September 05, 2023~4:00 PM Oroville City Council Meeting Agenda Page 1 of 5
OROVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Council Chambers
1735 Montgomery Street
Oroville, CA. 95965
September 05, 2023
REGULAR MEETING
CLOSED SESSION 4:00 PM
OPEN SESSION 4:30 PM
AGENDA
PUBLIC ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION
Please review the options below for ways to participate or observe the Council Meetings.
To Observe the Meeting:
1. Live Feed: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAoRW34swYl85UBfYqT7IbQ/
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3. Zoom Application: Meeting ID: 968 7031 9529 Passcode: 67684553
4. By Phone: Telephone: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 968 7031 9529 Passcode: 67684553 To Provide Comment to the Council:
1. Attend the meeting in person
2. Send an Email by 2:00 PM the day of the meeting to [email protected]. All comments emailed will be provided to the Council Members for their consideration.
If you would like to address the Council at this meeting, you are requested to complete the blue speaker request form (located on the wall by the agendas) and hand it to the City Clerk, who is seated on the right of the Council Chamber. The form assists the Clerk with minute taking and assists the Mayor or presiding Chair in conducting an orderly meeting. Providing personal information on the form is voluntary. For scheduled agenda items, please submit the form prior to the conclusion of the staff presentation for that item. Council has established time limitations of three (3) minutes per speaker on all items and an overall time limit of thirty minutes for non-agenda items.
If more than 10 speaker cards are submitted for an item, the time limitation would be reduced to one and a half (1.5) minutes per speaker for that item. If more than 15 speaker cards are submitted for non-agenda items, the first 15 speakers will be randomly selected to speak at the beginning of the meeting, with the remaining speakers given an opportunity at the end. (California Government Code §54954.3(b)).
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2, the Council is prohibited from taking action except for a brief response from the Council or staff to statements or questions relating to a non-agenda item.
CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL
Council Members: Tracy Johnstone, Krysi Riggs, Scott Thomson, Janet Goodson, Shawn Webber, Vice Mayor Eric Smith, Mayor David Pittman
CLOSED SESSION
The Council will hold a Closed Session on the following:
1. Pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d)(2), the Council will meet with the City Administrator and City Attorney regarding potential exposure to litigation – One Case. 1 September 05, 2023~4:00 PM Oroville City Council Meeting Agenda Page 2 of 5
OPEN SESSION
1. Announcement from Closed Session
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Adoption of Agenda
PUBLIC COMMUNICATION – HEARING OF NON-AGENDA ITEMS
This is the time to address the Council about any item not listed on the agenda. If you wish to address the Council on an item listed on the agenda, please follow the directions listed above.
PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
1. Resolution of Honor in Recognition of Ger Vang
Ger Vang was a beloved member of the City of Oroville community. Mr. Vang made many notable contributions to community that the City Council would like to recognize him for.
ACTION REQUESTED - ADOPT RESOLUTION AND AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN.
2. Resolution of Honor in Recognition of Alberta Tracy "The Lady of Butte County" Alberta Tracy aka “The Lady of Butte County”, a beloved member of our community, passed away recently. The City of Oroville would like to recognize Alberta for all of her contributions to the community during her lifetime.
ACTION REQUESTED - ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AND AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN.
REPORTS / DISCUSSIONS
1. Council Announcements and Reports
2. Administration Reports
CONSENT CALENDAR
Consent calendar items 1 - 5 are adopted in one action by the Council. Items that are removed will be discussed and voted on immediately after adoption of consent calendar items.
1. Approval of the August 15, 2023 Oroville City Council Meeting Minutes The Council may approve the Minutes of August 15, 2023.
ACTION REQUESTED - APPROVE THE MINUTES OF AUGUST 15, 2023. 2 September 05, 2023~4:00 PM Oroville City Council Meeting Agenda Page 3 of 5
2. Change Order Portland Loo Project
The Council may direct staff to approve a Change Order #5 for the additional cost and materials of the 2023 Portland Loo Project.
ACTION REQUESTED - APPROVE A CHANGE ORDER #5 FOR THE ADDITIONAL COST AND MATERIALS OF THE 2023 PORTLAND LOO PROJECT.
3. Contract with Hignell Inc. DBA Experts in Your Home for the Oroville Convention Center, Phase I Project
The Council may consider accepting the proposal from Hignell, Inc. dba Experts in Your Home and consider approval of a project contract for the Oroville Convention Center, Phase I.
ACTION REQUESTED - 1) APPROVE RESO NO. XXXX - A RESOLUTION OF THE
OROVILLE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL WITH HIGNELL, INC. DBA EXPERTS IN YOUR HOME, AND AUTHORIZING HIGNELL, INC. DBA EXPERTS IN YOUR HOME TO COMPLETE THE
PROPOSED OROVILLE CONVENTION CENTER PHASE I PROJECT IN AN AMOUNT OF $1,204,596 AND ALTERNATE BIDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $87,030 PLUS A 10% CONTINGENCY IN THE AMOUNT OF $129,162.60 (TOTAL $1,420,788.60) SHOULD ANY DEFICIENCIES BE DISCOVERED DURING THE PROJECT AND;
2) AUTHORIZE THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO MODIFY OR AMEND THE HIGNELL, INC.
DBA EXPERTS IN YOUR HOME CONTRACT TO INCLUDE ANY ADDITIONAL AMENITIES,
ALTERNATIVES OR NEEDS THAT THE PROJECT MAY HAVE, CONTINGENT UPON FUNDING AVAILABILITY.
4. Amendment to Funding Allocation for the Stanford Avenue School Parking Project The Council may consider approving the amendment to funding allocation for the construction of the Stanford Avenue School parking lot.
ACTION REQUESTED - APPROVE MOU AND AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN.
5. Resolution to Oppose Initiative 21-0042A1 the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act
The Council may consider adoption of Resolution ___, opposing a 2024 ballot initiative that would restrict California cities’ ability to collect taxes and fees on services provided.
ACTION REQUESTED - APPROVE RES NO. ____ - A RESOLUTION OF THE OROVILLE CITY COUNCILTHAT THE CITY OF OROVILLE WILL JOIN THE NO ON INITIATIVE 21- 0042A1 COALITION, A GROWING COALITION OF PUBLIC SAFETY, EDUCATION, LABOR, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND INFRASTRUCTURE GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. 3 September 05, 2023~4:00 PM Oroville City Council Meeting Agenda Page 4 of 5
REGULAR BUSINESS
6. Approval of an Application for the Federal Fund Account/Last Mile Grant Program by the Golden State Connect Authority and Letter in Support of Project The Council may consider approving Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) to submit an application and a letter in support of a grant to provide underground, fiber optic broadband connectivity access to every address within the City of Oroville.
ACTION REQUESTED - APPROVE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR GSCA TO PURSUE A
GRANT FROM THE CPUC FFA/LAST MILE PROGRAM TO OBTAIN FUNDING TO PROVIDE
FIBER OPTIC BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF OROVILLE AND ISSUE A LETTER IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT.
7. North Star Place Branding Contract and New Oroville Branding At the request of Council Member Webber and Council Member Thomson, the Council will consider providing additional direction to staff with regard to its August 15, 2023 approval of the proposed Oroville brand and marketing plan by North Star Place Branding and Marketing, including a budget adjustment of $28,000.
ACTION REQUESTED -
1) CONFIRM THE FOLLOWING:
a) CONFIRM THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE OROVILLE BRAND AS PRESENTED BY NORTH STAR PLACE BRANDING;
b) CONFIRM THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE FIRST-YEAR MARKETING PLAN, TIMELINE, AND $100,000 BUDGET; AND
c) DIRECT STAFF TO CONTINUE USING THE INTERNAL TEAM WITH THE TWO
COUNCILMEMBERS TO FINALIZE ALL MARKETING MATERIALS PRIOR TO
PUBLICATION, INCLUDING SELECTIVE USE OF DIFFERENT TAGLINES DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION; OR
2) PROVIDE OTHER DIRECTION TO STAFF
9. Response to the 2022-2023 Final Butte County Grand Jury Report The Council will consider approving the response to the Final 2022-2023 Butte County Grand Jury Report on behalf of the City of Oroville, which will be provided under separate cover.
ACTION REQUESTED - APPROVE OR PROVIDE OTHER DIRECTION WITH REGARD TO THE CITY OF OROVILLE’S RESPONSE TO THE 2022-2023 FINAL BUTTE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT AND AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN THE RESPONSE.
10. Capital Asset Requests
The Council may approve the capital asset requests for fiscal year 2023-24.
ACTION REQUESTED - APPROVE THE LIST OF CAPITAL ASSET PURCHASES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-24
4 September 05, 2023~4:00 PM Oroville City Council Meeting Agenda Page 5 of 5
11. Contract Amendment for City Administrator
Submitted for approval is the contract amendment for the City Administrator position with the City of Oroville.
ACTION REQUESTED - APPROVE THE CONTRACT AMENDMENT AND AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
The Public Hearing Procedure is as follows:
Mayor or Chairperson opens the public hearing and staff will present the item and answer Council questions.
The hearing is opened for public comment limited to three (3) minutes per speaker. In the event of more than ten (10) speakers, time will be limited to one and a half (1.5) minutes. Under Government Code 54954.3, the time for each presentation may be limited. Speakers are requested to provide a speaker card to the City Clerk Public comment session is closed and then the Council will debate and take action Individuals may email comments for council consideration to [email protected]
PUBLIC COMMUNICATION – HEARING OF NON-AGENDA ITEMS
This is the time to address the Council about any item not listed on the agenda. If you wish to address the Council on an item listed on the agenda, please follow the directions listed above.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS / CORRESPONDENCE
1. Future Agenda Items
2. Correspondence
- Letter from Lorraine Christensen received August 18, 2023 - Letter from Bob Gustafson received August 23, 2023
ADJOURN THE MEETING
The meeting will be adjourned. A regular meeting of the Oroville City Council will be held on September 19, 2023 at 4:00 p.m.
Accommodating Those Individuals with Special Needs – In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Oroville encourages those with disabilities to participate fully in the public meeting process. If you have a special need in order to allow you to attend or participate in our public meetings, please contact the City Clerk at (530) 538-2535, well in advance of the regular meeting you wish to attend, so that we may make every reasonable effort to accommodate you. Documents distributed for public session items, less than 72 hours prior to meeting, are available for public inspection at City Hall, 1735 Montgomery Street, Oroville, California.
Recordings - All meetings are recorded and broadcast live on cityoforoville.org and YouTube. 5 City of Oroville
A RESOLUTION OF HONOR IN RECOGNITION OF GER
VANG
WHEREAS, Ger Vang, a beloved member of our community, passed away recently.
We find Ger Vang was an exceptional individual who touched the lives of many through his remarkable leadership, advocacy, and community service.
WHEREAS, Ger Vang served as a director for the Lao Family Empowerment of Stockton for many years. During his tenure, he coordinated with the Hmong community throughout the United States to raise funds and successfully build the late General Vang Pao's grand statue inside the San Joaquin or Stockton Fairgrounds.
WHEREAS, Ger Vang received a bachelor's and master's degrees from California State University, Chico, and prior to his work with the Lao Family of Stockton, he served as a Coordinator for the Butte County Community Action Agency.
WHEREAS, Ger Vang played a significant role in coordinating with the City of Oroville and Butte County leadership teams to address various issues in the larger community of Oroville. His involvement in the Greater Oroville community project focused on racial issues and fostering understanding between the Hmong and African American communities.
WHEREAS, Ger Vang last serviced for his people as a Director for the Lao Veterans of America, Inc, of Oroville. In this role, he collaborated with the City of Oroville and the leadership team to secure a building for the Hmong community to use as a Hmong museum and community center. Additionally, Ger Vang played a vital role in obtaining all necessary legal documents to reestablish the organization's non-profit status. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Oroville Southside Community Center and the Oroville Riverbend Park, serving as part of their original community advisory boards.
WHEREAS, Ger Vang was not only a great leader, but he was also a dedicated educator, father, and grandfather. His impact on the community will be deeply missed, but not forgotten. The City of Oroville and community was enriched by his contributions.
K
_______________________________
David Pittman, Mayor
6 Item 1.
City of Oroville
A RESOLUTION OF HONOR IN RECOGNITION OF ALBERTA
TRACY “THE LADY OF BUTTE COUNTY”
WHEREAS, Alberta Tracy aka “The Lady of Butte County”, a beloved member of our community, passed away recently. Alberta moved to Oroville in the early 1970s with her first husband Russell Guiver. Together they developed Lakeside Market and the Oaks.
WHEREAS, Alberta served our community for over 40 years volunteering her time with the Butte County Historical Society, the Oroville Heritage Council, the Republican women of Oroville, the Christian Science Church, and many more.
WHEREAS, Alberta was best known as the Lady of Butte County dressing up, singing and portraying women from Butte County history and serving as the Museum Director for the Ehmann Home Museum since it opened in 1981.
WHEREAS, Alberta started many local traditions such as Perry Mason Days, Admissions Day at the Liberty Pole on Montgomery, Olive Day at the Ehmann Home and the Polar Bear Plunge at Bedrock Park.
WHEREAS, Alberta married her husband David Tracy with whom she moved to Paradise, California. She lost her home in the Camp Fire but she did not lose her sense of optimism and friendly disposition. Alberta Tracy was welcoming to all people inviting tour attendees at the Ehmann Home back to the kitchen for lunch where she would help them gain connections and resources for any local projects.
WHEREAS, the Community In Oroville loved Alberta Tracy and she will be sorely missed, she certainly will not be forgotten.
K
_______________________________
David Pittman, Mayor
7 Item 2.
August 15, 2023~4:00 PM Oroville City Council Meeting Agenda Page 1 of 6
OROVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Council Chambers
1735 Montgomery Street
Oroville, CA. 95965
August 15, 2023
MINUTES
This agenda was posted on August 11, 2023. This meeting was recorded and may be viewed at cityoforoville.org or on YouTube.
CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Council Members: Tracy Johnstone, Krysi Riggs, Scott Thomson, Janet Goodson, Shawn Webber, Vice Mayor Eric Smith, Mayor David Pittman STAFF: City Administrator, Brian Ring; Assistant City Administrator, Ruth Duncan; Assistant City Clerk, Kayla Reaster; Business Assistance and Housing Director, Amy Bergstrand; Code Enforcement Director, Ron Belser; City Attorney, Scott Huber; Chief of Police, Bill LaGrone
CLOSED SESSION
The Council held a Closed Session on the following:
1. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957(b), the Council will meet with the the Personnel Officer and City Attorney to consider the evaluation of performance related to the following position: City Administrator
OPEN SESSION
1. Announcement from Closed Session – Mayor Pittman announced that direction was given.
There were no announcements out of Closed Session.
2. Pledge of Allegiance – Led by Council Member Krysi Riggs
3. Adoption of Agenda – Motioned by Council Member Goodson, seconded by Vice Mayor Smith. Motion passed Unanimously.
AYES: Johnstone, Riggs, Thomson, Goodson, Webber, Smith, Mayor Pittman NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
1. Council Member Johnstone read a proclamation honoring Gonzalo "Pee Wee" Curiel for his dedication to the Oroville Community and Oroville Airport. Pee Wee attended and received the proclamation in person.
8 Item 1.
August 15, 2023~4:00 PM Oroville City Council Meeting Agenda Page 2 of 6 PUBLIC COMMUNICATION – HEARING OF NON-AGENDA ITEMS
The following individuals spoke on non-agenda items:
- Rodney Lahman
- Jamey Sorensen
- Alan Cartwright
- Dan Harvey
- Emily Jackson
- Bill Speer
CONSENT CALENDAR
Consent calendar items 1 - 4 are adopted in one action by the Council. Items that are removed will be discussed and voted on immediately after adoption of consent calendar items.
1. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH RSG FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
ADVISORY AND ANNUAL REPORTING SERVICES
The Council adopted Resolution No. 9178 – a Resolution of the City of Oroville authorizing and directing the Mayor to execute a professional services agreement with RSG., for annual reporting services, in an amount not to exceed $28,500, through august 18, 2026 – (Agreement No. 3469).
2. ACCEPT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT STANDARD AGREEMENT 22-CDBG-PI-00026 AND ESTABLISH BUDGET FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE OROVILLE
CONVENTION CENTER
The Council accepted the 2022 Community Development Block Grant Program Income Allocation, Agreement No. 22-CDBG-PI-00026, in the amount of $1,400,000.00. The Council also approved the budget adjustment indicated in the fiscal impact of the Staff Report, dated August 15, 2023.
3. REQUEST TO WAIVE ADMISSION FEE FOR VARIOUS PROMOTIONAL EVENTS HELD AT
THE OROVILLE MUSEUMS
The Council approved the fee waivers for the outlined promotional events at the Oroville Museums in Fiscal Year 2023/24.
4. PURCHASE OF NEW AND MODIFICATION OF EXISTING WATER RESCUE TRAILER The Council approved modification to the City owned trailer. 9 Item 1.
August 15, 2023~4:00 PM Oroville City Council Meeting Agenda Page 3 of 6
REGULAR BUSINESS
5. AGREEMENT AMENDMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH JENNIFER ARBUCKLE CONSULTING FOR SB 1383 IMPLEMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE (REDUCTION OF ORGANIC WASTE IN LANDFILLS) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023/24 Ron Belser, Code Enforcement Director, presented this item to the Council.
The Council approved an amendment to the Agreement with Jennifer Arbuckle Consulting for grant management and SB 1383 Compliance in an amount not to exceed $98,800 through FY 2023/24 by the following vote:
Motioned: Council Member Goodson; Seconded: Council Member Riggs AYES: Johnstone, Riggs, Thomson, Goodson, Webber, Smith, Mayor Pittman NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
6. ANNUAL USE OF “MILITARY EQUIPMENT” AS DEFINED IN THE OROVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE
Bill LaGrone, Chief of Police, presented this item to the Council.
The Council received the Oroville Police Department Annual Military Equipment Use Report for 2023 and approved the report by the following unanimous vote:
Motioned: Council Member Thompson; Seconded: Council Member Riggs AYES: Johnstone, Riggs, Thomson, Goodson, Webber, Smith, Mayor Pittman NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
7. PURCHASE OF MOBILE AUDIO AND VIDEO SYSTEMS FOR MARKED PATROL
VEHICLES AND INTERVIEW ROOM CAMERA SYSTEM UPGRADE FROM AXON ENTERPRISES, INC.
Bill LaGrone, Chief of Police, presented this item to the Council.
The City Council approved the Chief of Police to enter into a 5-year agreement with Axon for the purchase of the Axon Fleet system for twenty-five (25) vehicles, and; City Council approved the Chief of Police, with the approval of the City Administrator, to add additional vehicles to the agreement during the term of the agreement provided funding is available, and City Council approved the purchase of the upgraded interview room camera system by the following unanimous vote:
Motioned: Council Member Goodson; Seconded: Council Member Thomson AYES: Johnstone, Riggs, Thomson, Goodson, Webber, Smith, Mayor Pittman NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
10 Item 1.
August 15, 2023~4:00 PM Oroville City Council Meeting Agenda Page 4 of 6
8. NORTH STAR PLACE BRANDING FINAL BRAND REPORT
Jordan Daley, Public Information Officer and Sam Ketchum of North Star presented this item to the Council.
The Council approved the proposed Oroville brand and marketing plan by North Star Place Branding and Marketing, including a budget adjustment of $28,000.
Approved the new Oroville brand as presented by North Star Place Branding by the following vote:
AYES: Johnstone, Riggs, Thomson, Goodson, Smith, Mayor Pittman NOES: Webber
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
Approved the first-year marketing plan, timeline, and $72,000 budget; approved an additional not-to-exceed $28,000 for one year of additional creative materials and coaching by North Star; and approved contract amendment with North Star by the following vote:
AYES: Johnstone, Riggs, Thomson, Goodson, Mayor Pittman NOES: Webber
ABSTAIN: Smith
ABSENT: None
9. LETTER TO FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSSION REGARDING RELICENSING OF OROVILLE DAM – PROJECT NO. 2100
Brian Ring, City Administrator presented this item to the Council.
The Council provided alternative direction to staff with regard to adding Governor Gavin Newsom to the recipient list, and adding signature lines for each Council Member, rather than just the Mayor. This was passed by the following unanimous vote:
AYES: Johnstone, Riggs, Thomson, Goodson, Webber, Smith, Mayor Pittman NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
The following individual(s) spoke on this agenda item: Shannon Delong 11 Item 1.
August 15, 2023~4:00 PM Oroville City Council Meeting Agenda Page 5 of 6
10. COMMUNITY MEMBER APPOINTMENTS TO VARIOUS COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS Brian Ring, City Administrator presented this item to the Council.
City Council made the following appointments:
Appointed David Tamori and Andee Krantz to the Arts Commission with terms expiring June 20, 2027; and appointed Audrey Holt to the Parks commission with a term that expires on June 30, 2028; and appointed Terry Smith to the Planning Commission with a term that expires on June 30, 2027; and appointed the Mark Grover and JD Holt to the Citizens Oversight Committee with terms expiring June 30, 2027 by the following unanimous vote:
AYES: Johnstone, Riggs, Thomson, Goodson, Webber, Smith, Mayor Pittman NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
The following individual(s) spoke on this agenda item: John Zilich PUBLIC COMMUNICATION – HEARING OF NON-AGENDA ITEMS
There were 0 public comments during this section of the meeting.
