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Jacksonville Beach mayor says weekly two-minute series boosted civic engagement
Summary
Jacksonville Beach's Take Two Tuesdays, a weekly two-minute video series that won a public engagement award, is designed to explain city projects and meetings in bite-sized form; city leaders said the series has increased accessibility and trust by presenting information on social platforms.
Jacksonville Beach Mayor said Take Two Tuesdays, a weekly series of two-minute videos published every Tuesday at 2:00 p.m., has helped the city explain projects, services and council procedures and made local government more accessible.
The series, which recently won a public engagement award, was described by the host Jacob as less about production technique and more about giving city staff a platform to show their work. "I think winning this public engagement award is really less about producing it or me figuring out how to use video software to create these videos, but it's really about the people who work in the city of Jacksonville Beach doing so much good work and being able to show that to the community," Jacob said.
"Take Two Tuesdays provides brief, engaging two-minute videos that keep the community informed about city projects, services, and events," the Mayor said, explaining the program's intent. The mayor added the goal is "civic education as well as trust in their community as a source of information," and that packaging information in short, digestible clips makes it easier for residents to learn about topics ranging from infrastructure and budgets to the council's process.
Jacob and the Mayor both pointed to social media as the delivery mechanism that extended the series' reach. "By utilizing social media and digital platforms, this initiative has greatly improved public engagement, making local government more accessible and approachable," Jacob said. He and the mayor said the format encourages residents to engage with civic information who might otherwise not follow council business.
The mayor said the project was tested by publishing short clips at a consistent time to build audience expectation and trust. "The more genuine you can be with your communication, the more effective you're going to be with your residents and your community," the Mayor said.
Both the host and the mayor described the series as a proven tool for civic education and outreach, noting its short runtime and repeat schedule are intended to lower barriers to public participation and awareness. There were no formal motions or votes discussed during this conversation.
