Mayor Henry’s $72,000 social media contract backfired

News release from the Paula Hughes campaign:

Mayor Henry’s $72,000 Social Media Contract Backfired
Only Visible Return from Chicago Consultant is Feedback that the City Administration will Ignore

Former Allen County Council President and leading Republican candidate for Mayor of Fort Wayne Paula Hughes pointed out the $72,000 social media consultant contract from last fall has only produced a shortsighted interactive website, Feedbackfortwayne.org, whose content won’t be taken into consideration by the City of Fort Wayne.

Friday ended the failed Feedback Fort Wayne government building naming experiment that made Fort Wayne fodder for late night comedy skits while highlighting the fact that the Henry administration’s commitment to citizen feedback is just lip service.

“The city administration went into this online experiment haphazardly and they weren’t prepared for the consequences,” Paula Hughes stated. “You would think that a $72,000 contract would bring with it some foresight.”

In November of 2010, Paula Hughes wrote a column about the absurdity of hiring an out-of-town social media consultant when many capable vendors live right here in Fort Wayne. The Henry administration said the consulting firm would be providing “specialized marketing” for the city.

“What exactly was this Chicago-based firm’s ‘specialized marketing’ plan?” Hughes asked. “If Carolyn Grisko & Associates and Mayor Henry planned to make Fort Wayne a worldwide laughingstock, then this was a great deal. Otherwise, Fort Wayne taxpayers deserve a refund and an apology.”

Hughes concluded by saying, “This illustrates the desperate need for a proven conservative leader in Fort Wayne.”

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