March 25th, 2019 by WCBC Radio
The Cumberland Mayor and City Council are discussing plans to retain the services of a public relations firm to help improve the city’s image and to make residents and visitors more aware of the many positive things happening in the community. Both Allegany County and the Board of Education have active public/community relations staff/departments- and while the city at times employed a p.r. person- that position was discontinued years ago. Mayor Ray Morriss initiated the idea saying that unfortunately all too often mis-information and rumor become the dominant talking points in the community and on social media…
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March 25, 2019 at 8:35 am, Bob said:
Crime is bad and getting worse as more perpetrators are drawn here weekly. The infrastructure is crumbling as the government hopes for gifts of money from affluent people elsewhere. Business is dying as even saloons and dollar stores are closing. Taxes are high and rising and the government is running up debt to buy $6 million of property and sell it for $600,000. Debt is at an all time high and dwarfed by other liabilities. And now they want to spend some more on propaganda. Cumberland seems to know bottom.
March 25, 2019 at 8:40 am, Bob said:
> Opps. Cumberland seems to know no bottom.
March 25, 2019 at 9:07 am, kevin said:
> Amen! A dime spent on a PR person is money not available to pay for police, fire, road work (it is pot hole season), and pretty much anything else. The answer to bad publicity is not a publicist – but better performance of the job itself. If things are going well, or getting better then social media will take care of itself. This is designed to make the elected officials blame free for failure. The position should be called, “It’s not our fault . . ” coordinator. When Grim gleefully raised taxes he wanted to spend money on this, now it rears its ugly head again. Unbelievable.
March 25, 2019 at 10:37 am, LRH said:
I can see then need to have a STAFF person serve as public information officer. Someone to ensure the web site and social media is CURRENT and accurate. As well a coordinator of press releases and public notices, and FOI requests, but a PR firm?? Looks and sounds a little to much like spin doctors as opposed to a genuine desire to provide the public with clear, open and honest information.
March 25, 2019 at 11:35 am, kevin said:
> Exactly!!
March 25, 2019 at 12:24 pm, Bob said:
> Great, a staff person with benefits, health insurance and a pension! They would likely live in WV like the DDC Exec. Dir. and avoid contributing to the taxes that pay them. Just what the city needs, more staff and pension liability. An entity that is broke should not hire propagandists of any sort.
March 25, 2019 at 10:43 am, Lav said:
Apparently we need a PR spellchecker!
March 25, 2019 at 11:35 am, kevin said:
> Good spelling apparently costs extra.