Communications 

Working Group

Next Communications Working Group Meeting: Wednesday, April 17th, 2024 - 4:00-5:00 PM

Ongoing Minutes: November 2023 and forward


Communications WG - Agenda - November 29, 2022

Agenda  Agenda link is here:


Dec. 5, 2022 Event  


NH Network Contact Lists


DR COPY Plan CommWG Outreach & Publicity 2022 DR


NH Network GROUPS Represented updated 6/, 11/2222


Energy Committees/contacts 


Next meeting is Tuesday December 13, 2022 6:00-7:00 pm


Social Media- How is the work going?

Communications WG - Minutes - February 15, 2022

Communications Working Group - February 15, 2022


Present:  Hayley Jones, Patsy Beffa-Negrini, Carol Sullivan, Mary Beth Raven, Joe Kwasnik, Donna Reardon, Susan Richman


1. Game plan for March 14 "Preparing for the New Normals in NH's Climate"


2. Finish up Feb 7 jobs:

3. Other Needs: 


TAKE-AWAYS:

1. Flyer - almost ready to go.

(Reinmar- finalize speakers and zoom link). 

2. List of who to share flyer with now in case they have newsletters that go out. Focus on climate groups.

3. At the same time, organize mailing lists. And folders. 

4. Media release and press release early.

Communications WG - Minutes - December 14, 2021

NH NETWORK Communications WG - December 14, 2021

Attending:  Donna Reardon (facilitator), Carol Sullivan, Mary Beth Raven, Cindy Heath, Joe Kwasnik, Patsy Beffa-Negrini, Susan Richman (minutes)  

Reflections on Dec 13 General Meeting:  Sophisticated audience (member of PAREI, state Representative, members of our towns’ ECs, Durham town manager); 63 in attendance, which held at 52.  

Next time: give more info about the Network–do some “marketing” of the Network & WGs at the BEGINNING—“elevator speech” with web addresses to find out more.

Thanks to Mary Beth for getting the word onto social media; to Rick and Joe for taping a show that advertised for the event.  Big phone/email blitz paid off.

Event recorded; Rick posted to YouTube:  https://youtu.be/OBK6imS3i6M

Questions emailed to Brian; if he sends back answers we’ll email to the Network.

Joe recommends another NHEC speaker on EE 

Forgot to send out a survey for future events – do following Jan 10 event (an opportunity to advertise Feb 7, celebrate 12/13 & 1/10).

Jan 10:   May not be Henry — update 12/18 from “Lisa” who will co-present with Henry:

I am happy to attend this meeting with Henry to represent CPCNH. I am a director from the town of Rye, the chair of the Member Operations and Engagement Committee for CPCNH and serve on the Rye Energy Committee.”

Donna will get a blurb from Henry and create Google sign-up link.  MaryBeth will do Social Media again.  Send to Network Google Group.  SHOULD WE ADVISE MEMBERS THAT RECURRING LINK WILL NOT GET THEM TO THIS EVENT?  

Donna to be in charge of Zoom.  SHOULD WE ROUTINELY HAVE A BACK-UP?

Outreach to other groups:  some groups can’t advertise to its members, but others said they were glad to do that.  None are giving us their email lists.  Donna & Susan to go over our lists of groups.  We are asking members to give us contacts for other groups.  We don’t have a list of attendees (the RSVP for Jan 10 will give us such a list); Donna will see whom she recognizes.  

When people enter zoom, could ½ the screen have the Network logo and website address?  

Who will introduce the meeting?  Introduce speakers & moderate discussion?  Would like a moderator who can also comment, explain what Community Power is.  (Mary Beth? Rob Werner, Bob Backus, Clifton Below?  could Patsy B-N facilitate?)  Donna will see if Henry has a preference.

>>Carol Sullivan will ask Sandra Jones of PAREI if she’d like to talk for about 5-10 minutes as “another model.”

Include a “Save the date - Feb 7” note at the bottom of Jan 10 invitation. 