REPORTS/ DISCUSSIONS / CORRESPONDENCE
1. City Council Announcements and Reports
A. Webber – Spoke in regards to the business owners comments made earlier in the meeting, spoke on National Night Out, Oroville Community Development Coalition, thanked John Zilich for his assistance, and spoke on the Community Navigator Program.
B. Goodson – Spoke on the Hmong Cultural Center and the hope to add senior housing in the future, spoke on Chief LaGrone’s PSA video regarding gun safety.
C. Riggs – Thanked Chief LaGrone and congratulated him on 21 years of service to the City of Oroville.
D. Smith – Spoke on Chief LaGrone’s PSA regarding gun safety, and the great job that was done on the video. Spoke and reminded folks that the Salmon Festival will take place on the 23rd of September this year.
2. Future Agenda Items
A. Council Member Smith – Requested that staff look into a homelessness ordinance and asked that staff look into solutions to limit/prohibit the homelessness population from going through dumpsters/garbage cans.
B. Council Member Webber – Requested that the City purchase a hot water pressure washer/surface cleaner for the Public Works department to clean the downtown Oroville area. He also requested that staff look into obtaining plaques to place on historical buildings for self-education, self-guided tours, etc.
C. Council Member Riggs – Requested an update on the City Charter update. Brian Ring, City Administrator stated it will next meet on August 17, 2023,
3. Administration Reports – Brian Ring, City Administrator welcomed Patrick Piatt, the new Community Development Director, Fred Mayo Public Works Director and Kayla Reaster, the new Assistant City Clerk. Staff will be scheduling a meeting with the Executive Committee to review the Draft Response for the Grand Jury Report. From there a draft of the response will be given to the full Council on 9/5/2023. Public Works has been busy striping with the new striping machine and in/around school zones. Staff are continuing to gather information on 12 Item 1.
August 15, 2023~4:00 PM Oroville City Council Meeting Agenda Page 6 of 6 changing the speed in school zones and will be bringing details back to the Council in a month or so.
Correspondence
i. Monthly Police Department Report
ADJOURN THE MEETING
Mayor Pittman adjourned the meeting at 7:28PM.
APPROVED: ATTESTED:
___________________________________ __________________________________ Mayor, David Pittman Assistant City Clerk, Kayla Reaster 13 Item 1.
CITY OF OROVILLE
RESOLUTION NO. ____
A RESOLUTION OF THE OROVILLE CITY COUNCILTHAT THE CITY OF OROVILLE WILL JOIN THE NO ON INITIATIVE 21-0042A1 COALITION, A GROWING COALITION
OF PUBLIC SAFETY, EDUCATION, LABOR, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND INFRASTRUCTURE GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
WHEREAS, an association representing California’s wealthiest corporations and developers is spending millions to push a deceptive proposition aimed for the November 2024 statewide ballot; and
WHEREAS, the measure includes undemocratic provisions that would make it more difficult for local voters to pass measures needed to fund local services and infrastructure, and would limit voter input by prohibiting local advisory measures where voters provide direction on how they want their local tax dollars spent; and
WHEREAS, the measure creates new constitutional loopholes that allow corporations to pay far less than their fair share for the impacts they have on our communities, including local infrastructure and our environment; and
WHEREAS, the measure may make it much more difficult for state and local regulators to issue fines and levies on corporations that violate laws intended to protect our environment, public health and safety, and our neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, the measure puts billions of dollars currently dedicated to local services at risk and could force cuts to fire and emergency response, law enforcement, public health, parks, libraries, affordable housing, services to support homeless residents, mental health services, and more, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Oroville City Council as follows:
1. The Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to sign Resolution ____ stating that the City of Oroville will join the No on Initiative 21-0042A1 coalition, a growing coalition of public safety, education, labor, local government, and infrastructure groups throughout the state.
2. Staff is hereby directed to email a copy of this adopted resolution to the League of California Cities at [email protected].
3. The City Clerk shall attest to the adoption of this Resolution.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Oroville at a regular meeting on September 5, 2023, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
14 Item 2.
ABSENT:
David Pittman, Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ATTEST:
Scott E. Huber, City Attorney Kayla Reaster, Assistant City Clerk 15 Item 2.
CITY OF OROVILLE
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR PITTMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: PATRICK PIATT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
RE: RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE INITIATIVE 21-0042A1THE TAXPAYER
PROTECTION AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
SUMMARY
The Council may consider adoption of Resolution ___, opposing a 2024 ballot initiative that would restrict California cities’ ability to collect taxes and fees on services provided.
DISCUSSION
The League of California Cities has posted an alert to inform cities of an initiative that drastically reduces local control over and limits the ability of voters and state and local governments to raise revenues for government services provided.
Currently, fees for services or products (such as facility rentals) must cover the “reasonable” cost of service. This measure would amend the law so that these fees could not exceed the “actual cost” of providing the product or service. It defines “actual cost” as the “minimum amount necessary.” This could mean cities would need to choose cheaper, less optimal projects, goods, and services or subsidize the activity with general purpose revenue, resulting in race-to-thebottom service levels and quality.
Initiative 21-0042A1 would allow voters throughout California to invalidate the prior actions of local voters, undermining local control and voter-approved decisions about investments needed in their communities.
Further, Initiative 21-0042A1 restricts the ability of local governments to issue fines and penalties to corporations and property owners that violate local environmental, water quality, public health, public safety, fair housing, nuisance and other laws and ordinances.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact is unknown; however, costs would be incurred if the City were required to perform a study of fees for “actual” costs vs. “reasonable costs”. Based on this study, the City may be required to subsidize the cost of providing services as fees collected may not adequately cover the costs of delivering those services. Additionally, the provision that would 16 Item 2.
allow law suits by individuals and corporations could generate significant expenses in the way of attorney fees, judgements, and settlements.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve Res. No. ____ - A RESOLUTION OF THE OROVILLE CITY COUNCILTHAT THE CITY OF OROVILLE WILL JOIN THE NO ON INITIATIVE 21-0042A1 COALITION, A
GROWING COALITION OF PUBLIC SAFETY, EDUCATION, LABOR, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND INFRASTRUCTURE GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution No. ______
17 Item 2.
CITY OF OROVILLE
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR PITTMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: MATT THOMPSON, PE. ACTING CITY ENGINEER
RE: CHANGE ORDER AND CONTRACT AMENDMENT FOR PORTLAND
LOO PROJECT
DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
SUMMARY
The Council may direct staff to approve a Change Order #5 and contract amendment for the additional cost and materials of the 2023 Portland Loo Project.
DISCUSSION
On April 4, 2023, City Council approved the Award of Contract to R&R Horn Contractors, Inc. for the construction of the 2023 Portland Loo Project. This project is to has installed two Portland Loo restrooms, one at Bedrock Park and one at Centennial Plaza. Construction on this project started June 19, 2023 and was completed August 4, 2023.
During the extension of the sewer mainline from Stafford Avenue to Arlin Rhine Memorial Drive, Soil conditions were far less than anticipated. The City’s Levee consists mainly of dredge tailings from when the Feather River was dredged long ago. Because of this, the excavation area was much larger than what was estimated in the plans. The soil that was removed from the levee during excavation was not suitable for backfill causing the need for the purchase of import backfill material. Change order #5 shows the cost associated with the additional material and labor.
As of August 4, 2023, the total cost of constructing this project is at $488,277.26 of the $507,169.00 funds allocated to construction on April 4, 2023. A current balance of $18,891.74 remains of the allocated funds. Change Order #5 would use up the remaining balance and would need an additional $21,708.26 to cover the costs, bringing the total cost of construction of the Portland Loo Project to $528,877.26.
FISCAL IMPACT
The funds in the amount of $21,708.26 for the additional work and materials will come from Fund 7311-8010 Capital Projects and Improvement Fund, Building and Improvements.
RECOMMENDATION
18 Item 3.
1. Staff recommends that the Council direct the City Administrator to approve the Change Order.
and
2. Approve Resolution No. XXXX - A RESOLUTION OF THE OROVILLE CITY COUNCIL
AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE
PROJECT CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF OROVILLE AND R&R HORN CONTRACTORS, INC.
ATTACHMENTS
R&R Horn Change Order #5
Construction Cost Breakdown
Resolution No. XXXX
Contract Amendment
19 Item 3.
Proposal for:
2023 Portland Loo Project - Added AB
from
Bid Date:
Time: 5:00PM
7/07/2023 R&R Horn Contractors, Inc.
License: 958638 Type: A,B - DIR #1000007553
P.O. Box 6697, Chico, CA 95927
City Of Oroville
(530) 342-8655 Fax: (530) 892-1324
REVISION 1
Item Description Quantity Unit Unit Price Total Price
CHANGE#5 Change Order #5
00 AB In Roadway (Bid Item #7) 86.60 TON 80.00 6,928.00 01 Excavation 244.00 TON 23.00 5,612.00
02 Off Haul 244.00 TON 21.00 5,124.00
03 Backfill 244.00 TON 94.00 22,936.00
Total: 40,600.00
Total: 40,600.00
! = Zero Total Price
= Locked Bid-Item
8/15/2023 11:30 am
Estimator: Kevin Albert Generated by a SharpeSoft Product20 Item 3.
Construction Cost $ 460,169.00
Change order 1 N/A
Change order 2 $3,200.00
Change Order 3 $7,548.00
Change Order 4 $17,360.26
Change Order 3 $40,600.00
Bid amount $ 460,169.00
10% Contingency $ 47,000.00 Total Cost $ 528,877.26
Total
Allocation $ 507,169.00
Additional funds
needed $ 21,708.26
Addition of sidewalks not included in plans to provide
ADA accessibility to handwashing station
Additional Asphalt Concrete due to excess excavation.
Addition Aggregate Base material for backfill due to
excess excavation and poor quality of native soil.
Bedrock Park Addition
Drop Inlets in manholes. City Standard SS-04 Required
due to raising sewer mainline.
Bid Amount
OROVILLE CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. XXXX
A RESOLUTION OF THE OROVILLE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING AND
DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PROJECT
CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF OROVILLE AND
R&R HORN CONTRACTORS, INC.
(Amended Agreement No. 3449)
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the Oroville City Council as follows:
1. The Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to execute an amendment to the Project Contract Agreement between the City of Oroville and R&R Horn Contractors, Inc. A copy is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”.
2. The City Clerk shall attest to the adoption of this Resolution.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Oroville City Council at a regular meeting held on September 5, 2023 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
David Pittman, Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ATTEST:
________________________________
Scott E. Huber, City Attorney Kayla Reaster, Assistant City Clerk 22 Item 3.
AMENDMENT TO PROJECT CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE CITY OF OROVILLE AND R&R HORN CONTRACTORS, INC.
This Amendment, dated September 5, 2023, is to the Project Contract Agreement (“Agreement”) effective April 4, 2023, between the City of Oroville (“City”) and R&R Horn Contractors, Inc. (“Contractor”).
In consideration of the terms and conditions herein, the City and Contractor agree that the Agreement shall be amended as follows:
1. Paragraph 3 shall be amended as follows:
The City agrees to pay, and the Contractor agrees to accept, in full payment for the work above agreed to be done, the following compensation: $528,877.26. In no event shall Contractor's compensation exceed the amount of $528,877.26 without additional written authorization from the City. Payment by City under this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver of defects in Consultant's services, even if such defects were known to the City at the time of payment.
For the purpose of fixing the amount of bonds referred to in the Instructions to Bidders, it is estimated by both Parties that the total contract price shall be based on the Contractor's Base Bid amount.
2. Conflicts between this Amended Agreement and the Agreement shall be controlled by this Amendment. All other provisions within the Agreement not modified by this Amendment shall remain in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed on the date first written above.
CITY OF OROVILLE
David Pittman, Mayor Brian Ring
City Administrator
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Scott E. Huber, City Attorney
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27 CITY OF OROVILLE
RESOLUTION NO. XXXX
A RESOLUTION OF THE OROVILLE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT AND SIGN THE PROPOSAL WITH HIGNELL, INC. DBA EXPERTS IN YOUR HOME AUTHORIZING HIGNELL, INC. DBA EXPERTS IN YOUR
HOME TO COMPLETE THE PROPOSED OROVILLE CONVENTION CENTER PHASE I PROJECT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,291,626 AND A 10% CONTINGENCY IN THE AMOUNT OF $129,162.60 SHOULD ANY DEFICIENCIES BE DISCOVERED DURING THE PROJECT FOR A TOTAL PROJECT AMOUNT OF $1,420,788.60 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Oroville City Council as follows:
1. The Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to sign and accept the proposal from Hignell, Inc. dba Experts in Your Home, authorizing Hignell, Inc. dba Experts In Your Homey to compete the proposed Oroville Convention Center, Phase 1 in the amount of $1,291,626 and a 10% contingency in the amount of $129,162.60 should any deficiencies be discovered during the project for a total amount of $1,420,788.60.
2. The City Clerk shall attest to the adoption of this Resolution.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Oroville at a regular meeting on September 5, 2023 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
David Pittman, Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ATTEST:
Scott E. Huber, City Attorney Kayla Reaster, Assistant City Clerk 60 Item 4.
61 Item 4.
CITY OF OROVILLE
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR PITTMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: AMY BERGSTRAND, DIRECTOR
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
RE: CONTRACT WITH HIGNELL, INC. DBA EXPERTS IN YOUR HOME FOR
OROVILLE CONVENTION CENTER, PHASE I PROJECT
DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
SUMMARY
The Council may consider accepting the proposal from Hignell, Inc. dba Experts in Your Home and consider approval of a project contract for the Oroville Convention Center, Phase I.
DISCUSSION
On September 20, 2022, the City Council approved the submittal of a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 2022 Program Income (PI) Only and future receipts application in the mount of $1,400,000 to complete ADA repairs at the Oroville Convention Center. Staff was notified of an award on July 31, 2023. The amount allocated for the repairs is broken down into the following categories:
Administration: $118,000 on-hand.
Construction: $1,040,134.17 on-hand, $241,865.83 future receipts.
On May 19, 2023, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was published and posted Convention Center Phase I, which consists of the following scope of work:
Remodel Men’s and Women’s restroom, dressing area and showers. To include new lighting, plumbing, electrical, and accessible upgrades; The stage to be modified to accommodate a new restroom and dressing areas; Installation of a wheelchair lift; and
Accessible upgrades to Foyer including new doors, glazing to walls, new energy efficient windows, epoxy floors and interior paint, new trellis/awning.
Hignell, Inc. dba Experts in Your Home was the lowest bidder and is proposing to complete Phase I of the work, which is estimated at $1,204,596 base bid, plus a 10% contingency of $120,459.60 budgeted for unforeseen issue, additions, etc., bringing the total contract to $1,325,055.60. At this time, the project has secured funding in the amount of $1,040,134.17 and will reserve future receipts in the amount of $241,865.83 for this project 62 Item 4.
In addition, there were nine alternatives identified for this project for a consideration of $87,030:
1) Patching and Drywall repair, texturing and painting, 2) Ceiling paint for multi-use area, 3) Workout room cabinetry repaint, 4) paint lobby bathrooms, 5) Paint Exterior pillars, 6) Install new low profile LED lighting systems in multiple locations, 7) Casement/Finish work, 8) Paint back of rollup doors 9) Install lighting on East side.
If the alternate bids are approved, this would bring the total construction budget to $1,291,626, plus 10% contingency of $129,162.60 for a total of $1,420,788.60. The additional funding of $138,788.60 has been budgeted in the Capital Improvement fund.
FISCAL IMPACT
The funds in the amount of $1,282,000 will be budgeted as follows:
CDBG RLF Fund: 225
Org: 2252250
Object: 6360
Project Code: 2200026AD
The remaining funds of $138,788.60 will be budgeted as follows:
Capital Improvement Fund: 301
Org: 3013010
Object: 6360
Project Code: 2200026AD
RECOMMENDATION
1. Approve Res. No. XXXX - A RESOLUTION OF THE OROVILLE CITY COUNCIL
AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL WITH HIGNELL, INC. DBA EXPERTS IN YOUR HOME, AND AUTHORIZING HIGNELL, INC. DBA EXPERTS IN YOUR HOME TO COMPLETE THE PROPOSED OROVILLE CONVENTION CENTER PHASE I PROJECT IN AN AMOUNT OF $1,204,596 AND ALTERNATE BIDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $87,030 PLUS A 10% CONTINGENCY IN THE AMOUNT OF $129,162.60 (TOTAL $1,420,788.60) SHOULD ANY DEFICIENCIES BE DISCOVERED DURING THE PROJECT.
63 Item 4.
2. Authorize the City Administrator to modify or amend the Hignell, Inc. dba Experts In Your Home contract to include any additional amenities, alternatives or needs that the project may have, contingent upon funding availability.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution No. XXXX
2. Project Contract No. XXXX with Attachments
3. Bid for Construction
4. Bid Opening Summary Results
64 Item 4.
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PROJECT CONTRACT
THIS PROJECT CONTRACT (the “contract” or “Contract”), is made and entered into this 5th day of September, 2023, by and between City of Oroville (referred to herein as the “Owner” or the “City”) and Hignell Inc. dba Experts In Your HOME (referred to herein as the "Contractor").
WITNESSETH: That the parties hereto have mutually covenanted and agreed, and by these presents do covenant and agree with each other as follows:
1) THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS.
The complete contract is comprised of and may or may not include: Invitation for Bids; Information for Bidders; Bid Schedule; Proposal Form; Bidder’s Bond; Contract; General Conditions; Special Provisions; Technical Provisions; Payment Bond; Performance Bond; Notice of Award; Notice to Proceed; Change Orders; Supplemental Drawings Issued; Drawings; Specifications and Contract Documents; All addenda or bulletins issued during the time of bidding or forming a part of the documents loaned to the bidder for preparation of the bid; The complete plans and provisions, regulations, ordinances, codes, and laws incorporated therein or herein by reference or otherwise applicable to the Project.
All of the above documents are intended to cooperate so that any work called for in one and not mentioned in the other, or vice versa, is to be executed the same as if mentioned in all said documents. The documents comprising the complete contract are hereinafter referred to collectively as the Contract Documents.
2) THE WORK.
Contractor agrees to furnish all tools, apparatus, facilities, equipment, labor and materials (except that specifically mentioned as being furnished by others) necessary to perform and complete the work in a “good and workmanlike manner” as called for, and in the manner designated in, and in strict conformity with the Plans, Detail Specifications, and other Contract Documents which are identified by the signatures of the parties to this Contract and are, collectively, entitled:
OROVILLE CONVENTION CENTER
IMPROVEMENTS, PHASE I
3) CONTRACT PRICE.
The City agrees to pay, and the Contractor agrees to accept, in full payment for the work above agreed to be done, up to the following compensation: $1,291,626 as provided in the bid submitted to the City from Contractor. In no event shall Contractor’s compensation exceed the amount of $1,291,626, under Phase 1 of the bid, without additional written authorization from the City. Payment by City under this Agreement shall not be deemed a 65 Item 4.
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waiver of defects in Consultant’s services, even if such defects were known to the City at the time of payment.
For the purpose of fixing the amount of bonds referred to in the Instructions to Bidders, it is estimated by both Parties that the total contract price shall be based on the Contractor’s Base Bid amount for Phase 1 only.
Upon such time that the City obtains additional funding in support of the project, the City shall present Contractor with a written amendment to this Agreement for completion of Phase 2 bid work and any alternatives presented by Contractor and authorized, under amendment, by City; this will be no later than 60 days after contract execution. 4) DISPUTES PERTAINING TO PAYMENT FOR WORK.
Should any dispute arise respecting the true value of any work done or any work omitted, or of any extra work which the Contractor may be required to do or respecting the size of any payment to the Contractor during the performance of this Contract, the dispute shall be informally mediated between the parties. Following such mediation, either party may file an action exclusively in the Butte County Superior Court or in the United States District Court, Eastern District of California. Under no condition shall there be a cessation of work by the Contractor during any such dispute. This article does not exclude recovery of damages by either party for delays.
5) PAYMENT.
Not later than the 20th day of each calendar month, the Contractor shall make a partial payment request to the City on the basis of an estimate approved by the Engineer of the work performed since the last partial payment request during the preceding month by the Contractor with five percent (5%) of the amount of each such estimate retained by the City, until completion of the Project and the recordation of a Notice of Completion of all work covered by this Contract. The City shall make any partial payments provided for in this contract to the Contractor within 30 days of the City’s receipt of an undisputed and properly executed partial payment request from the Contractor. The City shall pay the Contractor interest on the amount of any portion of a partial payment, excluding retention amounts, not made to the Contractor within 30 days of the City’s receipt of an undisputed and properly executed partial payment request from the Contractor at the legal rate set forth in California Code of Civil Procedure Section 685.010. Upon receipt of a partial payment request from the Contractor, the City shall review the partial payment request for the purpose of determining whether or not the partial payment request is a proper partial payment request. Any partial payment request determined by the City not to be a proper partial payment request suitable for payment shall be returned to the Contractor by the City within 14 days of the City’s receipt of such partial payment request. A partial payment request returned to the Contractor by the City under the provisions of this section shall be accompanied by a written document setting forth the reason(s) why the partial payment request is not proper. The number of days for the City to make a certain partial payment provided for in this Contract, without incurring interest pursuant to this section, shall be reduced by the number of days by which the City exceeds the 14 day return 66 Item 4.
