By: Taylor Popielarz
Hamden town officials are trying to follow a growing trend by connecting with residents through social media.
“It’s just a very cost effective way to get information to the citizens without going to the expense that other more traditional media would require,” said social media expert Rich Hanley.
The town of Hamden has its own Facebook page, and various organizations affiliated with the town have their own Twitter accounts, including the fire department and police department.
“We try to use technology to get information around,” said Curt Leng, Hamden’s chief administrative officer. “We’ve got a long, long way to go, but it’s a start, and it’s begun working.”
Residents of Hamden have mixed feelings about the town’s presence online.
“People seem to be out in the dark,” said Hamden resident Danny DiGioia. “So if you tweet it or you post it, it does show activity.”
But according to resident Sue Hutchinson, town officials are only targeting one age group.
“You take out the 20-somethings that really don’t care, you take out the senior citizens that can’t really do it, and then what do you have?” she said. “You have a middle age group population that would probably use it.”
Despite varied reactions, Leng said Hamden’s online presence is growing, but he admits it needs some work.
Hamden has a population of more than 60,000 people. The town’s Facebook page has just under 5,000 likes, and the mayor’s Twitter account has around 500 followers.