Feb. 7:  Cindy shared a list of contacts that Plastics WG has amassed.  

CAN WE CONTACT high school youth groups, especially for Feb 7?  Cynthia Walter & Cindy Heath worked on plan; special focus on youth audience and panelists (Hanover & Portsmouth students, Surfriders, hopefully the creator of Cafeteriaculture.org)   More action-oriented, not as much “why,” we want to know what to do about it.

Maybe suggest an article for folks to read ahead (Plastics is the New Coal)

https://www.beyondplastics.org/plastics-and-climate

Ideas for events:  a Zero Waste day;  “trash on the lawn” event—all the plastic bottles for a week (at Donna’s school); sell reusable bottles; St Paul’s youth group has a sustainability “environmental steward”

Include a Sign-up or petition at the end, for “Break free from plastics” or for a statewide action.

Panel will have age diversity, but not gender balance; ask advisor from St Paul’s to moderate (Donna?);  (Would  Reinmar be the facilitator for the Network?)

Possibly include legislative updates (might already have some decisions, and others would be forthcoming)  Who does this update?  (moderator? Network facilitator?)

Involve  NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action ?

“Soft roll-out” scheduled for January 24.

Next mtg January 11, 2022

Yet to do:  Finalize Letter introducing our legislators to NH Network & details. If we can finalize the letter, we need to get folks to help share.

>Update Group List and contacts

>Create Attendance for Dec 13th meeting

>Get Emcee and Facilitator for Jan 10th.

>Create Elevator Speech for General Meetings (ask Joe)


Communications WG - Minutes - December 7, 2021

NH NETWORK Communications WG minutes - December 7, 2021

Attending:  Donna Reardon (facilitator), Bruce Berk, Joe Kwasnik, Rick Maynard, Carol Sullivan, Cindy Heath, Susan Richman (minutes)

Getting listed in media events calendars (advice from Rick):  Put all our media links onto one page, send notices to be included in community calendars TWO WEEKS in advance.  Will try for next event.

Possible event:  On a date with meaning for Granny D  (can’t do her birthday Jan 13 – but maybe when she started a walk… other NH notable date)

Minutes accepted as written.  Use as guide for today’s meeting.

Sent out the blurb we created together, modified by speaker Brian Callnan.  Contacted over 50 network members by both email and phone to tell about Dec. 13 event, and request sharing  info and logos with their networks.  Bruce created scripts we used.  All are entering their results on Donna’s spreadsheet.  Very positive reception from members!

Donna/Susan: need to combine & clean up lists of members a final time.

Donna spoke with Rob C and Louise S of KSC for advice about future registrations for zoom links – so for January meeting we will have a sense of how many attendees to expect.

Sharing the notice with other organizations:  Donna has our earliest list of groups that members belonged to;  Susan will use the list to ask those members to share Dec 13 announcement with their groups.  Rick and Patsy to help.  (Can’t expect other groups to share their email list.)

Reminders & zoom link will be sent Thursday, Sunday & morning of event; ask folks to share the invitation.

Dec 13 logistics:  Rick will advise Susan about recording; Susan to handle Chat questions.

Donna, Rick, Dot – talk to Henry H, to get blurb; need to finalize publicity for Jan 10 at next Tuesday’s meeting (also debrief Dec 13).

Jan 24 plastics “soft launch,” then present as a General Mtg on Feb 7.  Patsy has created a separate website, generating documents that can be used for communicating, and Cindy W has a slide deck. 

Get Facebook and Twitter handles for our people – that will make us more effective.  Need a person to volunteer to do Social Media.  (Keep asking!  Can we get folks’ social media handles as an update?) 

Facebook discussion:  We don’t have personnel to create.  Should it be open or closed?  Gets you to the big papers.  Cindy might know someone who could help set us up, we can view that person’s work.  

