Community Relations Manager Bo Larsen is on a mission to make sure Fountain Hills residents are better informed about the things going on in and around the Town of Fountain Hills.

This is the guiding principle behind his Citizen Engagement Plan, which Larsen presented to the Town Council at its regular meeting on March 15.

“A well-informed citizenry is crucial for effective government communications and strong accountability of government agencies and leadership,” reads the plan introduction. “Civic engagement creates and maintains an educated, aware, motivated, engaged and fulfilled community. The level of public engagement can range from keeping the public informed to involving the public’s participation in the decision-making process. Engaging the public early and at the appropriate level helps create buy-in for the process and the final decision.”

This is something Larsen has been working on over the past year, enhancing communication within and outside Town Hall, as well as coming up with new ways to engage residents and spread the word about Fountain Hills beyond the community.

“By communicating clearly, the Town will maintain relationships with the media, government officials and the public,” reads the background information provided with the presentation’s summary. “Most importantly, keeping these stakeholders informed will build the relationship between Town leaders and citizens, promote trust and respect between local government and its constituents and create an atmosphere that invites citizen involvement in decisions that affect the community.”

To achieve his goals, Larsen has relied on tools old and new, including mailers, press releases, encouraging communication and sharing stories between departments and redoubling efforts to take advantage of leading social media platforms. Larsen highlighted videos he posted featuring the recent lunar eclipse as seen from Fountain Park, as well as the greening of the Fountain gaining international attention. Larsen noted that every person who saw those videos now knows the name “Fountain Hills.”

Larsen listed a few key goals tied to the Communications Strategic Plan:

*To establish the Town of Fountain Hills as the primary source for Town news, emergency communications and information on events.

*To inform, educate and engage residents and stakeholders about Town responsibilities, services, activities and results.

*To inform Town elected officials and Town leadership of any Town projects, incidents and potential and current media coverage.

*To help inform, educate and engage Town employees about the policies, procedures and information they need to succeed in their jobs and represent the Town in public interactions.

“It is critical people know they are getting information that is accurate and timely,” Larsen said, adding that it is equally important everyone knows where they need to go to receive that information.

Following Larsen’s presentation, Council member Alan Magazine said he has been impressed with Larsen’s work over the past year, but stated he feared he was setting himself up for failure, as the Communications Strategic Plan was comprehensive and set high goals.

Town Manager Grady Miller disagreed, saying he had confidence Larsen would continue to deliver. Remaining councilmembers chimed in, echoing the sentiment that communication at the Town has never been better.

Magazine agreed as well, saying his concern stemmed primarily from expecting so much out of a single employee. He suggested that a quarterly update could be helpful, allowing Larsen to discuss progress, challenges and ways the Council might be able to offer additional support to his efforts moving forward.