Hercules City Council
March 22, 2022

207
Summary of Potential Funding Sources Hercules RITC
Program Information Notes Program Funding LevelFUNDING SOURCES STATE
SB1 Programs
Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (SCCP) -The SCCP funds projects designed to reduce congestion in highly traveled and highly congested corridors through performance improvements that balance transportation improvements, community impacts, and provide environmental benefits.
-City is not eligible directly and would need to apply with a partner agency (i.e. such as Caltrans). Project also needs to be included in a corridor plan. -Initiate discussion with Caltrans and MTC about I-80 Corridor plan and inclusion of RITC.
$250M annually
Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) -For projects related to the routes and transportation infrastructure vital to California’s trade and freight economy.
-Nominations by local agencies and the state.
-Goes to projects that will make:
-Freight rail system improvements
-Enhancements to build up the capacity and efficiency of ports -Would need to demonstrate a strong nexus with freight movement and support support the goals of the National Highway Freight Program, the California Freight Mobility Plan, and the guiding principles in the California Sustainable Freight Action Plan..
-Initiate discussion with Caltrans and MTC about I-80 Corridor plan and inclusion of RITC.
-Last program cycle adoped end of 2020.
$300 M - $800 M per year
statewide
Local Partnership Program (LPP) Provides funding to counties, cities, districts, and regional transportation agencies on a formulaic basis in which voters have approved fees or taxes dedicated solely to transportation improvements.
-CCTA recieves a portions of these funds based on annual Measure J revenues.
-Initiate discussion with CCTA regarding possibility to use LPP formulaic funds to support
remaining phases, including need for local funds to match other funding sources.
$2M annually
Active Transportation Program -Statewide competitive program created to encourage increased use of active modes of transportation, such as biking and walking, increasing the safety and mobility of non-motorized users, advancing efforts of regional agencies to achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals, enhancing public health, and providing a broad spectrum of projects to benefit many types of users including disadvantaged communities
-Applicants should address the potential for the project to support existing and planned housing, especially affordable housing, and show evidence of comprehensive community planning, zoning, and design standards supporting location-efficient development that encourages walking and biking.
-Not best fit for RITC. Complicated application and oversubscribed program.
-Next cycle applications due June 2022
$450 M Statewide
2 year programming cycle
MTC - ATP Component (2023 ATP Cycle 6) -Similar to the statewide program (see above) -Not best fit for RITC. Complicated application and oversubscribed program.
-Next cycle applications due June 2022
$40 M Bay Area Region
2 year programming cycle
Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP)
-Funds capital improvements: intercity, commuter, urban rail & bus and ferry transit. Also looking to fund transformative projects that will significantly reduce vehicle miles traveled, congestion, and greenhouse gas emissions. Projects related to mitigating the impacts on freight rail services that are causedby growth in passenger rail may also be eligible for TIRCP funding
-Funded with Cap-and-Trade and SB-1 funds
-Initiate discussion with CCJPA to brief on the RITC and its role in the regions rail service plans and collaboration opportunities for a funding request.
-Call for projects every 2 years
$500 M - $600 M
Statewide
5 year program

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Summary of Potential Funding Sources Hercules RITC
Program Information Notes Program Funding LevelFUNDING SOURCES STATE (continued)
Natural Resources Agency
Urban Greening -Urban greening and urban forestry projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide multiple additional benefits. This program will give priority consideration to projects located within and benefitting disadvantaged communities.
-Call for projects schedule appears to be based on a funding availability. -Cycle 5 applications due March 2022
-Typical project $1-3 M (Cap and Trade funded)
$47 M
Statewide
Clean California -Funds will go to local communities to beautify and improve local streets and roads, parks, pathways, and transit centers to clean and enhance public spaces. Through the combination of adding beautification measures and art in public spaces along with the removal of litter and debris, this effort will enhance communities and improve spaces for walking and recreation. -Last cycle applications due February 1, 2022.
-Schedule for subsequent cycle not yet available.
$296 M Statewide
State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)
(RIP + ITIP = STIP)
-STIP projects are funded in large part by the state excise tax on gasoline. -Fund sources include State and Federal funds
-The California Transportation Commission/Caltrans administers the funds Regional Improvement Program (RIP) -Made up of 75% of overall STIP expenditures. Sub-allocated to counties by formula. Intercity rail improvements are eligible for these funds. -CCTA proposes projects for the RIP portion of the STIP -CCTA approved 2022 STIP program in fall 2021.
$23 M (2022 STIP Cycle)
Contra Costa Share
Interregional Improvement Program (ITIP) -The ITIP improvements complement transportation improvements funded by RTIPs and other locally controlled funds. Robust transportation networks connecting the State’s major regions, ports,
and borders are vital to California’s larger economic vitality and the economic health of local communities.
-At least 60 percent of the program shall be programmed to projects outside urbanized areas.
-Up to 40 percent may be programmed for projects anywhere in the State subject to the north/south 40/60 split and projects may be State highway, mass transit fixed guideways, or rail grade separations. -State released the 2022 ITIP in fall 2021.
-CTC may be considering a policy change to increase the target amount of rail projects in the future.
$195 M (2022 ITIP Cycle)
Statewide

209
Summary of Potential Funding Sources Hercules RITC
Program Information Notes Program Funding LevelFUNDING SOURCES

FEDERAL
One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) 3 (MTC)
Federal funds programmed by MTC
-OBAG 3 guidelines support policies to strategically advance Plan Bay Area 2050 implementation and include items for:

Growth Framework Implemention
Climate, Conservation, and Resilience
Multimodal Systems Operations and Performance County & Local Programs Investing in PDAs and community-identified projects in Equity Priority Communities (EPCs)
-Initiate discussion with MTC and CCTA to determine how to fund this project within the OBAG3 framework.
-Funds technically administered by Caltrans and/or federal government. -The funds are anticipated to be federal STP and CMAQ funds. -The RITC, as a transit oriented development project should be eligible for both STP and CMAQ.
$375 M
Overall program
Infrastructure Investment and Job Act (IIJA)
RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity -Grant funds are intended to invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve national objectives. Multi-modal, multi- jurisdictional projects that are more difficult to support through traditional DOT programs are eligible.
-Complicated application and oversubscribed program.
-Next cycle applications due April 2022
-Applications have been requested on annual cycle
$1.5 B
(nationwide)
INFRA (Infrastructure for Rebuilding America) -INFRA grants are eligible to fund a project rail project that benefits freight. -Complicated application and oversubscribed program. -Would need to create a strong nexus with freight movement and support for national freight movement and economic benefit.
-Applications have been requested on annual cycle with the last grants approved in mid 2021.
$900 M available in 2021
(nationwide)
-Program to "Modernize and expand passenger rail and improve freight rail efficiency and safety"
-Based on IIJA information sheets, there appears to be new programs or funding categories that we can look to be relesed at a future date. - Description includes: "... and $12 billion for partnership grants for intercity rail service, including highspeed rail. On top of this, California will be eligible to compete for $5 billion for rail improvement and safety grants and $3 billion for grade crossing safety improvements"
-Continue to monitor IIJA for new rail programinformation to be released.

Earmarks -Continue to monitor for opportunities.

WATCH
Link 21
-The program aim is to connect urban and intercity rail throughout the Northern California Megaregion, as envisioned by the California State Rail Plan. The Program’s main goal is to transform the passenger rail network serving the 21-county Northern California Megaregion, which includes the greater San Francisco Bay Area, the Monterey Bay area, the Sacramento area, and the Northern San Joaquin Valley. Our goal is to connect, upgrade, and build upon the current passenger rail system, including the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA/Capitol Corridor).
-Initiate discussion with Link 21 staff (CCJPA/BART) to brief on the RITC and its role in the regions rail service plans.
-Request a presentation from Link 21 staff for City Council FASTER Bay Area
-Proposal for a regional revenue source. Soonest expected to be considered by the electorate would be 2024.
-Initiate discussion with MTC to brief on the RITC project components, role in the regions transportation system, and place in the regional funding program.

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REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL

DATE: Regular Meeting of March 22, 2022
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
SUBMITTED BY: Dante Hall, City Manager
SUBJECT: Review of the Hercules Communications Assessment Report and Discussion

RECOMMENDATION ACTION:

Receive and provide comment on the Communications Assessment report prepared by Tripepi Smith on the City’s existing communication efforts and recommendations for improvement. After comments from the City Council and public, staff intends to use this assessment and recommendations to develop the City’s first Strategic Communications Plan.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact to receiving this report and providing comments.

EXECUTIVE SUMARRY:

The City Council has instructed staff to enhance public outreach, community engagement and social media tools and platforms to facilitate open communication and information sharing with the public.

In late 2021, the City engaged Tripepi Smith to research and review the City’s existing communication efforts. The goal of the assessment was to evaluate the most optimal methods of engagement and communication for the City’s needs to develop the most beneficial and effective communication strategy.

Tripepi Smith began the engagement in January 2022 with a series of interviews with City Council and Staff to review the City’s internal communication efforts—including audiences, platforms, brand, etc.—as well as a variety of internal and external communications platforms available to the City.
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Tripepi Smith has documented existing platforms, identified opportunities for improvement in City communications and surfaced best practices that the City can integrate effectively into existing processes. The Communications Assessment has been attached to this staff report for your review (Attachment 1).

BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS:

In 2017 and 2018, the Mayor and City Council, together with the City’s Executive Management Team updated the City’s Strategic Plan. The strategic planning effort produced a Vision and Mission Statement that places high value on public communication and community engagement.

The City currently communicates through the City website, press releases, social media (such as Facebook and Nextdoor), email, department email newsletters, and the Recreation & Park Departments Activity Guide. However, sometimes the way these tools are used lack coordination and consistency. Additionally, most of the communication is geared toward City Council as the primary audience. This includes reports, presentations and updates presented in a formal manner that sometimes miss the intended audience. A Strategic Communications Plan would allow the City to establish communication policies and use consistent, coordinated, multi-pronged approaches to public outreach and engagement to reach a broader audience.

The City engaged Tripepi Smith to assist the City with developing a strategic communications plan and to assist staff with implementing effective strategies, plans, and tactics to better engage our community. The Communication Assessment is the first step in understanding our existing engagement efforts as we develop a plan for improvement in the future.

