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County staff outlines outreach channels; committee presses for clearer public notice and analytics
Summary
Benton County staff reviewed website and outreach options for DSAC; committee members said DSAC meeting materials were previously hard to find and asked staff for better navigation, analytics and clearer public notices about the committee’s role and schedule.
Benton County staff presented an overview of public‑engagement channels for the Disposal Site Advisory Committee at the Sept. 19 DSAC meeting and described recent website updates and outreach tools intended to improve public notice.
Staff said the county recently overhauled its website and has added a timeline of Coffin Butte developments, email lists such as the “Benton County Talks Trash” list, social‑media posts, Gazette Times and Corvallis Advocate ads, and a public‑information officer FAQ that explains the permitting and comment process. The staff presentation included meeting‑notice examples distributed by email and paper advertising.
Committee members and some public commenters said those steps did not yet solve a core navigation problem: DSAC meeting pages and materials were hard for the public to find without a search engine. The committee chair acknowledged prior problems: “This committee has been having issues, with staff about making its agenda and meeting materials available to the public,” he said, and told the public he would reiterate at every meeting that DSAC is an advisory body and is not the final decision maker for the Republic Services expansion application.
Committee members requested basic analytics: how many people see the meeting ad and meeting‑page views, and asked staff to document what channels the county can activate and how to use them. Staff agreed to check website analytics and to develop a short, shareable notice the committee can use to raise awareness that DSAC meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m.
Ending: Staff will return with page‑view/advertising analytics and an actionable notice template; committee members were encouraged to share the meeting announcement through their own networks until county page navigation is improved.
