Lately I have been giving a lot of thought of how we can better communicate with our businesses and residents in Sylvan Lake. Communication is defined as “the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages or information as by speech, visuals, writing or behavior.” Although we have made good strides as administration and council to communicate better with our residents and business community, there is still so much more we can do. I am committed to “two way” communication that not only keeps the community informed on what we are doing but intentionally engages them in the process. We need to be hearing from those who our decisions affect the most. Numerous tools are available to us to effectively get the message out and our methods must adapt to those in our audience . Through the effective use of printed media, newsletters, internet, Facebook, Twitter and public open houses, we can inform and engage on more comprehensive level. Having said all of this, nothing replaces the face to face meaningful exchanges that come from an approachable and accessible mayor and council. I don’t believe in emotional hype, ridiculous empty promises or smoke screen politics. The citizens and taxpayers of Sylvan Lake deserve honest, black and white facts and genuine invitations to be part of the decision making process. Should I be re-elected to council, I am committed to better two-way engagement with all our residents and businesses. I welcome your suggestions as to how we can improve our communication.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Oct 2013 20:52:52 +0000