Communications Committee Meeting

August 28, 2012, 7:00 pm
Jones Residence, 5830 Falmouth Court

In attendance; Jon Ankrom, Jody Croley Jones, Pam Colwell, Lois Yoakam, Patty Charles, Kathy McClintock Last month’s minutes were approved as read by the full committee and filed.

Website

  1. Jody worked on programming to allow others to add/delete announcements. Those approved to add/delete announcements will be given a password to log in. Announcements will show up under the special notices section on the front page of the website. The mayor and president of the council will have authority to use this tool.
    • Jody will email the mayor to let him know it is ready to go live.
    • Lois will put something in the newsletter to let residents know about this new feature on the website.
  2. Jody also came up with and presented two different layout designs to make the site more user- friendly. She specifically focused on the village council page and the resident information page.
    • One of the layouts was chosen.
    • Jody will have the chosen layout prepared to present at the next council meeting on 9/17/12.
  3. Pam is working on updating and adding more details to the resident information page.
  4. For next meeting;
    • Continue working on FAQs.
    • Check into adding a search within the website.

Newsletter

  1. Patti and Lois met to work on a new format for the newsletter. They created a mock newsletter which they presented to the committee.
    • New format includes adding pictures and four colors.
    • Mayor should always have a message.
    • Remove garbage schedule to free up valuable / important space.
    • Include limited highlights of meetings, not minutes and send reader to website through a link for more information.
    • Information to be categorized so it is more user-friendly. Council highlights include mayor, marshal, street commission and planning commission. Committee updates will include infrastructure, ordinances and communications.
    • Looking for a good logo to add as part of the brand.
    • Need more ideas on what to add to the format to both fill it and make it welcoming. Possible idea suggested is a kids’ corner.
  2. Lois checked with Kinko’s on the pricing of the new layout.
    • It will cost $334 to run with the new layout, which includes 4 colors and a 3 – 5 day turnaround time vs. our current price of $93.50 for black and white with 1 day turnaround time.
    • At this time there is no budget for this.
  3. Jon will present the new format to the council at the next meeting as well as discuss the possibilities of advertising to subsidize the cost.
    Suggestions:

    • Send newsletter four times a year with brief one page mailings during the other months.
    • Need to find a balance between council “business” and neighborly information.
    • Use teasers of info to direct reader to the website, particularly with the “business” info.
    • Put the newsletter on the web in a PDF format for those who opt out of receiving it as a mailing.
    • Email those who opt out to let them know the new newsletter is available on-line.

    Brand needs to be consistent and of high quality no matter what the format.

Facebook

We currently have 28 members in our facebook group. Postings, including pictures, have been made about the first day of school, missing pets and the fox that roams the neighborhood.

  • Continue to promote the group among our neighbors.
  • Kathy will do another write up for the next newsletter.

Meeting adjourned at 8:15 pm.
Next meeting – Tuesday, September 25, 7:00 pm.
Jody Croley Jones’s residence, 5830 Falmouth Court.

PREPARED BY: KATHY MCCLINTOCK – COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY

JON ANKROM – COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR/COUNCIL MEMBER