ATTACHMENT

1. City of Hercules Express Communications Assessment Report 212
1 City of Hercules
Express Communications
Assessment Report

Submitted: March 11, 2022
By: Ryder Todd Smith, Co-Founder & President
Jennifer Vaughn, Director
Karen Villaseñor, Senior Business Analyst
Cailyn Thompson, Jr. Business Analyst

213
2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
SUMMARIZED RECOMMENDATIONS 5
ABOUT THE CITY OF HERCULES 7
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION 9
ENGAGEMENT APPROACH 9
COMMUNICATIONS TEAM 9
HERCULES BY THE NUMBERS 10
CURRENT COMMUNICATION METHODS 12
OBSERVATIONS 31
RECOMMENDATIONS 34
CONCLUSION 41
APPENDIX A – INTERVIEW PARTICIPANTS 42

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3 Executive Summary
With the goal of strengthening community engagement and communication with the public, the City of Hercules engaged Tripepi Smith to evaluate the City’s existing communication assets and processes. To identify gaps and opportunities for improvement, the firm conducted interviews with five Council members and seven staff members who were selected by the City Manager. The interviews focused on the City’s current methods of communication, which Tripepi Smith later analyzed to offer specific recommendations.

The City Council, City Manager and Executive Leadership Team share a common sentiment that the City must improve overall communication efforts and have started taking pivotal steps to do so, including developing a plan to restructure the Administrative Services Director/City Clerk position to City Clerk/Public Information Officer (PIO) to emphasize PIO duties.

Additionally, following the completion of the communications assessment, Tripepi Smith will provide ongoing communication support to the City. Both steps reflect the communication- related organizational value in the Hercules Strategic Plan 2017: Collaboration, defined as teamwork, communication, community interaction and outreach. The City’s efforts also lay a strong foundation for implementation of Tripepi Smith’s recommendations, which generally center on:

• Strengthening planning processes across departments;
• Optimizing existing communications platforms;
• Regularly collecting and analyzing available metrics; and • Establishing clear policies and procedures as well as a brand and style guide.

Tripepi Smith has outlined a complete list of its observations and recommendations, including specific action steps, at the end of this report. By implementing the firm’s recommendations, the City would be completing a critical move toward the next level of its communication and engagement efforts with the residents of Hercules and meeting key goals in its Strategic Plan.

215
4 Summarized Observations
• The City does not have a full-time staff member dedicated to City communication. • The City Council, City Manager and Executive Management Team share a common sentiment that the City must strengthen community engagement and overall communication with the public.
• City staff is steadfast on enhancing communication efforts and has started taking steps to do so, including developing a plan to restructure the Administrative Services Director/City Clerk role to City Clerk/PIO to emphasize PIO duties. • Although the City is currently in good financial health, the City’s ongoing bankruptcy risk from 2009 to 2011 and embezzlement accusations of a former city manager have left the City with a negative reputation related to financial transparency. • The City has valuable, scientific-based data about the community’s perceptions of the City through results of survey conducted by FM3 Research in January 2022. • The City has a Finance Commission responsible for advising the City Council on various City finance matters.
• A sizeable portion of the population speaks Tagalog/Filipino or Spanish; however, per U.S. Census data, approximately 75% of Tagalog/Filipino and Spanish speakers speak English “very well.”

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5 Summarized Recommendations

1 – Establish Formal Policies and Procedures
Managing Communications efforts is easier and more efficient when an organization has established policies to guide its effort. Policies also provide potential legal protections. The City should consider updating and establishing certain key Communications-related policies. 2 – Establish a Cross-Departmental Communication Planning Processes With minimal staff resources dedicated to communication, the City has not historically had a centralized communication planning process. Generally, staff does not proactively plan or brainstorm communication needs beyond a week-to-week or day-by-day basis. With longer- term plans and goals, and a formal planning process that involves the Executive Management Team, the City can be proactive in its outreach and better engage constituents while simultaneously improving staff efficiency to execute communication. 3 – Optimize Email Communications
The City currently uses eNotifications, an email notification tool within GovAccess, to send email communications. While GovAccess’ internal tools can get the job done, they are not as robust or efficient as email marketing services like Constant Contact or Mailchimp. The City’s Communications efforts would benefit from a stronger email management tool and further organization of email communications.
4 – Optimize Social Media
Social media is an integral element of any municipality’s communication strategy. While Hercules has a presence on Facebook, Nextdoor and YouTube, the City has an opportunity to define planning processes, increase activity on platforms and streamline accounts. 5 – Develop Proactive Media Engagement Strategy
Traditional media continues to play and important role in the current communication landscape, and Hercules has several local outlets that could be leveraged more. Reporters provide different perspectives and viewpoints that engaged residents will consider separately from City messaging.
6 – Measure What Matters
The City does not regularly analyze and report on available metrics for the City’s website, social media or other communication channels. By collecting and analyzing available metrics on a 217
6 regular basis, the City can implement a data-driven approach and gather important insights to improve its communications efforts, as well as determine whether the City is meeting its communication goals.
7 – Develop a Brand/Style Guide
The City does not have an official brand/style guide. A brand/style guide is key for maintaining consistency across communication content, including the website and social media. A brand/style guide can help ensure anyone who creates external-facing content for the City can easily apply its brand.
8 – Collaborate with Local Organizations and Community Groups The City’s audience overlaps with the audiences of several local organizations and community groups within the City, including the local school districts, chamber of commerce, community groups and homeowner associations. Building a relationship with these organizations is a long- term investment that offers various benefits.
9 – Create Communication Plans for Major Initiatives
While some City news and updates may require a single press release or social media post, other topics may need a more strategic approach, increased distribution and ongoing communication. For example, the City may consider a specific communication plan to underscore the City’s financial health to clear any falsification or negative sentiments regarding past transgressions. By establishing a clear communication plan for major initiatives, the City can position itself as the most reliable source of information, mitigate misinformation and take control of the narrative.

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7 About the City of Hercules
The City of Hercules, incorporated in 1900, has a population of just over 26,000 residents and follows a council-manager general law form of government in which a five-member city council governs the City and appoints a city manager to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal Corporation.

According to Data USA’s Hercules Profile1, the City’s median age is 41.2, just slightly older than the median age of 40 for Contra Costa County. Native-born citizens in Hercules are younger with a median age of 31 whereas foreign-born citizens have a median age of 55. More than 33% of the population in Hercules was born outside the United States.

Per Data USA, the City’s racial makeup is 44.5% Asian, 19.1% White, 15% Black, 10.1% Hispanic or Latino, 4.59% two or more races. The median household income is $117,018 and the median property value is $561,600. In comparison, Contra Costa County’s median household income is $107,135 and median property value is $687,600. The City’s poverty rate (4.58%) is lower than Contra Costa County’s (8.7%).

Figure 1 Population by Race in Hercules, CA per Data USA

1 Data USA Hercules Profile: https://datausa.io/profile/geo/hercules-ca

44.5%

19.1%

15.0%

10.1%

4.6%
Population by Race in Hercules
Asian
White
Black
Hispanic or Latino
Two or more races
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8 According to the U.S. Census Bureau Survey, 50.4% of the City’s population speaks only English and 49.6% speak a language other than English. Among those who speak a language other than English, 12% speak Spanish, 25.7% speak Asian and Pacific Island languages and 4% speak other languages. Besides English, Spanish and Tagalog, including Filipino, are the two most common languages spoken in Hercules. Among all Spanish and Tagalog/Filipino speakers in Hercules, approximately 75% speak English “very well.”

Figure 2 Languages Spoken in Hercules, CA per U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 3 Percentage of Tagalog/Filipino and Spanish speakers in Hercules who speak English "very well" or less than "very well"

50.4%
12%0.04%

0.1%

0.8%
7%

0.8%

5.8%

2.7%

13.2%

3.1% 2.4% 1.6%
Languages Spoken in Hercules
English only
Spanish
French, Haitian, or Cajun
German or other West Germanic
languages
Russian, Polish, or other Slavic
languages
Other Indo-European languages
Korean
Chinese (incl. Mandarin,
Cantonese)
Vietnamese
Tagalog (incl. Filipino)
Other Asian and Pacific Island
languages
74%
26%
Tagalog /Filipino Speakers
Speak English "very well"
Speak English less than "very well"
75%
25%
Spanish Speakers
Speak English "very well"
Speak English less than "very well"
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9 The Importance of Communication
Local government is the institution of government that is closest to residents and is often the only point of civic engagement for constituents in a given year. It is also, on average, the most trusted form of government in the United States. Residents can interact directly with elected leaders and City staff in their daily lives; leveraging that interaction to engage residents can create a stronger community.

A strong communication strategy means the government can inform residents of upcoming initiatives, alert constituents to community meetings, and organize community members in case of an emergency. To see the most benefit from their communication efforts, cities must build trust with residents and set their expectations through regular, proactive communications efforts.

The City of Hercules has the opportunity to expand their current communication efforts to further engage the community. Residents and businesses alike would benefit from increased strategic communication efforts across all departments. This report identifies current communication methods, notes where the City has been successful and suggests areas of opportunity to help the City make the most of its communication efforts.

Engagement Approach
Tripepi Smith was engaged to research and review the City’s existing communication efforts.

The goal of the Hercules Express Communications Assessment is to evaluate the most optimal methods of engagement and communication for the City’s needs in order to develop the most beneficial and effective communication strategy.

Tripepi Smith began the engagement in January 2022 with a series of interviews with City Council and Staff to review the City’s internal communication efforts— including audiences, platforms, brand, etc.— as well as a variety of internal and external communications platforms available to the City.

Tripepi Smith has documented existing platforms, identified opportunities for improvement in City communications and surfaced best practices that the City can integrate effectively into existing processes.

Communications Team
The City does not have a position dedicated specifically to communication with the public.

Currently, the City Clerk is the Administrative Services Director and oversees multiple 221
10 departments including Human Resources, IT and Risk Management, in addition to being responsible for Public Information Officer (PIO) duties. The City plans to restructure the Administrative Services Director/City Clerk role to City Clerk/PIO. This will allow an emphasis on the PIO duties and remove the responsibilities of Human Resources, IT and Risk Management from the City Clerk position.

Generally, each department creates and distributes its own messaging and content for external communications. Historically, the City Manager has been closely involved in communication- related tasks such as updating the City’s Facebook Page, posting on Nextdoor and developing the City Manager Bi-weekly Report and Annual Letter.

Hercules By the Numbers
The City of Hercules has several tools with which it can communicate with constituents, each offering an opportunity to reach its audience in a different way. To reach as many audience members as possible, the City must leverage a variety of platforms, including but not limited to websites, social media, email and printed collateral.

To refine and set communications goals, it is important to understand the City’s demographics.

The charts below depict the City of Hercules’ current audience for communications. Data is up to date as of February 1, 2022, unless indicated otherwise.

Given the adoption levels of social media and the algorithms of social networks, it is unrealistic to expect a fan base on a social media site to ever match the size of your potential audience.

But, by comparing the size of the potential reach and the current count of Likes, Followers and Subscribers on the City of Hercules’ social media sites, it provides a quick glimpse at the growth potential for those sites.

