Question for Council from Resident
This email was sent to all council members & administrative staff at the Town of New-Wes-Valley on March 13th, 2025.
Hello Councilors and Staff of the Town of New-Wes-Valley,
I would like to ask why it is that the town's website is so rarely up-to-date with community events, but there seems to be plenty of time to post on the town's Facebook page?
I am reminding you that not everyone has a Facebook account, and should not be encouraged to sign up for something that they do not want to be a part of by their fellow citizens nor Councilors. Please see the screenshot of what a person like me, without a Facebook account, sees when they click on your Facebook page: I cannot scroll down, I cannot read a single post. It used to be that Facebook pages were open to be viewed by the public, but this is no longer the case- one of Meta's ways of making sure that they get what they want from the public.
As a general rule in marketing, posts should be made on your main information page, that being your website, and then share those posts with your social media apps as a way to bring your audience back to your website.
I'm sorry to be a complainer, but I really feel that this is important and should not be put on a back burner any longer.
I've paid my taxes. I deserve to be treated fairly as a citizen, and I believe I deserve more from you than a Facebook follower who might not even live here.
Janet Davis
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I'm sorry but I'm going to be blunt here. I find it hypocritical for someone who ran a restaurant without highchairs and openly remarks of not liking children now wants to be inclusive. You refused to serve chicken and things that our town usually look at as staples of restaurants and take out. From what I can see most every post is on the website except short term emergency post and last minute post the day of or on weekends. What do you suggest overtime or new position?
ReplyDeleteI find your response to Janet’s valid concerns very disturbing. A personal attack on her and her previous business is out of line. She has raised reasonable questions and deserves respectable answers. We live in a democratic society where bully behaviour such as yours is not acceptable. Please reconsider your comments before you attack again. If we are unable to ask questions in this town, how do we work together to make it better for everyone? My understanding is there is a recreation director hired for our town who is a very capable & intelligent lady. I’m sure she could do a fine job with this calendar if she was asked to do so.
DeleteI love blunt. Thank you, whoever you are.
ReplyDeleteI would like the town to use the community calendar it has set up on its website. Right now, the only things happening in our community, according to that calendar, is bi-weekly council meetings, and a clean-up week in June. As an example, there is nothing on the calendar about what's happening at Beothic Arena, which is operated by our town. I find out about events after they've happened. Doesn't seem like that would take much effort- much less than fiddling about with a Facebook page.
I don't understand what my failed restaurant has to do with being able to see when there's an event happening in my hometown without a Facebook page, but I can remark on those comments.
We never encouraged children to visit Norton's Cove Café. Our restaurant was a little upscale from the usual chicken & chips joints. When a couple who hires a babysitter for the evening to go have an adult meal at a nice restaurant, the last thing they want to hear is a screaming child who is out past their usual bedtime. We never once claimed to be a family restaurant, and I think it's okay to have different options at different restaurants. I do like children- I am a mother, after all, but I also think it's okay to not enjoy the company of children all the time. Many visitors brought their own high-chairs with them, which was never a problem. When my own child was small, I would rather he just sit on my lap than sit in a chair that I couldn't be sure was clean. And you also assume that my budget could meet buying a couple of high-chairs.
When you say that I "refused to serve chicken and things", I guess you mean fried chicken and chips? You must realize that we did not want to compete with restaurants already specializing in that menu. We built our restaurant's menu to cater to those who can't eat just the normal local fried fare all the time: gluten free, vegetarian, and healthy options. I think that the kitchen staff developed a really great menu without a deep fryer in the building, and there were people who visited this town just to dine there, bringing well needed tourism dollars to the region.
My restaurant failed. We went through incredible times of supply cost increases and a pandemic in the time that we were trying to do something new and exciting in our town with a small but enthusiastic group of local supporters. I gave it all that I could, sacrificing my pocketbook and my health. It was extremely hard to keep a smile on my face through it all.
I am still trying to make a living in the town that I was born in, and would like to see more support from our council for those of us who love where we live, and want to stay here. I want them to help promote all the reasons people should visit or live in our town. The community calendar tells one story: nothing is happening in our community. Don't you think more people (like doctors and police officers) would want to live in a town that has lots of activites for their families, a good school, good restaurants, and arts & culture listings?
Our town is decreasing in population at a steady rate. That is a fact. If we want our town to survive, it needs a marketing plan. The state of the water and roads won't mean a thing if there's no one using them.
You are so right, Janet. Our community was blessed to have your restaurant here to help diversity what we had to offer.
DeleteThis highlights a large part of NWV's issues. We can not be narrow minded or have our backs up because someone has an opinion that differs from ours.
Council should be thankful that community members are finally getting involved. Find a way to pull on this group for good instead of focusing on the negative and get over the fear of being questioned.
We were so fortunate to have your restaurant in our community to help diverse what we had to offer.
DeleteAnd that is part of the problem here in NWV. We are to narrow minded and don't look at the bigger picture. Instead of focusing on the negative that they feel this group is doing start being thankful that community members are finally getting involved. There seems to be a great group of well meaning people involved. Council and staff should try and find a way to utilize and help them get involved and get over their fear of being questioned and showing full transparency.
