Question 2 - What process would you develop to improve the image and manage the not-so-positive news about your community that all-too-often is in our local and regional media?
Daniel Evans (Candidate for Mayor of Smithfield): Positive news begins with positive improvements. We all know that we have many good things on-going in our community and why our local media often times chooses not to print the positive is not encouraging. As many of our chamber members are aware there have been many recent discussions in a chamber committee that is addressing how we get out the "GOOD NEWS" about Smithfield. I think we must again involve our community and educate everyone on the great things that are going on ( via Community Web page, Education media updates, News media paid announcements, Cable TV paid channels like the channel 18 the community college and the city has recently brought on line, civic news letters, tourism advertisements, etc). This education will become contagious and our home town folk will also believe again that we do indeed have a vital and viable community. Notice: I began this response with "positive things begins with positive improvements." We must be doers and not just hearers or talkers. Notice again I said WE, no-one candidate or person can accomplish or promise a rose garden. We must work together and spread the positive and maybe just maybe the local media will respond.
Charles A. Williams (Candidate for Smithfield District 2 Councilman): I would like to develop a defined public nuisance policy that would apply civil penalties to businesses and property owners that fail to comply with the ordinance. This policy would include options to rectify the town violations by some form of approved landscaping screening.
Vic Ogburn (Candidate for Smithfield District 2 Councilman): Love your friends and avoid your enemy. There are media outlets who are community oriented to the Smithfield community and have a favorable outlook for this area. We shold use them and avoid the ones that don't, ie: WTSB and WMPM. Up-grade our web pages that emphasize this area, ie: Towns of Smithfield, Selma and Chamber web pages.
Perry Harris (Candidate for Smithfield District 3 Councilman): I will work to insure that the City of Smithfield continues to work to give the local media all the information on the many good things that are happening in Smithfield. The recent approval by our Town Council to update the City of Smithfield website is a positive first step in this direction.
Tony Gupton (Candidate for Smithfield District 3 Councilman): The town must have a crisis management plan in place. It is wise to proactively plan and have a plan of action ready, prepared by a team, that can and will assess and manage the situation. This team should be lead by the Mayor, the Town Manager, Town Council members and citizen representation educated and informed of the plan. A spokesperson should be a media savvy spokesperson who can handle stressful situations. All vacuums of information must be filled with positive messages and reinforcement to our citizens and businesses that the Town is aware of, taking steps to ensure stability and progress in all situations. Communications must be constant with citizens and business about our image and listen to what they have to say. Citizens and business define our town image, so it is crucial that they have a good understanding of what is expected and enforced by our Town. We must also identify the audience we want to persuade to make a difference in our image- the local and regional print and television media. We must communicate to those audiences in order to reverse the impact that they have had on some of our perceptions and news that has been made recently. By marketing the town’s image and positive successes and direction, the community, the citizens and businesses will all profit and succeed.
Zach Crocker (Candidate for Smithfield District 4 Councilman): I think it would be a good idea for town employees and government officials who deal with or who are likely to deal with the media have some trianing in basic PR/media relations. I don't know how to control the news, but we can change how we represent ourselves and community in reguards to media relations.
