People who live in Ozark can expect to be better informed about what’s happening in their city in the future.
A team of professional communicators is now in place in a brand new communications department at Ozark City Hall. Building that team was completed April 1 when Maria Neider took the helm as communications director.
Neider, a KY3 news anchor for nearly 20 years, will oversee all aspects of communications for the city, including media relations, public affairs and internal communications.
Ben DeClue, interim city administrator, said Neider was a clear choice to lead the department that was created in response to a need to make sure citizens know more about their city.
“There was a growing sense from the board (of aldermen) and our staff that we need to tell the story of Ozark to the community,” DeClue said, adding that Neider’s skill set will play a major role in telling that story.
“I see a lot of video in the future,” he said. “Rather than just telling people about something, we’ll show them.”
While leaving her journalism career wasn’t easy, Neider said she’s looking forward to new responsibilities that will allow her to use her storytelling skills and serve the community. She’s also looking forward to spending evenings with her family instead of in a newsroom.
The communications team Neider leads includes Benjamin Ward who joined the staff as communications manager just a few weeks before Neider. His experience includes overseeing internal and external communications at Adult & Teen Challenge USA. Prior to that, he was an executive producer at KOLR 10.
Jacqueline Yoos is the team’s communications specialist. She has worked for the City of Ozark for three years.
Together, they will work toward improving the city’s website, creating videos about things happening in the city, connecting with citizens on social media and developing programs that will keep people better informed about events, city government and issues important to the community.
