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.

Back Online Again

The best laid plans, etc. The review of the websites mentioned in my last post in September will not begin until the end of December/beginning of January. We have decided to start the review a few months later this year so we can announce the results during Sunshine Week 2008, which is March 16-22. As we get closer in time to the review period, I will post more information about any additional criteria we plan to use in evaluating the town and city websites. Stay posted.