07/15/2002

Email, Faxes, and Mail - Did you know that we have 183 cities with email, 128 with faxes (and no email), and 28 with neither email or fax? We have email addresses for 588 officials at the 183 cities. And all of these numbers change daily. We used the email method of publication distribution for the first time last week to send two Hot Topics. The email copies were delivered Thursday for the state shared revenue Hot Topic and Friday for the state sales tax Hot Topic. The first one was faxed Thursday and Friday and the second one was faxed Friday and Monday. The hard copies of both publications were mailed Friday and should arrive today, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I wrote a short cover sheet for our fax and mail copies and included a request for email addresses. We receive 3 or 4 each day.

We have also received some very appreciative emails in response to our publications and to my first email announcing that we were back from furlough. Here is a sample:

A big Thanks to all of you and keep up the hard work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Betty Lamb, Shelbyville

We are delighted to see the use of Email increasing. It is a very convenient
way for us to receive and distribute information. The City of Spring Hill
relies very heavily on Email for communication.
Ken York

Mr. Schwartz,
Thank you for your communication.  I, too. am glad you and your staff are
back.  I appreciate all the information that you will send regarding
effective municipal management.
Judy Bennett  Commissioner, Lakeland TN

---I appreciate the e-mail notification and will be
watching for the communications mentioned.
Glad all is as well as it is!
Denise Geminden, Community Development Director, Portland

we're certainly relieved to have you back in busy.  good luck.
russ truell, Jackson

Good afternoon Mr. Schwartz,
Thanks for contacting us and I am certainly glad you were kept in the
budget. You serve a very valuable purpose for Tennessee's cities and I can't
imagine being without your input.
Just to let you know, email is my preferred mode of communication though
phone and mail are media to which I respond almost as readily. I'm loading
you into my address book and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Chris Shofner
Murfreesboro Public Information Officer/Grant Writer (webmaster)

We are all glad you are back too.  Sorry you had to be a pawn in a horrible game.
Austin Fesmire, Parks and Recreation, Athens

Bob:
Good to have MTAS back.
Tony Massey, City Manager, Bristol

Dear Mr. Schwartz,
It is great to see MTAS back at it.  We appreciate all that MTAS does for our
Towns.  When you get an opportunity would you please e-mail me or send to the
Town or Wartrace information about classes for Recording Clerk Certification.
Have a super day!
Thanks, Don Gallagher, Mayor Town of Wartrace

Bob - I think the email is great!  The email address for the City of
Lexington is for business purposes only so it does not get junk.  When
something comes in on my email, I give it immediate attention.  Thanks for
the state revenue estimates.        Sue Wood, City Recorder.

10-4.
Roseanne Hayes Vice Mayor/Metro Council Office Nashville

Bob,
Lets hope things will soon get back to normal, and
that the State will see the wisdom in not doing business as
usual and get on with reforming the financing piece.
Personally, I think the shut-down of state government may ultimately serve a
positive purpose in that it did give a much needed wake up call to people
across the state.  Perhaps the indignation now reflecting itself in the
letters to the editors by "everyday folk" will wake some people up.  Lets
hope it does ultimately have a positive purpose.
I hope all is well down at MTAS.  Thanks for your help to cities and towns.
Ray Griffin, City Manager, Kingsport