Hartland in Hindsight #8- Communications and Transparency
Strong communication skills are often touted as one of the most valuable assets an individual can possess. Whether forming new contacts, building business, or enhancing personal relationships, communicating with others is a vital life skill. Beyond the personal level, these skills are also of upmost importance in business and, of course - local government!
Communicating current happenings to an informed and engaged community has always been a key function of Hartland's Communications Department; in fact, it was a driving factor in establishing the department and the Communications Director position in 2013. With the vast changes in social media and how people receive their news and updates, a need for a revision of the old communication strategy arose. The goal of this new Communications Department was to find how best to engage with Hartland residents while providing reliable and relevant community information.
The past decade has seen many updates in methods of communications used at Hartland Township. Through a growing online presence, the township aims to relay information accurately across a variety of platforms. Residents prefer their news in a variety of ways, and the township rises to the task to make sure they are reaching citizens in the way they feel most comfortable.
In 2019, Hartland Township’s then Communications Director Lynn Vollbrecht led the charge on the township’s website update. With a goal of user accessibility and ease, Vollbrecht worked with a focused team, as well as each individual township department to ensure the website overhaul was successful.
“In this day and age we know that a polished, informative website is not only akin to a community's front door, but it's also a clearinghouse for everything from urgent news about facility closures to a repository for forms and procedures,” explains Vollbrecht. “It might also be the first impression that potential visitors and future residents have of the Township. Hartland's staff worked really hard on the most recent Hartlandtwp.com site revamp, with departments meticulously reviewing their pages' content to make sure we're providing Hartland residents with clear, accurate, up-to-date information.”
Strong communication in local government has the ability to create trust within its citizens. As this trust is built, the hope is that citizens will become inspired to be more involved in their community, and as community involvement increases, our residents and businesses find their sense of place, and ultimately, the place they call home.
