DALTON, Mass.—The cultural council decided to maintain its current priorities after receiving responses from the community survey during its meeting on Monday. 

 

The council's priorities are to improve the quality of life for residents by promoting access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences. 

 

Only four residents responded to the community survey that ran from June 1 until June 30. The goal of the survey was to get community input on local arts and services. The council conducts the survey annually. 

 

Based on this limited feedback, the council agreed that they needed to improve ways to inform residents of the cultural opportunities that the town offers. 

 

Some of the responses lacked clarity but residents expressed that they enjoy having live music in the area but would like to see more local artists showcased. 

 

Of the residents that participated, they reported hearing about cultural events through the town website, local newspapers, Facebook, Twitter, and by word of mouth. 

 

Cultural Council chair Alyssa Maschino has started to work on a page for the town website. She hopes to have it go live in two weeks. 

 

In addition to the website, the council will establish a new Facebook page. Council member Mary Ferrell will start working on a new Facebook page alongside council member Catherine Harris. Ferrell hopes to have the Facebook page go live by the Fall. 

 

The Council previously had a Facebook page but because it is unclear who the previous administrators were, they are unable to gain access to it. 

 

Ferrell said she does have experience running a Facebook page for her daughter Lindsey Ferrell who passed away at 16 due to a drunk driving accident. The page has given over $20,000 in scholarships to Wahconah Regional High School in honor of her.  

 

The council hopes the page and Facebook page will encourage more residents to complete the survey next year so they can get more feedback. 

 

In other news: 

 

The council welcomed its newest members Catherine Harris, Christine Rawson and Sarah Perenick. With these new members, the council now has seven members, a full committee.  Rawson and Perenick were not present during the meeting. 

 

The council has already started planning Dalton Day 2024 and will be having a meeting designated to planning it on Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. 

 

They discussed expanding the event to include other activities like the possibility of having a car show and food trucks. 

 

The council is accepting sponsorships for Dalton Day 2024. They will discuss this in more detail at a later meeting.