Reminder? Forget it.
Hmmm.......
Did you ever own an alarm clock whose alarm failed to go off 33% of the time? Would you keep it? I doubt it. You wouldn’t want to miss an appointment. Or miss work. Or miss school.
Currently, the borough council is wasting town resources promoting its own version of that faulty alarm clock. The town is trying to post “daily” messages to its Twitter.com- based site to remind residents about the pick-up dates of their garbage/recycling. However, this reminder service frequently forgets to remind residents.
These missing reminders are the latest example of the council’s ongoing lack of commitment to providing Glen Rockers with accurate information. During one forgettable stretch, beginning July 25, 2012 through Aug 16, the town forgot to post five reminders. That’s a failure rate of nearly one-third. (There were 16 scheduled pickups.) Residents are being confused. When a reminder is missing, residents don’t know if something was changed or if the reminder was just forgotten.
This reminder service is doing more harm than good. The service should be discontinued and the town should redirect its resources elsewhere.
Pam Biggs
4:36 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Howard, I am the liaison from the Council for Borough communications. I have invited you several times to come discuss the communications strategy and listen to your thoughts and ideas. Additionally, you can always come to a council meeting any time. In fact last night there was a combination work session and public session. You have never asked to meet nor have you EVER attended a council meeting to discuss communications. Perhaps its not the council position you really wish to fill. It seems the position you would be best suited for has already been filled earlier this past summer - the part time communications coordinator job.
Howard Fox
7:14 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Pam, you may be confusing me with someone else. In January 2010, I sent you an email to offer to volunteer to help out the town with the then-upcoming website redesign. A few days later you effectively declined my offer. Also, I served for years on the Glen Rock Technology Committee, which was headed by a councilman. We often discussed ways to improve town communications.
I am running for town council to lower taxes and improve services. I believe my experience in management information systems and finance will help me do that.
Marc D
5:05 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Somehow my garbage and recycling managed to get picked before twitter & facebook came along. On those very rare occasions where I may have had a problem, not of my own making, a simple phone call went a long way to resolve it. Sorry Howard, but if this is the biggest issue you can come up with I am just not buying into it.
Josie
12:23 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
I agree Marc. I have lived in GR since 1958 with three different homes over the years. I can county some 3 or 4 instances in those 54 years when there was a missed pick up. A far less number then the times where I just did not get my trash out on time. I give credit to Mr. Fox as a newer resident who want to get involved, but I agree that there is no issue here. His efforts would seems spend money and time developing something that most residents would not even pay attention to.
J.C. Lee
10:02 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Well said Marc and Josie. This is truly the biggest non-issue of 2012 right in line with polishing the rock and having a town-wide dog wash.
Howard Fox
7:02 am on Friday, September 28, 2012
Yes, as my blog states, I agree this poorly designed/implemented project is wasting town resources and should be discontinued. If you elect me to the council, I will recommend that council members receive quality project management skills training to help the town avoid wasteful projects like “Remindergate.”
Cheryl S
5:41 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
I have no issue with the efforts of the town councils method of informing the public of important information. I think they are very creative in the way they are continually trying to reach out to the residents.
Suga B
9:06 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Howard, do you have any relation to English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model, Samantha Fox?
Rene
2:06 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Receive a text message this morning at 6:05 am informing me that the Glen Rock recycling center will be closed NEXT Tuesday -Thursday so they can line the parking lot. Also told us that there will be signs posted as to how to navigate the new area. I simply signed up for this service, and I GET IT SENT TO ME. It is informative, convenient, and I could not be more pleased with this type of communication. Well done Pam Biggs, you are obviously doing your job, as are your other members of this committee. Thanks.
Rene
10:17 am on Friday, September 28, 2012
OK Mr. Fox. Twitter, your blog, do you really expect people to go to those "sources" to find there information. Who has time for that. On a different note, if you check the bio's on the people on the council, I don't think you need to worry about their management skills. They all seem to be fairly accomplished people who give their time in many different areas and are polite and receptive to new ideas if people take the time to talk to them. But if Ms. Biggs is correct, you want to be a member of the council, and have never even been to a meeting. "Remindergate" - I think you are off the mark here and there are bigger issues that need to be addressed. Have a good day sir.
Allen Sr
6:43 pm on Friday, September 28, 2012
If this is GR's biggest issue I guess the town is in good shape. I think Mr. Fox needs to go back and find a real issue to run on.
Howard Fox
7:50 am on Saturday, September 29, 2012
I am committed to protecting the taxpayer from all wasteful projects, including Remindergate. To learn more about my candidacy, please visit foxforcouncil.org.