Communications office creating content to promote PI

Shawn Cunningham, Special to The County
1 month ago

This past November, the city of Presque Isle created a new department called the Office of Communications. 

Mission

The Office of Communications provides communication of any decisions, discussions and/or information relating to official city business. That includes any statutory public notifications, any responses to comments received from the public relating to any city decisions or discussions, information relating to the development, approval, amendment or termination of a policy, program directives or guidelines and any other information relating to city matters. 

The department created several pieces of signature in-house digital creative content including “Presque Isle is Open For Business,” “Star City Stories,” “Adventures in Aroostook County” and “Star City Live.” 

For the first time ever, interviews with candidates running for open seats on the Presque Isle City Council were conducted and posted online allowing voters the opportunity to learn more about the individuals running for open seats and what they would do if elected.  

Each of these projects has received popular attention, grown audience numbers and highlighted business, community, economic development and political impact happening in Presque Isle and throughout the northern Maine region. 

Viewership is up across all the social media platforms the city has a presence on.

Social Media

Facebook data from January through April indicates that the City of Presque Isle Facebook page had nearly 660,000 views, a reach of 65,000, almost 9,000 interactions and more than 17,000 page visits.  

Creative content 

Here is some of the creative content posted to Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and the city’s YouTube channel:

“Star City Stories” has covered Snowbowl 2025, Poetry Out Loud at the library, Northern Maine Community College job fair, Crayons for Care, Aroostook Sportsman Show, interview with new Councilor Harold Hull, interview on Forum ice skating, interview with Rob Ottaviano at the Forum, snowmobiling guide, Cinderella Dress Project, workshop on menopause, Caribou boys and girls teams going to the state basketball tournament, Tai Chi at the Sargent Family Community Center, Aroostook County Action Program and United Way of Aroostook on heating season, Agency on Aging on importance of volunteers, the upcoming Aroostook Tourism Summit, and the Shriners’ annual Feztival basket raffle.

We completed a city promotional video for microloan program, the benefits of coming to the clerks for municipal help and an upcoming Presque Isle resiliency workshop.

“Open for Business” profiles have included Elevate Audio/Visual Recording Studio, Star City Flooring & Rodney’s.

“Adventures in Aroostook County” has covered the Long Lake Ice Fishing Derby and the Star City 100 New England XC snowmobile race.

There was also an “Inside PI City Hall” on Presque Isle student government visiting City Hall.

Communication engagement

The Office of Communication has been equally busy in the areas of marketing, on-site tours and collaborating with other community entities.

Office achievements include:

Created a new trifold brochure for the city of Presque Isle and the PI Downtown Revitalization Committee

Currently creating/designing the 2024 city report

Coordinated the return of Government Day at PI City Hall. We had the PIHS student government, faculty advisor and SAD 1 Superintendent Greenlaw visit City Hall. They toured the building, met with city staff and department heads to learn all about the range of services and career opportunities that exist here. The event concluded with the students having a first-ever historic student government meeting in council chambers. The event will become an annual event and opportunity for youth to become civically engaged. 

Gave an onsite tour of Presque Isle City Hall for the local 4-H Club.

Creating partnerships with Aroostook County Tourism that will help promote adventures in Aroostook County. 

The office of communications is partnering with the PI Downtown Revitalization Committee on a number of community projects that will bode well and open economic opportunities for the city of Presque Isle. 
Shawn Cunningham is the communications and media officer for the City of Presque Isle. She can be reached at scunningham@presqueisleme.us.