Hawes: not exactly the great communicator

When first-year Lee County Administrator Karen Hawes started a blog on the county Web site in January, Coffee Talk applauded her new “pet project.”

Coffee Talk characterized the new communications tool as a welcome alternative to the usual list of county press release items mostly dealing with pets and wildlife. (Not that Coffee Talk doesn't love cats and dogs.)

Few releases ever have anything to do with the economy or are otherwise useful to business interests wanting to help the county solve its number one problem.

Now, five months later, Hawes' blog page hasn't changed a bit, including the not so “New Happenings in our Economic Development Office,” the Jan. 12 state Cabinet's congratulations to the county solid waste department that still misspells the governor's surname (“Christ”), or the “Happy New Year” message at the end.

That message promised a bit more than Hawes has delivered:

“One of my objectives when I accepted the County Manager position was to open communication with our citizens and staff...Therefore, on a regular basis at least weekly you will be able to log on and read the 'County Manager Blog.' The blog will provide you up to date information of current administrative issues.”

Surely Hawes must be busy with budget problems and the economy. But Coffee Talk respectively suggests its time this pet project be groomed or put down.