Notifying Citizens By Email

Today's Boston Globe reports that the City of Boston is launching a pilot project in the North End to notify people via email the night before the city plans to tow cars in their neighborhood due to street cleaning. The city also uses email to notify residents of a number of other items, such as neighborhood meetings and emergency notifications. Other communities, such as the city of Newton or the town of Stow, also use email (see listserv) to notify people of town or city meetings and other important municipal information.

Email is an excellent and inexpensive way for local government to contact residents about public meetings and other important events. More communities should make use of it. It is an excellent way to encourage more civic engagement.