Letter to the Editor: Improve Chadds Ford communications

Posted by ChaddsFordLive on October 9, 2013

As a candidate for Chadds Ford Supervisor in November’s election I am proud to live in such a wonderful community. If I have the honor of being elected, one of the first projects I want to work on is improving channels of communication and the connection between our Township government and all residents. The current Board of Supervisors has taken some good steps in the right direction, and I would like to improve upon those steps with experience I have gained from my years as a township official in another community and as a School Board Director for the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District.

Some of the ideas I would like to explore include the following:

· Implement a volunteer committee to assist with communications. Chadds Ford has many talented and energetic people, and many wonderful volunteers who already serve in important roles. A Communications Committee could assist with a Township Newsletter, Press Releases, research, surveys, and other important tasks.

· Televise meetings, or excerpts of meetings, on Cable TV or the internet. While not every minute of each meeting needs to be televised, public meetings could be broadcast by using a simple camera and computer video editing program. Community volunteers or students could assist with this project - perhaps for community service hours or a Scout or other badge. We have the talent here in Chadds Ford — let’s use it.

· Create an email newsletter. We could create a newsletter that would report upcoming meeting dates, agenda items, discussion topics, and a summary of the impact of items that will go before the Board of Supervisors prior to each Supervisors meeting. Such a newsletter would be politically neutral, in electronic format only, and could be prepared at little cost by enlisting volunteers and students. By using this type of newsletter we could reach a broader audience of concerned citizens and alert residents via email to upcoming events, agenda items, and meetings.Then, after each meeting a follow-up could be emailed out reporting on what took place.

· Create a Chadds Ford Blog where Supervisors, other Township Officials, volunteers, and others regularly blog about topics of interest to the community. Why not invite feedback and comments from the community for each post? We could invite an occasional distinguished “guest blogger” to contribute as well! I see this as an opportunity to promote more openness and transparency within the community.

· Hold “meet the Supervisors” meetings at staggered times for face-to-face conversation and discussion on topics of the day. We all benefit from more interaction, accountability and connection within our community.

· Solicit feedback. Feel free to contact me either by email at FMurphy2013@comcast.net or by phone at 484-841-6371.

Chadds Ford is a great place with great people. Together we can develop ways to better communicate and to make Chadds Ford an even better place to live and work.

Frank Murphy
Chadds Ford Township
Republican Party candidate for supervisor