If you are reading this article then you clearly have a love for the traditional printed word, a love that was probably kindled many moons ago. Those of us working in government, that most old and lofty of institutions, also have a healthy respect for tradition, and yet we musts also change with the times. In this day and age there are multiple platforms on offer when it comes to communication and here at the city we are striving to create a communication mix that fits all segments of the community.
The city has had a Facebook presence since before 2012 and at the end of 2013 we created an actual page for the city. Finding our niche in the world of social media took a bit of time, primarily because we had to figure just what a city does on social media. We know how to build parks, pass ordinances and fix pot holes but what exactly is our role on Facebook?
Well pretty quickly we discovered best thing about using social media is information. All of a sudden we had a great new way to get information out to the public quickly and effectively. But no one wants to watch a Facebook page that just makes posts about road closures and city Council meetings, so gradually we began following the pages of other organizations and started sharing all sorts of information that we thought the community would be interested in; everything from proclamations and scam alerts to Movies in the Park and community fundraisers. Bit by bit more and more people “Liked” the city’s page and our reach was growing. But the single greatest windfall in terms of our message really reaching the community was last 4th of July when we had to post a very public apology that the fireworks show had been such a complete and utter DUD. Well that post went viral and the city saw about 100 new likes in a week. Who knew? From there the momentum kept building and our page is steadily inching toward 3,000 likes and our post “reach” averages about 20,000 people. What the city is most happy about is that you, the public, are using social media to connect directly with us too. After all, we are here to serve you, and the more we communicate the better we can do our job.
All the city departments have pages too, so if you are looking for specific information about events at the Green River Recreation Center for example, the first place to go is to their Facebook page and that will usually give you the short version and direct you to the city’s website for more details.
Another information portal the City of Green River currently utilizes is the Emergency Communications Network CodeRED. It is a high-speed notification solution to help keep Green River residents informed of emergency conditions that may impact them and their families. This system provides officials the ability to quickly deliver messages to targeted areas or the entire city. Details of this system can be found on our website.
While it is a system mainly meant for emergency notifications we are exploring a few other ways to further utilize it as a communications tool that gives our residents another avenue for information outside of social media or other channels. For example we can use it for post-storm safety. We can keep residents informed on the status of storm responders making areas safe again and alert about debris areas that have downed power lines and tree limbs. It can be used for road closure notifications or to send alerts about events such as races, parades, or other possible traffic congestion concerns.
Just like other media alerts though you need to sign up. You can go to our website and click on the CodeRed link on the left hand side of our page.
In the rush to be a part of the digital stratosphere the City actually didn’t forget that not everyone in Green River uses Facebook. That is why you are reading Notes from Town Square article today. Social media is great for sharing bite size pieces of information but we also wanted a space to unpack important issues, share useful information and connect with the public in a relaxed manner. Additionally, you can now find valuable information on channel 23, the same channel where Council meetings are broadcast.
We at City Hall and all the other departments of the city are here to share information with you, find ways to keep improving your quality of life in Green River and leave the lines of communication open, this is your town after all, so help us keep it great.
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