Stat Count Notes
City Population 26,016

Data per U.S. Census 2019 American
Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

City Facebook Estimated
Audience Size
17,700 - 20,900

Estimated Audience Size is an estimate of the
range of people who match your targeting
criteria. We determined this audience through
Facebook Ads by creating an ad targeted at
Facebook users ages 13-65+ who self-identify
as living in Hercules.
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11 Stat Count Notes
Registered Voters 16,865 Per the California Secretary of State Nextdoor Members 8,109
Facebook (Police Dept.) 5,263
Instagram (Police Dept.) 1,700
Facebook (Parks and Rec
Dept.)
1,522
Facebook Followers 1,207
Twitter (Police Dept.) 1,189
eNotifcation Subscribers 1,027
YouTube Subscribers 4

26,016
16,865
8,109
5,263
1,700 1,522 1,207 1,189 1,027 4
0 5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
City PopulationRegistered VotersNextdoor Members
Facebook (Police Dept.)Instagram (Police Dept.)
Facebook (Parks and Rec Dept.)
Facebook
Twitter (Police Dept.)
eNotification Subscribers
YouTube
Hercules By the Numbers
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12 Current Communication Methods
Website
The City’s website (ci.hercules.ca.us), redesigned in 2018, runs on Granicus’ GovAccess content management system. Following the redesign, the City completed a Website Redesign Survey using GovAccess’ internal survey tool but received only four responses.

The City uses Google Analytics for website traffic analytics. Information Systems Administrator Faye Flores oversees the City website, but each department publishes and updates its own content to the website.

Google Analytics
While Google Analytics is installed on the website, staff does not currently gather and report on metrics regularly. All Google Analytics data included in this report reflects the 12-month period from February 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022. The City does not have a Google Analytics filter set up to exclude internal staff traffic, which Tripepi Smith typically recommends to ensure website traffic is an accurate representation of an organization’s external audience and not artificially inflated by staff member visits.

General Traffic to the Website
From February 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022, 85,842 Users 2 visited the City’s website 131,286
times (the number of “Sessions”3) and viewed 329,320 pages. Users who visited the website viewed on average 2.51 pages per Session and had an average Session duration of one minute and 47 seconds.

Traffic to the website remained steady throughout the year except for traffic spikes on February 22, May 23, August 3 and January 26.

2 Per Google Analytics, the number of people who have initiated at least one session during the date range. 3 A “Session” is the period time a user is actively engaged with your website.

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13 Date Top-viewed Page Reason for Spike
February 22, 2021 ci.hercules.ca.us/govern
ment/planning
The top-viewed page, besides the homepage,
covered the Safeway Shopping Center opening in
Hercules; the second top-viewed page the
Community Development page. 79.05% of users
accessed the website directly, 19.14% accessed by
organic search, 1.36% accessed by referral and 0.45%
accessed by social/social network.

May 23, 2021 ci.hercules.ca.us/govern
ment/police
The top-viewed page, besides the homepage, was a
reported crime; the second top-viewed page was the
Police Department page. 83.18% of users accessed
the website directly, 16.14% accessed by organic
search, 0.43% accessed by referral and 0.26%
accessed by social/social network.

August 3, 2021 ci.hercules.ca.us/Home/
Components/Calendar/
Event/7800/home
An event on the city calendar; the top viewed page
that day was the Calendar page, but the page is no
longer available. 76.53% of users accessed the
website directly, 19.43% accessed by organic search,

3.26% accessed by referral and 0.78% accessed by
social/social network.

January 26, 2022 ci.hercules.ca.us/gove
rnment/police
A reported crime; the second top-viewed page that
day was the Police page, the top-viewed page was the
home page. 67.23% of users accessed the website
directly, 25.48% accessed by organic search, 4.73%
accessed by referral, 2.56% accessed by social/social
network and .002% accessed by email.

Website users primarily find the website in one of two ways:

1. They are searching for the City of Hercules (or other relevant terms) on search engines such as Google and Bing.

2. They are visiting a browser bookmark, typing the URL into their address bar, or clicking/tapping an email link. This is the “(direct) / (none)” statistic in the chart below. 225
14 Figure 4 – Website referral traffic sources (where users came from).

Top 10 Most-Viewed Webpages
Since the homepage is usually the main entry point for users, it is typically the most popular page on a website; the same is accurate for Hercules. From February 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022, 12.64% of pageviews on the City’s website were of the homepage. Tripepi Smith notes that four of the top pages during the twelve-month time frame were related to the Parks and Recreation Department.

From February 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022, users spent an average of 1 minute and 47 seconds on the website. Of the top 10 most viewed pages, users spent the shortest average amount of time on the Police Log page (16 seconds) and the longest average amount of time on the Outlook 365 Splash Page
4 (6 minutes and 33 seconds). The Splash Page indicates that users will be automatically redirected to an external page within five seconds; the average pageview duration indicates that users are not being redirected within five seconds.

4 The Outlook 365 Splash Page is the webpage users see when they click on the City Email icon on the website footer.
226
15 Figure 5 - Top 10 ci.hercules.ca.us webpages by Pageviews.

Website Traffic Geolocation
Google Analytics estimates the location and language of the City website’s users by matching IP addresses with general geographic locations and noting the language settings in users’ web browsers. From February 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022, Google Analytics reports that the largest number of Users were in Hercules, CA (20,141)
5 when they visited the City’s website followed
by San Francisco, CA (14,355); Richmond, CA (7,319); Pinole, CA (3,574); and Ashburn, VA (2,829). Many websites that use Google Analytics reported higher traffic specifically from Ashburn, VA. Research has shown that most of this traffic is false traffic caused by Amazon’s AWS bots. Because Google uses IP address to determine a user’s location, and IP addresses may be connected to the agency that owns the IP, it’s possible that users showing up under the top four locations are actually residents of Hercules.

User Device Preference
Google Analytics can also determine whether a website visitor is viewing the site on a desktop/laptop computer, a tablet, or a mobile device. Anecdotally, the City’s website has a higher percentage of mobile visitors. Tripepi Smith notes that this is on par with other public agencies in California where Tripepi Smith has typically seen the split between desktop/laptop and mobile/tablet at about 50-50 or skewing heavier toward mobile/tablet devices.

5 Google Analytics reports on the city in which users were located when they visited the website, not necessarily where they live.
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16 Figure 6 - User device choice when viewing ci.hercules.ca.us.

Views
The City’s Google Analytics account is currently only set up with one View6. Google Analytics typically recommends setting up three Views: an Unfiltered view, a Test view and a Master view. The Unfiltered view includes all raw data without any filters. The Test view is used to test any filters that the City might want to configure. The Master view shows the data as captured with filters i.e. data that excludes internal staff traffic.

Website Analysis
Favicon
As of this writing, the City’s website is not configured with a custom favicon (short for “favorite icon”): a favicon is the 16x16 pixel image that displays next to the webpage title in a browser window. The favicon is a small but important element for brand recognition.

Figure 7 – Granicus/GovAccess imagery as the favicon for the ci.hecules.ca.us.

6 Per Google Analytics, a View or reporting view is a subset of a Google Analytics property that can have its own unique configuration settings.

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17 Content Organization
The City’s website has a top navigation bar with five parent pages: Services, Government, Our City, Business and How Do I. The homepage also features a series of buttons below the homepage slider, including a menu of Development Projects, Jobs, Agendas, Police and Recreation Online. Below the series of buttons are two tabs for News/Updates and Meetings/Events. Every page includes a translation button on the top right corner that allows users to auto-translate the website content.

Figure 8 – ci.hercules.ca.us homepage screenshot.

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18 Mobile Design
The site has a mobile-responsive design that helps users easily navigate the website through the web browser on their mobile device. Because website traffic from mobile devices continues to increase over time, having a mobile responsive design is essential.

When users view the website on their mobile device, the top navigation bar becomes a menu icon that opens on the left side to show all parent pages. Pages on the mobile website are formatted as a single column which makes the pages long but easy to read. The internal site search is included at the top of every page.

Site Search
Google Analytics offers a Site Search report which provides data about the type of content users are searching for directly on a website. The City has configured Google Analytics to capture Site Search data, which shows the terms/phrases users are entering in the search bar on ci.hercules.ca.us. Tripepi Smith notes that most searches on the website are related to parks and recreation.

Security
The City’s website has a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate, which is a best practice. An SSL certificate enables encryption of sensitive data during online transactions. SSL certificates 230
19 improve website Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as well: Google uses SSL as a signal in its search ranking algorithms to ensure websites with SSL appear higher in search results.

Privacy Policy
The City does not have a privacy policy that outlines how the City gathers, uses, discloses and manages data they collect from the website. It is best practice to have a Privacy Policy if the City is collecting personal information from residents.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Notice
The website does not have an accessibility statement. Tripepi Smith notes that when searching on the website, a link to a page titled “Americans with Disabilities Act Information,” but upon clicking the link, the page shows a “Page Not Found” notice.

Social Media
The City has three main social media accounts: Facebook, YouTube and Nextdoor.

Additionally, an inactive Twitter account seemingly representing the City exists but has not been updated since 2010.7 In addition to the main accounts, the Parks and Recreation Department has a Facebook Page and the Police Department has a Facebook Page, Instagram and Twitter. The social media accounts are not linked on the City’s website.

Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Lori Martin is the primary manager of all main social media accounts.

Account Main Manager Likes/Followers8 Link
Nextdoor Lori Martin 8,109 Members nextdoor.com/agency- detail/ca/hercules/city-of-
hercules/
Facebook
(Police Dept.)
Commander Joseph
Vasquez / Reserve
Officer
5,263 Followers facebook.com/HerculesPD
Instagram
(Police Dept.)
Commander Joseph
Vasquez / Reserve
Officer
1,700 Followers instagram.com/hercules_pd

7 It is uncertain whether the Twitter account is an imposter account or an account that staff may have created and stopped updating.
8 Data sampled in February 2021.
231
20 Facebook
(Parks and
Recreation)
Various 1,522 Followers facebook.com/herculesrecreatio
n
Facebook Lori Martin 1,207 Followers

facebook.com/cityofhercules
Twitter (Police
Dept.)
Commander Joseph
Vasquez / Reserve
Officer
1,189 Followers twitter.com/hercules_pd
Twitter None 230 Followers twitter.com/CityOfHercules
YouTube Lori Martin 4 Subscribers youtube.com/channel/UCKiRT6 NV0e246MlkybG37Bg

Facebook
Of the City’s main social media accounts, the Facebook Page, with 1,207 Followers, has the second-largest social media audience after Nextdoor (8,109 Members). Of the 1,207 Followers, approximately 67% are women and 33% are men. Both women and men who follow the Page are primarily within the 35-44 and 45-54 age range.

