BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Keystone Heights Mayor Nina Rodenroth said the city should respond rigorously to misinformation on social media and to vandalism and misbehavior at Keystone Beach Park. The mayor commented during a February 28 workshop in which she, her colleagues, and the public discussed communications, strategic planning, security, improving city hall, the municipality’s parks plan, and other topics.
Communications
Rodenroth said she wanted to improve city communications by upgrading the municipality’s website and social media presence.
The mayor said the city’s website is not user-friendly and added that she wanted a third grader to be able to navigate the site easily.
Rodenroth said she wanted the city to respond to false information on social media. She added that she has no problem with anyone expressing their opinions about city issues on platforms like Facebook. However, she objects to people misrepresenting facts.
“In the future, I want us to be able to address those things that we feel are appropriate to address,” she said. “We do not want false information out there.”
Rodenroth said she hoped City Manager Charlie Van Zant would have a city staff member join the Florida Municipal Communications Association, a professional network of individuals who provide communications, leadership, and support in Florida cities, towns, and villages.
“They offer communications professionals opportunities to learn, share, and develop innovative solutions for the municipalities they serve,” she said. “And the nice thing is it is open to any person employed by a Florida municipal government who performs communications functions in the regular course of his or her official duties, including public information messaging, public relations, public affairs, community relations, social media, print and digital media, and multimedia communications.”
The mayor said the membership cost is $100 annually, and she is already a member. She also encouraged other council members to join the association.
Rodenroth said that, in her view, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook does the best job in responding to social media misinformation.
“She will clarify if something is put out there that is not correct,” the mayor said.
Vandalism and beyond
Rodenroth said minors cause disruptions at the Keystone Beach Park almost daily.
“They’re either destroying things, (or) they are being disruptive,” she said. “I had a meeting that I was presenting there, and they had skateboards and bicycles right behind the pavilion building on the decking and making all kinds of racket. I had to go out there and tell them they had to leave. I couldn’t even hear myself talk. They knew somebody was in the building, and they were trying to disrupt.”
The mayor added that some parents were forced to leave the park with their children after older youth or young adults were shouting profanities.
“I just had something happen this past weekend,” she said. “(The family) is sitting there, and these kids or whoever it is, they’re sitting there. They’re using terrible language in front of the children. They’re being loud, like they’re doing something to make you want to leave, (and) this particular citizen left with his daughter. He said it was ridiculous.”
The mayor said the park’s bathrooms have been destroyed twice.
“All the paper towels are being pulled out and thrown everywhere so nobody can use them,” she added, “so we may go to a hand dryer situation.”
The mayor added that vandalism is a nationwide problem, even in elementary schools.
Rodenroth said one solution might be encouraging park patrons to report disruptive behavior on an app, like the Clay County Sheriff’s Office Safer Watch app.
The mayor said Cook has already offered to supply the city with signage instructing people how to download the app and report incidents.
She added that the Safer Watch app will allow citizens to send photos and videos to deputies. She said the signage and app could deter crime.
“It’s a psychological thing,” she said. “So, these folks that are causing disruptions, they know that a person sitting there could see them, and they can download, and they can report it right then, and the police will come, and they’ll find them,” she said.
Rodenroth added that the city might consider hiring unarmed security for its parks.
“They’re just there as a deterrent, eyes and ears, and they could then call the sheriff,” she surmised. “Now, if they’re deputized, they could have arrest powers. I think we need to ratchet it up one step. All these other things are nice. Signs are great, but frankly, my view is they’re not going to do any good, and they know there are cameras, and they still act up. So, I think we need to be a little tougher.”
