From managing crises to promoting diverse voices, Michelle shares her insights on handling public perception and upcoming initiatives to enhance community engagement. Read on.
Can you tell me about yourself and what your role entails?
“I’m the communication director of the city. I started here a little over two years ago. My role entails making sure everything is transparent to the community. My main job is to communicate clearly and effectively, whether that’s through our social media platforms, press releases, press conferences and events, or our website. I live in Norwalk, and I’ve gotten to learn the city, listen to the residents, and learn what they care about.”
How would you and the team handle and manage public perception in a crisis?
“A lot of the crises we have been dealing with are based on public health and safety. I think the most important thing is making sure they get information as fast, clear, and concise as possible. We have social media, like Facebook and Instagram. Not everyone is on those platforms, so we have press conferences and posts on our website. We also have a code red call system so everyone in our subscription network will get a call [automated] from the mayor. We are currently transferring this system to something called Everbridge for emergencies. It’s a system the state and a bunch of municipalities use. It’s not just phone calls. It’s texts, emails, and more modern communications.”
Are there any newsletters?
“We don’t have any newsletters. The Common Council started a newsletter program. The amount of social media posts we put out a day is about five, and it’s a lot of information, sometimes as much as in a press release, because we want everyone to know all the details. We just rolled out our free summer concerts series, so every Wednesday night at Calf Pasture Beach, there are free concerts. We have a new skateboard park where we have skateboard parties with DJs every Friday night. I don’t think it’s typical for a municipality to push out as much information as we do. It shows that we’re trying to be super transparent because we care about people’s quality of life.”
How does the department support outreach efforts to ensure diverse voices are heard?
“We work closely with the Norwalk Housing Authority…we’re constantly rolling out different outreach events…working with partners and elevating so many types of voices … We have a close to 20 percent Hispanic population, 17 percent Black population, and a huge Haitian population. We have different events to represent and celebrate all these cultures. We value diversity and want to celebrate who they are.”
What communication initiatives or projects is Norwalk planning to launch, and how will it enhance public engagement and awareness?
“We have a new business coming into Norwalk almost every week, and we hold ribbon-cutting events so we lift up all those different businesses. We have the Oyster Festival coming up, and we just had the Pride in the Park parade. It’s one of the biggest Pride Month celebrations in Fairfield County. There’s always so much going on in Norwalk.”
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