BELCHERTOWN — The Belchertown Communications Committee is looking for more members.
Chair Chris Martin stated, “We have nine seats, with six active members. We’ve been looking for three more volunteers for a while now and would welcome anybody to join us.”
The Belchertown Communications Committee has been charged with the Select Board to help improve communications, primarily between the town and its residents and businesses. They’re made up of volunteers with different areas of expertise in communications, writing, website design, television production and social media, among other skill sets.
Vice Chair Ed Comeau said, “The volunteers on the committee have a varied, and strong, diversity of skills that have already made some significant contributions working in partnership with the administration. We have one goal, which is to help facilitate communications, whether it is through social media, the website, television or print.”
He continued, “Whether it is town administration, a department or committee, we want to help with outreach and we have created resources on our website for anyone to use that include a list of all of the area media, a communications guide and a communications checklist, all designed to help make communications as effective as possible.”
The committee is launching a website redesign, which is in process now, and updated the town’s social media policy. The committee has been working on job descriptions for the Belchertown Cable TV manager and others. It’s running a project soliciting photographs from residents for the website and putting three surveys in the field to get community impact for the website. They’re also helping to get the town’s official Facebook page up and running. There are people reaching out to them for assistance in getting their messages out, which is why they created the online resources on their web page because, as volunteers, they are limited in just how much they can do.
Martin said, “Going forward, we’re hoping to have better representation and transparency out of all the town departments and committees in order to support the town’s needs. Starting with the town website, we hope to increase the town’s presence and create a hub of information and engagement.”
For anyone interested with experience in communications, website design, social media, media production or writing, contact the town administrator’s office at 413-323-0403. The committee meets on the second and fourth Thursday of the month in the Town Hall auditorium at 2 Jabish St. For more information, visit belchertown.org/commitees/communications_committee/resources.php.
