The city of Austin is trying a new way to reach out to residents.

Austin officials have begun posting short videos to let citizens know about city issues, from highlights at the latest Austin City Council meetings to specific issues city staff believe residents will want to learn about.

“We thought it was important to try this video blog,” City Administrator Craig Clark said. “Not everybody has the time to watch a full council meeting. We want to keep them short and concise.”

The city released the first video Tuesday, which featured Clark giving a synopsis of the July 6 council meeting,

The upcoming video blogs mark the latest attempt by city officials to increase the city’s communication with residents and become more of an online presence.

Austin officials rolled out a redesigned website for the city in January and substantially increased the city’s Facebook followers over the past year. The city’s online emphasis also includes more applications and forms on its website, as well as more opportunities for residents to connect with staff and elected officials.

“Any time you get more contact with citizens, the better it is,” said Mayor Tom Stiehm. “The more we know what people want, the easier it is to serve them.”

Stiehm addresses residents after every council meeting on KAUS radio, but he said he wouldn’t mind doing video blogs as well if it would serve the city.

All videos will be available on the city’s website, the city of Austin Facebook page, and the city’s Youtube page.