Megan Gilliland has had her work cut out for her this summer as Lawrence Communications Coordinator. Working with what has been called a “perfect storm” of road construction she has used all the communication resources available to present construction zone alerts.
“My job” she told members of Lawrence Central Rotary “is to reach community and www.lawrenceks.org is one of the best ways to do it.”
In addition to presenting information about the many areas of road construction in Lawrence, the web site offers job opportunities, city commission agendas, Parks and Recreation information, and the city calender.
Subscribers who sign up for city news–and currently there are 9,000 of them–can get information about licensing, rentals, development and various other topics. Residents can sign up to receive text and/or email alerts for solid waste services such as collections of trash, yard waste and recycling. “We’re hoping to expand this service,” she said. “There is also a video program about Lawrence ‘Lawrence In Focus.’
“Journalism has changed so much,” Gilliland said “ and there are so many more ways to communicate now. Videos tell the story better than I could write it.” To prove her point she showed a video about the Hazardous Waste Facility now operating.
“But there are other ways to communicate also,” she said. A newsletter and inserts go into the city bill and 32,000 customers get three pieces per month.
She also cited local business partners, the media, neighborhood organizations and old-fashioned word of mouth as other ways the city uses to communicate.