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period for such partial payment request, if determined to be improper, as set forth in this section. For the purposes of this section, a “partial payment” means all payments due to the Contractor under this contract, exclusive of that portion of the final payment designated as retention earnings. Also, for the purposes of this section, a partial payment request shall be considered properly executed by the City, if funds are available to pay the partial payment request and payment is not delayed due to an audit inquiry by the City’s financial officer. The City will release Contractor's retention earnings within 45 days after recordation of Notice of Completion, as defined in California Civil Code Section 3093. Recordation of a Notice of Completion for the Project by the City shall constitute the City’s acceptance of the Project work.
6) TIME FOR COMPLETION.
All work under this contract shall be completed within a period of 130 working days from the date of the Contractor's receipt of a Notice to Proceed from the City. 7) EXTENSION OF TIME.
If the Contractor is delayed by acts of negligence of the City, or its employees or those under it by contract or otherwise, or by changes ordered in the work, or by strikes, lockouts, fire, unavoidable casualties, documentable delays in delivery of materials, review by outside agencies, or any causes beyond the Contractor's control, or by delay authorized by the City, or by any justifiable cause which the Engineer shall authorize, then the Contractor shall make out a written claim addressed to the City setting forth the reason for the delay and the extension of the time requested and forward a copy of the claim to the Engineer for approval.
The Engineer will evaluate the claim and if the claim is justifiable, will request the City's approval. No such extension will be allowed unless written claim therefore has been made within 3 days after the delay became apparent.
If the Contractor fails or refuses to complete the work within the time specified, including authorized extensions, there shall be deducted from monies due the Contractor, not as a penalty, but as liquidated damages the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each calendar day subsequent to the time specified for each project and the time the work is actually completed and accepted. Delays caused by adverse weather conditions or conditions for which the Owner is clearly responsible will be added to the contract time. 8) LABOR PROVISIONS.
The project is subject to both federal and state prevailing wages. The Contractor shall pay laborers the higher of either the federal or state prevailing wage rate determination for the trades to be utilized. The contractor and all subcontractors on the project shall complete electronic reporting of prevailing wage rate reports through the Department of Industrial Relations, with copies of such reports to be provided to the City. 9) CONTRACT WORK HOURS AND SAFETY STANDARDS REQUIREMENTS. 67 Item 4.
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As used in the following provision, the term “laborers” and “mechanics” include watchmen and guards.
a. Overtime Requirements. Neither the Contractor nor any subcontractor contracting for any part of the Project which may require orinvolve the employment of laborers or mechanicsshall require or permit any such laborer or mechanic in any workweek in which he or she is employed on such work to work in excess of forty hours in such workweek unless such laborer or mechanic receives compensation at a rate not less than one and one-half times the basic rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of forty hours in such workweek, whichever is greater.
b. Violation; Liability for Unpaid Wages; Liquidated Damages. In the event of any violation of the clause set forth in paragraph a. above, the Contractor and any subcontractor responsible therefore shall be liable for the unpaid wages. In addition, the Contractor and subcontractor shall be liable to the City for liquidated damages. Such liquidated damages shall be computed with respect to each individual laborer or mechanic, including watchmen and guards, employed in violation of the clause set forth in paragraph a. above, in the sum of $3,000 for each calendar day on which such individual was required or permitted to work in excess of the standard workweek of forty hours without payment of the overtime wages required by the clause set forth in paragraph a. above.
c. Withholding for Unpaid Wages and Liquidated Damages. The City shall upon its own action or upon written request of an authorized representative of the Department of Labor withhold or cause to be withheld, from any monies payable on account of work performed by the Contractor or subcontractor under any such contract or any other Federal contract with the same Contractor, or any other federally-assisted contract subject to the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, which is held by the same Contractor, such sums as may be determined to be necessary to satisfy any liabilities of such Contractor or subcontractor for unpaid wages and liquidated damages as provided in the clause set forth in paragraph b. above.
d. Working conditions. Neither the Contractor nor any subcontractor may require any laborer or mechanic employed in the performance of any contract to work in surroundings or under working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to his health or safety as determined under construction safety and health standards (29 CFR Part 1926) issued by the Department of Labor.
e. Subcontracts. The Contractor and any subcontractor shall insert in any subcontracts the clauses set forth in paragraphs a. through d. and also a clause requiring the subcontractor to include these clauses in any lower tier subcontracts. The Contractor shall be responsible for compliance by any subcontractor or lower tier subcontractor with the clauses set forth in paragraphs a. through d.
10) NONDISCRIMINATION.
The Contractor, with regard to the work performed by it during the contract, shall not 68 Item 4.
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discriminate on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in the selection and retention of subcontractors, including procurements of materials and leases of equipment. The Contractor shall not participate either directly or indirectly in the discrimination prohibited by Section
21.5 of the Regulations, including employment practices when the contract covers a program set forth in Appendix B of the Regulations.
11) DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM PROVISIONS.
The Contractor, sub recipient or subcontractor shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex in the performance of this contract. The Contractor shall carry out applicable requirements of 49 CFR Part 26 in the award and administration of DOTassisted contracts. Failure by the Contractor to carry out these requirements is a material breach of this contract, which may result in the termination of this contract or such other remedy as recipient deems appropriate.
The Contractor agrees to pay each subcontractor under this contract for satisfactory performance of its contract no later than 10 days from the receipt of each payment the Contractor receives from City. The Contractor agrees further to return retainage payments to each subcontractor within 30 days after the subcontractor's work is satisfactorily completed.
Any delay or postponement of payment from the above referenced time frame may occur only for good cause following written approval of the City. This clause applies to both DBE and non-DBE subcontractors.
12) CIVIL RIGHTS.
The Contractor assures that it will comply with pertinent statutes, Executive Orders, and such rules as are promulgated to assure that no person shall, on the grounds of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age or handicap be excluded from participating in any activity conducted with or benefiting from Federal assistance. This Provision binds the Contractor from the bid solicitation period through the completion of the contract. This provision shall be inserted in all subcontracts, subleases, and other agreements at all tiers. 13) SOLICITATIONS FOR SUBCONTRACTS, INCLUDING PROCUREMENTS OF MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT.
In all solicitations either by competitive bidding or negotiation made by the Contractor for work to be performed under a subcontract, including procurements of materials or leases of equipment, each potential subcontractor or supplier shall be notified by the Contractor of the Contractor's obligations under this contract and the Regulations relative to nondiscrimination on the grounds of race, color or national origin.
14) INFORMATION AND REPORTS.
The Contractor shall provide all information and reports required by the Regulations or 69 Item 4.
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directives issued pursuant thereto and shall permit access to its books, records, accounts, other sources of information, and its facilities as may be determined by the City to be pertinent to ascertain compliance with such Regulations, orders, and instructions. Where any information required of a Contractor is in the exclusive possession of another who fails or refuses to furnish this information, the Contractor shall so certify to the City and shall set forth what efforts it has made to obtain the information.
15) SANCTIONS FOR NONCOMPLIANCE.
In the event of the Contractor's noncompliance with the nondiscrimination provisions of this contract, the City shall impose such contract sanctions as it may determine to be appropriate, including but not limited to:
a. Withholding of payments to the Contractor under the contract until the Contractor complies, and/or
b. Cancellation, termination, or suspension of the contract, in whole or in part. 16) INSPECTION OF RECORDS.
The Contractor shall maintain an acceptable cost accounting system. The City, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Comptroller General of the United States or any of their duly authorized representatives shall have access to any books, documents, paper, and records of the Contractor which are directly pertinent to this Contract or the Project for the purposes of making an audit, examination, excerpts, and transcriptions. The Contractor shall maintain all required records for 3 years after the City makes final payment and all other pending matters are closed.
17) RIGHTS IN INVENTIONS.
All rights to inventions and materials, if any, generated under this contract are subject to regulations issued by the City. Information regarding these rights is available from the City. 18) BREACH OF CONTRACT TERMS.
Any violation or breach of terms of this Contract on the part of the Contractor or its subcontractors may result in the suspension or termination of this Contract or such other action that may be necessary to enforce the rights of the City under this Contract. The duties and obligations imposed by the Contract Documents and the rights and remedies available thereunder shall be in addition to and not a limitation of any duties, obligations, rights and remedies otherwise imposed or available by law.
19) TERMINATION OF CONTRACT BY CITY.
a. The City may, by written notice, terminate this Contract in whole or in part at any time, 70 Item 4.
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either for the City’s convenience or because of the Contractor’s failure to fulfill its contract obligations. Upon receipt of such notice, services shall be immediately discontinued (unless the notice directs otherwise) and all materials as may have been accumulated in performing this Contract, whether completed or in process, delivered to the City. b. If the termination is for the convenience of the City, an equitable adjustment in the contract price shall be made, but no amount shall be allowed for anticipated profit on unperformed services.
c. If the termination is due to failure to fulfill the Contractor’s obligations, the City may take over the work and prosecute the same to completion by contract or otherwise. In such case, the Contractor shall be liable to the City for any additional cost occasioned to the City thereby. d. If, after notice of termination for failure to fulfill contract obligations, it is determined that the Contractor had not so failed, the termination shall be deemed to have been affected for the convenience of the City. In such event, adjustment in the contract price shall be made as provided in the second paragraph of this clause.
e. The rights and remedies of the City provided in this clause are in addition to any other rights and remedies provided by law or under this contract. 20) INCORPORATION OF PROVISIONS.
The Contractor shall include the provisions of this contract in every subcontract, including procurements of materials and leases of equipment, unless exempt by the Regulations of directives issued pursuant thereto. The Contractor shall take such action with respect to any subcontract or procurement as the City may direct as a means of enforcing such provisions including sanctions for noncompliance. Provided, however, that in the event the Contractor becomes involved in, or is threatened with, litigation with a subcontractor or supplier as a result of such direction, the Contractor may request the City to enter into such litigation to protect the interests of the City and, in addition, the Contractor may request the United States to enter into such litigation to protect the interests of the United States. 21) CONTRACTOR CLAIMS OF $375,000 OR LESS.
Claims by the Contractor relating to the Project for (a) a time extension, (b) money or damages arising from work done by, or on behalf of, the Contractor on the Project for which payment is not expressly provided for or to which the Contractor is not otherwise entitled, or (c) an amount that is disputed by the City, with a value of $375,000 or less, are subject to the claims procedures set forth in California Public Contract Code Sections 20104, et seq., except as otherwise provided in this Contract and the incorporated documents, conditions and specifications.
22) LOBBYING AND INFLUENCING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.
a. No Federal appropriated funds shall be paid, by or on behalf of the Contractor or its 71 Item 4.
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subcontractors, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the making of any Federal grant or the amendment or modification of any Federal grant.
b. a. If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid by the Contractor or its subcontractors to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of the City, any Federal agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with any Federal grant, the contractor shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobby Activities,” in accordance with its instructions. 23) ASSIGNMENT OF CERTAIN RIGHTS TO THE CITY.
In entering into this Contract or a subcontract to supply goods, services, or materials pursuant to this Contract, the Contractor and/or subcontractor offers and agrees to assign to the City all rights, title, and interest in and to all causes of action it may have under Section 4 of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 15) or under the Cartwright Act (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 16700) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code), arising from purchases of goods, services, or materials pursuant to this Contract or the subcontract. This assignment shall be made and become effective at the time the City tenders final payment to the Contractor, without further acknowledgement by the parties. 24) ENERGY CONSERVATION REQUIREMENTS
The contractor agrees to comply with mandatory standards and policies relating to energy efficiency that are contained in the state energy conservation plan issued in compliance with the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (Public Law 94-163). 25) ATTACHMENTS.
1) Notice Inviting Bids
2) Contractor’s Bid
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Construction Contract to be executed on the day and year first herein written.
AGENCY: City of Oroville, A Municipal Corporation (First Party) By: _________________________________________________________________________ Mayor, David Pittman
CONTRACTOR: Hignell Inc., dba Experts In Your Home (Second Party) 72 Item 4.
A-XXXX
By: ________________________________________________________________________ (Authorized Representative) (Sign, Print Name and Official Title) APPROVED AS TO FORM:
By: _________________________________________________________________________ City Attorney, Scott Huber
ATTEST:
By: __________________________________________________________________________ City Clerk, Brian Ring
73 Item 4.
CITY OF OROVILLE
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR PITTMAN AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: MATT THOMPSON, P.E. ACTING CITY ENGINEER
RE: AMMENDMENT TO FUNDING ALLOCATION FOR THE STANFORD
AVENUE SCHOOL PARKING PROJECT
DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
SUMMARY
The Council may consider approving the amendment to funding allocation for the construction of the Stanford Avenue School Parking Lot.
DISCUSSION
In early 2021 the Oroville City Elementary School District (the District) requested the City of Oroville assist them in the repaving of the parking lot at Stanford Avenue Elementary School.
Since the approval of this task at the February 4, 2021, City Council meeting, the City has contracted with NorthStar Engineering for the design of the project and contract document preparation. On June 6, 2023, Council approved the award to Franklin Construction, Inc and entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to which the District agrees to reimburse the City for all Engineering Design work and Construction Costs for this project. The Memorandum stated the District would reimburse the City for expenses incurred from design and construction of this project.
Since the June 6th City Council meeting construction on the Stanford Avenue School Parking Lot has been completed. Due to unforeseen soil conditions and the need to relocate existing utilities construction costs on this project rose to $508,862.74. This results in $258,207.74 above the $250,655.00 City Council allocated to construction of this project.
There are more issues that have arose with utilities at the site. As a Contingency we would request approximately 5% of funding to cover the work.
The City’s total cost for design, construction and construction management so far is $585,309.74.
FISCAL IMPACT
The funds in the amount of $285,000.00 will come from Fund 302, Capital Improvement Fund, and shall be reimbursed by the District per attached MOU. 74 Item 5.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Council to approve the amendment to funding allocation for the construction of the Stanford Avenue School Parking Project.
ATTACHMENTS
Construction Cost Breakdown
Memorandum of Understanding Signed June 6, 2023
75 Item 5.
76 Item 5.
77 Item 5.
78 Item 5.
CITY OF OROVILLE
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR PITTMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: PATRICK PIATT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
RE: APPROVE AN APPLICATION FOR THE FEDERAL FUND
ACCOUNT/LAST MILE GRANT PROGRAM BY THE GOLDEN STATE
CONNECT AUTHORITY AND LETTER IN SUPPORT OF PROJECT
DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
SUMMARY
The Council may consider approving Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) to submit an application and a letter in support of a grant to provide underground, fiber optic broadband connectivity access to every address within the City of Oroville.
DISCUSSION
In July 2021, the SB 156 was adopted to expand broadband infrastructure for California and gave local governments the opportunity to be part of the solution associated with eliminating the digital divide. Digital divide is an acknowledgement of households that are unserved (speeds less than 25 mbps) and underserved (speeds less than 100 mbps).
Oroville, together with Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA), is now positioned to take advantage of a significant statewide investment in last mile broadband investment via the Federal Fund Account (FFA)/Last Mile grant program due to a study of the broadband needs for Oroville funded by a grant through the CPUC Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) for broadband network design.
Butte County is one of 40 member counties of the GSCA Joint Powers Authority. GSCA was formed by rural counties with a charter to increase broadband connectivity throughout rural areas. The GSCA intends to use bond funding as the financial resource for most of the project. Where the bond funding is not sufficient to construct the complete project area, grant funding will be sought to fill the gap, thus allowing GSCA to provide connectivity throughout the City.
Through the study of broadband access, it was discovered that a significant portion of the City is considered underserved. As such, GSCA is eligible to request grant funding to augment bond revenues that will be used to provide fiber optic high speed internet service to every address within the City and in some unincorporated areas of Butte County that are adjacent to the Oroville.
79 Item 6.
If GSCA is successful with their grant application and a grant is awarded, GSCA would finance, construct, own, operate, and maintain the entire fiber optic network with an estimated installment timeframe of 18 to 24 months. In addition to providing the possibility of connectivity to all, the open-access network will have the capacity to host multiple carriers, providing competitive choices for each residence and business. Once the project is funded, the City will have an opportunity to enter into an MOU with GSCA to implement the project.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to the City for approving this project and grant request through GSCA.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve City Council support for GSCA to pursue a grant from the CPUC FFA/Last Mile program to obtain funding to provide fiber optic broadband connectivity throughout the City of Oroville and issue a letter in support of the project.
ATTACHMENTS
None
80 Item 6.
September 5, 2023
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102
To Whom It May Concern:
The City of Oroville supports the County of Butte’s Federal Funding Account (FFA) application to deploy broadband infrastructure in priority, highly underserved and unserved areas within unincorporated Butte County with an identified need for broadband infrastructure investment.
The County’s FFA application will be submitted by Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA), a joint powers authority representing Butte County and other members of the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC).
As evidenced by its own FFA application, Oroville maintains a commitment to digital equity and the distribution of a reliable, high-speed, and affordable broadband connection throughout the county. Building low-cost broadband infrastructure countywide will support more robust participation in remote schools, healthcare, and work. Access to these critical activities will spur economic growth and improve quality of life for residents, as well as businesses and organizations located in the priority area, through increased access to quality job opportunities and better educational and health outcomes, among others.
In addition to the traditional economic benefits of broadband, the residents of Butte County also depend upon reliable internet connectivity to receive notifications during emergencies and disasters. Access to broadband is vital for life safety as evidenced by the Oroville Spillway Incident and recent wildfires and considered essential public infrastructure for building back resiliently.
In collaboration with the City of Oroville and GSCA, the County of Butte has prioritized the investment of FFA funds in the project’s proposed low-income communities, among the highest need areas in our region. Due to the pervasive need for these services countywide, The City of Oroville highly advocates for the full countywide allocation to be awarded as requested by the aforementioned applicants within Butte County including The City of Oroville, County of Butte, and the City of Chico.
City of Oroville
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
1735 Montgomery Street
Oroville, CA 95965-4897
(530) 538-2401 FAX (530) 538-2426
www.cityoforoville.org
81 Item 6.
GSCA’s robust capacity and well-planned project will offer tremendous economic, social, and public safety benefits to the unincorporated area within Butte County. We encourage a full award to support this project.
Sincerely,
David Pittman
Mayor
City of Oroville
82 Item 6.
CITY OF OROVILLE
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR PITTMAN AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: BRIAN RING, CITY ADMINISTRATOR
RE: NORTH STAR PLACE BRANDING CONTRACT AND NEW OROVILLE
BRANDING
DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
SUMMARY
At the request of Council Member Webber and Council Member Thomson, the Council will consider providing additional direction to staff with regard to its August 15, 2023 approval of the proposed Oroville brand and marketing plan by North Star Place Branding and Marketing, including a budget adjustment of $28,000.
DISCUSSION
Goals
On June 7, 2022, the Council approved by a 6-1 vote a professional services agreement with North Star Branding for place branding and marketing in the amount of $77,000. The goals set out for this agreement were to develop a strategic marketing and branding plan that would attempt to redefine the perception that exists with regard to the City and to promote the City as a premier destination for tourism and economic development/job creation. North Star was tasked with helping to develop a marketing plan that accurately portrays the region and one that resonates with residents, visitors and businesses.
Research
North Star’s research included site visits, interviews with community members, focus groups, community surveys and calls to external areas to understand external perceptions of the city.
In addition, a 7-member internal team was developed comprised of five staff members and two Council members, to work closely with North Start as they navigated through this process. In sum, over 635 unique pieces of feedback was submitted to North Star, including over 100 individual and focus group interviews, 142 survey responses, a large number of phone surveys, and 130 responses on the well-advertised www.brandingoroville.com Web Site. As a result of this outreach, the waterways which flow through and surround the City were overwhelmingly identified as the City’s greatest asset. Community members (over 90 people) enthusiastically signed up on www.brandingoroville.com to be “brand ambassadors” to help promote the brand once it is finalized.
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Development
After gathering substantial input, North Star developed a statement that captured the authentic essence of Oroville (Attachment 1), which the internal committee approved. From that North Star began developing its logo choices and tagline choices. The internal committee met multiple times and ultimately selected the proposed brand from several options. The proposed brand was then previewed to representatives of Explore Butte County, the Oroville Chamber, ODBA, and the Feather River Recreation and Parks District. These organizations all stated that they could work with this brand as part of their own marketing efforts.
Findings
North Star presented its results and recommendations to the Council on August 15, 2023.
During that meeting, the Council voted to approve the “brand”, the first-year marketing plan, the first-year marketing budget and a contract amendment with North Star to assist with the implementation of the marketing campaign for year one (which would include the production of social media, print advertising, speaking content, community flyers, announcements, billboards, and Web site landing page content and design). Direction was also given to not use the tag line “Belong. Along our water.” on any permanent signage. North Star, in their final report have suggested several tag lines – for use in different situations (Attachment 2).
FISCAL IMPACT
First year budget of $100,000 was approved by the Council on August 15, 2023 ($72,000 included in FY 2023/24 budget, and $28,000 from Local Fiscal Recovery Funds).
