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.
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
City of Hercules Express Communications Assessment Report