How can we improve Town communications?

A major concern I hear from fellow residents is that it is difficult to keep up with what is happening in our Town government, even if you subscribe to updates through the Town's website. Given the requirements of open meeting laws, it can take boards and committees a meeting or two to officially post minutes. It is not uncommon for votes to occur before discussion minutes are posted publicly.

Also, we no longer have consistent local press coverage of meetings, so keeping current is that much more of a challenge. Meetings of the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Planning Board, and others do not seem to get coverage on a regular basis. Checking our local papers and online news sources is, unfortunately, not as reliable as it used to be.

I want to change this.

I would like to see the boards and commissions quickly publish meeting summaries. These summaries would NOT be official minutes, but would list issues being discussed, votes taken, and votes expected at upcoming meetings. These summaries can provide residents with a better opportunity to get involved.
To help facilitate improved communications, we should explore the role of a public information officer as an addition to an existing position or as an internship for local students (we do not necessarily need to add a position).

With better communications, comes better citizen engagement, participation, and trust.

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