By Jennifer Ersalesi
Since March 27, 2020, the Borough of Rutherford began publishing “The Rutherford Report”, which is a bi-weekly newsletter. Each council member acts as a liaison to different committees within the Borough. The newsletter enables each council member to report about those various committees and departments. It also provides Mayor Frank Nunziato with an opportunity to update the community about current topics and important information. Mayor Frank Nunziato explained, “It's important that people get information about how our town works straight from the source, otherwise it all becomes a game of telephone where misinformation spreads far too quickly. The better informed we all are, the better we can work together to keep our community strong. I hope the newsletters, which are typically published the Friday after each Mayor and Council meeting, give residents a better understanding of what decisions are made and how they are made. People can sign up on the Borough website to have the newsletter sent directly to their email. Newsletters are also shared on the Borough's Facebook and Twitter accounts.”
Click here to sign up for the newsletter.
As Councilwoman Stephanie McGowan explained, “Now more than ever, the need to provide information in a reliable and consistent manner is critical. This newsletter allows for both policy updates and community announcements to be communicated in a forum that is accessible to our community and helps to provide greater transparency about topics discussed during Mayor and Council meetings and beyond. For many across the Borough, the newsletter helped to keep our community feel connected and have access to important health and safety information during this pandemic. I think this newsletter and our commitment to sharing information from our various departments and agencies through a more robust website presence and social media platforms speak to the Mayor and Council’s commitment to promoting a more engaged and informed community.”
Members of the community can access the newsletter in a variety of ways. Individuals can subscribe to the newsletter and receive it weekly through their email accounts. The newsletter is also posted on the Borough of Rutherford Facebook page and Twitter. The archive of all of the Mayor and Council newsletters can also be found on the Borough website.
“It is immensely important that government, especially local government, communicate effectively with the citizens it represents. To that end, this administration, under the leadership of Mayor Nunziato and Council President Mullahey, has made significant progress in the ways we communicate to the residents of the Borough. One of these ways has been the bi-weekly newsletter that summarizes what actions were taken at a previous Mayor and Council meeting, and also gives the Mayor and Council and our Department Heads the opportunity to communicate about various other things that may be going on throughout the Borough. In addition to the Borough's social media sites and official website, the newsletter provides residents with a great way to stay up to date about what is happening in our community. As the Council's designated Public Information officer, I could not be more proud of the work this administration has done to keep our residents informed. I'd also like to thank our Communications Advisor, Kim Bogosian, who has worked countless hours with the Mayor and Council to help us improve how we can efficiently and effectively communicate with the residents,” explained Councilman Mark Goldsack.
The Borough website also includes a calendar that provides the community with a way to learn more about upcoming events, canceled events, community meetings, etc. Since March, the website has been updated frequently regarding COVID-19. The Borough Facebook page, Twitter account, and the Borough website also include important video updates from the Mayor and Council, video coverage of many town events, such as the recent Firefighters Memorial Service and the September 11th Observance. An archive of the videos can be found here.
Councilwoman Maria Begg-Roberson, “I know that there is so much to grab our attention daily. Nevertheless, there is a lot going in our beautiful little town, and staying invested in Rutherford's growth means staying aware."
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