Other views: Keep the public in the loop with information

Information, and lots of it, helped Bismarck-Mandan with the unruly Missouri River this spring. There were regular televised flood updates, intense Facebook traffic, constant tweets, Web links, broadcasts and heavy newspaper coverage all matching the releases from Garrison Dam at every foot-per-second increase in flow.

Record river levels created record flows of information. People wanted — needed — to know.

The inevitable rumors created by the unfolding of the disaster were kept to a minimum because of this enhanced communication. The connected Bismarck-Mandan community could raise and mobilize needed volunteers in a minimum amount of time. People who lived well away from the river got a chance to understand the drama felt by those fighting to save their homes, and by doing so, help the community come together in recovery. Officials were able to “get the word out,” frequently and in depth.

This high-level exchange of information proved critical many times over the days and weeks of preparation for prolonged flows in the Missouri River at well over flood stage. It should not stop now. As thoughts turn to cleanup and recovery — although the Missouri will be operating at its “new normal” well into August — that same kind of free-flowing information will go a long way toward building the confidence for rebuilding.

When “flooded residents” met with the Burleigh County Commissioners recently, a great deal of the meeting was spent dispelling rumors. Clearly, county officials have been working to resolve flooding issues, but the process has become less public, less transparent, and, as a result, the people affected don’t have a solid sense as to what’s going on. Rumors fill that void.

True, sharing all that information takes time. But so does answering questions from citizens angry as the result of misinformation.

The need for televised daily updates has passed. But there are numerous other ways for city and county officials to share information with the citizens they represent. If talking to citizens improved the situation before the crest in the Missouri River, it will help as the river remains above 19 feet and continues its run into August.

There are going to be trials ahead, not just in Burleigh County, but in Bismarck, Mandan and Morton County as well. Keeping people in the loop will be important in making the best of a bad situation.

Tags: other views, opinion, editorials, flood, bismarck