Officials say the page can answer questions from residents in a forum where residents are comfortable.
Mt. Laurel Township now has another tool to improve communication between the township and its residents with the launch of its official page on Facebook.
Through the page, which launched in late January and already has nearly 700 likes, township officials say the goal is simply to share more information with residents who prefer getting their information from platforms such as social media.
The launch of the page is just the latest move in a series of recent communication initiatives from the township, which include upgrades made to the official township website and the township’s launch of a quarterly newsletter mailed to all residents.
Since its launch, the township has used the page for occasions such as releasing photos and information about scheduled upgrades to playground equipment at Laurel Acres Park and to update residents with information about Verizon’s Fios service in the township.
Officials say the page also offers opportunities to the township the website and newsletter cannot, such as immediate communication between township officials and residents.
The township has been using the page to answer residents who post questions in response to the township’s own posts, and on Thursday mornings, the township and Mayor Rich Van Noord have been holding informal question-and-answer sessions on any topic residents might suggest.
In one instance, when a resident suggested putting lights outside of the entrance to the turf field at Memorial Complex, the township used the page to tell the resident officials would look at options to make the complex easier to identify when driving.
Another resident simply wondered where to find information about the dates and times of upcoming council meetings, and the township was able to direct the resident to the appropriate page on the township website.
When one Ramblewood resident mentioned concerns about the dangers of making a left-hand turn at the traffic light where Ramblewood Parkway meets Route 73, Van Noord, a Ramblewood resident himself, agreed with the resident and said he would have the township contact the state.
Van Noord was also able to relay information to the resident about how the Department of Transportation has plans for reconfiguring the entire corridor from I-295 to Atrium Way.
With interactions such as that, Van Noord said council and the township can use the page as a way to directly answer questions from residents in a forum where residents are comfortable.
“The council also feels that it is a way to clear any miscommunication or misinformation that seems to permeate on social media,” Van Noord said. “The Facebook page is a complement to our new website, which makes available information and resources to the residents.”
For more information about the township’s new Facebook page, visit www.facebook.com/TownshipofMountLaurel.
