Committee weighs postcards, billboards and web outreach to reach township residents

The Richland Township–Ellettsville reorganization committee spent substantial time debating how to reach township residents who may not be online. Members and public speakers recommended at least one physical mailing and clearly posted maps showing township boundaries, while the committee explored using the town’s public‑relations resources and a dedicated YouTube channel for meeting recordings.

Estimates for postcard mailings cited during the meeting ranged around $10,000–$12,000 per mailing; members discussed using town economic‑development funds to subsidize the expense for an initial postcard. Several public commenters said many township residents do not use social media and urged the committee to favor physical outreach such as mailers, flyers and even billboards. Clark Reiner of the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation urged a tightly structured public‑comment protocol to handle potentially large turnout when the reorganization affects roughly 22,000 people.

Victoria Fields of Fields and Co. offered pro bono or paid support for communications and signage, saying she and her firm could help prepare outreach materials and physical signage before the next meeting. County mapping (GIS) was recommended as a way to publish clear, property‑level boundary maps on the committee’s website so residents can verify whether they are in the township or the town.

The committee agreed to plan at least one postcard mailing announcing the schedule and requested staff to explore email and secure official accounts. Members also discussed the practicality of using utility billing messages and town channels alongside any mailings to broaden reach.