Filming a program with Rick:  The upcoming Plastics launch is a great opportunity to tell people about plastics, encourage them to attend Feb 7, and introduce Rick’s considerable syndicated audiences to NH Network.  Since it takes about 5 weeks from shoot to dissemination, need to shoot ASAP.   Cindy will check with Plastics group Dec 12, but provisional taping date set at Dec. 16 (next Thursday).  Rick will send Cindy info about how to create the show, to make it a conversation (not a lecture).  Ideally have 3 folks in all.  Rick recommends Bob Backus as moderator; he is a good spokesperson and friend of the Network, and he is respected and known.  What will make the viewers take action against plastic?  Perhaps one of the other persons on the show could be a legislator talking about a plastics bill (container deposit, no single-use plastic…)



NEXT MEETING:  Dec 14, 4 pm, debrief Dec 13 meeting; letter to legislators; Henry H communications; social media; Granny D & other future programming ideas.

Communications WG - Minutes - November 30, 2021

Attending:  Donna Reardon (facilitator), Mary Beth Raven, Joe Kwasnik, Patsy Beffa-Negrini, Bonnie Christie, Bruce Berk, Cindy Heath, Susan Richman (minutes) 

 

Minutes: approved; move PUC discussion to next week’s Legislative mtg (so much happening).

 

Dec 13 agenda:  Joe is working to obtain one or more speakers on Electricity – how we get it, pricing, the history of Restructuring 101.  Joe provided us with a paragraph as a basis for our communications -- it will serve, regardless of the configuration of speaker(s).  Joe will moderate and/or be a speaker.  So now we can begin communication plans (ASAP).

 

Ask Managers’ mtg to determine 12/13 agenda in addition to Panel/speaker.  Suggestion: We prefer housekeeping & WG reports at the end of the meeting, but a 1-5 min advertisement of who we are,  what we are doing, how to be on email list should begin the meeting (right at 5:30) since this is our chance to interest potential members.

 

Network members in print:  PUC “My Turn” by Joe, LTE by Bruce, article by Don Kreis.  COP26 article by Rob Werner.  Patsy will post LTEs on the website if NH Network gets mentioned.  Multiple thanks to Patsy for enormous communication contributions!!

 

Communications actions decided:

  Donna:

 

Bruce:  Create a Google Doc for us with  

 

Cindy:   add (quick) details of Dec 13, Jan 10 & Feb 7 events to end of letter for Networks.

 

Mary Beth:  get listing in papers (Susan help) 

 

Bonnie:  requests edits and closure for her letter to legislators, including an ending:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jBSZR1EreshnzXDf-qySN2OhCnmgt0Aa/edit  

 

Everyone:  

 

Other:  

Susan is keeping a list of speaker/topic suggestions.  Will announce and send out a survey at the end of Dec 13 meeting.   Good  potential speakers at Dartmouth (Eric Osterberg – climate migration & UV migration), Rep Karen Ebel (New London) NH solid waste working group.  

 

Next meeting:  Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 4 pm. 



Communications WG - Minutes - November 16, 2021

NH NETWORK Communication WG - Minutes - Nov. 16, 2021 

Present: Donna (facilitator), Patsy, Cindy, Bruce, Joe, Susan (minutes) PUC’s EE decision: Discussed, and decided on actions for the Network: 

○ Will request members 

■ to write LTEs 

■ to contact their municipalities’ leaders/Energy Committees (ECs) and request they write the PUC and also LTEs 

■ Joe to create a one-pager with talking points (may also need to clarify for membership and our LTEs the various agencies involved in this saga -- PUC, Dept of Energy, Governor & Office of Strategic 

Initiatives, the legislature) 

■ Susan to write memo to membership 

○ Work to leverage municipalities 

■ Joe to talk to Sam Evans-Brown (CENH) about communicating with towns and their ECs, strategies for working together to change the outcome 

■ Joe also to talk to Rob Werner about letter on behalf of Concord’s EC (? and any action forthcoming from LCV?) 

○ Visibility at PUC &/or Statehouse: 

■ Donna, Joe check with Kent Street, can we agree on times to join forces? 