And here we are pointing fingers and condemning people! Lack of community spirit like another person posted! Not everyone is going to served fried chicken, if you didn’t like the menu go somewhere else! Stop complaining about petty issues! This town has more issues then a restaurant not serving chicken or having high chairs available, grow the frig up!
ReplyDeleteThank you Janet for your commitment to this town!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Valleyfield and after moving away from this area dreamt of a time when I would be able to return and enjoy all it had to offer. I always, when asked would identify how close net and friendly Newfoundland outport communities are. I realize now I was so naive.
It is so disheartening to see how people act over freedom of speech raised by legitimate concerns. Instead of acting in a professional manner and reaching out to this group, people instead chose to attack other individuals with insults and derogatory remarks.
I want to again thank you Janet for your dedication to our community and your professional approach to this attack.
That general rule of marketing is old and outdated instead of always posting on your website first, a better approach is to tailor content to where your audience spends the most time. For example:
ReplyDeletePost a full article on LinkedIn or Medium for professional audiences.
Create a video summary for Instagram and TikTok.
Post discussion-driven content natively on Twitter or Facebook.
THEN, use your website as a place for in-depth content, resources, and conversions (newsletters, sales, lead generation).
While having a website is important, treating social media as a key content channel rather than just a promotional tool can lead to better engagement, visibility, and conversions.
That would be great if there was a Marketing Plan and dedicated staff members to do all that- which I am all for, in order to prevent New-Wes-Valley becoming a ghost town within another generation or two.
DeleteI'd like to add an update on this matter:
ReplyDeleteSince I sent the email to the town on March 13th (just 2 business days to today, the 18th), and sent my blog post suggestion to newwesvalleycitizens.haveyoursay@blogger.com, I have received one email back from one of the councillors to confirm receipt of my message. I have not heard from anyone else outside this blog regarding my question for the Town Council.
I have seen some change to the town's Facebook page. Now when I click on the Facebook link from the town's website, I can see the first post, and I can scroll down the page to read that post, and even read comments on that post. So it would appear that someone with access to that page has changed the settings on the page so that people like me can actually see the most recent post. That's a good move. Much more transparent. Thank you.
The most recent Facebook post is almost the same wording as the website post. That means someone typed out that message twice, instead of simply sharing the website post with Facebook, which would be more efficient for staff, and better for Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
I look forward to tonight's meeting to see if the topic gets discussed.
I didn't make the meeting last night but hear talks around town, people said the council look nervous and was talking like about some stuff that didn't have anything to do with the newletter, what that about? I would also like to know why we haven't heard anything about the town vehicles being stolen and speedy up the bay. Was there any cops involved in that?
ReplyDeleteUpdate: During last night's meeting, my letter was sent to a committee for discussion. There was no reading of the letter, and no talk of the issue brought up in the letter. I thought that odd.
ReplyDeleteThis morning, I received an email from a Councilor asking "Did I understand that you wanted your question re website-Facebook addressed in "questions and answers"? If so, I would suggest you specify that when you send the question. Meanwhile, it will be discussed at the committee level and any recommended changes brought back to council."
I was a member of the public sitting in the room when it was decided that the Council would start taking questions from the public- they weren't willing to have a question and answer period with a two way dialogue, and I understand that decision. They did say that they would accept questions as long as they were received by Friday of the week before the meeting so that they'd have time to find the answers. I don't remember any specific directions on how to go about asking a question being given. When I searched the website for it this morning, search results were empty for the "Questions and Answers" wording. If those directions are on Facebook, then my point is made.
Mike Tiller stated in last night's meeting that only 1 letter has ever been received. Do you believe that? Do you believe that my letter is the only one ever received?
If you are writing a letter, make sure that you put a bold heading at the top: Questions & Answers, and make sure that you use wording to be extremely blatant that you want an answer from council in a public meeting.
As a 50 + year old living in NWV I would like to say thank you to the members of the concerned citizens group for sticking their necks out in the name of community improvement. I have spoke to several people who are afraid to come forward because of the bullying and intimidation tactics used by the officer staff and councillors of the town. I do understand their reluctance to come forward but I would ask that people start joining and supporting this group because I feel our town is worth the effort. I grew up in this town and have very fond memories of what this town used to be like and now it is a shame to see what it has become. We have lost many businesses and our children are choosing to live elsewhere. If we want the town to be here for our kids and grandchildren we can’t continue to do what has been happening for the past 30 - 40 years and expect change. We need the citizens to start speaking up and get involved, I know I will be at the front of the line to support and help change the direction the town is headed.
ReplyDeleteWell said
DeleteAnother update: Last night's meeting also did not mention my letter, nor any feedback from the committee it was sent to last time.
DeleteI have seen an improvement in the listings shown on the community calendar, including shinny hockey and an ice show at the arena, as well as a poster from Tizzit Productions for the Mick Davis concert happening this month at the Lion's Hall.
And I have also noticed that a month-long schedule for Beothic Arena has been added to the posts on the website in the Town News feature.
We're making progress!
I have already thanked the town for these improvements via email, and again, one councilor emailed me back, so I know at least one person has read it.
I would very much like to see a push to local businesses and organizations to send their events to the town's community calendar too- for instance, annual events, opening days (especially for seasonal businesses), fundraising events, holiday events, concerts, what's happening at The REACH, when the tennis court is ready for use, etc.
What would everyone else like to see added?