RECOMMENDATION
1. Confirm the following:
a) Confirm the prior approval of the Oroville Brand as presented by North Star Place Branding;
b) Confirm the prior approval of the first-year marketing plan, timeline, and $100,000 budget; and
c) Direct staff to continue using the internal team with the two Councilmembers to finalize all marketing materials prior to publication, including selective use of different taglines depending on the situation; or
2. Provide staff other direction.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Statement of Oroville’s strategic foundation (DNA)
2. Annotated Oroville logo and possible tag line(s)
3. North Star – August 15, 2023 Brand Presentation
4. Approved first year budget.
5. First-year Branding Implementation Plan with Timeline
6. Final Branding Report
84 Item 7.
To whom Oroville has the most appeal
What makes Oroville special
Target Audience:
Point-of-Difference:
Benefit: Why it should matter to the consumer
Frame of Reference: Geographic context of Oroville
OrovilleDNAPlatformStatement
169
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Target Audience: For those wanting a down-to-earth, more affordable California lifestyle, Point-of-Difference:
Benefit:
Frame of Reference:
Oroville, the tenacious and scenic center of Butte County in the Sierra Foothills,
OrovilleDNAPlatformStatement
170
stewards an abundance of what the rest of California prizes: water, so you can reinvigorate, recreate, and relax.
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Flow Resembles both a feather and a wave
GOLD COLOR
City of Gold
Belong in the Moment
Where your Business Belongs
This is Where I Belong
Belong
Be Here. Be You. Belong
I Belong. Along Our Water
Other
suggested
tag lines to
use as
situation
demands
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Oroville Branding Update
August 2023
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How did we uncover the brand for Oroville?
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North Star moves from research to strategy
to creativity to action.
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BrandPrint
Process
Stakeholder & Community Education
InsightGathering&Research
DNA&Strategy Formation
Creative Brand & Message Development
BrandAction Ideas
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Research
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Research by the Numbers METHODOLOGY
6 100+ Site Visit Conversations: intercepts, focus groups, interviews & calls 130 www.BrandingOroville.com
142 Community Survey Respondents
19 External Perception Calls
248 External Consumer Respondents
= More than 635 unique inputs during the research
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Internal Qualitative Data
Best Descriptors
Family friendly
Resilient, resourceful
Blue collar town
Beautiful
Outdoorsy
Generous, supportive
Affordable
Industrial
Poor
Overlooked
Scenic
Stagnant, behind the times
Rough around the edges
Relaxed, comfortable
Active
THEMES
Greatest Assets
Outdoor recreation
Natural resources: Lake, River, Mtns
Scenic beauty
Available land
Downtown (potential)
Great location
Afterbay/Forebay
Wineries
Quality of life/lower cost of living
Small town character/sense of community
Responsive city and social services
Airport; industrial park
Riverbend Park
Cannery: Pacific Coast Producers
Lineman College (Oroville Inn)
7 Opportunities
Downtown
Reputation management
Oroville Hospital
Outdoor recreation
River development and access
Community pride; self esteem
Airport & Industrial development
Chico State & Butte College grads
Widening CA 70
Bay Area & Sacramento talent
Quality of life
Higher end housing
Private investment (biz friendly)
Low land and water rights
Tourism; destination development
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Community Survey
8 In your opinion, what are Oroville's two greatest assets? Choose two answers.
Other:
● The outdoors
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Community Survey What distinguishes Oroville from other nearby communities in California? The Oroville Dam and Lake Oroville
● “Expansive water ways, marshes, lakes, fishing”
● “Oroville could bloom as the Rivertown. The Feather
River is beautiful and has fascinating history and
culture. It can play a beautiful role in town culture by improving the river's edge and maintaining it.”
Recreational opportunities & events
● “The topography and plethora of outdoor activities all around the area. Lots of live music and a relatively
vibrant downtown.”
● “The opportunity for growth in the Oroville area is
abundant. The river running through town could offer so many recreational and hospitality opportunities which
could make Oroville a destination instead of a
pass-through town.”
● “Oroville is a small town that offers beauty, shopping, and food. Downtown revitalization for the old town feel sets it apart from other towns in the area.”
Scenic location
● “Balance of foothills and centrally located to other
places.”
● “We can live comfortably in the hills and be minutes
from downtown.”
● “Unique geography allows for a unique variation in
housing choices and aesthetics.”
Loyal, diverse community
● “We have a wonderful and diverse community. A very
large Hmong & Asian population. There are so many
well-educated and caring people who want to make a
difference.”
● “Small-town, locally-grown loyalty that respects
business and supports it's community members”
● “When in a crisis, our community really pulls
together.”
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Community Survey
10 Oroville Dam
What is iconic in Oroville?
Visual Symbols/Landmarks
Table Mountain w/ “O” Feather River Lake Oroville
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Strategy
98 Item 7.
Oroville DNA Platform Statement
Target Audience:
Point-of-Difference:
Benefit:
Frame of Reference:
For those wanting a down-to-earth, more affordable California lifestyle,
Oroville, the tenacious and scenic center of Butte County in the Sierra Foothills,
stewards an abundance of what the rest of California prizes: water, so you can reinvigorate, recreate, and relax.
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Brand Narrative
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Narrative
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Logo & Strapline
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Oroville Logo & Strapline
103
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Oroville Color Palette
104
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City of Oroville Brand
Executions
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Visual Direction
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Visual
Direction
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Thank you, Oroville!
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Branding Budget
Date: 8.15.2023Budget area Column1 Estimated Actual Difference 100,000.00 100,000.00
North Star
ALL listed creative services, plus needs from Chamber and Economic Development groups (50,000.00) (50,000.00)
Content Development
Spruce Studio: 150 photo library, 8min of video, 12 short videos, event coverage & content strategy (15,000.00) (15,000.00)
Brand Rollout
Refresh internal materials, logo on pens, bags, flags, water bottles, stickers, coasters, mugs, lanyards, city limit signs (10,000.00) (10,000.00)
City Hall enterance sign LRT dimensional wall logo (5,000.00) (5,000.00) Expo/Event Booth set up, travel and entry fees for 1-2 trade shows (15,000.00) (15,000.00) Media/Social Advertising Speaking crucit, Facebook ad space, local partnership on custom items (5,000.00) (5,000.00) Balance 0.00 0.00
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Identify need Develop solution Create Product Market product Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4
List of activities List of activities List of activities List of activities Landing page Landing page video Brand development Yr 2 planning Internal adoption: dept shirts Local adoption: window clings Ongoing PR/social North Star contract North Star 1-2 items per week North Star 1-2 items per week Spruce Stuido contract Spruce Studio stragegic plan Spruce Stuido testimonials Internal material refresh: letterheads,
business cards, zoom backgrounds,
email signatures
Internal material refresh: City limit signs
Brand development: logo on pens,
flags, stickers Economic Development toolkit
Plan speaking circuit/ Trade Show
attendance
Relator Association, Rotary, Busniess
Alliance, Chamber, ICSC Trade Show
etc.
Plan Salmon Festival booth Ongoing PR/social
Ongoing PR/social
Yr 2 budget items
Renew North Star
Caltrans enterance flags/monument
Tap into the tourism market
Expand Economic Development
Up Trade Show Attendance
Engage School programs
City Hall enterance sign
Council Chambers sign
1st yr Branding Timeline
Activities Outcomes
Define Brand Identity Build Awareness Create Engagement Develop Loyalty 128
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+ Oroville, California
Final BrandPrint Report
June 2023
129
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Introduction
About North Star Place Branding + Marketing
North Star Place Branding + Marketing comprises over a dozen talented individuals dedicated to growing community brand through integrated marketing solutions. North Star offers communities a combination of research, strategy, creativity, and action. This process—called Community BrandPrint—provides direction for the community’s brand development, like a blueprint guides the construction of a home. And just like a blueprint, the priorities and targets of each Community BrandPrint are stated in clear and unambiguous language. The resulting brand personality is as revealing as an individual’s fingerprint and just as unique.
About the BrandPrint Process
Through the Community BrandPrint process, North Star determines Oroville's most relevant and distinct promise. From that promise, we create a strategic platform intended to generate a brand position in the minds of residents, visitors, and businesses. We then develop a compelling creative identity to support the strategy, a range of deliverables showing that creativity in use, and an integrated action plan for bringing the brand to life. Each of these tools reinforces Oroville's strategic positioning and ensures brand equity and growth.
About the Branding Partner
Oroville contracted with North Star to determine the City’s true, unique, and relevant brand position and help the community stand out in the marketplace.
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Table of Contents
Introduction2
Executive Summary8
Key Research Findings8
Strategic Brand Platform 10
Creative Tools 11
Research 13
Materials Audit 15
Internal Qualitative Data 18
Community Survey 32
3 131
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Table of Contents
Research cont’d.
Brand Barometer 63
Consumer Awareness & Perception Study 77
External Qualitative Data 128
Competitive Positioning Review 132
Strategy 156
Insights 156
Strategic DNA Statement 168
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Table of Contents
Creativity 175
Logo + Line 177
Color Palette 178
Looks 179
Brand Narrative 180
Brand Standards Guide 183
Creative Deliverables 184
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Table of Contents
Action 216
1. Assign a Brand Leader 220
2. Create Branded Powerpoint Presentation for Multiple Audiences 221
3. Identify Consumer Touchpoints and Brand Them 224
4. Develop Branded Merchandise 228
5. Build Digital and Social Media 229
6. Engage City Employees with the Brand 234
7. Build Community Pride with the Brand 248
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Table of Contents
Action cont’d.
8. Infiltrate Your Infrastructure and Brand Cost-Effective Signage 257
9. Pursue Public-Private Partnerships 262
10. Demonstrate How Economic Development Belongs 266
11. Show Local Businesses How the Brand Can Work for Them 272
12. Invite Visitors to Belong Along the Water 279
Strategic Marketing Plan 287
Evaluation 317
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Executive Summary
North Star conducted research to identify what differentiates Oroville from competitors. We set out to learn the perceptions and beliefs of stakeholders and influencers as well as understand the competitive situation. North Star then worked collaboratively with Oroville to determine a strategy to guide the branding of the City.
Strengths: Oroville enjoys a scenic setting in the Sierra foothills with convenient proximity to the Sacramento area and Northern California. The community is home to a wealth of water resources including Lake Oroville, the Feather River, the Forebay, and Afterbay. And Oroville is home to the engineering feat of the Oroville Dam. It is well known for outdoor recreation of many types (not just water). The spectacular spring wildflower bloom on Table Mountain attracts flocks of tourists. Oroville is a generous, hardworking town with a revitalized Downtown. It is more affordable than many spots in the state and draws Californians and others to the enviable quality of life. Expertise in biomass and other interests at the industrial district along with the airport anchor an economic development zone south of the city. The community still has some available land unlike many locations. Active lifestyles center around Riverbend Park and all the water recreation available. Oroville has a reputation of generosity and helping those in need or those displaced (recently, by fires). The Chinese Temple and several museums in the community tell the interesting historical context of the people who have called the area home. Downtown is also home to assets like Lineman College and the State Theater.
Challenges: A negative reputation continues to plague the community as a place for homelessness and drug use. With all of the water resources, many bemoan the limited river access as well as limited riverfront development and appeal. Schools also suffer a negative reputation in Oroville. For some outside the area, the negative association is connected only to the spillway incident a few years ago. Some areas of the community are run-down and blighted. There has been conflict among leaders, creating some divisiveness, and some in the community are anti-growth. Research revealed a lack of diversity in the community, or at least a lack of inclusion. Downtown is indeed an asset but has struggled with vacancies.
KEY FINDINGS
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Executive Summary KEY FINDINGS
Opportunities: Oroville is rich in natural resources and economic potential. Marketing and promotion will be key so that the great things about Oroville enter the conversation instead of some outdated reputational issues. The Downtown and riverfront development are very exciting in Oroville and present the prospect for drawing activity and investment. With such an abundance of water resources, Oroville is well positioned to assert its expertise and leadership along with partners like the Department of Water Resources. This can unlock some economic opportunity similar to the innovation already in Oroville regarding biomass. Oroville needs to celebrate the outdoor recreation and quality of life to area college grads including Butte College and Chico State, but also UC Davis, Sac State and other regional institutions. The affordable quality of life and active lifestyles are a huge draw for this demographic. A business-friendly posture should also continue to benefit the community as Downtown and other parts of the city attract investment. Tourism, particularly with outdoor recreation, and Downtown will continue to introduce the community to wider audiences.
Summary: Oroville has quietly become what everyone hopes for in California. It has water. Its scenic beauty is spectacular.
It’s affordable. And the quality of life is fantastic. It offers a down-to-earth community with a strong sense of belonging, and for the few things it doesn’t offer that Californians enjoy, it is within two hours of the beach and the mountains. A perfect location with plenty to do and access to even more. Moreover, Oroville is a careful steward of its people and places as it invests in quality of life so that locals can gather, relax, or reinvigorate their personal or professional lives without the stress experienced in other parts of California. Active lifestyles and outdoor recreation are talent magnets which give Oroville a strong economic development message.
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Executive Summary
Research data was analyzed for trending insights that hone in on the Oroville story. These insights were funneled into a strategic brand platform, also known as your strategic DNA. Just as an individual’s DNA influences everything from how that person looks to how that person acts (as well as their health and vibrancy), Oroville's DNA should be the foundational touchstone for all positive planned action in your community, from marketing to events to product development.
OROVILLE STRATEGIC DNA
For those wanting a down-to-earth, more affordable California lifestyle, stewards an abundance of what the rest of California prizes: water, Target Audience:
Point-of-Difference:
Benefit: so you can reinvigorate, recreate, and relax.
Frame of Reference: Oroville, the tenacious and scenic center of Butte County in the Sierra Foothills,
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Executive Summary
The final package of foundational creative tools strategically supports the Oroville brand platform. These tools layer personality on top of the strategy in order to make an emotional connection with the consumer. They include a narrative, tagline, logo, color palette, and creative executions. Together they begin to tell the Oroville story in a compelling and memorable way.
CREATIVITY
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Executive Summary OROVILLE CREATIVE
The Oroville brand action plan contains hundreds of ideas—large and small—for integrating the brand into the City’s marketing and promotions. Ideas touch on the website, new products to support the strategy, vehicles, merchandise, and more. Many deliverables were designed using the visual brand identity and brand language to serve as a guide for putting the brand to work. The collage below is a sampling.
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RESEARCH
Understanding
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Oroville's Strategic Brand Platform
(DNA)
Perception of
Consumers
Competitive
Position
Vision of
Stakeholders
Research
This research stage addresses Oroville's current
brand positioning. We assess the environment,
your consumers, current communications, and the
competition. Most importantly, we gather firsthand
information about Oroville from our site visit
experience.
We are looking for current attitudes regarding
Oroville. We are also trying to spot behavioral
trends that exist around the current Oroville brand.
This stage is critical because it uncovers the
relationship between three factors: the vision of
the stakeholders, the perception of consumers,
and the competitive position in the marketplace.
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MaterialsAudit
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MaterialsAudit OVERVIEW
Purpose
The Materials Audit provides an overview of past research, marketing, promotions, and education done on behalf of Oroville and its partners. Before we can determine where the new identity should go, we must understand where you have been.
Methodology + Results
A library of materials were provided by Oroville representing economic development, tourism, resident recruitment and education, special programming, past research and planning studies, etc. All materials were catalogued and reviewed to identify areas of recurring themes as well as areas of conflicting or divergent messaging. 16 144
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MaterialsAudit
17 ● Discover Oroville 2021 Economic Development booklet ● City map brochure
● Oroville visitor brochure
● Airport Marketing Publication
● ART Brochure
● Business Recruitment Brochure template
● Travel Chico Brand Guidelines
● Chinese Temple and Museum brochure
● City of Oroville logo
● Downtown Oroville parking guide
● Project Falcon proposal
● Marketing Team brochure
● Maverik Coming Soon graphic
● North Complex Temporary Housing flyer
● Apartments Under Construction graphic
● Planning & Land Development Fees brochure
RESEARCH + PLANNING DOCUMENTS
● Read Across America graphic
● Saint Patrick’s Day Restaurants graphic
● Standard Marketing half-sheet flyers
● Call for Artists - Welcome Sign post
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Internal Qualitative Data
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Internal Qualitative Data OVERVIEW
Purpose
The purpose of the Site Visit is to gain an understanding of the perceptions and attitudes of Oroville residents and stakeholders towards their community and to experience first-hand what makes it a unique destination for visitors, residents, or business prospects.
Methodology + Results
The following summary reflects observations and input received during the North Star Site Visit, which took place from August 15-18, 2022. The information is not meant to be all-inclusive, but rather highlights the most common themes experienced, uncovered, and voiced on the trip and following it. Input is listed in order of frequency. The site visit included an area familiarization (FAM) tour, stakeholder focus groups, stakeholder one-on-one interviews, undercover interviews, and local community one-on-one perception interviews.
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Opportunities
Downtown
Reputation management
Oroville Hospital
Outdoor recreation
River development and access
Community pride; self esteem
Airport & Industrial development
Chico State & Butte College grads
Widening CA 70
Bay Area & Sacramento talent
Quality of life
Higher end housing
Private investment (biz friendly)
Low land and water rights
Tourism; destination development
Internal Qualitative Data
Best Descriptors
Family friendly
Resilient, resourceful
Blue-collar town
Beautiful
Outdoorsy
Generous, supportive
Affordable
Industrial
Poor
Overlooked
Scenic
Stagnant, behind the times
Rough around the edges
Relaxed, comfortable
Active
THEMES
Greatest Assets
Outdoor recreation
Natural resources: Lake, River, Mtns.
Scenic beauty
Available land
Downtown (potential)
Great location
Forebay/Afterbay
Wineries
Quality of life/lower cost of living
Small town character/sense of community
Responsive City and social services
Airport; industrial park
Riverbend Park
Cannery: Pacific Coast Producers
Lineman College (Oroville Inn)
20 148
Item 7.
Internal Qualitative Data
Challenges
Negative reputation: homeless, meth, drugs, poor
River access/use
Schools
Brain drain; no high wage job growth; only low skill
County seat creates inaccurate perceptions
Blight and infrastructure; Oro Dam Boulevard
Lots of special districts; little accountability
Change averse; anti-growth attitudes
Vision consensus; conservatism doesn’t fund much
Downtown vacancies; lacks vibrancy
Conflict among leaders; divisiveness
Ole boys’ network
Not developer friendly; high impact fees
Only low income housing growth
Diversification
THEMES
What We Think Outsiders Say
Lake Oroville
Crime; unsafe
Tweakers; drugs
Poor
Where is it?
Conservative; Trump land
Dam incident
Salmon Fest
Strong high school sports
Displaced fire victims
Nothing to do
Casinos
No jobs
Infighting among leaders
21 149
Item 7.
Internal Qualitative Data
Missing
Vibrant Downtown
Better dining and retail
Professional job opportunities
Reasons to visit; gathering spots; experiences
Marketing and promotion
Major industry and employers
Upper middle class
Diversity
Arts and culture
Amenities and business growth
Better schools; private schools for kids of high earners Unified vision; forward thinking; new ideas
Family and teen activities
Housing variety
Sports fields, High standards, Lodging, PIO, Public transit THEMES
Most Important to Identity
Lake Oroville
Feather River
History (Gold Rush and Chinese Temple)
Table Mountain (wildflowers)
Small town character
Resilience (generous response to crises)
Outdoor recreation
Downtown Oroville
Agriculture; Pacific Coast Producers
Relaxed, comfortable quality of life
Convenient northern CA location
Industry
Scenic beauty
22 150
Item 7.
Internal Qualitative Data QUOTES
23 ● “To live in Oroville, you need to have some grit.” ● “The people are the essence of the city. Without the people it’s just a town on the river/lake.” ● “Once people get here they’re very surprised and taken back. They love the landscape, the downtown, and the beauty. ● “We’ve had a bad reputation in the past, but we’re a great little spot here. It’s a safe environment.” ● “We’re humble to a fault. We have a tendency to focus on the bad things instead of highlighting the good.” ● ”There’s been a lot of trauma over the last 6 years with dam failure, the campfire, lightning complex fire. Lots of loss here and natural disasters.”
● “Chico has a bad idea of what Oroville is. If we can’t sell ourselves to our own county, then how can we sell ourselves to the rest of the country?”
● “You can’t get involved in a community the size of Sacramento, but you can here!” ● “This downtown is a gold mine. It’s connected to older homes and the river. Not a strip mall, Target, or Home Depot.” ● “It took me several years to learn that we’re less than our neighbor. It’s unfortunate that that’s the preconceived notion.” ● “We’ve waiting a long time to get where we are today, but things are coming together very positively.” ● “You’re in a place that’s protected from sprawl, from bleh.” ● “We need a way to encourage people to get off the freeway from time to time.” ● “I call us an afternoon destination.”
● “We have a good city council now, and it helps to have money in the coffers.” ● “Our new train mural is great. But is it going to get a young person to take a picture in front of it?” ● “In terms of cohesion, this is the best that I’ve seen downtown.” 151 Item 7.
Internal Qualitative Data QUOTES
24 ● “I work with a developer who works exclusively with the City because he can get to the table and there’s no run around” ● “We have to twist DWR’s hand so that they come up with the money to fix the river. That’s the key.” ● “There’s no connection between the town and the river.” ● “Oroville shows the most growth I’ve seen in the region in a while. That’s including Chico.” ● “We’re the Oakland to San Francisco.”
● “What other city has a lake and river going through it?” ● “Everybody thinks about Oroville as a void. We talk about the things that it doesn’t have, as opposed to what it does.” ● “It’s crazy that we’re just building apartment complexes. We’re not building neighborhoods.” ● “There’s no doubt in my mind that when we start executing these ideas, our problems will just go away.” ● “I’m very partial to what I’m seeing in Downtown right now. Even though I’ve seen a lot of fits and starts.” ● “Every kid around here has toured inside the Dam.”
