Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAbout2018-06-14 Website and Future Topics MtgCommittee on Media and Public Outreach Meeting: June 14, 2018 Minutes: June 16, 2018 Read: July 10, 2018 The Committee convened on June 14, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. in the third floor Conference Room. Present were Anthony Palomba, Chair; Lisa Feltner, Vice -chair; Caroline Bays, Secretary; also present were Joe Mahoney, Information Technology Manager for Watertown and members of the public, CL Tian, Bob Erickson, Elodia Thomas, Kate Coyne, and David Stokes. Councilor Palomba asked for feedback on the Town website based on the test created by CL Tian and completed by citizen volunteers. Below is a list of specific recommendations for improving the website. • Improve consistency and clarity by changing "Emergency Notifications" to "Emergency Alerts" and changing "Notifications" to "Notify Me". • Put the webmaster contact link on the main page of the site. Contact information should be on each sub page (fire, police, recreation, DPW, and library) as well. • Investigate how content from search results can appear in chronological order. • Investigate issues of responsiveness and alignment when using mobile devices. • Fix broken links, for example the "translation link", that appear when on mobile platforms. • Put lists, for example the list of Town Departments, in alphabetical order. • Put the traditional "box" next to "I am Searching For..." Mr. Mahoney said he found the report and graphs that Ms. Tian prepared to be very useful and felt that the specific suggestions were also helpful. He considered that most of the suggestions were easy fixes. The Committee expressed its appreciation to Mr. Mahoney for all his work on the new website as well as to Ms. Tian and the citizen volunteers. The Committee then discussed its upcoming meeting schedule for July 17. The meeting will include presentations by Watertown residents Mike Ward and CL Tian. Mr. Ward, who is the Director of Municipal Services at the Collins Center for Public Management at UMass Boston, will talk about the importance of creating a communications strategy to guide a locality in developing specific policy and administrative initiatives to increase citizen participation in government. He will draw on his experience working with other cities and towns that have devised communication plans and addressed questions of implementation and ongoing evaluation. Ms. Tian, the founder of PINKOA, a digital agency with web development services, who has particular expertise in social media will offer ideas on how a community can engage its residents through social media and what it takes to maintain engagement over a sustained period. At a future meeting, the Committee will invite Mr. Matt Severance, the Account Manager for State and Local Governments at Everbridge, to discuss the latest services and products available from Everbridge to increase emergency communication. The Committee then discussed ways to reach out to the community. Councilor Feltner noted that "Notify Me" was a very valuable tool that many residents use. Councilors consistently encourage residents to use it as a way to keep abreast of what Town Departments are doing. Resident Elodia Thomas agreed and said she repeatedly encourages others to use it. However, some Departments have stopped using the tool. -2 - Action Item: Councilor Feltner made the following motion: The Committee asks the full Town Council to recommend to the Town Manager that he instruct all Departments to consistently use the "Notify Me" tool on the Town's web site. Councilor Bays seconded the motion and it was passed 3 — 0. Other suggestions to increase participation and outreach that were discussed included: - Inclusion of the "Miscellaneous Items" email that Councilors receive from the Town Manager as a component of the web site. This email provides information about Department initiatives, community events, communications from state agencies, and articles from neighboring cities and towns. - Creation of a Town Council newsletter. This could be the responsibility of the Town Council Clerk in cooperation with two or three councilors. It would provide residents information about key issues the Council is discussing and issues to be considered at future meetings. Councilor Bays suggested that we could create a preformatted newsletter where news items could be easily inserted. - Inclusion of unofficial minutes and addendum items with the official minutes. The unofficial minutes would be longer and more detailed. Minutes of Town Council meetings might also be included a separate check -off in "Notify Me" on the web site. - More fully explore the idea a Citizen's Academy. Councilor Feltner discussed a number of fun and engaging ways we could educate citizens on how to locate services, learn about who's who in Town government and Town Departments, and gain a better understanding about how the Town works. Ideas included open houses at different Departments or having lunch with Department heads and employees. These and other activities could be family -friendly so children could attend and begin learning about Town government. Another suggestion was to put photos of the Department heads on the website, so people might recognize Town employees. The Committee will continue to gather ideas designed to meet its charge that it will use to develop specific policies and initiatives for presentation to the full Town Council. The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. The minutes were prepared by Councilor Bays.