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Committee debates ways to reach residents without reliable digital access
Summary
City staff and the Senior Advisory Committee reviewed options—printed newsletters, utility‑bill notices, event signups, partnerships with libraries and faith groups, and a potential 55+ e‑newsletter—to reach older residents who lack or struggle with digital access.
Alyssa, a city staff member, led a continued discussion with the Senior Advisory Committee on ways to reach Victoria residents who lack reliable digital access or are uncomfortable using digital tools.
The committee revisited ideas from a prior meeting and identified multiple channels: printed materials such as the parks brochure; targeted messaging on utility bills; in‑person outreach at recurring events like "Donuts in Victoria"; leveraging faith‑based bulletins and volunteer networks; a paper signup sheet at public events to enroll residents in city e‑newsletters; and partnering with the library and schools for tech help sessions pairing teens and older adults. "We have a paper form at donuts or at our city booth that will just say, 'Here's my email address,' and staff will subscribe for you," Alyssa said.
Why it matters: Committee members argued that older adults are a priority audience for service notifications (elections, transportation, safety programs) and for access to health and social resources. Staff noted subscription to email newsletters requires an opt‑in; the paper signup is a workaround to enroll residents who do not want to navigate the website.
Key proposals and concerns: Members suggested piloting a 55+ digital newsletter (content cadence and ownership to be defined), adding a dedicated senior page in the parks brochure, and creating a single phone line residents can call for help or newsletter enrollment. Transportation and physical access remain constraints: members flagged that being aware of events is insufficient if residents cannot travel to them. The committee recommended staff consider quarterly "did you know" refreshers and prioritize one or two topics per month to avoid overwhelming residents.
Next steps: Staff will circulate a draft 2026 meeting calendar and the committee will review ideas for a 55+ newsletter and updates to the Senior Resource Guide at the Dec. 1 meeting.
Quoted: "What information should be plugged into [utility bills] and which ones make most sense?" Alyssa asked, framing the committee's task to identify priority topics for non‑digital channels.
End note: The committee agreed the outreach approach should be multi‑faceted—education, enrollment assistance and prioritized messaging—and that follow‑up at the next meeting should include concrete proposals for a pilot communications piece for older residents.
