Getting the Message Out

It became apparent to me that our Council, city, and me, are not getting our message out to residents.I determined this after attending a large community breakfast this morning. Many people approached me to ask "why we are doing this, or what did you base your decision on?"....about several issues. When I took the time to tell them why, they all appeared to agree and support our decisions.

It is not the media's fault. They are overworked and understaffed, and can't give us their undivided attention. And of course, they should be wary of taking our word verbatim. It is their duty to report the news, but also to challenge our decisions, and to ask others what they think of our decisions. However, throughout this, sometimes the facts just don't make it to press or to air, and Council's thought and decision making process can be suspect.

I am more than ever committed to improve my communication with constituents. How so? Via social media - this Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and email. If you are reading this post, then the Blog is starting to make an impact. You can follow my tweets at http://twitter.com/mikeobrien_fton , and if you would like to receive periodic email updates, send me your coordinates at mike.obrien@fredericton.ca.

Thank you, and stay tuned