.
Let's Use New Technology As Well As The Old
Blogs,
on-line surveys, discussion groups, and listservs provide additional
or alternative
mechanisms
for
easy
feedback.
Emerging
technologies, like pod casting, make the possibility of viewing
meetings on-line a reality.
But not every resident is computer literate
or interested in becoming so. An internet-based strategy alone
will not be sufficient
for some years to come. If ever.
We
recommend that the town recruit volunteers with experience
in communication disciplines
(for example, marketing, copy writing, and education) to develop
and implement a communications and public education strategy.
Allocate a specific budget. Adopt technology
to
facilitate
the plan.
Supporting Community Businesses and Events
People
searching for information about the town -- its resources,
history, recreation facilities,
businesses, and lifestyle -- look to the town web site
and other published
materials.
We
recommend that the communication strategy incorporate information
and/or links to other town resources.
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