Community contacts help keep the community informed by sharing town information with their neighbors. They also inform the Communications Division about topics requiring more information.

For more information or to become involved, contact the senior communications specialist.

The Communications Division helps manage the town's water and sewer alerts in the emergency notification system OC Alerts. 

The system is a partnership of Orange County and the towns in it. It is separate from the town's utility billing system.

Community members can receive messages through voice or text communication methods. Alerts are sent based on the address provided in the account. Make sure addresses and contact methods are up to date.

To receive water and sewer alerts from the Town of Hillsborough:

1. Register or confirm your registration at ocalertsnc.com.
2. Go to Subscriptions.
3. Go to Community Alerts.
4. Select “Hillsborough water and sewer.”

Note:

• OC Alerts is on the Everbridge platform.
• Addresses of work, school or relatives may be added as secondary addresses.
• Orange Water and Sewer Authority provides service to the Carrboro and Chapel Hill area.  

Sign Up for OC Alerts

The division manages and maintains the town website, which guides community members to town services.

• The homepage includes links to recent news releases.
• Emergency notifications are shared in an alert banner across the top of the website.
• The Ready Hillsborough page includes information on what to do in case of severe weather or a disaster.

The division has won the following awards:

Award of Excellence: Graphic Design: Art (Population 0-120,000) ― for refreshed town branding, including style guide and standardized materials from City-County Communications & Marketing Association in 2022.

First-place Excellence in Communications Award: Branding/Logo ― for refreshed town branding, including style guide and standardized materials from North Carolina City & County Communicators in 2022.

In previous years, the Communications Division also won awards for:

• Communications strategies 
• Newsletters
• Writing in news releases
• Videos, including promotions and public service announcements