■ Joe to check calendar for presence of commissioners 

Attend EESE board: Who can attend? (Friday, Nov. 19, 9-11 am, 29 Hazen Dr, Concord) 

https://www.puc.nh.gov/Documents/eese-board-agenda-20211119.pdf ○ Joe in contact with Don Kreis, so will let us know when there are other actions we can take. 

Slack, GG tutorial: Donna offering tutorial this evening. 

○ Suggest she also offer to answer questions, demonstrate 15 minutes before or after a regularly scheduled meeting. 

Logo: Winnowed down to favorite 3 that seemed strongest image, easiest to read, good balance of the elements, least duplicative of other NH logos. Suggest a truer green (not turquoise) to differentiate from CENH logo. 

Onboarding: Donna has permission for us to share KSC logo on our site. Cindy writing a letter inviting other organizations.

Legislators: Bonnie to write letter for Network members to introduce their representatives to the Network. 

General membership meetings: Scheduled for 2nd Mondays, recurring Zoom link sent. 

○ Dec. 13 Rob Werner reporting on COP-26; 

○ Jan. 10 Henry Herndon on progress of Community Power 

○ TBA end of Jan or beginning of February: Plastic Waste - panel discussion and launch of “Ten Towns” initiative 

○ Susan to work with Rob on content for publicity; send notice to KSC, CENH, Sierra Club, LCV, and ask Network members to share further. 

Next meeting: Nov. 30, 4-5 pm

Communications WG - Minutes - November 4, 2021

Attending:  Donna Reardon(facilitator),  Bonnie Christie, Mary Beth Raven, Patsy Beffa-Negrini, Cindy Heath, Susan Richman (minutes)


Next meeting times:  Regular Communications WG meet on Tuesdays; next meeting Nov. 16, 4 pm.


Training times for Google Group & Slack:  Donna to check with Rick, can he teach Slack, and Google Group on Nov 9 and 16? November 9 6:00-7:00 PM for Google Groups with Donna, and  Nov 16th 6:00-7:00 PM for Slack with Rick.


Some of our criteria for choosing Slack &/or G.G:  Need ability for conversation that doesn’t go to everyone and doesn’t repeat the entire string with each new addition.  Setting options:  Can set Slack for only 1xday email, or NO emails.  Similar GG option seems less flexible.  (On GG, find the menu at bottom left side: “Membership Settings”> “Subscription.”)


Our own Google Group Donna created “Communications WG.”  She walks us through; we try out features.


Letter introducing our legislators to NH Network:   Bonnie to create, and members can customize to fit their personal legislators; also send to legislators who have submitted LSRs on EEC issues.


Website update:  NH Network doesn’t come up in a Google search, because too many other sites have similar names, and not enough traffic yet; need to hire a programmer to put in tags.  Better to educate people to find us.  Get an “analytics report” on demographics of who comes to us  (John G? Patsy?).


Program ideas:  team building for the whole group?  The session with Vanessa Durskat is recorded.   Also Hayley Jones (Community Action Works) has a presentation on shaping a campaign.  For now, decide to offer a  panel discussion for the 10 Towns roll-out.  Possible participants:  Karen Ebel, Mark Morgan, Jon Swan, Catherine Corkery, New England rep Kirsty Petchy of CLF about waste.  Offer as a General Meeting (not as a splinter group)  – discuss with Managers, get onto Network calendar,  Mon, Jan 31?


External messaging:  share our ideas with Management, see what they’d like us to do next.  Priority now is internal communications—training, archiving within Google Drive, ways to use (or not to use)  the website.  Patsy walks us through recent website changes. 

Onboarding:  Want to invite our contacts to put their logo on our website (and our logo on their websites?) should ask KSC, LCV…  Need Management to decide criteria for organizations we include (EECC only?  ODA currently on website).  Communicate directly with organizations, send our “join us” page… Need to be searchable on Google! Cindy may have a connection, or Hayley Jones (CAW) might be able to connect us to resources.  Cindy to compose an “invitation” to organizations, if okayed by Management.  

Questions?

Contact newhampshirenetwork@gmail.com to get more information or to join us.

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