The County Improvement Project is a fellowship program meant to stimulate ideas and encourage thoughtful answers to shared challenges. The program is sponsored by the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas in partnership with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s V.G. Young Institute of County Government. Project findings are presented at the CJCAT Annual State Conference.

Project Title: Social Media & Smart Communities – A County Perspective

Project Leader: Richard Michael Yawn, Director of the Center for Law, Engagement, And Politics at Sam Houston State University

I. Summary:

Despite extensive use by the general public, county governments have been slow to adopt social media and smart technologies designed for local government.  Currently, for example, only about a third of county governments in Texas have adopted a Facebook page, and fewer counties have adopted other forms of social media for communicating with constituents.  Over the course of more than a year, I met with or presented to the following for the purpose of learning about or promoting the use of technology at the county level:

• More than 100 city and county officials;
• More than a dozen Councils of Government Officials (COGs) from seven separate COGs as well as the Texas Conference of Urban Counties and the Texas Association of Counties;
• More than 100 state legislative staff and state legislators.

Consistent with research showing that earlier innovations – even if limited in scope – produce far-reaching consequences, this research assesses the current usage of social media and smart technologies by county government; provides a guide for implementing social media policy; and offers a glimpse of smart technologies currently used by local governments in Texas and the United States.

II.Current Use of Social Media (Facebook):

At least 123 different federal government entities use social media as part of their communication efforts.  The seven statewide executive offices in Texas government also use social media.  The most widely used of these social media is Facebook, which is used by almost 70 percent of the American public.  But only 13 percent of Texas counties have general Facebook accounts, and only 33 percent of Texas counties have any presence on the nation’s most popular social media network.

Although counties may not be expected to have the same presence on social media as state or federal level offices, it is worth noting that 72 percent and 95 percent of Oklahoma and Arkansas counties, respectively, have some presence on Facebook.

Figure 1. Percentage of Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma Counties with a Facebook Page.

Such a presence is not only important to reinforce the “county brand,” facilitate communications with constituents, and promote transparency, but a county’s use of Facebook also paves the way for additional technologies that can greatly enhance service efficiencies.

In discussions with government officials, the two most commonly cited reasons for the lack of county engagement with social media included: (1) a lack of knowledge of media technology and (2) a perceived lack of relevance to county functions and responsibilities.  The following sections provide information on implementing a social media policy and offer examples of how more advanced technology can be used at the local level.

III. Determining a Social Media Strategy

In the process of adopting social media tools for official business, agencies need to address the issues of utilizing social media in a governmental context.  A strategy that includes policies and procedures governing the use – and users – of existing and emerging technologies can benefit government organizations in multiple ways.  The following sections provide further guidance for those just getting started with the discussion and decision-making part of developing a social media strategy.

A well-designed social media strategy should:

• Be simple – complicated programs are hard to implement and manage;
• Address requirements for records retention and responses to external requests for information;
• Use existing or current capabilities (tools, people, etc.);
• Allow connection to the community in a straightforward and efficient manner; and
• Answer the following questions:
  • Why do you want to establish a social media program?
  • What are your goals and objectives?
  • Who is your audience?
  • How will you interact with your audience?

 

IV. Drafting a Social Media Policy

Once you’ve determined your agency’s social media strategy, the next step is to create clear documentation outlining the rules of social media interaction internal and external to the organization.  Below is a list of “best practices” to guide you in such a policy:

Begin with a Social Media Inventory:

What sites are currently being used by your organizations?  What policies are currently in place to guide users?  Are the sites and the policies consistent across offices?  In the plural-executive world of county government, it may not be feasible to create a single brand for all county-wide offices, but a discussion of common objectives and user-policies is desirable.

Even if no agreement can be reached on common policies for all county offices, legal counsel may prohibit practices that can create liabilities for the county.  In a best-case scenario, offices may agree on broad practices that can provide a more consistent “brand” and format for the entire organization, promoting a more user-friendly experience for constituents.

Employee Access to Internet and Social Media Sites:

In reviewing the organization’s policy, two questions should be asked: (1) are there any restrictions on which Internet sites employees should access while at work; and (2) are there any restrictions on what content employees can post, even if they are posting such content as an individual rather than as a government employee?

While governing employees’ use of social media and the Internet is not directly related to the county organization’s use of social media for branding and other official purposes, the two are topically related, and counties may wish to include the former policy into the latter.  Also, it is important to note that the lines between personal and professional social media sites overlap considerably, making hard-and-fast distinctions difficult.  If you choose a policy including restrictions on personal use of the Internet, you should develop penalties associated with violations of the policy.

Managing the Official County’s Social Media Account(s):

Creating a social media account generally grants the user a range of tools and capabilities for that site (e.g., posting information). Without clearly-defined account management policy, agency leaders may lose touch with the number or type of social media accounts being created by the organization’s personnel, so it is critical to outline roles and permissions with respect to social media accounts created on behalf of the agency or one of its departments.  Questions to ask include:

• Which social media sites fit into the county’s strategy?
• Who are authorized users of each of these sites?
• Do authorized users need permission prior to posting specific information?
• What is the policy for changing passwords when users are “de-authorized” (such as when they are no longer employed by the county or when their roles change)?

