Communication
Sometimes local government is said to move too slowly. Other times it might seem like things are happening more quickly than some residents like. From the perspective of someone who has been seated at the Council table for several years, both can be true, or at least seem true to residents. One of the biggest challenges for elected officials is trying to communicate and share projects, proposals, timelines and details with residents. Traditionally, we depended on coverage of meetings in the local newspaper, like the Winthrop News. When social media came into the picture, Facebook became another way for people to stay informed. We use the City website as a source for accurate information, and there are always a few people who choose to attend council meetings to hear the actual discussions, which I encourage everyone to do. The problem is that not everyone reads the newspaper, is on Facebook, checks the website or takes time to attend a council meeting. It is certainly City Council’s responsibility to be transparent and to communicate with the public. It is also an individual’s responsibility to seek out accurate information. A post on the City’s social media page has reliable information. An anonymous post regarding City business may or may not be accurate. City Council does not govern by Facebook, so if you have questions or concerns, please contact Council members or City staff directly.
When the splashpad construction was moving slowly, it was a challenge to effectively communicate all the reasons with residents, and most were unaware of the complexity of the issues behind the delays. The current Tri-Line police proposal has been the subject of public meetings and extended council discussion since early spring, but some residents, if they weren’t aware of the amount of time already devoted by council, may have felt the proposal was moving too quickly. As it so often does, the challenge lies in the communication. Whether a project is perceived to be moving too slowly or too quickly, that perception is often based on how effectively events have been communicated.
No one could argue that the splashpad construction didn’t drag on, but an important point to communicate would be that none of the delays caused any increase in the cost of the project. Rather, we postponed payments until work was completed. Thankfully it is now open and kids are happily splashing away! If I could communicate the things I think are most important about the Tri-Line proposal, it would be this: A majority of the council has voted to support a strong, effective police department for the good of our community. Tri-Line seems like an effective way to address many of the challenges we are facing in hiring and retaining good officers, challenges that will only continue to grow for the foreseeable future. It would allow us to have more hours of coverage and, because we would be sharing resources, it would cost the city less. I truly believe that Tri-Line is one of the best possibilities we have of maintaining the excellent police department we currently have, and having control of the budget and how it is managed in the future. No one knows exactly what that future looks like, but we can see trends, and if we don’t actively position our city now to face coming challenges, we will almost certainly have less control when change inevitably comes.
Since the idea of communication is something that comes up so frequently, and usual measures don’t reach everyone, council has decided to try something new. We’re going to be doing some “Talk to the Mayor and Councilor” events. The first one will be on Monday, August 10th, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at Corner Pizza. Stop by and talk with me and Councilor Dawn Wickenhauser, and ask us questions about what your City Council is doing. Tell us what matters to you and what you would like to see happening. Look for future dates and locations with other members of the council. You can always contact me at mayor@winthropmn.gov or 507-722-4189. Hope to talk with you soon!
Mayor Julie Trebelhorn