● “Lot of Paradise fire victims here, but they want to leave.” ● “Families with kids want to go to Chico schools, not Oroville,” ● “Anyone who works in Oroville works for the government or some connected partner.” ● “Chico focuses on beauty. Trees are important. Design standards. Oroville is just haphazard.” ● “Lots of mind your own business folks here.”
● “Elected officials are good ole boys and not to be told what to do.” ● “Oroville would gobble up all the land around it if they could—but lack the service capacity for annexation.” ● “Oroville wants revenue and population increase.”
152
Item 7.
Internal Qualitative Data QUOTES
25 ● “Oroville needs to improve services to current residents before growth or annexation.” ● “I don’t consider it safe. I wouldn’t buy a house or own a business. Too many transients and mentally ill.” ● “Chico does a better job concealing evidence of crime.” ● “Conservatism fails to fund solutions. Looks away or ignores issues.” ● “Oroville is not doing anything to clean up its streets.” ● “Downtown is adorable and has so much potential—bummed out there are so many empty businesses.” ● “They have squandered Oro Dam Boulevard. Dangerous and unappealing. It had such great potential as a grand boulevard.”
● “Oroville has no discretionary income.”
● “People can’t afford the high-end things Downtown.”
● “We are rough folks.”
● “Oroville lacks strong leaders to use resources in the right way.” ● “It’s easier to live in Chico.”
● “You don’t come to Oroville to hang out.”
● “Oroville is less open to visitors and newcomers.”
● “People forget Oroville is where the County was born—lots of history.” ● “We want to do things our way. Take it or leave it.”
● “If you’re not in the club. Too bad.”
● “We don’t need to listen to outsiders.” 153
Item 7.
Internal Qualitative Data QUOTES
26 ● “Perfect balance of small town and urban cross-over.” ● “Oroville needs to advance into the 21st century.”
● “Oroville is 5+ years behind in how it looks.”
● “Some parts look like a truck stop. Others are suburban. And others run-down.” ● “Welfare rolls tripled after the Dam was completed.
● “Government has stymied growth. Can’t get out of their own way.” ● “Business climate in California is tough, which leaves us with tourism and low-paying jobs.” ● “Oroville is against low income housing—but they continue to build just that.” ● “Logging was annihilated by environmentalists, and we are paying the price with fires.” ● “Four sewer districts is ridiculous.”
● “We are building housing for no jobs.”
● “City and County need to fight for the money to right the wrongs after the Dam was built: campgrounds, shuttle parking, and tours.”
● “City jobs are the only jobs here for professionals.” ● “Just because you build it, they won’t come. We lack the lifestyle people want.” ● “Too many thrift stores Downtown.”
● “All we get is fast food.”
● “Our mindset is closed. Can’t appreciate different perspectives and opportunities.” ● “Outsiders not allowed; outside investors not encouraged.” 154 Item 7.
Internal Qualitative Data QUOTES
27 ● “If you’re not an outdoorsman, there’s not much for you.” ● “We get special one-time monies but can’t use them wisely.” ● “Afterbay and forebay—motor on one side and paddle on the other.” ● “Oroville needs to do better with Chico State and Butte College grads.” ● “The Chamber tries to snag TOT funds from Explore Butte County.” ● “Why is the Chamber charged with tourism?”
● “A gold mining message will do nothing for us.”
● “We need to grow the economy and improve the quality of life.” ● “There’s only one bachelor’s degree on the dais. Data may not be appreciated.” ● “Chamber marketing is painful. Stock photos?”
● “City has authorized crap apartments with more coming.” ● “Know what you can’t get at the Salmon Festival? Yep, salmon.” ● “Our riverfront plans are unattainable.”
● “Riverfront needs to be an asset not an eyesore.”
● “Educators don’t want to live where they can run into parents.” ● “We always get compared to Chico. And Chico is assumed to be better. Not true.” ● “Chico actually feels less safe, especially at night.” ● “This is a small town. Welcoming and connected.”
● “City hasn’t invested in Downtown or tourism.”
155
Item 7.
Internal Qualitative Data QUOTES
28 ● “Lake gets bad press. Dam breaking and low water levels.” ● “Chamber and ODBA are not aligned.”
● “Too much duplication and redundancy here yet no accountability.” ● “Cohesion is the best it has ever been. Investors are communicating.” ● “DWR is not our friend.”
● “Need to give folks more to do outside their car.”
● “We own Table Mountain, not Chico.”
● “We need to upgrade our standards to reflect the values of the community.” ● “Plans and studies sit on the shelf. They need to be integrated.” ● “No one promotes our industrial park—400 acres of industrial vacant.” ● “Industrial area lacks infrastructure.”
● “CA 70 is a two-lane death trap.”
● “Docs don’t want to live here. Poor schools and weak sports.” ● “We need businesses that bring families here.”
● “We need to lose the Greyhound bus terminal.”
● “Casinos are generally no benefit to us—off the tax rolls—no TOT collection.” ● “Oroville should be the base camp for the region.”
● “Who controls what? No one knows.”
● “Chamber needs some horsepower.”
156
Item 7.
Internal Qualitative Data QUOTES
29 ● “You can pick plums and figs from your kayak at base of Dam.” ● “When you kill charm, you kill the place.”
● “There is a drum to bring too many here.”
● “You can’t get an apartment here if you make too much money.” ● “We are reinforcing our blue collar image—no professional opportunity for young talent.” ● “We are the armpit of the County.”
● “We are the stepchild to Chico.”
● “Some want to come here for elbow room and neighbors they don’t hate.” ● “You have to travel to do things with family.”
● “We have a stronger sense of community Downtown than outside.” ● “We are our biggest problem.”
● “The push for multifamily housing has stunted single family builds.” ● “Oroville is often used as a stepping stone to go somewhere else.” ● “There’s a market for housing between new construction in Chico and Section 8 in Oroville.” ● “We have tried marketing. It always falls flat.”
● “Outside investment will be required to jumpstart Oroville.” ● “If you don’t like it, there are four exits out of town. Pick one.” ● “Some fire anxiety remains.”
● “You can make so much more in Sacramento.”
157
Item 7.
Internal Qualitative Data QUOTES
30 ● “There are not enough amenities around the lake.”
● “We have to figure out how to give the new generations what they want.” ● “I’ve lived in Chico. People are more down-to-earth here.” ● “Poverty is overwhelming. It’s like zombies own half the town.” ● “It’s an inexpensive place to live with lots of great festivals, but there will be shooting up right in front of you.” ● “There’s lots of prostitution on the Feather.”
● “Oroville isn’t really on anyone’s radar (other than Chico), so they don’t necessarily have perceptions. We aren’t big enough to draw attention or any resources.”
● “No unifying voice. You can’t put the Mayor on the news. Too controversial and polarizing.” ● “What’s the vision for South Oroville? Most of it is owned by slumlords. It’s a sad place.” ● “People want Oroville to improve, but no one knows how to do it.” ● “With government as your #1 employer, we are never going to win.” ● “Industry needs to get going in Oroville to keep families here.” ● “Fire burden has consumed our resources.”
● “SFO seaplanes can land here.”
● “Should put more emphasis on what ‘Oroville’ means…’Gold Valley.’” ● “The homeless have become too comfortable in Oroville, thus creating an open invitation for many more to join our town and create hazardous conditions on our streets, parks and along the river.” ● “I moved here after the Camp Fire in Paradise. I have fallen in love with it! I love learning the many historical things here.”158 Item 7.
Internal Qualitative Data QUOTES
31 ● “People do whatever they can to avoid Oroville.”
● “We have a small-town feel, and most people here wouldn’t hesitate to go out of their way to help a stranger in need.
Life moves slower around here, and I think it surprises a lot of people.” ● “The rusted cars, junk, and industrial buildings really make Oroville look like a drive-thru ‘Don’t bother stopping’ town.” ● “We are small, but we are here with the biggest hearts and minds.” ● “When I think of Oroville I think of the old downtown farmers market when they closed the streets and it was filled with people.”
● “It doesn’t get cooler than the gold rush! The world loves that exciting history!” ● “When I hear people who don’t live here say, ‘You don’t look like you live in Oroville,’ it makes me very sad as many wonderful and successful people live here. All entrances from the freeway into town are unattractive, and sadly, people are quick to form opinions.”
● This town was settled on greed, but now has the opportunity to thrive on goodness.” ● “Wonderful people, beautiful scenery, but doesn’t always get the credit it deserves!” ● “Oroville is known locally for it’s poverty, heavy drug use, its citizens’ reliance on government subsidies, and its very long history of white supremacy/racism.”
159
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey
160
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey
Purpose
The purpose of the Online Community Survey is to gain a quantitative measure of the community’s perceptions of Oroville.
Methodology + Results
North Star developed an online survey informed by the results of the qualitative Stakeholder Vision Survey and Site Visit conversations. Most questions were multiple choice, allowing for a quantitative measure of resident perceptions. Community members were encouraged to participate after the survey was posted on the brand website and publicized in local media. 142 survey responses were collected for this survey, allowing for a Margin of Error of ±8.22% at the 95% confidence level.
Please refer to Appendix A on the Google Drive for the complete Online Community Survey results.
OVERVIEW
33 161
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey
Other:
● Crime and drugs
● Crowded
34 Which of the following are the best descriptors for Oroville? Choose two answers.
162
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey
35 In your opinion, what are Oroville's two greatest assets? Choose two answers.
Other:
● The outdoors
163
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey
36 How do people in nearby parts of California (like Chico, Sacramento, and everywhere in between) describe Oroville?
Choose two answers.
Other:
● Crime and drugs
164
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey What do people not know about Oroville that they should know? What are its hidden gems?
1. Downtown Oroville
2. Waterways
3. History
Other top answers include (in order of frequency):
Outdoor Recreation (Hiking, Fishing, etc.),
Natural Beauty, Chinese Temple, Table Mountain
37 165
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey What is the first adjective that comes to mind when describing the following communities in California?
Chico
● College town
● Homelessness
● Partying
● Arrogant
● Liberal
Marysville
● Run-down
● Pass-through, truck stop
● Dirty
● Small town
● Outdated
Paradise
● Camp Fire, destroyed
● Rebuilding
● Resilient
● Small
● Peaceful, quaint
Yuba City
● Growing, thriving
● Bustling, busy
● Indian population
● Overcrowded, traffic
38 166
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey What distinguishes Oroville from other nearby communities in California? The Oroville Dam and Lake Oroville
● “Expansive water ways, marshes, lakes, fishing”
● “Oroville could bloom as the Rivertown. The Feather
River is beautiful and has fascinating history and
culture. It can play a beautiful role in town culture by improving the river's edge and maintaining it.”
Recreational opportunities & events
● “The topography and plethora of outdoor activities all around the area. Lots of live music and a relatively
vibrant downtown.”
● “The opportunity for growth in the Oroville area is
abundant. The river running through town could offer so many recreational and hospitality opportunities which
could make Oroville a destination instead of a
pass-through town.”
● “Oroville is a small town that offers beauty, shopping, and food. Downtown revitalization for the old town feel sets it apart from other towns in the area.”
Scenic location
● “Balance of foothills and centrally located to other
places.”
● “We can live comfortably in the hills and be minutes
from downtown.”
● “Unique geography allows for a unique variation in
housing choices and aesthetics.”
Loyal, diverse community
● “We have a wonderful and diverse community. A very
large Hmong & Asian population. There are so many
well-educated and caring people who want to make a
difference.”
● “Small-town, locally-grown loyalty that respects
business and supports it's community members”
● “When in a crisis, our community really pulls
together.”
39 167
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey
40 In your opinion, what are the greatest challenges currently facing Oroville? Choose two answers.
Other:
● Homelessness
● Housing
● Jobs
● Safety
168
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey
41 In your opinion, what is missing in Oroville?
Choose two answers.
Other:
● Public safety
● Dining options
169
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey
42 In your opinion, please rate the following Oroville attributes and characteristics on a scale from 1-10, where 1 is "Poor" and 10 is "Excellent." Choose two answers.
170
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey
43 In your opinion, what three things are most important to the identity of Oroville as a community (without these, Oroville would lose its essence)? Choose two answers.
Other:
● Lake Oroville
● Openness
● Future downtown
171
Item 7.
Brand Character 44
172
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey Would you like to answer a few more questions about visual elements and the brand character of Oroville?
45 173
Item 7.
Community Survey
46 Spontaneous,
high energy
Careful thinking,
planning
Modern,
progressive
Traditional
Cutting-edge Established Accessible to all Upscale
The pairs of phrases below represent opposite characteristics. Please indicate which phrase is a better descriptor for Oroville by marking an option on the spectrum between one characteristic and the other.
174
Item 7.
Community Survey
47 Which vehicle best represents
the personality of Oroville?
47.37%
Pickup truck
175
Item 7.
Classic Car
7.89%
Pickup truck
47.37%
Hybrid Sedan
2.30%
Community Survey
Minivan
5.26%
Boat
18.42%
Luxury SUV
2.07%
Motorcycle
4.39%
Off-road SUV
13.16%
48 Which of the images below best represents the personality of Oroville? Vehicles
176
Item 7.
Community Survey Which Building/Architectural Style best represents the personality of Oroville?
40.35%
49 1970s Ranch Home
177
Item 7.
Suburban
Home
7.89%
1970s Ranch
Home
40.35%
Rustic Cabin
2.63%
Community Survey
RV
7.89%
Main Street
19.30%
Modern Home
0.00%
Farmhouse
6.14%
Single-Family
Victorian
15.79%
50 Which of the images below best represents the personality of Oroville? Buildings/Architectural Styles
178
Item 7.
Community Survey Which Brand Personas/Archetypes best represents the personality of Oroville?
44.74%
Explorer/Pioneer 51
179
Item 7.
Creative
7.89%
Explorer/
Pioneer
44.74%
Teacher
2.63%
Community Survey
Hero
6.14%
Helper
22.81%
Entertainer
2.63%
Geek
2.63%
Best Friend
10.53%
Expert
0.00%
52 Which of the images below best represents the personality of Oroville? Brand Personas/Archetypes
180
Item 7.
53 Community Survey What Visual Symbol/Landmark is iconic in Oroville? 7%
Oroville Dam
181
Item 7.
Community Survey
54 Oroville Dam
7%
What is iconic in Oroville?
Visual Symbols/Landmarks
Table Mountain w/ “O”
5%
Feather River
5%
Lake Oroville
5%
182
Item 7.
Community Survey
55 Which colors do you most associate with the personality and physical nature of Oroville? Choose three answers.
183
Item 7.
Demographics 56
184
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey Please choose the description that best identifies you. 57 Other:
● Former resident or commuter
● Live nearby
185
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey
58 How long have you been a resident of Oroville?
186
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey
59 What is your gender?
187
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey Which of the following includes your age? 60 188
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey Which of the following best describes you? 61 Other:
● Indian
● Native American
189
Item 7.
CommunitySurvey Which of the following ranges includes your total household income? 62 190
Item 7.
Brand Barometer 63
191
Item 7.
Purpose
The Community Brand Barometer measures strength of the Oroville brand according to:
● Resident satisfaction with and advocacy for Oroville as a place to live, visit, and conduct business. ● Oroville satisfaction/advocacy relative to the nation.
Methodology + Results
Significant research* on a wide variety of customer satisfaction metrics found a single powerful question has the greatest ability both to measure current resident satisfaction and predict future community growth. That question, “Would you recommend your community to a friend or colleague as a place to live (or work or visit)?” is powerful because it surpasses the basic model of economic exchange, where money is spent for products or services. People who score their community high on the Brand Barometer actively recruit new residents, visitors, and businesses through positive word-of-mouth marketing. It is very personal. By making a strong recommendation, they are willing to risk their own character, trustworthiness, and overall reputation for no tangible reward.
*Research conducted by Satmetrix Systems, Inc., Bain & Company and Fred Reichheld, author of “The One Number You Need to Grow,” Harvard Business Review (Dec. 2003).
Brand Barometer OVERVIEW
64 192
Item 7.
Methodology + Results (cont’d.)
The methodology for the Brand Barometer has been carefully developed and determined to be statistically significant.
Participants in the community-wide surveys answered three questions:
● Would you recommend living in Oroville to a friend or colleague? ● Would you recommend visiting Oroville to a friend or colleague? ● Would you recommend conducting business in Oroville to a friend or colleague? Responses are measured on a 10-point scale with 1 being “Not at all likely” and 10 being “Extremely likely.” Results are presented on an individual respondent level as well as an aggregate Brand Advocacy Score. Scores are calculated with response percentages in the following categories:
● Promoters (9 or 10) – Loyal residents who will continue fueling your growth and promoting your brand ● Passives (7 or 8) – Satisfied but unenthusiastic residents who are vulnerable to other opinions and brand ● Detractors (1-6) – Unhappy residents who can damage your brand and impede growth through negative referrals Brand Advocacy Score = % Promoters – % Detractors
Brand Barometer OVERVIEW
65 193
Item 7.
Methodology + Results (cont’d.)
Oroville's Brand Advocacy Score can then be compared to a benchmark score that has been derived for the entire nation.
North Star employs multiple survey methods through proprietary sources to determine national averages. Scores represent a stratified random sample of the entire U.S. population and are updated on a regular basis. You can use this information to track your own brand performance relative to national trends over time. In addition, you can repeat the Brand Barometer after a designated period and compare the results to your own benchmark score for an on-going metric of how community attitudes change over time and in response to specific events or activities.
Brand Barometer OVERVIEW
66 194
Item 7.
Detractors
BrandBarometer
Passives Promoters
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not at all likely” and 10 being “extremely likely,” how likely would you be to recommend…
Living in Oroville
67 195
Item 7.
BrandBarometer
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not at all likely” and 10 being “extremely likely,” how likely would you be to recommend…
Living in Oroville
Living in
Oroville
Oroville
Totals
National
Average
National
Totals
1 8.45% Detractors 4.98% Detractors
2 5.63%
54.22%
2.33%
31.39%
3 6.34% 3.30%
4 9.15% 3.70%
5 12.68% 9.34%
6 11.97% 7.73%
7 11.97% Passives 12.65% Passives
8 16.90% 28.87% 18.19% 30.84%
9 6.34% Promoters 11.83% Promoters
10 10.56% 16.90% 25.94% 37.77%
68 196
Item 7.
-37.32%
Overall Brand Advocacy Score
Living in Oroville
(% of Promoters minus % of Detractors)
69 BrandBarometer
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not at all likely” and 10 being “extremely likely,” how likely would you be to recommend…
Living in Oroville
197
Item 7.
Detractors
BrandBarometer
Passives Promoters
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not at all likely” and 10 being “extremely likely,” how likely would you be to recommend…
Visiting Oroville
70 198
Item 7.
BrandBarometer
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not at all likely” and 10 being “extremely likely,” how likely would you be to recommend…
Visiting Oroville
Visiting
Oroville
Oroville
Totals
National
Average
National
Totals
1 4.93% Detractors 3.34% Detractors
2 3.52%
44.37%
2.24%
30.07%
3 4.23% 3.42%
4 5.63% 3.88%
5 9.86% 9.37%
6 16.20% 7.82%
7 19.72% Passives 11.51% Passives
8 14.79% 34.51% 15.64% 27.15%
9 6.34% Promoters 12.27% Promoters
10 14.79% 21.13% 30.52% 42.78%
71 199
Item 7.
-23.24%
Overall Brand Advocacy Score
Visiting Oroville
(% of Promoters minus % of Detractors)
72 BrandBarometer
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not at all likely” and 10 being “extremely likely,” how likely would you be to recommend…
Visiting Oroville
200
Item 7.
Detractors
BrandBarometer
Passives Promoters
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not at all likely” and 10 being “extremely likely,” how likely would you be to recommend…
Conducting Business in Oroville
73 201
Item 7.
Biz. in
Oroville
Oroville
Totals
National
Average
National
Totals
1 4.93% Detractors 4.42% Detractors
2 5.63%
59.15%
2.24%
35.79%
3 8.45% 3.60%
4 9.15% 4.36%
5 16.20% 11.93%
6 14.79% 9.24%
7 15.49% Passives 12.79% Passives
8 15.49% 30.98% 17.09% 29.88%
9 3.52% Promoters 11.40% Promoters
10 6.34% 9.86% 22.95% 34.35%
BrandBarometer
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not at all likely” and 10 being “extremely likely,” how likely would you be to recommend…
Conducting Business in Oroville
74 202
Item 7.
-49.29%
Overall Brand Advocacy Score
Conducting Business in Oroville
(% of Promoters minus % of Detractors)
75 BrandBarometer
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not at all likely” and 10 being “extremely likely,” how likely would you be to recommend…
Conducting Business in Oroville
203
Item 7.
BrandBarometer On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not at all likely” and 10 being “extremely likely,” how likely would you be to recommend Oroville to a friend or colleague… 76 204
Item 7.
Consumer Awareness & Perception Study
205
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Consumer Awareness and Perception Study
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to gain insight into consumer awareness, visitation and perceptions of Oroville. The survey measures:
● Overall top-of-mind perceptions of Oroville and immediate competitors ● Consumer visitation trends (frequency and nature of visitation) ● Consumer visitation drivers (business, leisure, friends, and family) ● Strengths and weaknesses of Oroville with identified community attributes ● Measurements of Oroville quality of life indicators
● Measurement of Oroville strengths and weaknesses
Methodology + Results
An internet study was conducted among respondents in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento Area, divided equally between them. A total of 308 surveys were completed and analyzed, allowing for a margin of error ±5.58 at the 95% confidence level.
