Question: Do you feel that the City communicates effectively with the residents and media?
Mayor Candidates
Melissa Clark
The city has done a good job of sending information out to residents. There are options to receive information via text, email, social media, and through the city newsletter. The City Council has made it a priority to provide live-streaming of meetings, electronic signs, and improved video posts to help convey information. However, effective communication is best when it is two-way communication. Any organization should be regularly evaluating itself and looking for areas of improvement. While the city has an annual resident satisfaction survey, Eagle Mountain has room to improve in the modes in which residents can raise concerns, complain, and ask questions. What happens to concerns when they are sent? Is the city tracking concerns, complaints, and questions to look for trends? Does that data show a specific area in which a broader solution needs to be created? Are there areas where confusion consistently happens?
Our elected officials and city staff genuinely care about the people of our city. I would like the city to take the good efforts we have already made and take them a step further. We should take the newly launched resident portal and create an app that goes along with it. When a question, complaint, or concern is brought by a resident, it should be tracked until it is resolved, much like an IT help desk ticket in the business world. Residents should be able to see the status of their questions or request within the app.
Tom Westmoreland
This candidate after several email attempts did not participate in this questionnaire.
Editors Note (Rant):
I feel like communication is vital to the office of the Mayor and City Council, and that includes answering emails and questions posed by the residents. I tried to include Mayor Tom Westmoreland in this conversation with the candidates so you, as Eagle Mountain residents, would have a better understanding of his views, goals, and direction for Eagle Mountain in the future. I even postponed the deadline several times for several other people who asked for it. His response was, “Sorry, I have been so jammed up with city stuff I have barely been able to touch anything campaign-related and was not able to hit the deadline. Trying to fulfill my responsibilities as mayor and put a campaign together at the same time is proving to be quite challenging.” I then extend the deadline again for him and still did not receive the answers. A resident asked questions about what is happening in the city as well as what he, the Mayor, plans on doing for his campaign, but was unable to find the time to answer the questions.City Council Candidates
Maria Hopkin
I do feel the City does an excellent job reaching those who want to be reached. They are active with regular updates on their facebook page; they have the option to sign up for text/email notifications; the monthly newsletter is always informative; and I really like the new electronic signs that have been installed.
Donna Burnham
Yes. We have a Facebook page, Instagram, Blogs, Videos, Live stream, newsletters, billboards, and a notification system. We have earnestly tried to communicate clearly and effectively with all residents. Can we do better? Of course. Should we? Definitely. We are always looking for new and better ways to communicate and are open to ideas. One of the best things that you can do as a resident is sign up for our city alerts.
Brett Wright
I think the City does a fair job. I believe there is room for improvement. I’m hopeful with the addition of Tyler Maffit as the city’s communications manager it will improve.
Tyler Shimakonis
I thought Linda did a great job communicating. I have had the chance to meet Tyler who is the new communications manager for the city and have found him to be responsive, and open to talking about his role. I believe they are looking at ways to get more information to residents and looking at different platforms which is to say that they are looking for ways to communicate more effectively.
Rich Wood
This is a complicated question. I think that the city has improved their communication via the Facebook medium. However, there are many residents that do not use social media that are left unaware. We need to utilize other methods
of communication as well.
Jason Allen
The city has improved dramatically in its communication but could improve further in its communication with the citizens. The city needs to take a more proactive approach in talking to residents, especially when something directly affects their neighborhoods or the city at large. The city should also be monitoring how many citizens it is reaching and work to improve the number.
Mike Kieffer is an IT geek by hobby and trade, with a BS in Information Systems & Technology. He is a proud father of 10, a grandpa, an author, a journalist, and internet publisher. His motto is to “Elevate, Inspire and Inform”, and he is politically conservative and a Christian. Mike has a passion for technology, writing, and helping others. With a wealth of experience, he is committed to sharing his knowledge with others to help them reach their full potential. He is known for his jackassery or his form of self-expression that encourages boldness, creativity, and risk-taking. It can be a way to push the boundaries and challenge traditional norms, leading to creative solutions and positive change.