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
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 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. 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.” 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 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. 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
AsianWhiteBlackHispanic or LatinoTwo or more races
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 HerculesEnglish onlySpanishFrench, Haitian, or CajunGerman or other West GermaniclanguagesRussian, Polish, or other SlaviclanguagesOther Indo-European languagesKoreanChinese (incl. Mandarin,Cantonese)VietnameseTagalog (incl. Filipino)Other Asian and Pacific Islandlanguages 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" 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 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. 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
8,1095,2631,7001,5221,2071,1891,027405,00010,00015,00020,00025,000 City PopulationRegistered VotersNextdoor MembersFacebook (Police Dept.)Instagram (Police Dept.)Facebook (Parks and Rec Dept.) FacebookTwitter (Police Dept.)eNotification Subscribers YouTube
Hercules By the Numbers
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 Users2 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. 13 Date Top-viewed Page Reason for Spike February 22, 2021 ci.hercules.ca.us/government/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/government/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/government/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. 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 Page4 (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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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. 20 Facebook (Parks and Recreation) Various 1,522 Followers facebook.com/herculesrecreation 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/UCKiRT6NV0e246MlkybG37Bg 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%).
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.
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.
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 Screens13,” 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. 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 rate15 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. 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 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 Group16, 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
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 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 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 vision18. 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
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. 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. 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. 33 ● The City’s most consistent form of communication with the public, the City Manager Bi-weekly Newsletter, is distributed via eNotifications. 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. 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. 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. 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