Terminating factors included: living/working in Oroville, being under 18, and being “Not at all familiar” with Oroville.
OVERVIEW
78 206
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Consumer Awareness and Perception Study
Methodology + Results (continued)
See Appendix B on the Google Drive folder for the complete CAP Study results.
We examined the responses for several questions relative to the particular responses to other questions in this study. This process of cross-tabulation is a type of analysis that looks at the variability of a characteristic between two or more groups. In other words, it compares opinions, behaviors, perceptions, etc. between different types of people (respondents). Cross tabulating data reveals much more detailed information than simply presenting the means, or averages, of an aggregated set of data. We have shared the most compelling cross-tabulations in the following pages. We present the question and responses in aggregate form followed by the detailed cross-tabulations.
OVERVIEW
79 207
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Consumer Awareness and Perception Study SURVEY TERMINATION 308
80 Total Respondents
● 156 from the Sacramento Area
● 152 from the Bay Area
● 656 terminations for not being familiar with Oroville 208
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Consumer Awareness and Perception Study SURVEY ANALYSIS GROUPINGS 81 Markets
● Sacramento Area
○ El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, and Yolo Counties ● Bay Area
○ Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, and Sonoma Counties
Age
● Gen Z and Young Millennials: 18-34 years old
● Gen X and Old Millennials: 35-54 years old
● Boomers +: 55+ years old
Visitors (145 respondents)
● Visitors indicated that they have visited Oroville in the past 3 years. 209
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Demographics 82
210
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CAPStudy What is your gender?
83 211
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CAPStudy Which of the following includes your age?
84 212
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CAPStudy Which of the following ranges includes your total household income? 85 213
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CAPStudy Which of the following best describes you?
86 Other:
● Indian
● Mexican
● Middle Eastern
214
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Familiarity 87
215
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CAPStudy How familiar are you with the following communities in Northern California? 88 216
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CAPStudy OROVILLE ONLY, TERMINATIONS INCLUDED
How familiar are you with the following communities in Northern California? 89 217
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CAPStudy OROVILLE ONLY, BY MARKET
How familiar are you with the following communities in Northern California? 90 218
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Unaided Perceptions 91
219
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CAPStudy When you think of the following communities, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Marysville
● Rural, country
● Small town
Nevada City
● Gambling, casinos
● Mountains
Chico
● College town
● Parties
Paradise
● Wildfire
● Beautiful
Red Bluff
● Hot
● Rural country
Oroville
● Dam
● Lake
220
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CAPStudy From your perspective, do you think the following communities are improving, declining, or staying the same?
93 221
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CAPStudy
OROVILLE ONLY, BY MARKET
From your perspective, do you think the following communities are improving, declining, or staying the same?
94 222
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CAPStudy
OROVILLE ONLY, BY AGE
From your perspective, do you think the following communities are improving, declining, or staying the same?
95 223
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CAPStudy
OROVILLE ONLY, BY VISITATION
From your perspective, do you think the following communities are improving, declining, or staying the same?
96 224
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CAPStudy
97 Which of the following cities do you most associate with a classic and charming downtown? Choose two answers.
Other:
● Sacramento
● Grass Valley
● Placerville
225
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CAPStudy
98 Which of the following cities do you think offers the greatest variety of outdoor recreation opportunities?
Choose two answers.
Other:
● Auburn
● Manteca
● Salinas
● South Lake Tahoe
226
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CAPStudy
99 BY MARKET
Which of the following cities do you think offers the greatest variety of outdoor recreation opportunities?
Choose two answers.
227
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CAPStudy
100
Which of the following cities do you associate with agricultural and industrial job producers? Choose two answers.
Other:
● Napa
● Stockton
228
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CAPStudy
101
BY MARKET
Which of the following cities do you associate with agricultural and industrial job producers? Choose two answers.
229
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CAPStudy
102
BY AGE
Which of the following cities do you associate with agricultural and industrial job producers? Choose two answers.
230
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CAPStudy
103
Which of the following cities do you consider to be the most welcoming and generous to newcomers and outsiders?
Choose two answers.
Other:
● Sacramento
231
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CAPStudy
104
Which of the following cities do you think has the best preserved history and cultural assets? Choose two answers.
Other:
● Grass Valley
● Sacramento
232
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CAPStudy
105
BY VISITATION
Which of the following cities do you think has the best preserved history and cultural assets? Choose two answers.
233
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CAPStudy
106
In general, which of the following cities do you think are the best places for someone to… Buy a Home (One answer only)
234
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CAPStudy
107
In general, which of the following cities do you think are the best places for someone to… Go on a day trip (One answer only)
235
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CAPStudy
108
In general, which of the following cities do you think are the best places for someone to… Start a Business (One answer only)
236
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Perceptions 109
237
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CAPStudy
110
Which phrase or adjective best describes the City of Oroville, California? Choose three answers.
Other:
● Needs investment
● College students
● Boring, dry
238
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CAPStudy
111
BY MARKET, TOP ANSWERS
Which phrase or adjective best describes the City of Oroville, California? Choose three answers.
239
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CAPStudy
112
BY MARKET, BOTTOM ANSWERS
Which phrase or adjective best describes the City of Oroville, California? Choose three answers.
240
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CAPStudy
113
Which of the following best describes where Oroville belongs in relation to surrounding areas? 241
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Non-Visitors 114
242
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CAPStudy Have you visited Oroville, CA in the past three (3) years? 115
243
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CAPStudy Why have you NOT visited Oroville?
116
Other:
● COVID-19
244
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CAPStudy Based on your perception of Oroville, in your opinion, please rate its following attributes on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is "Poor" and 10 is "Excellent." 117
245
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Visitors 118
246
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CAPStudy What was the primary purpose or main reason you visited Oroville on your most recent visit? 119
Passed through to:
● Bucks Lake
● Shasta
Other:
● Gymnastics meet
247
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CAPStudy Lasting Impressions
What aspect of Oroville leaves the most positive
impression on visitors and newcomers?
● “Historical—teaches you a lot about the area and how
it was developed.”
● “Outdoor area with room to explore. Quaint shops and
food places.”
● “Beautiful nature and special events”
● “Oroville's scenery and people are equally beautiful.” ● “Cleanliness of the city”
● “The locals make you feel at home.”
What aspect of Oroville leaves the most negative
impression on visitors and newcomers?
● “The coverage of the Oroville dam in the news”
● “Drug use, homeless population”
● “A lot of low income people”
● “Drought and shrinking lake”
● “Worry about stability of dam”
● “Still small town feel and not as up to date”
● “Homes are a bit rundown.”
248
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CAPStudy Based on your experience in Oroville, in your opinion, please rate its following attributes on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is "Poor" and 10 is "Excellent." 121
249
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CAPStudy
BY VISITATION, TOP RANKED
Based on your experience in Oroville, in your opinion, please rate its following attributes on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is "Poor" and 10 is "Excellent." 122
250
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CAPStudy
BY VISITATION, BOTTOM RANKED
Based on your experience in Oroville, in your opinion, please rate its following attributes on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is "Poor" and 10 is "Excellent." 123
251
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All Respondents 124
252
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CAPStudy
125
What is most important to the distinct identity of Oroville? (Without ______, Oroville would lose its essence.)
Choose two answers.
Other:
● Oroville Dam
253
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CAPStudy
126
BY MARKET, TOP ANSWERS
What is most important to the distinct identity of Oroville? (Without ______, Oroville would lose its essence.)
Choose two answers.
254
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CAPStudy
127
BY MARKET, BOTTOM ANSWERS
What is most important to the distinct identity of Oroville? (Without ______, Oroville would lose its essence.)
Choose two answers.
255
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External Qualitative Data
Influencer Perception Study
256
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Purpose
The purpose of the Perception Study is to gain an in-depth understanding of the brand perceptions of Oroville among important target audiences. What do these external constituents of the brand have to say about the area as a place to live or visit?
Methodology + Results
North Star consultants conducted perception interviews via telephone. The targeted audiences included leaders from nearby communities as well as regional officials and professionals in economic development and tourism. Questions were phrased to gather qualitative information. The following pages reflect frequent commentary and the most insightful conversations.
InfluencerPerceptionStudy OVERVIEW
129
257
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EXTERNAL PERCEPTIONS InfluencerPerceptionStudy
Challenges
Homelessness
Drug use
Crime
Conflict among leaders
County seat (draws trouble)
Concerns about Dam safety
Poverty
Business and retail vacancies
Casino
Limited Downtown hours
Available skilled labor
Housing inventory
Staff and policy turnover
Super traditional, conservative
Inferiority complex
Assets
Outdoor recreation
Lake Oroville, Feather River
Table Mountain (wildflowers)
Parks: Riverbend
Available, affordable land
Lineman College
Downtown potential
Food processing
Blue-collar workforce
Casino
Community events
Peaceful, quiet
Las Plumas High School
Missing
Awareness; updated reputation
River access
Vibrant Downtown (after dinner)
Reputation for events
Community pride; advocacy
Reputation for outdoor rec
Interesting shopping or dining
Marketing and promotion
Solution: homeless & drug use
Opportunities
Outdoor recreation
Feather River promenade
Downtown development
Potential
Size of market
Riverbend Park
Manufacturing
Distribution, logistics
Affordable land
Wide appeal
Improved aesthetic
130
258
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InfluencerPerceptionStudy QUOTES
131
● “Oroville stands out as a place for the homeless and drug users.” ● “Is the Dam safe?”
● “Long-time residents resent newcomers.”
● “You got to Oroville when you are in trouble.”
● “The Sierra Foothills generally have a bad reputation.” ● “Few people know there is a river Downtown.”
● “Downtown is like any other town: great architecture and character and unrealized potential.” ● “Big retail killed Oroville—like so many places.”
● “Oroville makes the news with that grand jury report.” ● “County services are the only reason to go to Oroville.” ● “Downtown speaks to a different time when there was gold rush money.” ● “They need to increase their pride by leveraging history.” ● “Oroville has seen better days.”
● “Oroville appeals too many: adventure, beer and wine, food, casino, recreation, etc.” ● “Go to Oroville for recreation but never for shopping.” ● “There are plenty of things not there, but they do have the Lake.” ● “Oroville is beige—just sort of there—not making a statement.” ● “Electeds don’t trust staff.”
259
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CompetitivePositioningReview
260
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Purpose
The purpose of the competitive analysis is to better understand the market position and marketing executions of Oroville's competition.
Methodology + Results
North Star reviewed communication materials from each of the following competitors in economic development and tourism to compile a short synopsis of their attributes. The materials reviewed include but are not limited to the websites for municipalities, economic development, chambers of commerce, and tourism as well as other communication materials such as brochures and visitors guides. Based on these materials, as well as other information we gather, we analyze each competitor’s brand strength and focus on economic development and tourism.
Competitive Positioning Review
133
OVERVIEW
● Chico
● Marysville
● Paradise
● Nevada City
● Red Bluff
261
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Oroville Logo Overview
134
CITY + COMMUNITY PARTNER LOGOS
262
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Competitors 135
263
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Proximity
Oroville to…
● Chico: 23 mi. (26 minutes)
● Marysville: 27 mi. (34 minutes)
● Paradise: 21 mi. (26 minutes)
● Nevada City: 58 mi. (63 minutes)
● Red Bluff: 63 mi. (65 minutes)
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
136
264
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Competitor Logo Overview
137
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
265
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Chico, CA
138
Straplines & Marketing Messages:
● “Voice of Business” - Chamber
Insights:
● Founded in 1860 by General John Bidwell, who helped pioneer the Sacramento Valley after the Gold Rush.
● Bidwell Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the nation with more than 3,600 acres of land and features bike trails, swimming holes, climbing rocks, and more.
● Downtown Chico hosts Thursday Night Market and Friday Night Concert each week in fair-weather months.
● Artoberfest is an annual celebration for the local art culture. This event is complemented by Chico’s many eclectic art stores and museums as well as the unique local businesses.
● Voted as America’s #1 Cycling Town by Bicycling Magazine. ● Home to California State University, Chico.
● Top industries include food and beverage, agriculture, technology, and manufacturing.
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
266
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Chico, CA Website
139
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
267
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Chico, CA Downtown Website
140
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
268
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Marysville, CA
141
Straplines & Marketing Messages:
● “Gateway to the Gold Fields”
● “California’s Oldest Little City”
Insights:
● Marysville once was a hub for gold mining activity, which is commemorated by the Silver Dollar Saloon, the Mary Aaron Museum, and The Candy Box.
● Home to the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox professional-grade community baseball team, the Marysville Raceway, and the annual Marysville Stampede rodeo.
● The city once had the country’s second-largest Chinatown, the history of which can be found at the Chinese American Museum of Northern California.
● Top industries include government, health care, and retail. ● Relies on Yuba-Sutter tourism, EDC, and Chamber websites.
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
269
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Marysville, CA Website
142
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
270
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Visit Yuba-Sutter Website
143
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
271
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Paradise, CA
144
Straplines & Marketing Messages:
● N/A
Insights:
● Supposedly got its named from William Leonard who, after delivering lumber on a hot day, found shade under the ponderosa pines and said, “Boys, this is paradise.”
● Rebuilding after experiencing the deadliest in most destructive wildfire in California’s history in 2018. Only 40% of business infrastructure was unaffected, and 60% of homes were left intact.
● The Paradise Performing Arts Center and Theater on the Ridge hosts plays, concerts, and more.
● Johnny Appleseed Days are a direct descendant of the Paradise Harvest Festival of 1889, held to celebrate fruit and winter vegetables. ● Retail, health care, and construction are some of the top industries.
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
272
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Paradise, CA Website
145
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
273
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Paradise, CA Chamber Website
146
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
274
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Nevada City, CA
147
Straplines & Marketing Messages:
● “California’s best preserved Gold Rush town”
Insights:
● County seat of Nevada County
● Sits alongside the South Yuba River.
● A Railroad Museum, Firehouse Museum, the Miners Foundry Cultural Center, and the Nevada Theatre are noteworthy attractions. ● Features two annual film festivals.
● Downtown Historic District has beautiful 19th-century buildings that now house shops, restaurants, and wine-tasting rooms.
● Robinson Enterprises, Inc.; Telestream; Gyro Stabilized Systems; and 2Wire’s design facility are major area employers.
● Technology, manufacturing, retail, and agriculture are key sectors.
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
275
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Nevada City, CA Website
148
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
276
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Nevada City, CA Chamber Website
149
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
277
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Red Bluff, CA
150
Straplines & Marketing Messages:
● “The Victorian City on the River”
Insights:
● County seat of Tehama County
● Derives its name from its location on a high vertical bank at the bend of the Sacramento River.
● Historic Downtown features The State Theatre and lots of local restaurants and shops.
● Serves as the gateway to the Lassen Volcanic National Park and offers many recreational activities on the Sacramento River.
● Home to Shasta College-Tehama Campus.
● Top industry sectors are retail, health care, and public administration.
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
278
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Red Bluff, CA Website
151
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
279
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Red Bluff, CA Downtown Website
152
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
280
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Regional Metrics Rollup
City Population
(2021)
Population
Change
(20-21)
Unemployment
Rate
Median
Income
Median Home
Price
Median
Age
Cost Of
Living
(H/L)
Bachelor’s
Degree or +
Racial
Breakdown*
Oroville 19,893 -0.8% 7.8% $34,371 $192,000 34.7 1.3% H 13.6%
60.0% White
14.4% Latino
13.7% Asian
Chico 102,338 -0.5% 7.3% $57,357 $349,300 29.8 14.5% H 38.5%
69.2% White
19.0% Latino
6.6% Mixed
Marysville 12,664 0.5% 8.2% $47,128 $226,600 32.6 7.1% H 15.4%
56.6% White
31.1% Latino
8.2% Mixed
Paradise 5,268 10.7% 8.3% $49,275 $264,000 56.3 4.6% H 24.9%
87.3% White
6.3% Latino
4.5% Mixed
Nevada City 3,168 0.3% 1.9% $43,614 $574,500 56.7 34.4% H 35.3%
84.3% White
6.9% Mixed
5.8% Latino
Red Bluff 14,588 -0.7% 10.4% $37,326 $187,700 33.9 3.4% L 12.2%
71.6% White
17.9% Latino
6.3% Mixed
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
153
*Racial Breakdown does not include Latino or Hispanic origin 281
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Brand Review
Economic
Development Focus
(how much marketing is focused on
driving economic development)
Tourism Focus
(how much marketing is focused on
driving tourism)
Brand Strength
(how strong the brand is at marketing
the region – design currency,
activation/use, representation of
place, consistency across
areas/departments) Weak Average Strong
Weak Average Strong
Weak Average Strong
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
282
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Competitive Summary ANALYSIS
● Demographically, Oroville most closely resembles Red Bluff, especially in regards to population size and growth, household income, home price, age, and education level.
● Oroville saw the largest decrease in population and has the lowest median household income. However, Oroville also has the second lowest home price and cost of living.
● Each competitor in this set uses a logo or icon that is circular and contained. Some of them feature natural elements, such as Chico’s tree or the mountains in Paradise and Marysville. Nevada City and Red Bluff have depictions of iconic historic buildings in their logos. Red Bluff, Nevada City, and Marysville have icons that more closely resemble a traditional seal rather than a modern logo. None of the communities have consistent branding across departments. ● Since several of these are relatively small communities, some rely on county-wide and regional organizations for tourism, economic development, and chamber of commerce support.
● Chico’s City website is an excellent example of user experience. They chose to use a simple navigation bar on the side of the landing page that moves to the top when a link is clicked. The website has large, attractive images as well as minimal text and consistent brand coloring.
● The Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce website does a great job of linking to partner websites, advertising community events, and highlighting the communities it serves through appealing images and visual elements. ● Although it is aspirational for Oroville, Visit Yuba Sutter has an excellent tourism website that offers niche trip ideas, uses outstanding photography and videos, and easily allows visitors to book a hotel for their stay. ● Chico also has an above-average Downtown website that clearly advertises upcoming events as well as eating, shopping, and lodging options. They encourage visitors by familiarizing them with the new parking system on the landing page. 283
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STRATEGY
Insights
284
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157
Insights
During this phase of the process, the body of quantitative and qualitative data uncovered in the research phase is analyzed to identify key themes and trends. From this, a set of insights comprising the emotional sparks of the Oroville story are crafted. These insights lead to Oroville's unique strategic brand platform.
Oroville's strategic brand platform, or DNA as North Star calls it, is the single most important and vital outcome of the branding process. Like an individual’s DNA, it is code for what makes the community special at its core. As such, it must be distinct, ownable, and authentic. It must differentiate Oroville locally, regionally, and even nationally and increase awareness and regard within the community and beyond. This differentiation must remain in keeping with the personality perceived by stakeholders, residents, and visitors.
Oroville's strategic DNA should become the cornerstone for all creativity, action, policy, and passion moving forward. Imagine the cumulative potential for your community if all major decisions were made within the context of what makes Oroville truly different and special.
So where does all of this research lead us? One thing to remember in a process like this is that we cannot tell you to be something you’re not. We won’t do it even if that is your secret hope. Your brand will be based on what is true and authentic. That is why we study your history and culture but maintain an eye on the future and your aspiration. What about your history and culture differentiates you and is relevant and meaningful today for your interests and goals? Repetition, Repetition, Repetition. This is not just a rule of effective communication. We know we are onto something when we start hearing similar thoughts and ideas about your community. Positioning helps us market. The job of the brand is to tell your most competitive story. The job of the strategy is to determine what that story should be about. We are using some voices from the research to highlight key insights from the research process. 285
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158
Insights WHERE DID THE RESEARCH LEAD US?
“We don’t show well.”
“They have poor self esteem. “*
“People are demeaning to Oroville.”
“We need to stop apologizing for being from Oroville.”
“We need to show that we value ourselves.”
“Stereotypes about Oroville are at least 50 years old.” “People seem unhappy here.”
“Oroville doesn’t tell our story well.”
“Kids are taught in high school that opportunity is limited.” “We have to overcome ourselves. We are worthy.”
“We are hidden.”
*External comment 286
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159
Insights WHERE DID THE RESEARCH LEAD US?
“Crime stats don’t back up the awful reputation.”
“News broadcasts about crime are from Oroville even though crime was elsewhere in the County.” “In Butte County, Oroville has a bad reputation. But in Sacramento that is not known.” “People live with a heightened level of panic or alarm here.” “We will climb out with good paying jobs.”
“It’s a diamond in the rough. Really rough.”*
“Most want Oroville to improve. But no one knows how to do it.” 287
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160
Insights WE HEARD LOTS OF GREAT THINGS “Riverbend Park is a gem.” “Downtown is going to be a huge draw.”
“Recreational opportunities are the best thing in Oroville.”* “Despite all the things missing, Oroville is still charming.”* “It’s an opportunity area—so much potential.”*
“I don’t understand the bad rep. Spend some time here, and you’ll like it.” “Oroville enjoys a leisurely quality of life—small town charm—not the hustle and bustle.” “You can experience all of California within a couple of hours, which is unique.” “Oroville is well balanced. It’s easy to have a high quality life here.” “City is driven by the beauty of the Foothills.”
“I’ve travelled the world and have never found a place that I wanted to live in more than Oroville.” “We are finally hitting our stride. There’s a new energy and momentum here.” 288 Item 7.