 

Beyond authorized users, an effective social media policy allows for regular updates, as well as for policies for interacting with citizens.  Although there is no minimum requirement for posting on social media sites, studies show that consistent and regular postings are most effective at creating followers and interaction.  Additionally, S.M. Zavattaro suggests these four tips for social media posts and management:

• Maintain a consistent identity and voice;
• Develop and maintain a positive tone;
• Post strategically, with an eye toward the audience you wish to target; and
• Evaluate social media performance.

 

Security:

Although all government offices should have security policies in place for software accounts, social media may require additional security efforts.  County governments should consider issues such as how often passwords should be changed, the complexity of the passwords, rules for downloading documents from social media sites, and the like.

Retention & Archiving:

Because social media providers are owned by third-parties and because their content can be deleted, government agencies are also challenged to formulate procedures for capturing and archiving records as required by law.  While many possibilities exist for capture and retention (including screenshots or printing hard copies), third-party vendors can capture web material and archive it in a searchable database.  Indeed, Austin uses such a system to allow constituents to search through all social media records! (http://www.austintexas.gov/page/social-media-archive).

 

V. Exploring and Developing Mobile Apps & Technologies

Even as the technology involved in online and mobile government services moves at a break-neck speed, some basic principles about the quality of that service have held up well.

The mobile application development tips included in the Government Technology article by Brian Heaton (posted online August 7, 2012) were written seemingly light-years ago in technology-years, but they still pertain to public servants hoping to adopt new technologies.

http://www.govtech.com/e-government/7-Mobile-App-Development-Tips.html

Depending on your County’s goals, the specific mobile application solution may vary from something off-the-shelf to a custom design.  Whatever you choose, these seven rules should help keep your implementation on track:

• “Keep it simple.” Many people think that one application can do everything; this isn’t necessarily the case. Sometimes, you may need multiple solutions or separate systems to handle the different items on your list.
• “Be open to ideas.” Open dialogue with other departments, citizens and other potential users to help drive the function and form of the application.
• “Know your audience.” Mobile solutions are used more heavily by people below the poverty line, and also by the younger generations. Be sure to keep your various constituent groups in mind. 
• “Make it relevant.” What are the issues your community is facing? Be sure to match the response or solution to the actual issue, not just a symptom.
• “Location, location, location.” It’s not just a mantra for selecting real estate. Don’t lose out on potentially valuable GIS location information.
• “Data integration.” Systems that work together seamlessly make everyone happier, from the citizen users to the programmers to the customer service providers to administrators.  Design an application that works – and works well – with your existing systems.
• “Cross-platform support.” Again, be sure to keep your constituent groups in mind. Maybe one solution won’t solve all problems.

With these guidelines in mind, I’ve highlighted a few of the “smart technologies” being used across the country.  While these apps may not be appropriate for your jurisdiction (indeed, some were selected for inclusion simply because of their novelty), they may provide examples of the diverse and innovative solutions available to governments in 2016.

• SeeClickFix
  • Android, iOS
  • San Mateo County, CA; Pinellas County, FL; Howard County, MD (TellHoCO); Houston, TX (Houston 311)
  • Used by both cities and counties, this app allows people to instantly communicate problems, such as potholes, graffiti, or cracks in the sidewalk, directly to the right person in the local government.
  • See video/ad: https://gov.seeclickfix.com/
  • See the TellHoCo story: https://gov.seeclickfix.com/solutions/howard-county-md/

• CCSO Tips
  • iOS
  • Collin County, TX
  • The CCSO Tips app provides citizens the ability to submit anonymous tips to the Collin County Sheriff’s Office, even allowing for anonymous two-way communication. A submitter can also upload photos.  

• Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court Election Results
  • Touch Studios, LLC
  • Android, Blackberry, iOS
  • Jefferson Parish, LA
  • Allows citizens to access election results of Jefferson Parish, LA in real-time, with data searchable by election date, candidate, office or proposition.
• iCitizen
  • This app is a “nonpartisan civic engagement app that facilitates open communication and collaboration between citizens and their elected leaders to shape the policies that affect their lives.” Track trends; communicate; raise the flag on pressing issues; gather support; stay in touch with your local government.
  • See: https://www.icitizen.com/ 

• Street Bump
  • iOS
  • Only in Boston MA
  • This clever app allows its users to simply lay their phone in their cars and drive around their neighborhoods. Any time their car “bumps,” such as when going over a pothole, the app recognizes the jarring. Using GPS, it puts a marker on the bump, which is then sent to the city of Boston. Once enough data has been collected to verify that it is in fact a problem in need of fixing, workers are sent to fix the bump. Those who report bumps earn “street cred” as well, again, making a game out of civic involvement.
  • http://www.streetbump.org/ 

 

VI. Conclusion

Texas counties currently lag behind adjacent states in adopting popular social media.  The purpose of this research is to:

• Encourage counties to assess and inventory the usage of such media by their employees and elected officials. Even if a county-wide adoption is not imminent for specific counties, ensuring consistent (and legal) usage for those employees within the county who do use such media is imperative.
• Provide a guidebook for county adoption, implementation, management and retention of social media.
• Offer examples of technological applications (apps) that can be used by local governments to promote (1) citizen engagement, (2) safety, (3) election management, (4) communication, and (5) transportation.

The complete report to the V.G. Young Institute may be accessed at:

http://vgyi.tamu.edu/county-improvement-project-vgyi-fellowship/.