As of this writing, the Page does not use all available features. The Page has not been verified, Response Assistant has not been set up and not all photos include custom alternative text and captions. Pages that leverage all features available appear higher in search results and reach more users through posts. The Page does not currently link to a social media policy. The Page has a cover/profile photo and all sections in the “About” section have been completed using the City’s information.

Figure 1 City Facebook Page audience Gender/Age distribution as of February 2022.

The top five locations where Hercules Page Followers reside are Hercules, CA (51%), Pinole, CA (5.2%), Rodeo, CA (4.1%), Richmond, CA (3.9%) and San Francisco, CA (3.1%). 232
21 Based on data from all posts on the City of Hercules Facebook Page, the posts with the most reach and engagement9 have been related to staff changes but the posts with the most likes and reactions were related to community development projects and updates.

Figure 9 - Facebook Page Reach10 from February 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022.

On its Facebook Page, the City typically publishes content related to events, educational information, public meetings and updates. As of this writing, the City has not spent money on any Facebook advertising or boosted posts. The Page currently does not11 have a disclaimer set up to run “Ads about Politics, Elections or Social Issues,” which are required for municipalities seeking to run ad placements12. Not having a disclaimer could flag future City boosted posts and/or ads.

9 Facebook defines Reach as the number of people who saw your post at least once, while it defines Engagement as the total number of actions that people take on your post, which includes liking, commenting on or sharing a post. 10 The number of people who saw any content from your Page or about your Page, including posts, stories, ads, social information from people who interact with your Page and more. 11 Prior to the completion of this report, Tripepi Smith set up a disclaimer on the City’s Page to run ads related to the City’s Housing Element Update.
12 Due to the political nature of local governments, Facebook tends to flag any ads published by cities whether their content is directly about politics, elections or social issues. 233
22 Figure 10 - Examples of top-performing posts on Hercules’ Facebook Page.

Community-Managed Facebook Groups
Residents of Hercules, CA
The Residents of Hercules, CA Group is an active private group with approximately 3,100 members. Within the group, community members ask questions, post about events happening in Hercules, share information and ideas, and advocate for what they want for their city.

Hercules Rodeo Crockett Community Garage Sales
The Hercules Rodeo Crockett Community Garage Sales Group is a private group with approximately 4,200 members. The group allows community members to buy, sell and trade items. Additionally, members use the group to provide information about the local area, events and information for the community.

West Contra Costa (Hercules/Pinole & Beyond)
The West Contra Costa (Hercules/Pinole & Beyond) Group is a private group with approximately 1,200 members. The group was created for users to post about local events, garage sales, school information, job information and local news.

Being Neighborly BN Family Hercules/Rodeo
The Being Neighborly BN Family Hercules/Rodeo Group is a private group with 684 members.

The Group is geared towards residents of Hercules/Rodeo who are also members of the Buy Nothing Hercules and Buy Nothing Rodeo groups. Within the group, members ask for recommendations, communicate with neighbors and make connections in the community. 234
23 Being Neighborly BN Family Hercules/Rodeo
The Buy Nothing Hercules/Rodeo, CA Group is a private group with 885 members. The group allows members to post anything they would like to give away, lend or share with another member of the community. The group promotes a “hyper-local gift economy.” YouTube
The City joined YouTube in March 2020 and has uploaded 14 videos, which have a total of 939 views. From Feb. 1, 2021 to Jan. 31, 2022, the Channel received 121 views across all videos with an average duration of 36 seconds. The most popular video during this time period was “Council Member Alexander Walker-Griffin Swearing In,” which has 37 views. As of this writing, the most recent posts within the City channel are City Council Meetings, workshops and Planning Commission Meetings.

The Channel is currently set up as a Brand Account, which allows users to log into the YouTube account using their own emails rather than sharing the login information. The Channel has a profile photo, and but does not have a cover photo. Videos on the Channel do not currently include “End Screens
13,” which could direct viewers to other videos, playlists, or to the City’s website.

Nextdoor
With 8,109 Members, Nextdoor has the City’s largest social media audience. Per Nextdoor, there are 5,308 claimed households within 18 neighborhoods. From Feb. 1, 2021 to Jan. 31, 2022, the City published 15 posts on Nextdoor.

Email Communications
eNotifications
The City uses GovAccess’ internal eNotifications tool to send subscribers email notifications when a Calendar or News item is published on the website. Residents can sign up for eNotifications on the City’s website at Ci.Hercules.Ca.Us/Our-City/eNotice-Sign-Up and may sign up for all email updates or limit their subscription to only receive updates about specific categories.

As of January 31, 2022, the City had 1,027 subscribers signed up for eNotifications. The most popular category within the Calendar options is Community Events (540 subscribers) followed

13 YouTube End Screens: End screens can be added to the last 5 to 20 seconds of a YouTube video. They are used to promote other videos, encourage viewers to subscribe, and more. 235
24 by Planning Commission (525 subscribers). Within the News options, the most popular category is Major Projects (693 subscribers) followed by City Manager Updates (593 subscribers).

GovAccess eNotifications Category Subscribers14
Calendar
Community Events 540
Planning Commission 525
City Council 513
Recreation Classes and Events 468
Community and Library Services Commission 415
Miscellaneous 398
Finance Commission 194
Extranet 126
News
Major Projects 693
City Manager Updates 593
Press Releases 537
Special Events 531
Parks and Recreation 528
Police/Chief’s Corner 495
Miscellaneous 425
RFP Notifications 294
Fire 225
Extranet 133
Coronavirus 74

From February 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022, the City sent 139 eNotifications, averaging approximately 12 email updates per month. The majority of eNotifications were Calendar updates about public meetings and holiday observances. Across all eNotifications sent during the 12-month time period, the average open rate
15 was 33.43%.

14 Because subscribers can sign up for multiple categories, the sum of the subscribers across all lists does not add up to the total subscribers (1,027).
15 The percentage of subscribers who opened an email out of the total number subscribers who received the email. 236
25 The City does not have a dedicated staff to manage eNotifications. In general, staff members within each department may access the website to schedule eNotifications.

Newsletters and Publications
Annual City Manager Letter
The City Manager distributes an annual letter that highlights the City’s accomplishments from the previous year and items of interest for the new year. The two-page document is posted on the City’s website News section as a PDF and mailed to all residences in Hercules. Additionally, the letter is sent as an eNotification to residents subscribed to City Manager Updates.

Within the letter, the City Manager provides general updates regarding topics like city finances, community development and capital improvement projects. The City Manager works with department directors to create content for the letter, with final edits and approval from the City Manager.

Bi-weekly City Manager Newsletter
The City Manager’s Bi-weekly Report is designed to keep residents informed of the City’s latest news and developments. The newsletter, published every two weeks, is generally about 20 pages and includes updates from each City department.

The City’s Administrative Secretary Clarisse Saechao is responsible for developing the newsletter. Each City department is responsible for sending Clarisse a summary of their news and updates. Clarisse edits the content as necessary then creates the newsletter as a PDF.

Each Bi-weekly Report is published on the News section of the City’s website and sent as an eNotification to subscribers who signed up to receive City Manager’s Updates. From February 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022, the City published 23 Bi-weekly Reports.

Parks and Recreation Activity Guide
The Parks and Recreation Department creates and distributes a seasonal Activity Guide three times per year, with summer, fall and winter/spring issues. Each issue covers four months of activities and programs offered by the Parks and Recreation Department. The summer issues have 36 pages and the winter/spring and fall issues have 28 pages; the difference in pages is due to the number of classes offered during each four-month period.

The Parks and Recreation Department has four full-time staff members that manage the process of creating the Activity Guide. Creating content for the Activity Guide is a joint effort; each program lead provides information about their programs. The department outsources 237
26 design and printing to Wesco Graphics, Inc., a design firm in Tracy, CA, and has been working with the firm for four years.

Currently, the Activity Guide is only distributed electronically and can be found on the Parks and Recreation Department page on the City’s website. Prior to the pandemic, the City printed and mailed the Activity Guide directly to city residents. The City plans to print and mail the next summer issue of the Activity Guide in March of 2022. For the summer issue, printing and design would cost approximately $5,000 the winter/spring and fall issues cost approximately $250 less due to these issues having fewer pages. Prior to the pandemic, mailing costs were between $1,250 - $1,300 but have now increased to $1500+. The department prints 10,000 copies of each issue.

Local Media
Newspapers
West County Times
The West County Times, a section of the East Bay Times, is a Bay Area News Group publication that covers West Contra Costa County in California. According to the Bay Area News Group 16,
the East Bay Times has a daily print readership that averages 203,700 (298,400 on Sunday); combined with their online publication that number is over 960,000. West County Times has a Facebook Page with 2,640 likes and 2,704 followers. On their Facebook Page, they post about and link to their articles on the East Bay Times website.

Bay Area News Group
The Bay Area News Group, part of the Media News Group, is a media company with a portfolio comprised of regional news publications and advertising products. It is a leading news source for communities in the San Francisco Bay. Their weekly audience exceeds 5 million through print and digital publications.

Bay City News Service
The Bay City News Service is a general-interest wire service that serves the San Francisco Bay Area. Bay City News provides reports directly to media organizations, news websites, public

16 bayareanewsgroup.com
238
27 affairs firms and government agencies in the region. According to The Bay City News Foundation17, Bay City News has 114,000 monthly users.

Television
KRON – Channel 4 (KRON4)
KRON 4, under Nexstar Media Group, Inc., is a regional news station that serves the San Francisco Bay Area.

KTVU – Fox
KTVU, owned by Fox, is a television station that serves the San Francisco Bay Area.

Telemundo Area de la Bahía 48 - NBCUniversal
Telemundo 48 is a local television station owned by NBC Universal which provides local news to the Spanish-speaking communities in the San Francisco and San Jose area.

KGO-TV – ABC
KGO-TV is a local virtual channel owned by ABC. KGO-TV covers the greater Bay Area.

Press Release Distribution
The City does not regularly develop or distribute press releases. Occasionally, a department director and/or the city manager will develop a press release and send it to the city clerk for distribution. Additionally, the Police Department employs a dedicated volunteer in the role of PIO who assists with media relations. The PIO drafts press releases and, following approval from the Chief, distributes them to the media outlets listed above.

Miscellaneous
This section covers elements of the City’s communications efforts that are not as traditional or as visible in terms of external Communications tactics.

Banners and Signboards
The City has several dedicated locations throughout Hercules where they offer banner and signboard advertisements. Local businesses and non-profit organizations may pay to reserve the advertisements, but the placements are prioritized for City programs, events and services.

17 baycitynews.org
239
28 The three available locations for the banner advertisements include Sycamore and Refugio Valley Road, Sycamore and Willow Ave, and Willow Ave and Parks & Ride. The banners must be 4 by 8 feet. The signboard placements, which must be 21 by 31 inches, are available at Refugio Valley Road near Hannah Ranch School, Refugio Valley Road and Sycamore, Sycamore and Turquoise, Refugio Valley Road and Community Center and San Pablo Avenue and Alfred Nobel.