161
Insights WE HEARD CONCERNS
“Unhoused = unsafe.”*
“Oroville is Tweakerville. Always has been.”*
“Drugs and crime are a bigger issue in Oroville because it is the county seat.”* “The stigma of druggies is decades long.”*
“There are lots of pockets of crime, drug use, and overall sense as unsafe.”* “People look down on people in Oroville. Impoverished.”* “Oroville is poor, unsafe, and drugged out.”*
“I won’t use the trail by the River. Afraid of who I might run into.” “Oroville is a slum.”
“Schools are bad and poor. Doctors and teachers refuse to live here.” “Butte College is in Chico.”*
“Perception as drugs, crime, and poverty is earned but improving.” 289
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162
Insights WE HEARD CONCERNS “We are an afternoon, not a weekend.” “Upscale doesn’t exist here.”
“People choose Chico or Yuba City because they are more interesting and have more housing options.” “County jail is not an asset. People bailed out just linger.” “Lake culture is not part of our reputation.”
“We have the second largest earthen dam. Once impressive but now a noose around our neck.” “Our built environment is uninspiring.”
“They have a charming Downtown, but it is derelict.”*
“Businesses in Oroville are antique-related. Nostalgia and history.”* “Your city is only as good as its poorest neighborhoods. How are you investing in improvements?” “Montgomery Street is a zombie graveyard—coming out of the buses.” “I don’t know why Downtown is not full or vibrant.” 290 Item 7.
163
Insights WE HEARD CONCERNS
“Oroville elects people who claim to know better—but just don’t.”* “Council thinks this project is just to make Oroville hip.” “We like to say NO, but we never pursue a good YES.”
“Because the Feather River is governed by multi-agency approach, there is no ownership or accountability.” “Whose responsibility is the River? Everyone and no one.” “City Council is not on the same page, and it impedes progress.” “The City is too passive; it does not cultivate collaboration.” “Events have too many hands involved—no ultimate responsibility.” “State is forcing us to build low income housing—driving us to the bottom.” “The current City Administration lets Council weigh in on hiring which becomes the equivalent of political appointments without expertise and necessary experience.”*
291
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164
Insights WE HEARD CONCERNS
“You can’t low-income yourself to prosperity.”
“New ideas don’t move here.”
“Let the market develop and improve Oroville. Yet here we wait. Be proactive for once.” “They need more skilled laborers there.”*
“Casinos bring jobs but no taxes and draws in the riff raff.”* “We all wear the same underwear from Walmart.”
“Our posture is desperate. We accept whatever comes.”
“Retailers overlook us.”
“Tangled web of jurisdictions makes development harder.” “When the Dam was completed, there was economic collapse, and the recreation assets promised still haven’t been built.” 292
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165
Insights
“Camping, fishing, or the Lake is the reason to be here.” “Proximity to water recreation makes it the most appealing in the County.”* “The Lake is a tourism facet, but more than that, it’s a quality of life factor. Life is better closer to water.”* “Chico sees homeless as blight, where Oroville is more willing to help and be more generous.” “We have the most available land in Butte County.”
“Retailers often choose Chico, but if we get them or their second location, we outperform Chico.” WHAT IS DISTINCT?
293
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Insights
“Oroville is like a great host of a party. Makes sure people are fed and have fun.” “Some truly stunning and beautiful areas like the Feather River and Table Mountain.”* “Lineman’s College is very successful. They need to boast their wins more.”* “Crisis after crisis. We respond with grace and aplomb.” “We’re too busy working hard or taking care of folks to talk about ourselves.” “We have the largest salmon hatchery in the West.”
“With all this water comes responsibility.”
WHAT IS DISTINCT?
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Insights WHAT IS DISTINCT?
“Oroville is geographically and naturally spectacular. There is an incredible upside. It just needs an attitude reset of building up (people and place) rather than tearing down.”* 295
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STRATEGY
DNA Platform
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To whom Oroville has the most appeal
What makes Oroville special
Target Audience:
Point-of-Difference:
Benefit: Why it should matter to the consumer
Frame of Reference: Geographic context of Oroville
OrovilleDNAPlatformStatement
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Target Audience: For those wanting a down-to-earth, more affordable California lifestyle, Point-of-Difference:
Benefit:
Frame of Reference:
Oroville, the tenacious and scenic center of Butte County in the Sierra Foothills,
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stewards an abundance of what the rest of California prizes: water, so you can reinvigorate, recreate, and relax.
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Strategy
Target Audience: For those wanting a down-to-earth, more affordable California lifestyle,
RATIONALE
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● Oroville enjoys a lower cost of living than many places in California yet is within a short distance of all the variety that the Golden State has to offer.
● The community embraces a slower pace and enviable quality of life beyond the rat race in most metros.
● People are often regarded as more generous and authentic here. ● With so many feeling forced out of California, Oroville delivers a California lifestyle still within reach
● Cost of land and available workforce are strong economic development advantages. ● Oroville benefits from a legacy of folks unafraid of hard work accomplishing big things. ● “Down-to-earth” connotes the character of the people as well as its gold rush mining history and engineering marvel at the Dam.
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Strategy
Oroville, the tenacious and scenic center of Butte County in the Sierra Foothills,
● Oroville is positioned in the middle of Butte County, surrounded by the beauty of the foothills and many scenic waterways.
● Table Mountain in the Spring is blanketed with spectacular wildflowers. Each season brings distinct beauty.
● The community is resilient and has weathered crises and periods of boom and bust with determination and generosity.
● Her people have always demonstrated tenacity when faced with challenges and difficulty, which is a sought after trait for employees and neighbors. People want to have supportive folks they can rely on.
● Native American, Hmong, and Chinese traditions have endured and defined Oroville culture. ● Oroville is the center of government, leadership, and policy for the dynamic County.
Frame of Reference:
RATIONALE
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Strategy
stewards an abundance of what the rest of California prizes: water, ● Most of Oroville’s assets and opportunities are directly connected to the water resources. ● The scenic waterways enhance the quality of life with active recreation and relaxation. ● Thriving cities and economic development areas are becoming those with water. Boom towns will continue to be those with the most reliable water. It helps when it is affordable as well. ● Oroville needs to embrace its leadership position in the coalition that protects these resources and advocates for their responsible use and activation. The City should cultivate cooperation. ● Downtown and the Feather Riverfront need to be become emblematic of effective stewardship (with partners) of these resources while contributing to the local economy. ● Residents will appreciate these resources more if they can be active participants in, on, and along the water in daily lives.
● The Salmon Festival is a great venue to communicate Oroville’s significant role in managing the habitat and species. There is great opportunity to expand the reach and relevance of the event for the environment, entertainment, and economic development. ● Oroville must be stewards of an abundant quality of life including opportunity, generosity, and interest for all.
Point-of-Difference:
RATIONALE
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Strategy
Benefit: so you can reinvigorate, recreate, and relax.
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● Outdoor recreation here is recognized as a hub of activity and interest for adventurers and outdoor rec enthusiasts. It offers the excitement, beauty, fresh air, and freedom of enjoying the outdoor playground.
● It’s easier to relax when you are not stacked on top of or shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone. ● Entrepreneurs, businesses, and individuals are invited to revitalize their enterprises and selves here. Downtown is emblematic of that opportunity. Oroville is a place of opportunity, renewal, and activity.
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CREATIVITY
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Creativity TOOLS FOR BRINGING THE BRAND TO LIFE
This Brand Identity Guide should serve as a blueprint for the creative rendering of your new brand. With the exception of the logo, files do not represent camera-ready art. Templates have been provided for letterhead, business cards, email signatures, and PowerPoint backgrounds. Many communities choose to work with local talent for the actual refinement and production of creative communication pieces. This allows for true customization and brings local perspectives to the work.
A Creative Committee, identified by brand drivers in Oroville, was charged with evaluating and selecting the foundational tools in the Brand Identity Guide. All creative decisions were made using the City’s strategic brand platform as inspiration. Those tools include:
● Logo, line, and color palette
● Graphic Standards Guide
● Brand narrative
● Creative expressions of the brand (in the form of a full page ad) Every creative element in this Brand Identity Guide represents North Star’s best suggestions for how to put your new brand to work creatively. These creative elements guide and inform the tactic-driven Action Plan that follows in the next section.
Note: All final logos for Oroville are included in the Google Drive folder in both JPEG and Vector/EPS format. We encourage you to share this folder with branding partners, organizations, vendors, or other outlets requesting a copy of the logo. All files for the creative deliverables contained in this section are also included in your Google Drive folder. 176
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LOGO + LINE
Logo Rationale:
A customized serif typeface is used for the primary wordmark. With the curves of the letter forms and serifs, it delivers both an established and welcoming feeling. A water element is incorporated to tie into our strategy and one of our key benefits. This is paired with a clean sans serif typeface treatment of California and a friendly serif treatment of the strapline to match the tone of the line itself.
Strapline Rationale:
The line speaks to the nature of the people and the place—down to earth and welcoming. It puts our water resources and recreation opportunities front and center and provides the ability to highlight the benefits that the water delivers for a variety of audiences. The line has a nice rhyme, making it easy to say and remember.
North Star ran a search for the City of Oroville’s strapline on the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS). North Star highly recommends that Oroville pursue trademark protection of the strapline along with the new logo. By trademarking the logo and line together, this will ensure that the identity is protected from usage by other communities or conflicting parties. North Star’s trademark search is documented in Appendix C. 305
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Creativity
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COLOR PALETTE
Color Palette Rationale:
● Inspired by the physical environment in Oroville, this palette features a range of river blues combined with spring greens, an orange, and neutrals that are reminiscent of river rocks. Overall, the palette provides a nice balance of soothing and energizing colors and the flexibility to build a feeling and sense of place on materials through the selective use of accent colors.
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Visual Direction Rationale:
● The visual direction capitalizes on large and small photos of the beautiful natural environment in Oroville. The use of the unique “O” icon as a frame for individuals allows the viewers to identify with the subjects and picture themselves enjoying all Oroville has to offer.
LOOKS
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Creativity
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A Brand Narrative was developed using artistic language to set the emotional tone for the brand. Its purpose is to help stakeholders, merchants, and local organizations connect the emotional story of the brand to their own situations. Each partner or organization should develop its own brand narrative leveraging the assets and language here for the community.
The Brand Narrative is critical to successful integration of the brand for a number of reasons:
● It can serve as a guide for users working to integrate brand tone and language into their own marketing and communications. ● It helps maintain consistency of tone and message among all users, thus preserving the integrity of the brand. ● It provides language users can replicate verbatim in their own communications when applicable.
Because of the inherent value in brand narratives, North Star recommends wide distribution of the copy, typically in tandem with the logo. Many of our clients use the strategic brand platform and the brand narrative together as a touch point for each new project or policy they initiate. In other words, “Does this idea support and further what makes us special?”
BRAND NARRATIVE
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Oroville: Belong. Along Our Water.
California has long invited folks to find themselves in the Golden State. But that generous welcome has become parched. For many, California appears unaffordable or unsustainable or worse, uninviting. But there is still a spot that can quench your thirst for California without draining your spirit or wallet. Nestled in the scenic Sierra foothills, Oroville presents California’s beauty and bounty at your front door, with the mountains and beaches just a short drive away.
Think. Thrill. Thrive. Where do we do these best? Always along the water. Any body of water.
Where do you go for adventure? For relaxation? To gather family memories? We often start with water. It draws us closer.
Lake Oroville. The Feather River. Forebay. Afterbay. Streams and tributaries. There is water at every turn in Oroville. It is emblematic of this charming, emerging community in Northern California with a rich history and an enriching future.
From panning for golden nuggets to building great things (the state’s tallest dam), water is always at the root of what has made this community special. Largest Salmon Hatchery in the West. Thrilling outdoor recreation. Spectacular vistas along the waterfronts and among Table Mountain wildflowers. A dynamic downtown with the historic State Theater and riverfront potential. You’ll soon discover that you belong here, and this place will belong to you. 181
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Creativity
Oroville is a generous community that is quick to respond when folks are in need. It’s where the West trains to handle and preserve power at Lineman’s College. Where people can enjoy a sense of belonging regardless of their length of stay.
It is a place of opportunity and expertise; a diverse economy and active industrial park. Oroville affords you the professional prospects and lifestyle balance that many have thought can only exist outside the state. So bring your job or find one here. Where else can you finish your work day and within minutes get on, in or along any number of favorite waterways to reinvigorate and relax?
We are stewards of great resources and each other in Oroville. We invite you to be in the moment here. Your moment. We invite you to find yourself belonging along our water.
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BRAND NARRATIVE CONT’D
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Creativity BRAND STANDARDS GUIDE
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All creative files are included in your Google Drive folder. As you introduce the brand, be sure to show the logo in the context of an execution rather than by itself. You want to avoid making this branding effort about a logo. North Star has produced a Brand Standards Guide for the brand in Appendix D to this report which provides some rules for implementation to ensure consistency and accuracy.
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Creative Deliverables
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Using the foundational creative tools developed for the Oroville Brand Identity Guide, North Star has developed a full slate of creative deliverables demonstrating how the Brand Identity can be used throughout the community. The majority of these deliverables were identified by the City as priorities, and some were recommendations or examples that North Star created to illustrate the tactics identified in the Oroville Action Plan.
Creative deliverables are shown on the following pages.
TOOLS FOR BRINGING THE BRAND TO LIFE
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LETTERHEAD
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POWERPOINT
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ZOOM BACKGROUND #1
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ZOOM BACKGROUND #2
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LANYARD BADGE
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VEHICLE
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FOLDER BROCHURE
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WEBSITE
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FACEBOOK
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INSTAGRAM
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BANNERS
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TABLECLOTH
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SMALL BUSINESS/CHAMBER SIGN
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INTERACTIVE SELFIE WALL
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COLORING SHEET
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STICKER
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COASTERS & PINT GLASS
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METAL SIGNAGE
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MAIN SIGNAGE
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CITY HALL
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PARK
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CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
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CONVENTION CENTER
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ALLEY
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FISHING HAT
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SPORTS BOTTLE
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ADVENTURE JOURNAL
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APPAREL
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FLAG
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KAYAK
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ACTION
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Action
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So you’ve got a distinct and relevant brand. Now what? Strategic implementation is the most critical, and sometimes the most challenging, aspect of branding. Community brands are not just about straplines and logos. They are about emotion and experience.
True branding requires strategies and tactics aimed at getting your brand off the page, onto the street, and into people's hearts, minds, and souls.
Your brand is most vulnerable during the 24-month period following launch simply because both support and awareness are low while skepticism is high. As you know, that is the nature of many public initiatives. The main goal of this time period is to convert the “players” and the community of Oroville into brand ambassadors through education and information sharing. While numerous other brand marketing and communication initiatives can take place concurrently, this incubation period is primarily devoted to strategies that reinforce and demonstrate the value of Oroville’s community brand.
Once everyone is on board the brand team, there is no end to the powerful things you can do with your brand. We have seen it happen in other communities across the country, and we are excited about seeing it happen in Oroville.
OVERVIEW
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Action
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North Star has identified the following 12 brand action ideas or categories designed to get your brand going. To ensure momentum, these tasks should be accomplished within the first 6 to 36 months after brand development. Many of these tasks address “organization” and are designed to evoke the cooperation that will propel your brand forward. Some are focused on simply informing residents about what Oroville has to offer, while others focus on specific departments and organizations that operate within the City.
All ideas are designed to give the brand the richness, texture, and three-dimensionality it needs to be fully integrated. As a complement to this action section, please review the general rollout guidance for communities in Appendix E. The strategies and tactics in this section of the report are often more specific to Oroville than the guidance in the appendix.
To see ways other clients have integrated their brand throughout their communities, we invite you to peruse a brand action implementation database for more ideas—a new feature for current and past clients of North Star. The database will be regularly updated and expanded. Please visit https://bai.northstarideas.com/ to access the Brand Action Ideas Database.
Oroville’s unique login information:
● Username: OrovilleCA
● Password: NSOroville2023
OVERVIEW
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Action
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While North Star has prioritized the categories, there are numerous ideas presented within most categories. These should be evaluated by the branding partners, taking into account priorities and resources. You don’t have to complete all of these ideas, but your branding team should complete a representative sampling in each category from launch to longevity. This ensures that the brand becomes deeply woven into the fabric of your unique society. This plan should be considered a way of thinking about the brand. As you implement your “Belong. Along Our Water.” brand, always consider meetings, activities, and activations along all of your water assets. Always pause and consider if your implementation efforts create a sense of belonging. Have you included everyone to make that possible?
When helpful and relevant, the creative deliverables presented in the previous section will be used to illustrate how a specific tactic could look, sound, or feel. Again, these deliverables are North Star’s best recommendations and are open to revision by Oroville based on your stakeholders’ interpretation of the brand.
OVERVIEW
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Action 1. ASSIGN A BRAND LEADER
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Successful implementation of the brand for Oroville will require accountability, passion, understanding, and respect for the branding effort. It will also require cooperation and partnership with other organizations, businesses, and individuals. For these reasons, the most important contribution the branding partners in Oroville can make to the ongoing success of its brand is appointing or hiring a brand leader to champion the process.
This brand leader can be a brand manager (hired from the inside or out) whose sole job is to implement the brand, or it could be someone with an existing position within the City of Oroville who would take on brand management tasks as part of their position. (However, North Star cautions against assigning this job to an individual who already manages full-time job responsibilities.
Establishing a brand—especially during the first two years—can require a great deal of time).
North Star has provided you a Job Description for Brand Manager (See Appendix F). If you hire rather than appoint the brand manager, the job description will give you a framework to help guide your decision. If appointing or assigning, the job responsibilities will give you a feel for the tasks this individual should manage. And remember, brand management by committee is a formula for allowing the brand to fall through the cracks. 348
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Action 2. CREATE BRANDED POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FOR MULTIPLE AUDIENCES 221
Once the work of creating a brand identity is done, it becomes critically important to expand adoption of the brand so that Oroville residents at the grassroots level understand it, buy into it, and become ambassadors for it. You have already undertaken some of this effort. Now, you should reach out to stakeholder groups positioned to help you more fully integrate the brand into the life of the community. If you have selected/hired a brand manager, this person should make these educational presentations an early priority.
Start by creating a PowerPoint presentation that people can use to introduce and explain the brand. You should use this presentation with a variety of different groups in the community (and you can customize the presentation as appropriate for each different audience). The presentation should cover:
● Why the project was started
● Who was involved
● What you learned from the research
● An explanation of the strategy – your strategic DNA brand platform ● Showing the creative work with an explanation of what it allows you to do, why particular colors and images were used, etc.
● How this approach helps Oroville market its assets
● How you plan to use the brand immediately and long-term ● Initiatives you have planned to take the brand beyond just a logo and strapline ● Existing partnerships, activities, festivals, and events that could integrate your brand messaging
● A list of ways your audience can participate in and benefit from the new brand 349 Item 7.
Action 2. CREATE BRANDED POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FOR MULTIPLE AUDIENCES 222
Recruit a team of brand presenters representing a broad cross section of people from within the City and the business community.
These individuals will then make your brand presentation to your varied community audiences. For this task, consider first the individuals who originally were part of the branding team as well as leaders of partner organizations and eloquent and interested voices from various sub-communities within Oroville (business community, volunteer community, religious community, and teachers and students from the education community). The more diverse your presentation team, the more widespread will be the passion for and use of the brand within the larger community.
Train your presenters in explaining Oroville’s brand identity by making use of the PowerPoint. As you go along, answer their questions. Incorporate their feedback in helping you to improve sections of the presentation or to customize it for particular audiences. Brainstorm ways for various community members to get involved.
Equip your presenters with branded merchandise they can display, including hats, t-shirts, and lapel pins. (Encourage them to wear their lapel pins to work—not just when they make presentations—as a way of prompting conversations about the brand.) A few tips on the presentation:
● Have branded items such as car decals available for distribution to all audience members. Your goal should be to have every car in the City demonstrating enthusiasm for belonging along the water. ● Have copies of the presentation available on branded flash drives for any audience member interested in one. ● At the end of each presentation, always include opportunities for the group to brainstorm new ideas for brand integration.
This will increase buy-in from partner groups by making them active participants in the process. 350
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Action 2. CREATE BRANDED POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FOR MULTIPLE AUDIENCES 223
Once you have a team of presenters, work with them to schedule a slate of presentations over the next several months. Consider realtors, developers, civic groups, attractions, major business leaders, restaurateurs, retailers, church leaders, school principals, arts organizations, airport and its consumers, and others.
