Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley speaks with Blackburn News in his office at city hall.(File photo by Briana Carnegie) Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley speaks with Blackburn News in his office at city hall.(File photo by Briana Carnegie)
Sarnia

Bradley Boosts Online Presence

Sarnia's mayor is boosting his online presence in 2017.

Mike Bradley has launched a new website and is now on Twitter.

"I've had a personal Facebook page for about a decade, very controlled and very limited in its use," says Bradley. "I have as time has gone by noticed, particularly with the diminishing of the media locally and across the country because of lack of resources and the ongoing financial issues in the newspaper business, that often there are issues and things that happen in the community the public doesn't know about."

Bradley says it provides an opportunity to promote the community.

"It also gives me a chance to engage further," he says. "I'm always available to anyone, at anytime, anyone that wants to text or e-mail, my home phone number is in the book and people can see me if they make an appointment. This gives me another range of ways of contacting with the public."

Bradley says one of his main reasons for setting up the website and Twitter account was to share the newspaper column that he writes.

"Up until now it hasn't been posted in other places and the Mayors Honour List is another good example. It's all progressive. I'll try it and see how it goes. I took some social media training last year to fully understand it because for the political world, and we have one of the great examples now with the new president[-elect] of the United States, there are real consequences and benefits to using Twitter and I'm going to be very measured in my approach on it, but I do think it gives me another vehicle to communicate with the public."

Bradley doesn't seem worried about opening himself up to internet trolls.

"I've had to deal with that over the years and it's sad the nature of some of the discourse on social media, but it comes with the territory," he says. "If you want to venture into that world then you have to deal with it. I've dealt with that through texting and e-mails and things that have happened over the last number of years. It's part of it, but I think the greater good is the ability to have more engagement with the public."

In addition to sharing his column and honours list, Bradley has also posted links to recent articles he's been interviewed for and even a photo of Christmas cards he received this year displayed in his office.

Bradley's website can be viewed at mayorbradley.com or you can follow him on Twitter @mayorofsarnia.

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Photo courtesy of Sarnia Fire Rescue via Facebook.

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