ZenCity
In February 2022, the City engaged ZenCity to more closely monitor social media across the city. ZenCity will view posts about Hercules via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and use artificial intelligence to determine positive and negative sentiments relative to those posts.

ZenCity can also be used to survey the residents on a continual basis to assess resident satisfaction with city services. The City’s goal is to utilize the data from ZenCity to proactively generate positive stories and educate the community about upcoming projects and initiatives.

Community Survey
The City of Hercules partnered with FM3 Research and The Lew Edwards Group to survey the community to assist with City Council goal-setting and long-term budget planning. Specifically, the survey focused on perceptions of the city, its financial stability, interest in extending a tax measure, as well as consideration of adopting a city charter in order to establish a property transfer tax.

The survey was conducted January 3-17, 2022 via email and phone interviews with 324 “likely November 2022 voters” in the City. The results were largely favorable and demonstrated a positive outlook from the residents’ perspective. A majority of the participants (56%) feel the City of Hercules is headed in the “right direction.” Concerns about the past indiscretions have declined significantly since 2012 when the city suffered an economic hardship putting them on the brink of bankruptcy. The most serious issues perceived to be impacting the city are crime and traffic.

While the City is perceived as doing a good job at managing its budget and finances, 62% still believe the City has a need for additional funding. And, 67% were in favor of extending Measure C, the 8% Utility User Tax (UUT), which generates approximately $3.6 million to the City’s general fund. There was a correlation between those that perceived the need for additional funding and support for the measure.

Respondents were equally split on whether they would be interested in adopting a city charter in order to establish a local property transfer tax. Albeit, this survey question did not include a 240
29 proposed tax rate. It was simply to gauge whether there was an appetite for it. Voters are unsure whether the City should adopt a city charter with a limited capability of establishing a real property transfer tax. However, with additional communication and education, there’s a possibility for strengthened support.

In summary, the residents prioritized financial stability and accountability; keeping funds away from Sacramento; maintaining police services; drinking water quality; parks and recreation programs; supporting local businesses and reducing traffic congestion. Next steps were for the city to determine whether an extension of Measure C and/or adoption of a city charter with a property transfer tax can address those priorities.

Related Agencies
Bay Front Chamber of Commerce
The Bay Front Chamber of Commerce is a regional chamber that serves the cities of Hercules, Pinole and Rodeo. The group provides its members with opportunities to learn, network and promote their businesses. Their mission is to lead their communities towards sustainable economic growth, to advocate a pro-business climate for their members and to honor their history while embracing the future promise of their shared economic vision

18. The City of Hercules is a sponsor of the Bay Front Chamber of Commerce. In July 2021, the Hercules City Council agreed to contribute $25,000 to the Chamber in exchange for planning 5 special events for the City. In 2020, they published a membership directory which was included in Welcome Packets for new residents. With one hundred seventy residences moving in at The Exchange and homes being sold in the community, the Chamber members had the opportunity to include coupons and other marketing materials in them to promote businesses.

On its website, bayfrontchamber.com, the Chamber promotes events through its master calendar. The website also has a business directory, e-notification system and resources tool.

The Chamber sends out their monthly eNewsletter and special eblasts through their e- notification system. Their eNewsletter includes upcoming events, new member listings, spotlight stories and more.

The Chamber of Commerce has an active Facebook Page, facebook.com/bayfrontchamber, with 590 likes and 739 followers. They use their Facebook Page to promote member

18 bayfrontchamber.com
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30 businesses and events. While they also have a LinkedIn page, the Page only has 19 followers and zero posts.

School Districts
West Contra Costa Unified School District
West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD), established in 1965, covers many cities and unincorporated areas in West Contra Costa, including Hercules with 3 elementary schools, a middle school and high school within the city. WCCUSD is active on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter; they also have a separate Twitter account for Spanish translations. The district uses their website and social media platforms to provide relevant information to the community.

John Swett Unified School District
John Swett Unified School District (JSUSD) serves over 1,400 students in the cities of Rodeo, Hercules, Crockett and Port Costa. While each of the schools within JSUSD are outside Hercules city limits, the District is active on Facebook with 503 followers and uses the platform to provide relevant information to the community.

Community Groups
The Rotary Club of Hercules
The Rotary Club of Hercules, an organization dedicated to serving their community, coordinates several community service projects, including garden conservation projects and coastal cleanups. The organization has a Facebook Page with 2,162 likes and 2,172 followers but has not been active since June 2021.

Pinole, Hercules, Rodeo, El Sobrante for Equity and Diversity (PHREED) PHREED is a local community group focused on equity and diversity through the lens of education, policing and community. They are actively involved in communicating about city activities and encouraging representatives to adopt and implement equitable policies and practices.

Homeowner Associations (HOAs)
There are 31 HOAs in Hercules where residents regularly communicate about their respective neighborhoods, the upkeep and proposed developments.
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31 Observations
General
• The City does not have a full-time staff member dedicated to City communication. • The City Council, City Manager and Executive Management Team share a common sentiment that the City must strengthen community engagement and overall communication with the public.
• City staff is steadfast on enhancing communication efforts and has started taking steps to do so, including developing a plan to restructure the Administrative Services Director/City Clerk role to City Clerk/PIO to emphasize PIO duties. • Although the City is currently in good financial health, the City’s ongoing bankruptcy risk from 2009 to 2011 and embezzlement accusations of a former city manager have left the City with a negative reputation related to financial transparency. • The City has valuable, scientific-based data about the community’s perceptions of the City through results of survey conducted by FM3 Research in January 2022. • The City has a Finance Commission responsible for advising the City Council on various City finance matters.
• A sizeable portion of the population speaks Tagalog/Filipino or Spanish; however, per U.S. Census data, approximately 75% of Tagalog/Filipino and Spanish speakers speak English “very well.”
Strategy & Policy
● The Hercules Strategic Plan 2017, most recently updated and adopted on May 8, 2018, identifies Collaboration— defined as teamwork, communication, community interaction and outreach— as one of its six organizational values.
● A SWOT Analysis within City’s Strategic Plan 2017 identifies branding as a weakness; the plan lists branding as a strategic goal.
● The City does not have a brand standards and style guide. ● The City does not have a social media policy, media relations policy or other communication-related policy.
● The City does not have a media relations strategy or established press release distribution procedures to drive press coverage.

Website
● The City’s website, which operates on the Granicus’ GovAccess content management system, was redesigned in 2018.
243
32 ● Following the website redesign, the City completed a Website Redesign Satisfaction Survey but did not receive sufficient responses to form valuable feedback. ● The website is mobile responsive.
● Google Analytics is installed on the website, but staff does not regularly analyze and report on website metrics.
● The City’s Google Analytics account is not fully configured as typically recommended. ● The City does not have a website privacy policy.

Social Media
● From content development to scheduling and posting, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk, Lori Martin manages all aspects of the City’s social media sites. ● The City does not use a social media management tool such as Hootsuite or Sprout Social, to schedule social media posts and monitor comments/messages. ● The City does not currently regularly collect and report on social media metrics. ● The City does not currently maintain a social media calendar. ● The City’s Facebook post are primarily auto-posts from the GovAccess when the City Manager Bi-weekly Report is published; the City rarely posts on Nextdoor.

Media Relations
● The City doesn’t have an official spokesperson; if a reporter reaches out to staff, they will typically connect with the City Manager before providing any information. ● The City does not have a formal Media Relations/Inquiry Policy. ● With the exception of the Police Department, the City does not regularly develop and distribute press releases.
● The Police Department has an internal Public Information Officer who handles the Department’s press releases.

Email Communications
● The City uses GovAccess internal eNotifications tool for email notifications, which is not as robust as popular third-party email marketing tools like Mailchimp or Constant Contact.
● Residents can sign up to receive eNotifications through the City’s website. ● The most popular eNotification subscription categories are Major Projects and City Manager Updates.
244
33 ● The City’s most consistent form of communication with the public, the City Manager Bi- weekly Newsletter, is distributed via eNotifications.
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34 Recommendations
Following staff interviews and additional research and analysis, Tripepi Smith developed the recommendations below to help the City of Hercules strengthen community engagement and enhance communication with the public. The recommendations include a general goal and specific action steps; each recommendation is intended to improve execution, delivery and impact of the City’s communications with its audiences. 1 – Establish Formal Policies and Procedures
Managing Communications efforts is easier and more efficient when an organization has established policies to guide its effort. Policies also provide potential legal protections. The City should consider updating and establishing certain key Communications-related policies.

Action Steps
• Establish a formal Media Relations/Inquiry Policy or procedure. At a minimum, the Policy should identify:
o A single spokesperson who is responsible for funneling media inquiries and vice- versa.
o How and when staff and elected officials may interact with the media. o When press releases should include quotes from the Mayor, other Council members, Directors or the City Manager.
• Establish an internal and external Social Media Policy. At a minimum, the polices should outline:
o Internal: governance, branding consistency, content guidelines for posts and comments, enforcement, records retention, employee engagement on agency and non-agency social media sites, council member engagement o agency social media sites.
o External: content guidelines for posts and comments, alternate methods for contact staff and submitting complaints.
• Identify who is responsible for enforcing the City’s Communications-related policies. • Ensure staff across all departments are aware of the City’s Communications-related policies and where they can be found.
• Link policies appropriately across City platforms. For example, a social media policy should be available on the website and all social media platforms. • Establish guidelines regarding when translation of content is needed. 246
35 2 – Establish a Cross-Departmental Communication Planning Processes With minimal staff resources dedicated to communication, the City has not historically had a centralized communication planning process. Generally, staff does not proactively plan or brainstorm communications needs beyond a week-to-week or day-by-day basis. With longer- term plans and goals, and a formal planning process that involves the Executive Management Team, the City can be proactive in its outreach and better engage constituents while simultaneously improving staff efficiency to execute communication.

Action Steps
• Create an ongoing communication calendar in which to organize communication opportunities, as well as the platforms on which each item will be distributed (press release, website, social media, etc.) and its timing.
• Establish a quarterly cross-departmental communication meeting in which all departments are involved and are prepared to identify their top communication stories for the next 12 months. These items should be organized in the City’s communications calendar.
• Assign a resource within each City department to take lead on identifying communication opportunities and proactively reaching out to the incoming City Clerk/PIO with information.
• Ensure that the City’s incoming City Clerk/PIO is regularly involved in the City’s regularly scheduled leadership team meetings so they: (1) remain updated on happenings across departments, and (2) can identify communication opportunities early on and in between quarterly cross-departmental communications meetings. 3 – Optimize Email Communications
The City currently uses eNotifications, an email notification tool within GovAccess, to send email communications. While GovAccess’ internal tools can get the job done, they are not as robust or efficient as email marketing services like Constant Contact or Mailchimp. The City’s Communications efforts would benefit from a stronger email management tool and further organization of email communications.

