Lakeville subcommittee names chair, lays out communications plan and readies website upgrade

The Town of Lakeville’s newly formed Communications & Committee Outreach Subcommittee organized its work and leadership at a Feb. 18 meeting at the Lakeville Public Library, appointing Lisa Johnson as chair and Noel Ruo as vice chair and establishing a central process for collecting and distributing town communications.

Select Board member Lorine Carboni, the subcommittee liaison, said the panel’s “primary goal is to enhance how information is shared and how the community can engage with the town’s activities and initiatives,” and described the subcommittee’s charge to coordinate department outreach, work with the IT advisory group and report regularly to the Select Board.

The subcommittee voted by roll call to name Johnson chair and Ruo vice chair; all three members present voted in favor. The nominations were moved and seconded during the meeting, and the roll-call results recorded: Noel Ruo — yes; Lisa Johnson — yes; Lorine Carboni — yes.

Members and staff described a new centralized communications channel to gather materials from departments including police, fire, public works, the library, assessors and the Council on Aging. Town staff (identified in the meeting as Andrew, Colleen Leeb and Emily Shet) will receive submissions and help post information to the town website, social channels and existing resident outlets such as Lake Cam and departmental newsletters.

“We started off small,” Carboni told the subcommittee, explaining the intent to collect departmental items through a single intake so staff can ensure timely posting. She emphasized the committee will focus on municipal activities and official announcements rather than private events.

Staff reported progress on the town website upgrade to CivicPlus. “We just had administrator training,” said Emily Shet, a staff member assisting the project; she described the site as nearly ready pending user training and backend adjustments and estimated it is about “95% of the way there.” Members said the new site’s meeting- and events-focused modules should make agendas, packets and materials easier to find.

The group discussed reaching distinct audiences and reducing barriers to access. Members proposed a short resident survey (with online and paper options) to determine where people currently get town information and how they prefer to receive it. The subcommittee also discussed outreach to students and suggested short, “snackable” formats for busy residents, and noted seniors rely on the Council on Aging newsletter and other printed materials.

Members raised media relations as a priority after a recent zoning-board meeting went unreported; they asked staff to explore a direct contact with local newspaper representatives and consider basic press releases. The police station’s digital marquee was suggested for announcements but staff noted the police department’s communications plan currently reserves that sign for emergency messaging and any expanded use would require coordination.

The subcommittee discussed training and low-cost resources available through the Massachusetts Municipal Association and agreed to compare MMA best practices with the town’s communications schematic. The committee also sketched plans for a citizens municipal academy — a multi-week series of short modules that would introduce residents to town government functions and culminate with attendance at a town meeting.

The subcommittee set a monthly meeting cadence and scheduled its next meeting for March 18 at 2:30 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 3:29 p.m.

Actions taken: the committee appointed Lisa Johnson as chair and Noel Ruo as vice chair by unanimous roll-call votes of members present. No formal ordinances, resolutions or budget items were considered.