http://notices.merrimacknh.org

[Brian McCarthy]

Several weeks ago the Town Council held a goal setting all day meeting (gee, no public showed up?). In any case, at that meeting, during a discussion of the Town's website (and what is is lacking), Town Manager requested the ability to have a series of mailing lists for Department heads, and the Town Manager's office to make use of. Many Town employees have their own email "to" lists (often taking prior emails and cutting/pasting the To list). It also meant that if someone wanted to get email relating to some specific item, it was unclear who needed to be contacted.

I took this task on as it is something that I have been wanting to put in place for years. However, without buy-in from the Town to make use of the lists they would have gone unused. In prior years, getting the information from the Town was like pulling teeth (I filed several Right To Know requests back then!). Even after getting the information, it then needed to be forwarded out to the list. This was NOT the way things should be working.

So, please visit:

http://notices.merrimacknh.org

and you will be able to subscribe to several Town related mailing lists.

a) This is NOT RUN BY THE TOWN
b) Your EMAIL is NOT SHARED WITH ANYONE (including other list members)
c) It is up to you to SUBSCRIBE and UNSUBSCRIBE to the list(s)
(you get confirmation emails to make sure you want to be on it)
d) No SMS messages (text messages to phones) but I'm looking into it

Now, go subscribe and if you like it, send the site out to your friends.

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Some background on merrimacknh.org

http://www.merrimacknh.org' made its debut many years ago as a concept of a Web Town Portal, covering not only the Town but all aspects of the community. That concept of the former Town's Communications Director Heather Anderson, was pulled from a BOS Agenda and never saw the light of day. The concept (to some extent) and the website continue.

Since I created that mock up many years ago, I have used the site to provide community related information. The site is where the Charter Commission's business was posted. At the time it was a demonstration to the Town of 'this is how it can be done' in terms of agendas, minutes and mailing lists.

The site bandwidth and disk space is provided free of charge as a way for me to give back to the Town.

[Debra Huffman]

This is a really good idea, Brian. Thanks for doing the work and for sticking with it, and thanks to the TC for being open to the idea of trying something new to improve communication.

[Brian McCarthy]

Bumping this since its being discussed in another thread.

I also want to make clear that this is NOT limited to just Town of Merrimack, if the School District, or Village District wishes for me to setup some lists, I'm more than happy.

The counts on the front page are updated manually (about twice a week right now).

Thanks,

Brian

[Brian McCarthy]

Town Clerk will be using a new list for dog owners reminding them to renew their dog licenses. It will give owners who's dogs have died over the year (or who have otherwise given away/sold their dog) to tell the Clerk (and save the Town money by not having to mail out notices to those people).

It is a voluntary service (you don't have to subscribe to get the reminder) but the Town Clerk thought it would help.

Brian

[Brian McCarthy]

Information about the Planning Board Agendas and Results will be sent out to a new list starting in early October:

http://notices.merrimacknh.org/subscrib ... t=planning

To subscribe.

[Brian McCarthy]

To the few people who have hopped on the planning list - I had the 'confirm and approve' set on the list, I took that off so you should be able to just respond to the email.

thanks

[Brian McCarthy]

Zoning Board Info has now been added:

http://notices.merrimacknh.org/subscrib ... ist=zoning