DPW& P: Let me Notify You!

One of the issues I've had for some time is the lack of communication from the various offices in the City. 

Back in 2007, after my family and I had moved to our new home off Granite Street, I noticed a foul odor that permeated the air on an unbelievably warm day for January. (The date was Jan. 6, 2007, and the temperature set a new high of 65-degrees.)

It took a month to get to the right person, namely DPW&P Commissioner Bob Moylan, but when I was able to speak with Moylan, he said that he'd look into the issue, and he certainly did.  He formed a Compost Advisory Committee and held meetings at the DPW&P office, took the group on two site visits to educate and show the group how composting works along with its benefits, and what his staff was doing to alleviate the foul odor from returning. Hat tip.

Now, with a forecast that looks like Worcester County is in store for another major snow storm, I'm glad to see that DPW&P is notifying residents that Wednesday's trash pick-up is being postponed until Thursday, and subsequent pick-ups will be pushed back a day,

Also, the Winter Parking Ban is in effect, but for some reason, the notification refers to the winter parking ban from Friday, Jan. 7th. (Hey, nobody is perfect.)

So, the notification process has gotten better; we still have a long way to go, and Konnie Lukes still needs to admit that she was not getting her proper daily dosage of caffeine when she commented to Daily Worcesteria, when referring to Worcester blogs, that, "they aren't worth paying attention to." (It's alright Konnie, I still like refer to you as 'Da Face' on the City Council.)

Social Media Gone Wrong

When the students at Miscoe Hill School in Mendon started a Facebook page encouraging their peers to join a Facebook fan page stating that, “If 1,000 people join I'll slap Mrs. Meyers,” referring to Miscoe Hill School Principal Ann J. Meyer.

Yes, some of the kids may have been reprimanded and even suspended, but I wonder what the larger message being sent is?

Governor Patrick: Technology To Feel Good About

The other day when I posted that the Boston Police Department was embracing technology and using Twitter, I poked around the Internet some more to find that Massachusetts' Governor Patrick, too, is on Twitter and all over the 'Net.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I may be late to the dance, so, if I need to head to the Administration Building for a "late pass", then so be it.

I find it very interesting that many of our elected officials are on the Internet using social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and others, to let people know what's going on and to communicate more.

Maybe we can change Mayor Lukes's mind about bloggers and embracing technology, but, quite frankly, I can give a rat's ass if she choose to use these tools.

But it would be dope to see the City of Worcester use a medium such as Twitter to get the word out about things taking place in the city, such as when a water main breaks and you don't have water for 3-4 hours, or how the City along with the Fire Chief have decided to shut down a fire station to save a few dollars. Hey, maybe if the news is coming from a service like Twitter or Facebook it would be more palatable and I wouldn't feel so dirty when I don't receive the news. Just maybe! Wishful thinking? I hope not.