Be sure to schedule presentations with staff of public sector departments as well as influential membership organizations. Some examples to guide your thinking:
● Neighborhood watch groups
● School board members
● Police department
● Fire department
● Civic groups
● Sports leagues
● Parks and recreation department
● Economic development
● Chamber members
The goal is to create a strong base of support for the brand among community leaders who have a stake in enhancing and advancing the community. Such meetings pay off in unexpected ways. In McKinney, Texas, a brand manager met with a local developer to explain the branding initiative and various ways it could come to life. Months later, the developer contacted the brand manager, with interest in flying a flag and banners with the McKinney brand logo in his upscale retail area parking lot. 351
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Action 3. IDENTIFY CONSUMER TOUCHPOINTS AND BRAND THEM
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Every time City of Oroville employees interact with the public, you have an opportunity to build the brand in the minds of residents, visitors, and other audiences. The brand manager should review and add to the following list of touchpoints during your first brand team meeting. Divide this list into three categories:
1. Easy: Do immediately
2. Moderately difficult: Implement within the first year
3. Difficult: Revisit later (designate a time)
Among the categories to include:
City employees
Phone greetings
Services
Website
Voicemails
Email signatures
Letterhead
Publications
Packaging
Signage
Newsletters
Experiences
Proposals
Environment
Public relations, press releases
Public affairs
Marketing and advertising
Volunteer training/interactions
Events
Speeches
Maps
Zoom backgrounds
Nametags
Social media
Billboards
Posters
Buttons/pins
Gifts
Marketing partner resources
Sponsors
Local/state/national marketing
Networking
Direct mail
Trade shows
Exhibits
Products
Presentations
Annual report
Sales promotions
Videos
Anniversary celebrations
Logo variations for partners
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A few suggestions on how to integrate the brand graphically and strategically into key touch points:
Stationery: It’s obvious but vitally important. Every letter, envelope, business card, memo, and invoice issued by the City of Oroville should reflect the brand’s graphic identity. Give all involved a designated number of weeks/months to use up existing stocks of stationery. Require reprinting to occur in the spirit of the brand. PowerPoint slides, digital stationery, and email signatures are also critical components to consider.
Trade show displays: Use the new brand identity together with high-quality photography to present Oroville’s identity in your trade show displays. Design the booth to incorporate the logo and strapline.
Press Releases: All releases should contain a closing statement/paragraph that supports the essence of the brand strategy and the community. This paragraph will serve as an ongoing resource to remind media about the brand message and purpose (the brand narrative can guide this language).
One of the keys to successful branding (or any kind of persuasive communications) is to reiterate your essential strategy whenever possible.
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Action 3. IDENTIFY CONSUMER TOUCHPOINTS AND BRAND THEM
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Welcome kit: In conjunction with the Chamber, create a co-branded welcome kit that you can use for businesses new to Oroville. You can design the kit in such a way that elements of it can also be used by the City to welcome new residents. For example, the kit can use language declaring that new residents or businesses belong in Oroville, which works for both residential and commercial audiences. For businesses, for example, you might include maps and information on the Chamber, City services, and sales taxes. Inserts for residents could include information on City services, schools, neighborhoods, retail, restaurants, parks, arts, and healthcare. The economic development folder and inserts shared earlier can offer some inspiration or guidance.
Name tags: Offer all city employees name tags and lanyards showcasing the brand.
Oroville-branded car decals: Make these available to anyone who wants one. Offer them at city offices, or mail one to each Oroville resident with a letter from the mayor introducing the brand. See example from Anna, TX.
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Action 3. IDENTIFY CONSUMER TOUCHPOINTS AND BRAND THEM
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Zoom backgrounds: Branded and professional backgrounds have become increasingly important during recent years. Just as the City wants email signatures to be professional and consistent, the same attention should be given to backgrounds for online meetings. It can introduce or remind attendees of your brand and easily identify City staff as being with Oroville. Great photography can make attendees want to be in that location, or a step-and-repeat style background gets your logo in front of folks with repetition increasing the chances that it becomes memorable. This touchpoint takes relatively low effort but can yield high impact.
These suggestions are not intended to be an exhaustive checklist but rather as a guide to help you think about how you can incorporate the brand into as many touch points as possible. 355
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Action 4. DEVELOP BRANDED MERCHANDISE
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Branded merchandise is a tangible, memorable way to keep the brand top-of-mind with residents and visitors and to use as gifts for potential residents. Sell merchandise via your website, specialty gift shops, at parks facilities, etc. A few ideas for including the brand on items that people use regularly:
● T-shirts and polos
● Lapel pin
● Hats
● USB or flash drives
● Reusable shopping bags
● Car decals
● Welcome mats
● Keychains and lanyards
● Reusable water bottles
● Wine glasses or beer mugs
● Yoga mats
● Frisbees
● Golf balls
● Kites
● Laptop sleeves and smart phone cases
● Backpacks
● Coffee tumblers
● Running, cycling, boating, or hiking gear
● Boating and water recreation gear and gear bags 356
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Action 5. BRAND DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
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Websites are the single most cost-effective means for spreading the word about Oroville to residents, visitors, and the business community. The City website should exist as the hub for all information regarding your community, but always remember to focus on the potential user and only the content they seek. Every detail is not required in primary navigation. Make it easy and intuitive to navigate towards specific information. Drop-down menus give you ways to quickly access specific information without clutter.
Partner sites like the Chamber should complement that hub, branded in ways relevant to their specific audiences.
Websites should reflect the colors, language, design, and content of your brand. Don’t forget to also integrate your brand’s graphic identity into your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter landing pages with links on your homepage. You might include a Twitter feed on the homepage that then leads to your branded Twitter page. Content and imagery should support and advance your “Belong. Along our Water.” brand.
As you pursue a redesign of the City website to further extend the brand, present a clean and orderly way to access information. Your site should illuminate paths to information in branded ways without bombarding the user with everything up front. Be judicious in your design and navigation. Focus on your user and how they want to access details about Oroville. Clutter will cause them to move on, so don’t clutter your homepage with content. Be sure that the user experience on your site leaves visitors with the feeling that even the website visit makes them feel like this is a place they can belong. Make them feel welcome, anticipate needs, and reward them with ease.
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Action 5. BRAND DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
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As you secure buy-in and participation from local and regional organizations, ultimately you may want to consider a single landing spot for all things Oroville (separate from your City site and to which your City site would link). A central portal is an ideal online organizational tool. Such a portal would link to all community-related sites as well as City-driven organizations and initiatives.
Each organization like the Chamber or Downtown will keep their own website but link seamlessly to the portal and vice versa. This allows internet surfers to easily access comprehensive information and takes them through a branded web presence to get there.
The Brand Manager should work with all entities linked to the portal so branded design elements are complementary. While the portal offers less content, it is focused on ease of use and getting online audiences to the information they seek. A central portal is a win-win-win for all involved. Most importantly, visitors enjoy the ease of finding all the information they need on one site. A portal represents a cohesive, comprehensive way to rein in the many diverse online initiatives of the community partners.
Remember that social media offers an affordable strategy to animate your relationship with residents, visitors, and businesses.
The City and partner sites should complement the main site with branded details relevant to their specific audiences. All affiliated websites should reflect the colors, language, organized design, and content of a brand centered on belonging. Remember, content heavy sites often get overlooked. Give users the freedom to drill down to the details they seek rather than throwing everything at them on the home page.
Building email databases of residents, potential visitors, and business prospects should be a priority for your website. When people register for your newsletter, download a relocation guide, or maybe pay a utility bill online, try to gather email and cell phone contact information so you can build those databases. You will want to share branded communications with these audiences regularly. The effectiveness of your outward communications is directly related to the accuracy and depth of your databases.
Building your databases and keeping them current ensures future success measurements can be calculated. These leads will be the best data start point for future brand evaluation. 358
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Action 5. BRAND DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
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Business prospects and site selectors want easily accessible information, and you will make their shortlist based on your reputation and the data they can gather before contacting you. Your economic development content should primarily serve outward audiences rather than board members. Economic development data and statistics can be dry and uninteresting.
Infographics help present key points and knowledge in an engaging format that tells a story. More than a typical bar graph or pie chart, they show complex information quickly and clearly. Infographics have become widely accepted as the standard for data presentation.
Oroville might consider a micro-site or small stand-alone site for business recruitment and workforce development where your primary focus should be on function and ease of accessing information. This content should still be presented with a cohesive brand aesthetic. Straightforward, intuitive, and easy navigation should include: Doing Business Here, Our Region (because they will focus regionally first), Talent, Data, Sites and Buildings, Already Here, and Quality of Life. These are the most important things to prospects and site selectors. Make it easy for them to find content.
It is imperative that you make it obvious whom they can contact for more information. Keep news straightforward, but use branded language where possible. Oroville should always present an updated sites and buildings database—it will readily identify the opportunities and capacity available for prospects and site selectors and hopefully give them reason to keep you on their short list.
Most often site selectors are looking for reasons to eliminate communities. Your website is your first line of defense in preventing elimination from consideration.
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Integrate the brand into all of your social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. The logo, color palette, and strapline are the most obvious way to do this. For example, consolidate all existing YouTube videos under the category of “Oroville Belongs.” In addition, consider creating content that supports your brand narrative. A few thoughts to get you started:
● Keep your Oroville Instagram account engaging:
Encourage users (particularly young professionals) to
take over the account each week. Their posts introduce
Oroville to all of their followers, who then could become followers of Oroville.
● Maintain a branded Twitter account: Invite people to post short-form content and happenings (“BeShort”) that are
consistent with Oroville’s brand identity. Enable users to see the stream of tweets from your website.
● Create selfie walls on blank walls on Downtown, at parks, and in other well-trafficked areas, and encourage visitors and residents to post on social media.
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● Organize branded photography contests: Sponsor a series of contests via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The photos should illustrate all the ways folks can belong along the water in Oroville. Anyone could submit an entry, but make a special outreach to art students at the high schools, along with professional photographers in the community. Drive submissions to your website, where visitors can view a regularly updated display. To encourage participation, set up rewards for free meals at local restaurants, branded merchandise, or “best-of” photos as determined by a panel of judges. In addition to reinforcing your digital brand, the photos can enjoy any number of uses beyond the realm of social media. For example:
○ Make them the basis for future PR and marketing
campaigns for Oroville (you should make participants
aware regarding photo credits and permissions).
○ Build a special event around a physical display of the photos that could be held at City Hall, Downtown, at
one of the schools, or at other venues. At these events, invite some of the photographers to tell the story
behind the image: how they discovered it and how it
spoke to a sense of belonging.
○ Partner with restaurants, cafés, and retailers to display framed prints of the photos that patrons can purchase.
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Word of mouth remains one of the best ways to build awareness, and City of Oroville employees are a valuable, built-in resource for helping spread that word. As the facilitators of the new brand identity, City employees and departments should be early adopters, embracing and leading this brand initiative. It is critical that they understand and accept the brand (not just the logo but also the strategy), championing it both within their departments and in the wider community. This will involve both education regarding the value of the brand and engagement initiatives to get them involved and excited. Cohesive messaging and consistency are particular goals for this effort so buy-in and support by all departments are critical.
Start by presenting a City-specific version of the PowerPoint presentation to department heads before introducing the brand to all City employees. Host the meeting in a relaxed environment to spur creative thinking. This audience is key to getting the larger group of City employees on board. Discuss potential logo variations for departments that communicate with internal and external audiences often; most departments won’t need a logo variation. Have some ideas on how each department can utilize the brand in programming or communications, and then brainstorm how the brand can guide efforts within their departments. This will increase buy-in. Offer branded merchandise to the employees.
Following the presentation, hold a brainstorming session where department heads can identify how their departments can apply the tenets and messaging of resident-centered service. The brand can be used to inspire employee engagement and productivity as well as to communicate the density of activity and opportunity in Oroville. Discussions should include existing activities and responsibilities as well as new ideas. They should focus on internal goals and efforts as well as ways to engage the public with the brand. As part of this activity, specifically identify communications or publications like newsletters, activity guides, maps, blogs, etc. that can be reworked in the spirit of the brand. See example from Bakersfield, CA. 362 Item 7.
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Once you’ve met with department heads, engage your City employees. They are a captive group of brand ambassadors. Work to develop a program that builds excitement about the potential of the brand for both their work lives and for the community at large. It is critical that employees understand that they are pivotal to spreading the good word about the brand. This brand should excite and empower employees to always create a sense of belonging for residents and visitors.
To get them excited, plan a fun employee brand introduction that takes place in a large venue (ideally along the water or with a component along the water; perhaps at the Convention Center and just outside). Elevate this meeting above the typical department meeting to build enthusiasm and interest. The more people present, the more energy and excitement you will generate. A few ideas for the brand introduction meeting:
● Serve lunch or dinner from a local restaurant or food truck. ● Following the presentation, have each employee identify how they or their department can do more for the community, can be a demonstrative steward of water and natural resources, or simply how Oroville residents and visitors can enjoy life along the water.
● Have drawings for services and merchandise from local businesses and brand partners. Give away branded merchandise, like t-shirts or hats. Consider water-related merchandise and experiences as prizes or rewards. ● Hand out branded buttons and encourage them to wear the buttons at work and in public to start conversations on how Oroville creates a sense of belonging for everyone.
● Give employees a generous supply of branded car decals, and ask them to distribute the decals to their friends and family in the City and the surrounding area.
● Distribute new stationery supplies to get City employees excited about the brand. 363
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Use the brand introduction with City employees to initiate a new program that emphasizes and rewards exemplary customer service and out-of-the-box thinking focused on improving departmental operations, internal communication, quality of life initiatives for Oroville, etc. Name the program in the spirit of the brand. Align traditional “employee of the month” programs to recognize those who have contributed to improving operations or offering something that creates the sense that Oroville creates a strong sense of belonging. Make sure employees understand the many ways to achieve the distinction, like going the extra mile to provide excellent service, taking the initiative to start a new project, or identifying an innovative solution to a departmental or community challenge. A few ideas:
● Partner with a company that offers specific customer service training that results in an actual degree or recognition that will serve not only Oroville residents (who benefit from the better service) but City employees who have tangible training that can help further their careers.
● Set customer service benchmarks and work to exceed them: faster times getting information to ED prospects, shorter lines in public offices, and quicker licensing. When benchmarks are exceeded, reward all involved with a get together. ● Generate excitement for the program by giving all employees branded t-shirts, buttons, ball caps, and business cards with lines like the following:
○ Belong
○ We all belong here
○ Belonging flows like water
○ Just add Oroville
○ Does this water make me look resourceful?
○ Dam, that’s a lot of water
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● Inventory City employees who (do or could) wear branded apparel or uniforms, and apply the logo in various ways.
For teams attending events or exhibits on behalf of the City, offer a range of branded apparel. ● Offer monthly and annual awards that include recognition as well as tangible incentives, such as more days off or gift certificates that can be used with local merchants. Offer such awards for every department as well as for the entire team of City employees. Invite residents to nominate City employees for an award based on superior effort or service. Provide winning employees with branded patches or other insignia they can wear on their work uniforms. The patches, which employees would accumulate like stickers on a football helmet, could feature the logo mark in varying colors from the palette.
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● Encourage City employees to think like start-ups. This is radical for government, which is more inclined to take a “this is the way it’s always been done” attitude. Ask every employee to submit an idea for making their job, department, or any aspect of Oroville government work more efficiently and cost-effective. This initiative is like one launched by Delta Airlines decades ago, asking for cost-efficiency ideas from employees. A flight attendant (back when flights had meals) recommended jettisoning the wilted lettuce leaf used as a garnish on meals or put on sandwiches, explaining that 99.9% of the time customers just threw them away. A timeless example where a small change saved the airline millions of dollars and earned that employee a cash reward, recognition, and a promotion. Put together a committee of forward thinkers to select the best two or three ideas. Implement winning ideas, report on progress and results, and reward employees who came up with the ideas. Promoting this type of initiative in local and regional media aids in brand reinforcement. ● A less radical, but still very effective, brainstorming initiative asks employees to brainstorm ideas for events and initiatives that support the brand strategy. Ask them to think about how their department is resident-focused and creates a sense of belonging, and incorporate the best ideas into your planning for brand integration. Or focus ideas of stewardship of sustainability. Consider setting aside a time during this gathering (perhaps over lunch) for small groups to come up with their ideas. Recognize and reward the best ideas.
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Now that City employees understand the passion and the purpose of the brand, here are a few department-specific ideas for brand integration to get the brainstorming started. Department heads should examine all current communications, touchpoints, and initiatives already in place and apply the brand where appropriate, particularly in naming and language. ● Mayor or City Administrator’s Office: The Mayor and City Administrator are active and engaged in Oroville and have been supporters of the branding effort. Have some fun with their responsiveness by hosting “walk and talk” sessions (start or finish along the water). Weather permitting, the Mayor and/or City Administrator meet with interested residents in a designated coffee shop or other meeting point, and the group goes for a one mile walk while the Mayor and/or City Manager answer any and all questions. It is a fun, interactive example of how Oroville’s leadership is accessible to residents and that their opinions belong here.
● Communications and Public Engagement: From within the City Administrator’s office, launch a public relations initiative that focuses on the programs and people in Oroville who are committed to making a difference or doing more for the lives of others. From school programs that help impoverished kids to initiatives for empowering and lifting up the homeless to support for innovative technology and programs, Oroville is no stranger to big ideas to benefit the diverse community. 367
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● Transportation: From city vehicles to safety gear and uniforms, you should apply the brand where appropriate.
● Community Development: For a brand inviting folks to belong, be sure that consumers and prospects navigating planning and zoning feel that City staff are making the process easy to navigate. A business-friendly posture is emblematic of the brand without guaranteeing outcomes. People should expect efficiency, speed, and certainty. Even assign project navigators for prospects. ● Public Services and Public Works: Recycling bins could be labeled “Stewards of Beauty. Trash Belongs in Here.” Be sure that your programming offers ease and convenience before publicizing those claims. Encourage the department head and employees to brainstorm ideas for integrating the brand strategy and graphic look. ○ What is more on brand than sustainability?
■ Use branded bags for recyclable/biodegradable trash or debris pickup titled: “Recycling: Let’s Do the Dam Thing.” See example from Dayton, Ohio.
■ Partner with Oroville arts organizations to have local artists reimagine recycling bins by turning them into functional art. See example from Providence, RI.
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● Schools: Your public and private school systems exemplify the tenets of the brand’s focus on belonging for the individual and community. Work directly with the school board, administrators, teachers, and students to integrate brand thinking into curricula, initiatives, and facilities. A few ideas to get you started:
○ Donate banners that celebrate the schools as well as the students’ ideas and devotion to improving their education, their futures, and their communities. Below are examples of North Star clients who used their straplines to motivate messaging for banners on schools.
■ Highland Park: “Live with Heart. Lead with Passion.”
■ Shawnee: “Good Starts Here”
■ Yukon: “Yukon’s Best”
○ Offer a scholarship program for students in which they prepare a written/video essay or art project about a person in their lives who has made them feel that they belong in Oroville or someone who has helped others in a significant way. ○ Connect civics classes with City administration for collaborative brainstorming on how to innovate in Oroville and how to engage young people, all while exposing students to learning experiences and the importance of community engagement. Engage these students in crowdsourcing local improvements.
○ Hold a “Futures Belong to Us Fair” for science, technology, or social innovation ideas where teams of students present out-of-the-box ideas in various categories. ○ Host a school-wide volunteer program where students of all ages give back to the community under the name “Generosity Belongs Here” or “Generosity Flows Like Water.”
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● Public Library: Libraries are places where we can engage new ideas and acceptance of diverse cultures. The library and associated groups and reading clubs are a great way to get people thinking about the roots of your brand in ways that are deeper and more meaningful than just a logo. ○ Make the theme of your 2023 Summer Reading Program “Oroville Read Along.” Books and programming would focus on anything from wildlife to natural resources to architecture or anything water-related. ○ Upon entrance to the library, have a branded rotating display of favorite novels, movies, and TV shows labeled “Belong in the Story.” Encourage library staff, City employees, and residents to create favorite lists that are then featured in the display and on the library website or social media. ○ Host a literacy program for adults.
○ Use the elements in your logo to create some fun public art on the walls of the children’s section.
○ Produce bookmarks with encouraging messages like “Your Nose Belongs Here” or “Read Along to Get Along.”
○ Create lanyards for book clubs or frequent reading programs (branded lanyards are appropriate across City departments or meetings and conference hosted by the City).
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● Parks and Trees:
○ The Oroville brand is a perfect fit for wellness programming under the banner of “Wellness Along the Water.” Look for ways to extend the brand to existing efforts, and brainstorm new ways to use the brand to motivate fitness and activity across the community. Parks and Trees is a natural channel to elevate and communicate your active lifestyles and Oroville’s beautiful setting.
○ Be sure to include testimonial videos online of how residents “Get Healthy Along the Water” using Oroville Parks and Trees facilities, parks, and resources.
○ As discussed later in the report, examine all recreation assets to determine how and where to apply the brand to signage and infrastructure. Due to its high use, start with Riverbend Park to create a branded sense of place. Including the playgrounds and performance spaces.
○ Host a summer movie series or outdoor movie nights on a large screen. Host stargazing activities after the show. Similar to the library, encourage staff to identify favorite films to feature each season for a family-friendly audience.
Consider films that reflect brand themes.
○ For events in your parks, sell branded chairs for the best view and comfort. See example from York County, PA.
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As the Brand Manager meets with the department heads, attention should be paid on how departments and employees are emblematic of the brand tenet as a good steward of resources. Consider the following ways to apply the brand to sustainability efforts beyond the touchpoints shown earlier. We have organized recommendations with an eye towards environmental responsibility and beautification (hopefully both simultaneously). These ideas and efforts can initially be led by City departments but ultimately will include residents and students as you educate about the brand and build community pride.
Air Quality:
● Inventory blank walls and space Downtown and elsewhere for murals and selfie walls that will help create dynamic placemaking but can pull triple and double duty by purifying the air and beautifying the neighborhood or district. Look to Rome, Italy, for an example of how to do exactly that with mural paint that neutralizes pollutants and smog and therefore improves air quality. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/rome-mural-hunting-pollution ● Demonstrate ways that Oroville innovates and is a place where great ideas belong. Work with Parks and Trees or other wellness organizations. