LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday heard from city staff on social media outreach efforts to the community and a proposed grant application to provide a different water source to Westside Community Park.
Planning Services Manager Andrew Britton, who for nearly a year has headed up the city's social media efforts, updated the council on the progress of the city's Facebook and Twitter outreach.
Based on a strategic planning session last February, the council determined that enhancing its presence online through its Web site, www.cityoflakeport.com , and social media – particularly Facebook and Twitter – provided an opportunity for better outreach to the community, Britton said.
“Our social media efforts began in earnest in early July,” said Britton.
He credited Lake County News for helping the city's Facebook page get a boost when it shared one of those early posts.
Britton said the city of Lakeport's Facebook page shares historical pictures; community events like Grillin' on the Green, the National Night Out and Oktoberfest; city government news including the new medical marijuana cultivation ordinance passed last summer and community safety messages; missing pets; city projects like the Hartley Street rehabilitation; and employee accomplishments.
The posts also can be whimsical but always illustrate pride in the city, he said.
“We believe our efforts are paying off,” Britton said.
Since Britton began managing the city of Lakeport's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/CityofLakeport , it has grown from 88 likes last July to 519 this week.
Posts often are seen by between 500 and 3,000 people, and he thanked the Lake County Record-Bee and Lake County News for sharing the city's posts, which he said “dramatically” increases the city's page reach.
The Lakeport Police Department Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lakeport-Police-Department/176101292414821 , which currently has 667 likes, also is very popular, Britton said.
A post on the page last fall about “Officer Ronnie” Dekeyser III, a young boy with a brain tumor who was made an honorary Lakeport Police officer in October, was viewed by more than 117,000 people and generated 5,200 likes, Britton said.
Britton said city staff believe they've established a winning formula on Facebook by promoting city events and activities, and said it has been an effective took for community outreach. He said he hopes the page will have 1,000 likes by this time next year.
The city also is active on Twitter – it has 106 followers – but Britton said Twitter doesn't seem to have as much traction in Lake County as it does in urban areas. “It's something we'll continue to do,” he said.
City Manager Margaret Silveira thanked Britton for his efforts. “He took this on himself,” she said.
Council members appeared pleased with Britton's efforts.
“Nicely done,” said Councilman Tom Engstrom.
“Keep up the good work,” said Councilman Marc Spillman.
Mayor Pro Tem Martin Scheel said the council has been getting positive feedback from the community thanks to the social media efforts.
Britton said the city's Web site is mostly all business, while Facebook allows them to post important information while trying to be more engaging. He said they're trying to show the human side of the city of Lakeport and its employees.
Mayor Kenny Parlet encouraged council members and other staffs also to pitch in and assist Britton, who has been spending a lot of his own time on the project.
“The beauty of social media, it's so instantaneous,” said Parlet.
Parlet added, “I think it's going a long way to promote a very positive picture of Lakeport.”
In other business, Silveira received the council's unanimous approval of a resolution allowing city staff to pursue a California Department of Housing and Community Development Housing Related Parks Grant.
The city is eligible for about $75,000 in noncompetitive grant funding based on affordable housing units created by the recently completed Bella Vista Senior Complex on Martin Street, she said.
Silveira's original report to the council advised that the city is eligible for $77,400 in funding, a number which she said was reduced down to the minimum grant amount of $75,000 due to one city affordable housing project that it's since been determined may not be eligible.
City staff is proposing to use the funds to pursue a preliminary engineering report on options for supplying Westside Park with different sources of water, Silveira explained.
Currently the park's irrigation needs are being supplied with treated, potable water, Silveira explained.
A pipeline to the park already exists, and one option to be explored is piping in water from Clear Lake, with a well being the second. The engineering study will look at those options, she said.
Spillman said he believed that dumping drinking water on the park's fields “is a huge waste of revenue,” and he wanted to see the other available options, which he believed would save the city money.
Scheel added that exploring alternative water supplies is going to be even more critical if no rain comes soon.
Spillman asked if the lake water would be filtered. Public Works Director Mark Brannigan replied that it would have some basic filtration but wouldn't be treated.
Scheel offered the resolution, with Council member Stacey Mattina seconding and the council unanimously approving it.
Also on Tuesday, Parlet made his commission and board appointments.
The council also approved a professional services agreement with Community Development Services. That agreement had been on the consent agenda but the council was advised by the interim city attorney to remove it and vote on it separately.
Parlet, who had a longstanding business relationship with the firm, recused himself from the discussion and vote.
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