Holyrood setting rules for how to contact councillors

By Mark Squibb

Holyrood council’s communications committee chairperson Laura Crawley says the Town is still working on a comprehensive communications plan.
“We’ve had some questions about where our communications plan went, because people knew we were going through the process of creating a communications plan,” Crawley said at last month’s public council meeting. “What we were given when we came into term was a wonderful plan on how to implement a communications plan and how to implement policy.”
Crawley explained that using those instructions, staff developed a policy that was then vetted by the Town’s legal team and the Province before being adopted by council, a process that, including the time for training of council and staff, took almost a year-and-a-half.
Crawley then advised residents against e-mailing members of council or staff at their personal e-mail addresses or through apps such as Messenger, as per the new policy.
“We are trying to communicate properly and making sure that we’re following protocol and aligning ourselves with what is proper through the Municipalities Act,” said Crawley. “It’s not that we can’t be communicated with. However, in terms of councillors or staff, you have to recognise that we are one entity and that we are representing the Town and therefore should be accessed using our town e-mails and through the website, not necessarily personal contacts, Facebook, messenger, whatever it is.”
Crawley said implementing the new policy will take just as long — or probably longer — as the policy adopted last year for its internal communications. In this case, the Town will have to create a secure means of communicating with residents and businesses.
“There’s so much involved, and I don’t know if people really appreciate how much goes into making sure that residents and businesses are secure, and that we’re getting the information out,” said Crawley.
She advised residents to connect with the Town through the town website or the Town’s social media accounts.
Deputy Mayor Michele Crawford said there are residents using the proper channels to connect with town staff and councillors.
“We’re able to respond, or somebody in the Town is able to respond to a remark or a question when it comes in either through our webpage or though our Facebook page, whereas other social media sites are not part of our communication policy,” said Woodford.