By ALAN BAUER
As almost everyone knows, Elauwit Media bid on and won the borough’s communications contract last year. In a few weeks, we’ll be launching an online vote to determine how the money we collected will be donated.
This year, we did not bid on the communications contract.
We bid on the contract last year for a few reasons. First, we wanted to save taxpayer money. Second, we wanted to at least show the borough that the service could be performed at a fraction of its historical cost. Third, we wanted to find out what might change if outside communications services didn’t exist.
Clearly, we achieved the first two goals, as our bid indeed was way below previous bids — and we’re donating the money to charitable groups in the borough. And, Municipal Matters appeared every other week as scheduled. It seems that the borough survived — and saved a whole bunch of tax dollars in the process.
Also, as to the third point, the borough and its residents actually would benefit by dropping the communications contract. First, obviously, tax dollars would be saved. Second, there would be no lost time on the part of borough staff coordinating with a third party. Instead, they can spend this time posting items straight to the borough’s Web site or Facebook page or Twitter account.
Doing things that way, about the same amount of borough staff time is spent, the information gets to the public way more quickly, it is written exactly how the borough wants it written, media organizations are immediately notified (so long as they follow the borough on Twitter or Facebook) and can help spread the word, and taxpayers aren’t paying an unnecessary third party.
It’s the 21st century. The borough is ideally positioned to utilize a vast number of communication tools already in use by numerous other municipalities. And it can do it without adding to the burden of borough staff or the taxpayer.
Our standing offer — dating back to 2004 when we opened — is to publish borough news (school news, pretty much any news, for that matter) at no cost to taxpayers. In the other seven South Jersey communities we serve — and with everybody in Haddonfield who’s not in government — someone, a mayor, a superintendent, or, well, anybody, can call or e-mail us with news they want to share with everyone in town. Or, they publish it on their Web site, Facebook page or Twitter account.
The Sun then puts the news online and publishes it in the next paper. It’s simple, and no money exchanges hands.
The result is that residents in these towns can, first, follow the municipality’s news releases electronically and/or follow our news coverage. Information quickly is disseminated. Nobody has to wait two weeks to read something in print. In many instances, timeliness is critical, and the “news” isn’t relevant two weeks after it takes place. They also can wait for the paper, if they choose.
Even though we’re not going to be the communications contractor this year, I want the commissioners to know that we’re still here, still proud to serve the community and still willing to do what we can for taxpayers. They should feel free (there’s that word again) to call on us anytime.
For example, we’re always happy to work with the borough on the most basic communication tasks, such as getting the word out right away about a rash of car break-ins. (Side note: People, lock your car doors. It will reduce the Police Report by about 98 percent.) This is an example of news that is most relevant immediately following the break-ins. Finding out your neighborhood was targeted by thieves two weeks ago is of no real value.
Or our help might involve something more significant, such as discussing converting the borough’s Web site to a user-friendly content management system that allows borough employees, or commissioners themselves, to directly post something to the site, which then is automatically Tweeted. Or we can help them better utilize Facebook.
We’re anxious to help in all of the communities we serve. Whether it’s publishing school newspapers at no cost to the school or taxpayers, or lugging 35-pound bags of dog food to an animal shelter, we want to do more than just stand on the sidelines and watch.
We want to actively demonstrate our appreciation to our readers who have supported us all these years.
The commissioners probably will be voting on the communications contract soon.
They also have some tough budget decisions to make in the near future.
Should they decide to turn down all bids and take another course, one that costs zero tax dollars, we’re both eager to help and not hard to find.
Alan Bauer is editor and general manager of Elauwit Media
