Linn County to start tweeting

The government of Linn County will soon have a Twitter account.

The supervisors have voted to let Joi Bergman, the county's communications director, open a Twitter account, and to buy her a phone with Internet capability so she can use the online service while she's on the move.

“It'll be Board of Supervisors updates, links to our website where we post our press releases, road closures,” said Joi Bergman, the county's communications director. “I think it'll be a good thing. One more way to get information out to the public.”

Bergman expects to start “tweeting” in August. Twitter is a free social networking website that allows users to post 140-character updates and see other user's updates.

Supervisor Jim Houser expressed concern that tweets from public meetings might be misleading, especially if something hasn't been decided.

Supervisor Ben Rogers pointed out that the meetings are open to the public, and anyone can use Twitter anyway.

“We're expecting (Bergman) to use her usual good judgment,” Supervisor Linda Langston said.

Supervisors Rogers and Brent Oleson already use Twitter, as do Gov. Chet Culver and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. Grassley has often been in the headlines for challenging Congressional Democrats or President Barack Obama on Twitter.

The Linn County Emergency Management Agency started a Twitter account in June, after a wind storm blew through northern Linn County.

“We have a lot of followers,” Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Goldberg said.“It's a quick way to send out activity updates without sending out a full-blown press release.”