Official Statement from Communications Coordinator Christie Voos

Communication is so important, isn’t it? And how something is intended isn’t always how it’s received. No matter how much we, as humans, try to do the ‘right’ thing, it’s not seen that way from all perspectives.  
 
We recently learned this lesson in the most difficult of ways.  
 
What started as an email from a City employee to local businesses about compliance with the Bavarian Alpine Theme code unintentionally became something larger. It went on to include a passionate Facebook post that caused, unintentionally, harassment of one of our employees. And it’s ending with a new beginning - an opportunity for better communication.
 
The enforcement of our policies and City code is done in service to the community, in this case, in service to our Bavarian Alpine Theme and the brand the town has built for Leavenworth. And to do things in service means to reach out when needed in ways that not only inform, but also seek to find solutions in a collaborative way.
 
So…our pledge to you is to do better. To review our current processes and communications. To reach out proactively. To forge new – and rekindle old – partnerships with our locals and businesses. We welcome dialogue with the community as we continue to evolve our processes.