STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
DATE: Regular Meeting of March 14, 2023
TO: Members of the City Council
VIA: Dante Hall, City Manager
SUBMITTED BY: Edwin Gato, Director of Finance
SUBJECT: Tripepi Smith Contract Amendment
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the first amendment to an agreement with Tripepi Smith for $29,000 to continue to provide professional services described in Attachment A of the original contract.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On August 9, 2022, the City Council authorized the City Manager to execute an agreement with Tripepi Smith for $50,000 for General Communication Support in implementing effective strategies, plans, and tactics to better engage our community. In order to continue the ongoing effort to effectively engage and communicate with the residents of Hercules, staff recommends continuing services with Tripepi Smith to assist the City with communication strategies, media relations, and communication assessment that evaluates existing communication and engagement strategies for an additional $29,000.
BACKGROUND:
Enhancing media relations is crucial to be open and transparent with residents and the community since residents typically receive news from local media outlets rather than the City directly. By producing press releases and building relationships with reports, the City can ensure its message is amplified throughout the region. Continuing with Tripepi Smith will continue to benefit the City, its residents, and businesses by maintaining the following efforts:
Bi-weekly Check-in calls/Content Planning: To coordinate efforts with City Staff and sustain momentum on projects, Tripepi Smith will continue to schedule a recurring, one-hour monthly phone call that will include a City-designated lead for engagement. These calls will help drive content planning for press releases, social media posts, and stories for a potential digital and any additional needs that may arise. This will be a working call during which Tripepi Smith will manage an agenda and provide notes for each call. After each call, the City will receive an action summary email about decisions made on the phone call and related action steps. Tripepi Smith will produce work, such as article drafts, in a shared workspace where the City can see progress in real-time and provide instant feedback as needed. These tools allow for enhanced collaboration and expedite the production process.
Social Media Management/ Content Creation: Social media content creation involves planning, fact-checking, sourcing graphics, grammar checking, and scheduling the post. This work also includes a review of council agendas to develop ideas for social media and press releases. Tripepi Smith will create up to two (2) posts per week for a month (or generally eight a month) and distribute them on up to five (5) platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor).
News articles and press releases: Tripepi Smith can draft news articles, press releases, and official statements, which are typically up to five hundred (500) words in length. The City would direct the allocation of stories with Tripepi Smith’s suggestions, making internal subject matter experts available to aid the development of the stories when needed.
Each month, Tripepi Smith provides a summary report of the essential metrics (reach, posts, engagement, etc.) related to City-controlled social media platforms and other key metrics, such as website visits and “shares” related to our three platforms. This information is a great way to measure whether our content resonates with our communities.
Tripepi Smith has been instrumental in the City’s growth of its subscribers and engagement. The proposed agreement will continue to help us evaluate the success of our efforts as well as serve as an ongoing feedback mechanism for gathering valuable insights that can help inform ongoing communication strategy.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are sufficient funds in the City Manager’s budget to absorb the costs. Funds are available in the General Fund under expenditure account #100-4115-611.40-00 for this proposed first amendment to the existing agreement. The proposed first amendment increases the total contract amount under this agreement by $29,000, for a total amount of $79,000. Staff will utilize the savings from the Poll Services contract of $20,000, resulting in a net budget impact of $9,000. See below illustration:
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
First Amendment to the Original Agreement #22-051 (General Communications) Original Agreement #22-051 (General Communications)
Original Agreement #22-013 (Polling Services)