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TARPON SPRINGS — Like many local governments, Tarpon Springs has turned to social media tools like Facebook and Twitter to connect with its residents. But Tarpon's efforts have been slow to take root.
Since the city created a Facebook page eight months ago, only about 200 people have connected with it — far fewer than neighboring cities.
At least one city commissioner thinks Tarpon should be more aggressive in its attempts to communicate with residents this way. Commissioner Jeff Larsen calls it "an untapped opportunity."
"If we are going to have it — social media — we should be all in," Larsen said at a commission meeting last week. "You either go all in or you don't participate."
The cities of Dunedin and Clearwater have done just that. Dunedin has some 2,600 followers on Facebook, and Clearwater has about 3,000.
Last Wednesday morning, Dunedin's public information manager, Courtney King, simply posted "Good morning" on the city's Facebook page and got 30 responses. The day before that, she posted photos of a city road construction project as well as new bike racks that were installed at the city's library.
King said social media is useful for more than just announcing the next public meeting.
"You have to keep it active," she said. "We do photos, videos, we do events. It's a mind-set. We care about our citizens and we want to keep them updated as best we can.
"You have to enjoy it, and Facebook can't be looked at as a burden. It's a tool that works. And it's free."
Joelle Castelli, Clearwater's public communications director, said just recently the city's Facebook followers were asked to weigh in on the city's use of red light cameras. The item was going to be on an upcoming City Council agenda.
In another situation, a Clearwater resident was having trouble with her water and reached out to the city via Facebook. Castelli said the water customer was immediately connected to the proper department and the matter was resolved.
"We view it as another tool in our toolbox, and it's a two-way tool," Castelli said. "When we decided to launch, we decided we were not going to have a Facebook page unless it was interactive, updated often, and the things that are asked could be responded to immediately.
"If a resident posts something and doesn't hear back until three or four days later, they are no longer going to use it as a resource."
Because the Facebook page is an extension of the city, Castelli said a private company, Smarsh Inc., was hired to archive all the postings because they are a matter of public record. Dunedin prints out its postings for the same purpose.
While Facebook is a free way to reach residents, officials say its true value is in emergency situations where there's a power outage. Facebook applications are accessible on mobile devices such as cell phones.
"That's always the long-term vision," King said. "During an emergency operation, we will be able to reach people, and updates can spread virally. I can update from Blackberry, where we have 24/7 access."
In Tarpon, city leaders want to explore new ways to draw more people to the city's Facebook page. "Maybe we can put something in the water bill," said Commissioner Susan Slattery. "We need to look at social media more."
Contact Demorris A. Lee at dalee@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4174.
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