Lewis County staff unveils communications strategy to broaden outreach and create community hub

Kaylee Rhodes (staff member) presented a county communications strategic plan intended to increase public awareness, build trust and transparency, strengthen intermunicipal outreach, and improve digital engagement.

Rhodes said the plan will use multiple tools — social media (including Facebook events and paid advertising), a county podcast distributed on streaming platforms, and a monthly newsletter — to highlight programs, services and events. She said the county has begun using targeted paid ads for public transportation and has created online event pages for county events including an upcoming Lewis County Night Out in September.

Rhodes proposed strengthening communication with towns and villages by sending monthly updates to municipal leaders, meeting with them to solicit feedback, and sharing progress reports on legislative goals. She also proposed supporting county departments with targeted social-media content (including LinkedIn for department leaders), providing content guidelines and a posting calendar, and piloting newer platforms where appropriate.

For broader community engagement, Rhodes proposed a county “community hub” where residents and organizations could submit event listings in one centralized place and the county could use its podcast and social channels to spotlight events. Committee members supported the idea, but staff members noted the need to ensure accessibility and to screen submissions; IT would be consulted on implementation details such as a QR-code or automation for event verification.

Ending: Rhodes said the plan is a work in progress and asked for feedback; committee members encouraged pilot steps (calendar hub, coordination with public health for park listings) and said they would help distribute planned materials.