City starts new communication initiative

The City of Kennedale has begun a new effort to improve communications with the citizens and businesses of Kennedale. Although the discussion for this project started before the recent water rate increase controversy, the timing is appropriate. {{more:[Read more]}}

Kennedale has won several awards for its transparency, meaning the amount and the timeliness of the city information that is available to the general public. But the amount and the complexity may be part of the problem.

 

vast array of available information …

All meetings are posted with agendas not only of the City Council but other city commissions and advisory boards. Finance/budget information is online including updated monthly reports. City goals and long-range plans are available, along with the city ordinances and the city charter. The City uses Facebook and Twitter and NextDoor to convey information and maintains an active email notification system where citizens can choose the type of notifications they would like to receive from the city, including the city newsletter. In addition, information is available at the Kennedale Library, City Hall and the Kennedale Senior Citizen Center. The City has long maintained an open door policy to city and elected officials for those who wish to talk directly with someone.

But the gap remains between what city officials, including council members, know and what the general public understands. Council members? perplexed looks are genuine when someone tells them that they were not informed about an issue. But the citizen is often just as perplexed when the Council member or city staff member says the information was available for them all along.

 

vs too much without context …

All the information that is available maybe too overwhelming to someone who just wants to know when an issue is important to them is being discussed or to understand exactly what the city is saying when it post notices and agendas. Is there a way to filter all this information so that the average person doesn?t have to be a city planner to understand it.

It is a tall task, but the City last month posted a request for residents who might be interested in working on this issue. The Kennedale News, along with the Kennedale Area

Chamber of Commerce, local neighborhood representatives and other interested individuals have met too begin a dialogue.

The City has called this a Communications Task Force with the stated goal of determining the best ways for city staff to ensure that all segments of the community are informed about proposed changes, upcoming events, and issues that affect Kennedale residents.

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Kennedale