Action Steps
• Subscribe to an email marketing tool like Constant Contact or Mailchimp. Subscription costs are based on the number of email addresses that will be uploaded to the account. • Export email subscribers from GovAccess and import them into the new email marketing tool, ensuring to create individual email lists based on existing categories in the eNotifications tool.
247
36 • Develop branded email templates for regular email communications, such as the City Manager Bi-weekly Report and City Council Meeting Agendas. • Regularly collect and analyze available metrics, including Open Rate, Click Rate, Top Links, and percentage of Open Rate on mobile versus desktop. Use these to inform future content strategy, such as send times and subject lines. 4 – Optimize Social Media
Social media is an integral element of any municipality’s communication strategy. While Hercules has a presence on Facebook, Nextdoor and YouTube, the City has an opportunity to define planning processes, increase activity on platforms and streamline accounts.

Action Steps
• Consider adding Instagram and Twitter to the City’s arsenal of social media accounts; at a minimum, save the @CityOfHercules username on Instagram and begin the process to take ownership of the current, inactive @CityOfHercules Twitter account. • Develop a social media calendar to ensure communication opportunities are identified and communicated via social media when necessary.
• Establish a regular social media monitoring schedule. With ZenCity, the City has increased visibility of social media posts related to the City. Ensure ZenCity reports are regularly reviewed and used to guide social media content as well as other City communication.
• Increase posting frequency across all platforms, especially Nextdoor which has the City’s largest audience on social media.
• Based on experience with dozens of public agencies, Tripepi Smith generally recommends posting no less than five times a week, one post per weekday.; however, ultimately, the City should use its social media calendar to determine messaging needs and post frequency.
• Take full advantage of branding/customization features on each platform to provide visitors and followers with as much useful information as possible. Ensure that branding across the City’s social media accounts are consistent in colors images and words. • Coordinate with Parks and Recreation and Police Department for opportunities to share City information on each department’s social media accounts and vice versa. • Allocate a portion of the annual budget (anecdotally, $2,000 is a good starting point) to support “Boosting” Posts on Facebook, advertising and general paid engagement strategies across social media, but with an emphasis on Facebook. Spending should be geographically targeted at those living in Hercules, unless purposely trying to reach a broader audience.
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37 o Launch social media advertising campaigns specifically to gain new Likes/Fans/Followers on the various platforms, including any new ones the City chooses to establish.
o Monitor the outcome and engagement results of the advertising to identify what works and what does not work, and how it plays with the Hercules audience. • Identify City-specific hashtags to facilitate ease of discovery and a shared City voice on community activity that can be used by sister agencies, community partners and residents alike. Hashtags should include the name of the City. • Ensure the City’s website has links to its main social media sites in the website header and/or footer, so they are visible on every page.
• Standardize all staff email signatures to include links to the City’s digital assets, especially the City website, social media sites and any sign-up forms. • Create a dedicated City webpage that includes links to the City’s digital assets, such as all social media sites and any sign-up forms.
5 – Develop Proactive Media Engagement Strategy
Traditional media continues to play and important role in the current communication landscape, and Hercules has several local outlets that could be leveraged more. Reporters provide different perspectives and viewpoints that engaged residents will consider separately from City messaging.

Action Steps
• Identify reporters across local and regional media outlets that cover local governments and compile contact information into a master media list. • Build a professional relationship with reporters who frequently cover City news and periodically offer to meet with them to discuss potential story ideas. • Regularly develop press releases and distribute to contacts in master media list. • Develop “holding” press releases for routine or anticipated items that can quickly be customized, depending on the situation. Examples include: hiring and retirement of senior staff, anticipated project completions, or breaking news items (such as road closures).
• Regularly update News & Updates page on the City website with press releases. 6 – Measure What Matters
The City does not regularly analyze and report on available metrics for the City’s website, social media or other communication channels. By collecting and analyzing available metrics on a regular basis, the City can implement a data-driven approach and gather important insights to 249
38 improve its communications efforts, as well as determine whether the City is meeting its communication goals.

Action Steps
• Whether monthly or quarterly, establish a regular schedule for collecting and analyzing metrics on the City’s website and social media platforms. o Website: Sessions, Users, Avg. Sessions Per Day, Avg. Session Length, Top Pages, Most/Least Active Days, Traffic Source, Site Search Top Keywords o Social Media: Likes, Followers, Number of Posts, Post Reach, Post Engagement § To start, rather than comparing to or striving for industry standards, Tripepi Smith recommends that Hercules establish its own benchmarks for these key performance indicators. To determine benchmarks, collect and analyze metrics for the past six months. While regularly collecting and analyzing metrics, the City should document changes to its benchmark rates. For example, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many cities experienced spikes across metrics in tandem with new health orders/restrictions. Conversely, cities generally maintained or dipped below their updated benchmark rates as industries reopened. Outside the pandemic, the City may hit new benchmarks following a campaign to garner more Followers or if an outreach tool, such as Facebook, were to automatically remove SPAM/bot accounts systemwide.
§ Regularly compare metrics to the baseline averages.
§ The City should aim to stay within 5% above or below of each average for Sessions, Users, Avg. Sessions Per Day and Session Length, Post Reach, and Post Engagement. For Likes and Followers, the City should strive to maintain or increase growth.
§ By accounting for Top Pages, Most/Least Active Days, Traffic Source and Site Search Top Keywords, the City will learn what information its community is interested in. The City should use this qualitative data to inform choices on organizing and maintaining website content. • Regularly discuss insights from each report and always use the latest report to inform future strategies for messaging and distribution of communication. • Discuss metric reports at quarterly content calendar meetings to encourage staff investment in outreach and inform message strategy.
• Finish configuring the City’s Google Analytics account to ensure quality data is retrieved:
o Create an additional “data view” for testing filters. 250
39 o Create a “filter” to exclude internal staff traffic. o Enable Google Search Console.
o Review the Search Term report within Site Search for guidance on which information to make easily available on the homepage.
• The website’s current most popular pages should be regularly reviewed and matched with easy-to-find links on the homepage.
• During cross-departmental communications meetings, discuss metric reports to ensure all departments are on the same page about what is working and what needs fine- tuning in terms of the City’s communications.
7 – Develop a Brand/Style Guide
The City does not have an official brand/style guide. A brand/style guide is key for maintaining consistency across communication content, including the website and social media. A brand/style guide can help ensure anyone who creates external-facing content for the City can easily apply its brand.

Action Steps
• Determine the City’s official logo and specific guidelines for how the logo can be used, including varying sizes, colors and positions.
• Establish the City’s official brand colors and limits to variations that can be used. • Determine the City’s official fonts and provide guidelines on how the fonts can be used. • Develop a shortened “cheat sheet” document that outlines key guidelines for the City’s logo, colors and fonts.
8 – Collaborate with Local Organizations and Community Groups The City’s audience overlaps with the audiences of several local organizations and community groups within the City, including the local school districts, chamber of commerce, community groups and homeowner associations. Building a relationship with these organizations is a long- term investment that offers various benefits.

Action Steps
• Identify exact point of contacts for each local organization and community group. • Assign a staff member, likely the incoming City Clerk/PIO, to maintain regular communication with organization contacts.
• Follow and engage with these community organizations and groups on social media to build online engagement.
251
40 9 – Create Communication Plans for Major Initiatives While some City news and updates may require a single press release or social media post, other topics may need a more strategic approach, increased distribution and ongoing communication. For example, the City may consider a specific communication plan to underscore the City’s financial health to clear any falsification or negative sentiments regarding past transgressions. By establishing a clear communication plan for major initiatives, the City can position itself as the most reliable source of information, mitigate misinformation and take control of the narrative.

Action Steps
• Identify major initiatives within the City’s communication calendar. • Define target audiences for the initiative.
• Analyze the City’s existing communication toolset and determine which tools need to be used.
• Develop key messaging and talking points to be used across all communication collateral.
• Assign resources to execute on various communications. • Identify metrics that will determine communication success.

252
41 Conclusion
With clear ambitions to strengthen communications and community engagement, the City of Hercules is well on its way to achieve the next level of success when it comes to reaching and engaging with its community.

The City has already laid a strong foundation for improving its efforts, including emphasizing the PIO duties included in the City Clerk position and engaging Tripepi Smith to assist with ongoing communication efforts. By implementing Tripepi Smith’s recommendations, the City can reach a higher level of engagement with its community and further realize key goals identified in its Strategic Plan 2017.

253
42 Appendix A – Interview Participants
Name Position
Dion Bailey Mayor
Alexander Walker-Griffin Vice Mayor
Dan Romero Council Member
Chris Kelley Council Member
Tiffany Grimsley Council Member
Dante Hall City Manager
Lori Martin Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Edwin Gato Finance Director
Robert Reber Community Development Director
Michael Roberts Public Works Director
Christopher Roke Parks & Recreation Director
William Imboden Police Chief

254
City of Hercules
Express Communications Assessment Findings
March 22, 2022
255
Why We Are Here
Hercules asked Tripepi Smith to analyze:

1. Social media

2. Print materials

3. Digital materials

4. Community engagement

5. Other communication methods and processes
256
Assessment Process

1. Dante Hall – City Manager

2. Lori Martin – Administrative Services
Director/City Clerk

3. Edwin Gato – Finance Director

4. Robert Reber – Community
Development Director

5. Michael Roberts – Public Works
Director

6. Christopher Roke – Parks and
Recreation Director

7. William Imboden – Police Chief

1. Dion Bailey – Mayor

2. Alexander Walker-Griffin – Vice
Mayor

3. Dan Romero – Council Member

4. Chris Kelley – Council Member

5. Tiffany Grimsley – Council Member
Discovery – 12 Interviews with City Council and City Staff 257
Assessment Process
• Documentation – Verification of Facts Statements via
Follow-Up with Staff
• Analysis – Social Media, Website, Emails
• Recommendations – 42-page report with specific Action Steps in 9 Recommendation areas
258
Why Communication Matters
259
Why Communication Matters
• Support Transparency in Local Government and
Establish Trust
• Gather Community Feedback Before an Issue
Becomes a Crisis
• Educate Residents on Staying Informed
260
26,016
16,865
8,109
5,263
1,700 1,522 1,207 1,189 1,027 230 4
0 5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
City
Population
Registered
Voters
Nextdoor
Members
Facebook
(Police
Dept.)
Followers
Instagram
(Police
Dept.)
Followers
Facebook
(Parks and
Recreation)
Followers
Facebook
(City)
Followers
Twitter
(Police
Dept.)
Followers
eNotification
Subscribers
Twitter
(City)
Followers
YouTube
(City)
Followers
Hercules By the Numbers
261
• 26,016 City Population
• 17,700 – 20,900 Service Area Potential
Facebook Reach
Summarized ObservationsPotential Audience
262
Content
x Distribution
IMPACT
263
Summarized Observations
• Opportunity to formalize communication-related
policies, procedures and planning.
• Digital communication tools, including social media, can be optimized and improved.
• Opportunity to establish media relations strategy.
• Social media, website and email metric are not regularly reviewed and assessed.
264
Our Recommendations

