City Of Buda Video Series Receives Award From Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers

“We noticed that these posts were receiving much more attention and higher engagement from the public, especially on our Facebook page,” Marino reported.

The City of Buda was recently bestowed an Award of Honor by the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers (TAMIO) for its video series “Buda Back in the Day.”

Public Information Officer David Marino created this series after seeing the overwhelming popularity of the City’s social media Throwback Thursday posts with photos and information about Buda is the 1920s – 1960s.

“We noticed that these posts were receiving much more attention and higher engagement from the public, especially on our Facebook page,” Marino reported. “I saw this as an opportunity to bring our Throwback Thursday posts to life in video form, with interviews from the people who remembered what Buda was like back in the day.”

TAMIO, an affiliate of the Texas Municipal League, was developed in the 1970s in response to the increasing complex role of public information in municipal governments.

Now, TAMIO focuses on providing professional development for public information communicators in municipal governments and on promoting recognition of achievements in communications with citizens.

Marino’s work for the City of Buda has been focused on enhancing its communication efforts and increasing citizens’ opportunities for interaction with the City.

“When I was hired in 2016, the Public Information Officer job was a new position for the City of Buda. My initial goal was to build on what the City had already accomplished in its communication efforts. I focused on building our social media presence, cultivating a relationship with the media and most importantly, connecting with our citizens,” Marino said. “As I got more comfortable in my position, I was able to focus on being more creative in my communications approach. I come from a news background, so I love telling stories. Producing videos was a natural progression for me. I am honored that TAMIO recognized the City of Buda for its communication efforts. I work with a solid team of professionals who have encouraged and helped me grow over the past two years.”

Marino has also created a three-year communications plan for the City of Buda as part of the Certified Public Communicator program through Texas Christian University. He will finish the program in July.

“The plan will help us set strategic goals and refine our communication efforts moving forward. It will go before City Council later this year,” says Marino.

The City of Buda has greatly benefitted from Marino’s efforts and is very grateful for all his hard work. Assistant City Manager Micah Grau says, “We are extremely proud of David and all that he has accomplished for the City of Buda. His efforts to inform and communicate with citizens has resulted in increased citizen engagement and has helped build a stronger rapport between the city and its citizens. This honor is a testament to his creativity and hard work.”

The “Buda Back in the Day” series covers historical Buda landmarks and what they look like and are used for now, such as the Buda Antique Mall, Buda Mill & Grain Co., and Buda Elementary (previously Buda High School).

These videos can be viewed through the City’s social media pages or its YouTube channel.