- 2 min read
- Posted on 03.23.10
Mayor Slay is in China. This entry was written as an update by press secretary Kara Bowlin:
You know that Mayor Slay tweets. He tweets from work. From home. On his way to meetings. From China. He's setting quite an example when it comes to social media in the rest of City government.
We have many department heads, Public Information Officers, and other City Hall employees jumping on the Social Media bandwagon. Public Safety (PublicSafety St. Louis) posts about a little bit of everything on their Facebook account - think newly flowering daisies, things to do in St. Louis, and tips to keep you and your family safer. You can also follow them (@StlPublicSafety) on Twitter. Watch for the Health Department's posts on Facebook (The Health Institute ' STL) as proof that sitting in front of the Internet could make your life better.
And some of the department directors are getting in on the action. Perhaps the most prolific tweeter is @PamelaRWalker, the City's interim Director of Health. Follow her, and read about everything from health care reform to Q, her amazing City shelter dog. More recently, Rich Bradley (President of the Board of Public Service) started tweeting. Follow him at @StlBPSpres ' and learn about the projects going on in the City. And I have word that once Streets Czar Todd Waelterman gets his "crackberry'? synched up with IT, he'll be tweeting about streets, garbage, recycling ' you name it. And our own Citizens' Service Bureau is quietly looking into a program where you can report your CSB complaints while you're out and about via twitter.
What's the point of City employees and officials tweeting? I think it brings government down to the people's level ' and it allows citizens (and taxpayers) a window into what's actually being done here at City Hall. It allows us to ask for ideas, to celebrate little successes, and to easily interact with citizens. It's the stuff you usually don't hear about on the news. It allows officials to see what others are doing ' and gives them one more important point of contact.
And, every once in a while, it gives us a clue as to what our local leaders had for breakfast.