1. Establish Formal Policies and Procedures
a. Establish a formal Media Relations/Inquiry Policy
b. Establish an internal and external Social Media Policy

2. Establish a Cross-Departmental Communication
Planning Process

3. Optimize Email Communications
265
Our Recommendations

4. Optimize Social Media
a. Consider the addition of new platforms
b. Develop a social media calendar
c. Link social media to City website

5. Develop Proactive Media Engagement Strategy
a. Strengthen relationships with local media

6. Measure What Matters
a. Establish a regular schedule for collecting and analyzing metrics 266
Our Recommendations

7. Develop a Brand/Style Guide

8. Collaborate with Local Organizations and
Community Groups
a. Strengthen relationships with key contacts

9. Create Communication Plans for Major Initiatives
267
Looking Forward
• Retainer Engagement
– Bi-weekly Check-in Calls & Content Planning
– News Articles & Press Releases
– Social Media Management
– Monthly Dashboard Metrics Report
– Council Agenda Review / Monitoring
– Quarterly Communications Calendar Planning Sessions
268
Questions?
Ryder Todd Smith
626.536.2173
[email protected]
Jennifer Vaughn
469.837.0536
[email protected]
Karen Villaseñor
949.750.9189
[email protected]
269

STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL

DATE: Regular Meeting of March 22, 2022

TO: Members of the City Council

VIA: Dante Hall, City Manager

SUBMITTED BY: Lori Martin, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk

SUBJECT: Update on Returning to In-Person Hybrid Meetings

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive the report, discuss, and provide direction to staff. Contra Costa County Health Services issued an updated listing of recommendations for s afely holding public meetings on March 1, 2022 (attached).

FISCAL IMPACT OF RECOMMENDATION:

There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Governor Gavin Newson signed Executive Order N-15-21 clarifying that cities may continue to meet remotely in accordance with procedures established by prior Executive Orders. On September 16, 2021, Governor Newsom signed AB361, which allows cities to continue to meet remotely during proclaimed states of emergency under modified Brown Act requirements that are similar but not identical to the rules and procedures established by the previous Executive Brown Act Orders.

This bill, until January 1, 2024, would authorize a local agency to use teleconferencing without complying with the teleconferencing requirements imposed by the Ralph M. Brown Act when a legislative body of a local agency holds a meeting during a declared state of emergency, as that term is defined, when state of local health officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing, during a proclaimed state of emergency.

DISCUSSION:

California’s statewide mask order expired on February 15th, therefore effective February 16th fully vaccinated people will no longer need to wear masks in most indoor settings. The counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, San Benito, Solano, Sonoma and the city of Berkeley also will lift universal mask requirements for vaccinated people. However, Contra Costa County Health is still recommending masks and social distancing.

Contra Costa County Health issued the below guidance regarding teleconferencing meetings on March 1, 2022.

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“Each local government agency is authorized to determine whether to hold public meetings in person, on-line (teleconferencing only), or via a combination of methods. The following are recommendations from the Contra Costa County Health Officer to minimize the risk of COVID 19 transmission during a public meeting.”

1. Online meetings (i.e. teleconferencing meetings) are strongly recommended as these meetings present the lowest risk of transmission of SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID 19. This is particularly important in light of the current community prevalence rate as of March 1, 2022.

Our current trends as of March 1, 2022 in Covid-19 case rate, Covid-19 test positivity, and Covid- 19 hospitalizations are decreasing, but case rates remain high with the Omicron variant of Covid-19 being the predominant variant identified, the impact of which on the spread of Covid- 19 has shown to dramatically increase COVID-19 transmission.

2. If a local agency determines to hold in-person meetings, offering the public the opportunity to attend via a call-in option or an internet-based service option is recommended, when possible, to give those at higher risk of and/or higher concern about COVID-19 an alternative to participating in person.

3. A written safety protocol should be developed and followed. It is recommended that the protocol require social distancing – i.e., six feet of separation between attendees – and face masking of all attendees.

4. Seating arrangements should allow for staff and members of the public to easily maintain at least six-foot distance from one another at all practicable times.

5. Consider holding public meetings outdoors. Increasing scientific consensus is that outdoor airflow reduces the risk of COVID-19 transmission compared to indoor spaces. Hosting events outdoors also may make it easier to space staff and members of the public at least 6 feet apart.

6. Current evidence is unclear as to the added benefit of temperature checks in addition to symptom checks. We encourage focus on symptom checks as they may screen out individuals with other Covid-19 symptoms besides fever and help reinforce the message to not go out in public if you are not feeling well.

7. Consider a voluntary attendance sheet with names and contact information to assist in contact tracing of any cases linked to a public meeting.

Should the City Council choose to return to in-person meetings, staff is ready and prepared to initiate hybrid meetings.

When the Governor lifts the Declaration of Emergency within the State of California, agencies will have to comply with the Brown Act as was done prior to the Declaration of Emergency. This makes virtual participation by Council Members more difficult, absent any legislation passing that amends the Brown Act law to integrate this process more easily. We will still be able to integrate a hybrid meeting for public participation; however, Council Members will be required to follow the Brown Act rules as it relates to teleconferencing in order to participate virtually.

271
ATTACHMENTS:

1. Contra Costa County Health Services Recommendations for Safely Holding Public Meetings dated March 1 2022.

2. 02/22/22 Staff Report and Attachments

3. 12/14/21 Staff Report

4. 9/28/21 Staff Report on AB 361
272

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAFELY HOLDING PUBLIC MEETINGS
Each local government agency is authorized to determine whether to hold public meetings in person, on-line (teleconferencing only), or via a combination of methods. The following are recommendations from the Contra Costa County Health Officer to minimize the risk of COVID 19 transmission during a public meeting.

1. Online meetings (i.e. teleconferencing meetings) are strongly recommended as these meetings present the lowest risk of transmission of SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID 19. This is particularly important in light of the current community prevalence rate as of March 1, 2022.

Our current trends as of March 1, 2022 in Covid-19 case rate, Covid-19 test positivity, and Covid- 19 hospitalizations are decreasing, but cases rates remain high with the Omicron variant of Covid-19 being the predominant variant identified, the impact of which on the spread of Covid- 19 has shown to dramatically increase COVID-19 transmission.

2. If a local agency determines to hold in-person meetings, offering the public the opportunity to attend via a call-in option or an internet-based service option is recommended, when possible, to give those at higher risk of and/or higher concern about COVID-19 an alternative to participating in person.

3. A written safety protocol should be developed and followed. It is recommended that the protocol require social distancing – i.e., six feet of separation between attendees – and face masking of all attendees.

4. Seating arrangements should allow for staff and members of the public to easily maintain at least six-foot distance from one another at all practicable times.

5. Consider holding public meetings outdoors. Increasing scientific consensus is that outdoor airflow reduces the risk of COVID-19 transmission compared to indoor spaces. Hosting events outdoors also may make it easier to space staff and members of the public at least 6 feet apart.

6. Current evidence is unclear as to the added benefit of temperature checks in addition to symptom checks. We encourage focus on symptom checks as they may screen out individuals with other Covid-19 symptoms besides fever and help reinforce the message to not go out in public if you are not feeling well.

7. Consider a voluntary attendance sheet with names and contact information to assist in contact tracing of any cases linked to a public meeting.

Revised 3-1-2022

Sefanit Mekuria, MD, MPH
Deputy Health Officer, Contra Costa County

273

STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL

DATE: Regular Meeting of February 22, 2022

TO: Members of the City Council

VIA: Dante Hall, City Manager

SUBMITTED BY: Lori Martin, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk

SUBJECT: Update on Returning to In-Person Hybrid Meetings

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive the report, discuss, and provide direction to staff. Based on the advice provided by Contra Costa Health and a poll of other cities in the County regarding hybrid meetings, staff recommends the continuation of virtual meetings until the end of March, or until further direction is provided by the County. However, staff is ready and prepared to initiate a hybrid meeting if City Council so chooses to return to in-person meetings sooner than suggested.

FISCAL IMPACT OF RECOMMENDATION:

There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Governor Gavin Newson signed Executive Order N-15-21 clarifying that cities may continue to meet remotely in accordance with procedures established by prior Executive Orders. On September 16, 2021, Governor Newsom signed AB361, which allows cities to continue to meet remotely during proclaimed states of emergency under modified Brown Act requirements that are similar but not identical to the rules and procedures established by the previous Executive Brown Act Orders.

This bill, until January 1, 2024, would authorize a local agency to use teleconferencing without complying with the teleconferencing requirements imposed by the Ralph M. Brown Act when a legislative body of a local agency holds a meeting during a declared state of emergency, as that term is defined, when state of local health officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing, during a proclaimed state of emergency.

DISCUSSION:

California’s statewide mask order is due to expire February 15th, therefore effective February 16th fully vaccinated people will no longer need to wear masks in most indoor settings. The counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, San Benito, Solano, Sonoma and the city of Berkeley also will lift universal mask requirements for vaccinated people. However, Contra Costa County Health is still recommending masks and social distancing.

274
Contra Costa County Health issued the below guidance regarding teleconferencing meetings on February 2, 2022.

“Online meetings (i.e. teleconferencing meetings) are strongly recommended as these meetings present the lowest risk of transmission of SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This is particularly important in light of the current community prevalence rate as of February 2, 2022 which places Contra Costa County in the high community transmission tier as designated by the Centers For Disease Control, and our current trends as of February 3, 2022 in Covid-19 test positivity and COVID-19 hospitalizations which are decreasing but still near historical highs, and in light of the local detection of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the impact of which on the spread of COVID-19 has shown to dramatically increase COVID-19 transmission.”

In addition, masks and social distancing are still recommended:

“A written safety protocol should be developed and followed. It is recommended that the protocol require social distancing – i.e., six feet of separation between attendees – and face masking of all attendees.”

Attached hereto is a list of safety protocols recommended by Contra Costa County Health.

In addition, attached hereto is a listing of responses from Contra Costa Cities on their plans of returning to in-person meetings or remaining virtual and re-evaluating every 30 days.

One other point to note is that when the Governor lifts the Declaration of Emergency within the State of California, agencies will have to comply with the Brown Act as was done prior to the Declaration of Emergency. This makes virtual participation by Council Members more difficult, absent any legislation passing that amends the Brown Act law to integrate this process more easily.

