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Carver County centralizes communications; officials point to rising subscriptions and outreach
Summary
Carver County officials on June 24 detailed a new centralized communications department, saying it has expanded subscription lists and digital reach while launching a dashboard and coordinated outreach campaigns.
A newly centralized communications department outlined its first‑year activities and audience metrics at a Carver County work session on June 24.
Ari Lixit, chief communications officer, said the county reorganized communications in 2024 to create a single department with specialists assigned to planning & water management, public works, parks and human services. Lixit described a SWOT analysis that guided 2025 priorities: building an audience network, standardizing messaging, creating policy and style guidance, improving website usability and collecting data to measure outcomes.
Lixit presented performance figures the department is using to gauge reach: she said the county has more than 51,000 subscribers to GovDelivery e‑news topics and over 23,000 social media followers, has launched targeted newsletters (a construction newsletter with more than 3,200 subscribers and a parks newsletter with more than 12,400 subscribers), and reported high open rates on several lists. The team also launched a communications dashboard for internal staff to track social metrics, newsletter performance and ongoing campaigns.
Commissioners commended the centralized approach and urged continued emphasis on clear county branding, website navigation, partnership with cities and townships, and careful testing of new tools such as AI. Commissioner Uterman called the communications function "a strategic investment, not an expense." Several commissioners asked the department to help publicize services such as DMV wait times and to coordinate signage for parks and projects.
Why it matters: Commissioners said stronger communications helps transparency for large projects (road construction, park improvements), encourages public participation in outreach events, and supports recruitment for hard‑to‑fill roles.
Next steps: Communications staff said they will continue to expand targeted lists, refine the style guide and dashboard, and coordinate with IT and division directors on website improvements.
