Politics & Government
Town of Fairfield Joins Facebook
It's the beginning of a beautiful friendship: 191 "likes" and counting.
They like it, they really like it!
Since the town launched its Facebook page July 6, 191 people have ‘liked’ the page. The list grows daily.
“Social media is out there – you can join or not,” said First Selectman Mike Tetreau, who has a background in technology. He worked in management information systems for Arthur Andersen.
Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The town's FB page can be found at www.facebook.com/fairfieldct. Residents who are on Facebook are encouraged to “like” the town page. This will allow even last minute updates to be circulated to residents. Any residents that are not on Facebook, but who have internet access, are encouraged to visit the town website, www.fairfieldct.org, to access town department information, as well as links to Fairfield’s schools and local organizations.
Fairfield residents that don't have any internet access at all can gain local information by calling the Town at 203-256-3000 between 9am and 4pm Monday – Friday.
Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Through Facebook, local governments can fashion stronger connections to its citizens. For example, because most people don’t attend public hearings, Facebook is one way to keep people informed. Through status updates, postings of articles, videos and photos, the town can keep residents in the know.
As they get more familiar with the site, the town's Facebook administrators will use the interface to provide information beyond government news, to include notices about charity events or local museum exhibitions.
At some point, Tetreau said, the town will need an updated and refreshed website. However, that will cost. In this strained budget climate, launching a Facebook page allows for what Tetreau called “creative problem solving.”
Aside from Facebook, the town finds Fair TV an extremely valuable tool. Televising meetings means every resident can watch proceedings. In addition, if someone missed the original broadcast, they can simply access video-on-demand on the town website, Tetreau said.
“It’s better than minutes because you hear the tone and the tenor of what was said,” Tetreau said.
In short, these technologies are allowing a town such as Fairfield to hold town hall meetings using 21st Century approaches. Facebook and other social networking platforms allow residents to participate in the dialogue.
“We’re reaching the point in which we are bringing everyone back into the room,” Tetreau said.
