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An MMA webinar highlighted the communication strategies employed by two communities — Melrose and Arlington — after a successful override vote. Speakers included (clockwise from top left) Melrose Mayor Jen Grigoraitis, Arlington Deputy Town Manager for Finance Julie Wayman, Arlington Town Manager Jim Feeney and Palmer Director of Administrative Services Ashley Place.
An MMA webinar on June 10 highlighted the communication strategies employed by two communities — Melrose and Arlington — after a successful override vote.
Melrose Mayor Jen Grigoraitis recommended that local leaders continue talking about fiscal conditions and challenges even after an override passes.
“There can be this desire to be like, ‘That was really uncomfortable and unpleasant, so I’m just going to withdraw from it and we’re never going to talk about it again.’ … That actually is making the next one harder.”
Melrose uses a mix of social media, newspaper stories, and physical on-site signage to explain which initiatives and improvements are due to the override, which passed last Nov. 4.
“It’s important to thank people for the impact they’ve made on your community, and to constantly remind them about what this money is doing,” Grigoraitis said.
Arlington Deputy Town Manager for Finance Julie Wayman agreed that municipalities need to lean on clear and constant communication to build long-term taxpayer trust. In preparation for its townwide election in late March, Arlington launched an interactive online property tax calculator so residents could see the impact the proposed override would have on their property. The town paired the digital tool with weekly town notices, regular social media posts, and updates from the town manager’s office to ensure residents were educated on the fiscal proposals.
Ashley Place, director of administrative services in Palmer, moderated 40 minutes of questions and answers, addressing inquiries regarding board and committee engagement, how post-override communication will evolve over time, and tips for addressing inaccuracies on social media. Arlington Town Manager Jim Feeney joined the webinar for the Q&A portion.
The webinar was the second session in a two-part MMA series about post-override communications.
• Overrides, trust and transparency: a framework for municipal finance – Arlington (PDF)
• Cultivating Transparency After a “Yes” Vote – Melrose (PDF)