I campaigned on a simple promise to get back to the basics of governing and provide resources for residents. I have worked to deliver on that promise which includes making City staff and public officials more accessible, especially the Mayor’s Office, by improving communication and increasing transparency. Our work will never be done here. We are always improving and finding new ways to engage our residents and business owners.
What have we accomplished?
Sent out over 67,000 newsletters and hosted 150 Facebook lives to keep residents informed and engaged in the work our City is doing.
Upgraded and implemented new technologies to improve efficiency and transparency, including SeeClickFix, ClearGov and OpenGov.
Launched Amesbury Listens, a series of listening sessions on different topics that are important to Amesbury’s residents, ensuring participation from a variety of constituents; long-time residents, new residents, students, business owners and others.
Utilized Swift911 to get the word out about emergencies, neighborhood updates, construction, and other important announcements.
Utilized USPS mail for regular communication including water quality reports, and trash and recycling information.
Overhauled the City’s budget book and annual report to provide added transparency about the process, taxes and spending.
Initiated neighborhood meetings and community forums to share information and gather feedback regarding City projects including the AES building project, 40R Smart Growth District, I AMesbury 2030 and Elm Street Reconstruction.
Actively promoted boards and commissions to successfully appoint and reappoint 100+ people, greatly increasing the number of new voices and diverse perspectives.
Department heads have been visible and active at public meetings, working closely with committees and boards to answer questions and make progress on many initiatives.
Greatly increased overall City communications through the addition of a Communications Director position to oversee regular outreach via the website, social media, e-newsletters, and traditional media.
Updated our website to prioritize user experience and revitalized our social media accounts to make information more available.
Updated our Charter and City processes to modernize our government and centered financial stability in our budgets and initiatives.
What’s Next?
Our monthly broadcast with Amesbury Community Television, Live with Mayor Gove, will continue along with other strategies like e-newsletters, social media and alerts, and Open Office Hours on Thursday nights.
We are working with staff to share more of the policy, legislation, and every day work happening that you don’t see. It’s important to share what we’re working on even when it’s not a big event, grand opening, or major project. This will ensure you know where to go for service when you need it and what’s available right here in Amesbury.
Our Special Events Permit process is changing this year. To accommodate the fast pace of businesses and organizations in our community we are trying something new to clearly define this process. Events impact our businesses and residents and involve many of our departments, having a clear process and good communication are key to making these run smoothly.
We are in the early stages of developing guides for membership on our volunteer boards and commissions and regarding how to open a business in Amesbury. This will support onboarding and permitting for those navigating our systems and processes for the first time.