My Vision For Princeton - Part 1 - Better Communication

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One message I have heard loud and clear over the past few months is that Town Hall does a poor job communicating with residents. I agree that this is often true.

I think it’s time that changed, and here are some of the ways I think it can be improved.

Newsletters In The Mail
If you have lived in Princeton long enough, you will remember receiving a 2 or 4-page newsletter in the mail. In it were details on various things going on in town hall and items of interest to residents. I suspect the expense of printing and mailing these caused the program to come to an end, but I strongly favour going back to this method of communicating.

Community Radio Station
This is an idea that has been kicked around off and on for years. I have also been involved from time to time. There will likely never be a “full-time” radio station here as there was from 1972-1999. However, I think there is a strong argument to establish a radio station of some kind that can be used to communicate local information and be available in time of disaster.

User-Friendly Website
I’ll be one of the first to say that I find the current municipal website a giant pain. I quit using it years ago, as I have a great deal of difficulty locating anything on it. I have seen websites from other communities that are so much easier to use. I think it’s time we took a hard look at the town website and either replaced it with something easier to use or gave it a major overhaul.

More Public Meetings
I’m not talking about the regular monthly meetings that are held at town hall. I’m suggesting informal get-togethers to discuss matters face-to-face over coffee. These can be daytime or evening meetings or a mixture of both. Either way, I think such a tool will help Town Hall gauge the temperature of taxpayers on various matters. It will also provide both sides with an opportunity to share feedback.

What Town Hall Already Does

As odd as it may sound, there is a lot of communication coming out of Town Hall already. We think that we are doing a reasonably good job of sharing information, but you have to remember that in many ways, we are insulated in Town Hall and believe that once we hit the send button, it’s automatically consumed by everyone. Let’s quickly review the tools already being used.

Social Media
Town Hall has a rather active social media presence. Usually, notices are shared on several local Princeton social media pages as well as the Town of Princeton page. There is a fair argument here that not everyone in town uses social media, so clearly this is just one piece of the puzzle.

Newspaper Advertising
Public notices and other items of interest are advertised in the local newspaper. However, this publication does not reach every resident.

Live Streaming
All public town council meetings are live-streamed online as they happen. They are also archived on the Town of Princeton YouTube channel for later viewing. I check the numbers on occasion, and very few people seem interested in the live streaming service. Granted, for quite some time there has been technical issues with audio, and I can see how that would impact viewership.

Voyent Alerts
Again, Town Hall usually gets these warnings or messages out promptly. I know I get them on my phone all the time. However, not everyone has a smartphone, nor does every resident have the Voyent app downloaded onto their device.

How Do We Do Better?

I honestly think that we have made a minor mistake relying so much on new technology to connect Town Hall to the people of Princeton. This is why I propose an old-school approach to communication that includes newsletters, a radio station, and getting back to meeting people face-to-face.

I’m not making excuses, but the post-pandemic world we are in has changed a lot of what we do and used to do. I believe that taking a step backwards and finding non-technological solutions to communication, which will likely enhance the new technology methods currently in use, will help town hall reach more people.

Better communication builds trust and understanding.

My name is George Elliott, and I’m seeking re-election to Princeton Town Council.
Advance Polls October 7, 2026
Election Day October 17, 2026 8AM-8PM
Princeton & District Community Skills Centre
206 Vermilion Avenue, Princeton