We will still be able to integrate a hybrid meeting for public participation; however, Council Members will be required to follow the Brown Act rules as it relates to teleconferencing in order to participate virtually.

Based on the information provided by Contra Costa Health and based on information provided by other cities in the County, staff recommends continuation of virtual meetings until the end of March, absent of the lifting of the Declaration of Emergency. However, staff is ready and prepared to initiate a hybrid meeting if City Council so chooses to return to in-person meetings sooner than suggested.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Poll from Contra Costa Cities

2. Recommendations for Safely Holding Public Meetings from Contra Costa Health

3. 12/14/21 Staff Report

4. 9/28/21 Staff Report on AB 361
275
City Response
Concord
We are taking the item for Council consideration at the March 1 City Council meeting. I’m writing the staff report now giving Council its options.

Brentwood
I think we may be discussing this in our next two meetings. Our issue is we are in the process of an upgrade for our Chambers AV equipment and we will be under construction from March – possibly early May.

Pleasant Hill
Pittsburg Not on our radar yet. I don’t even want to speculate as to when.

San Ramon
Antioch
Martinez
We’ve already passed to continue AB 361 through February, so we’re likely to continue virtual-only through March as our direction generally follows closely what the County recommends.

Pinole
El-Cerrito
Possibly going back to in-person (hybrid) meetings in March as Emergency Declaration may be lifted in March. Waiting a few more weeks to see what happens at the state level.

Clayton
The City of Clayton is aiming for March 15, 2022 as our first hybrid meeting in our Council chambers (allowing the public to attend as well). O ur Planning Commission will be our test run on March 8, 2022.

Lafayette No set date yet but probably in April.

San Pablo There have been no discussions yet for opening up the Council meetings to the public.

Oakley We have been in-person since July 2021.

Danville No set date for Danville…Town Manager thinks mid-March, however, April is more likely to begin our hybrid meetings.

Moraga
Walnut Creek
We have been back since summer. We never adopted AB361. Council and staff attend in person and we are open to the public, but we are still offering zoom to allow for remote public comments.

Richmond Richmond is still virtual and there has been no discussion or set date to return to in-person.

Orinda
Contra Costa County Cities - Plans for In-Person Meetings 276

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAFELY HOLDING PUBLIC MEETINGS
Each local government agency is authorized to determine whether to hold public meetings in person, on-line (teleconferencing only), or via a combination of methods. The following are recommendations from the Contra Costa County Health Officer to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission during a public meeting.

1. Online meetings (i.e. teleconferencing meetings) are strongly recommended as these meetings present the lowest risk of transmission of SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This is particularly important in light of the current community prevalence rate as of February 2, 2022 which places Contra Costa County in the high community transmission tier as designated by the Centers For Disease Control, and our current trends as of February 3, 2022 in Covid-19 test positivity and COVID-19 hospitalizations which are decreasing but still near historical highs, and in light of the local detection of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the impact of which on the spread of COVID-19 has shown to dramatically increase COVID-19 transmission.

2. If a local agency determines to hold in-person meetings, offering the public the opportunity to attend via a call-in option or an internet-based service option is recommended, when possible, to give those at higher risk of and/or higher concern about COVID-19 an alternative to participating in person.

3. A written safety protocol should be developed and followed. It is recommended that the protocol require social distancing – i.e., six feet of separation between attendees – and face masking of all attendees.

4. Seating arrangements should allow for staff and members of the public to easily maintain at least six-foot distance from one another at all practicable times.

5. Consider holding public meetings outdoors. Increasing scientific consensus is that outdoor airflow reduces the risk of COVID-19 transmission compared to indoor spaces. Hosting events outdoors also may make it easier to space staff and members of the public at least six feet apart.

6. Current evidence is unclear as to the added benefit of temperature checks in addition to symptom checks. We encourage focus on symptom checks as they may screen out individuals with other COVID-19 symptoms besides fever and help reinforce the message to not go out in public if you are not feeling well.

7. Consider a voluntary attendance sheet with names and contact information to assist in contact tracing of any cases linked to a public meeting.

Revised 2-2-2022

Ori Tzvieli, MD
Deputy Health Officer, Contra Costa County

277

STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL

DATE: Regular Meeting of December 14, 2021

TO: Members of the City Council

VIA: Dante Hall, City Manager

SUBMITTED BY: Lori Martin, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk

SUBJECT: Update on Returning to In-Person Hybrid Meetings

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive report, discuss, and provide direction to staff.

FISCAL IMPACT OF RECOMMENDATION:

There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Governor Gavin Newson signed Executive Order N-15-21 clarifying that cities may continue to meet remotely in accordance with procedures established by prior Executive Orders. On September 16 th
Governor Newsom signed AB361 which allows cities to continue to meet remotely during proclaimed states of emergency under modified Brown Act requirements that are similar but not identical to the rules and procedures established by the previous Executive Brown Act Orders.

This bill, until January 1, 2024, would authorize a local agency to use teleconferencing without complying with the teleconferencing requirements imposed by the Ralph M. Brown Act when a legislative body of a local agency holds a meeting during a declared state of emergency, as that term is defined, when state of local health officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing, during a proclaimed state of emergency.

Currently the work that was needed to the Council Chambers to conduct hybrid meetings has been completed and staff is conducting tests on the equipment to ensure that the functionality of the audio/video is of good quality with minimal if any feedback.

DISCUSSION:

As of November 23, 2021, the Contra Costa County Health Services website shows that Contra Costa County has been in the Yellow Moderate Tier for the last 3 days. The current health order indicates that the mask mandate for vaccinated individuals will be lifted if the County continuously stays in the Yellow Moderate tier for three (3) consecutive weeks; there are fewer than 75 COVID- 19 hospitalizations in the County; and either 80% of the total population is fully vaccinated, or eight (8) weeks have passed since a COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for emergency use by federal and state authorities for 5-11 year olds.

278
Attached hereto is a listing of responses from Contra Costa Cities on their plans of returning to in- person meetings or remaining virtual and re-evaluating every 30 days.

With the Holiday season before us, staff recommends re-evaluating in January to check the Contra Costa County Health statistics after the Holiday season and then making a more informed decision.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Poll from Contra Costa Cities

2. 9/28/21 Staff Report on AB 361
279

STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL

DATE: Regular Meeting of September 28, 2021

TO: Members of the City Council

SUBMITTED BY: Lori Martin, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk

SUBJECT: Brown Act Executive Order and AB 361 Update

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Pursuant to the recommendations from Contra Costa Health Services, staff recommends that City Council consider continuing the virtual meeting environment until the end of the year.

FISCAL IMPACT OF RECOMMENDATION: None.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Governor Gavin Newson signed Executive Order N-15-21 clarifying that cities may continue to meet remotely in accordance with procedures established by prior Executive Orders. On September 16 th
Governor Newsom signed AB361 which allows cities to continue to meet remotely during proclaimed states of emergency under modified Brown Act requirements that are similar but not identical to the rules and procedures established by the previous Executive Brown Act Orders.

This bill, until January 1, 2024, would authorize a local agency to use teleconferencing without complying with the teleconferencing requirements imposed by the Ralph M. Brown Act when a legislative body of a local agency holds a meeting during a declared state of emergency, as that term is defined, when state of local health officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing, during a proclaimed state of emergency.

In the meantime, staff will continue to work with our AV/Video consultant to install the necessary pieces of equipment and undergo testing to ensure that the Council Chambers are ready to go back to in-person meetings with a virtual hybrid component by the first of the year.

DISCUSSION:

On June 11, 2021, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-08-21, which among other things rescinded his prior Executive Order N-29-20 and set a date of October 1, 2021, for public agencies to transition back to public meetings held in full compliance with the Brown Act.

As the Delta variant has surged in California, the legislature has taken action to extend the COVID- 19 exceptions to the Brown Acts’s teleconference requirements, subject to some additional 280
s
afeguards. AB 361 allows a local agency to use teleconferencing without complying with the Brown Act provisions in any of the following circumstances:

• The legislative body holds a meeting during a proclaimed state of emergency, and state or local officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing. • The legislative body holds a meeting during a proclaimed state of emergency for the purpose of determining, by majority vote, whether as a result of the emergency, meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees. • The legislative body holds a meeting during a proclaimed state of emergency and has determined, by majority vote that, as a result of the emergency, meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees.

A local agency that holds a meeting under these circumstances would be required by AB 361 to do all of the following, in addition to giving notice of the meeting and posting agendas as required under the Brown act. These additional requirements are intended to protect the public’s right to participate in the meetings of local agency legislative bodies.

Pursuant to AB 361 local agencies are required to do all of the following in addition to meeting notice requirements under the Brown Act:

• Allow the public to access the meeting and require that the agenda provide an opportunity for the public to directly address the legislative body pursuant to the Brown Act’s other teleconferencing provisions.
• In each instance when the local agency provides notice of the teleconferenced meeting or posts its agenda, give notice for how the public can access the meeting and provide public comment.
• Identify and include in the agenda an opportunity for all persons to attend via a call-in or an internet-based service option; the legislative body need not provide a physical location for the public to attend or provide comments.
• Conduct teleconference meetings in a manner that protects the statutory and constitutional rights of the public.
• Stop the meeting until public access is restored in the event of a service disruption that either prevents the local agency from broadcasting the meeting to the public using the call -in or internet-based service option or is within the local agency’s control and prevents the public from submitting public comments (any actions taken during such a service disruption can be challenged under the Brown Act’s existing challenge provisions). • Not require comments be submitted in advance (though the legislative body may provide that as an option) and provide the opportunity to comment in real time. • Provide adequate time for public comment, either by establishing a timed public comment period or by allowing a reasonable amount of time to comment. • If the legislative body uses a third-party website or platform to host the teleconference, and the third-party service requires users to register to participate, the legislative body must provide adequate time during the comment period for users to register and may not close the registration comment period until the comment period has elapsed.

281
A
B 361 also provides that, if the state of emergency remains active for more than 30 days, a local agency must make the following findings by majority vote every 30 days to continue using the bill’s exemption to the Brown Act teleconferencing rules:

• The legislative body has reconsidered the circumstances of the emergency; and • Either of the following circumstances exist: The state of emergency continues to directly impact the ability of members to meet safely in person, or State or local officials continue to impose or recommend social distancing measures.

The goal of AB 361 is “to improve and enhance public access to local agency meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic and future applicable emergencies, by allowing broader access through teleconferencing options” consistent with Executive Order N-29-20. The bill contains an urgency clause which became effective upon signing with a sunset of January 1, 2024.

Attachments:

1. Contra Costa Health Services Recommendations dated 9/20/21

2. AB 361
282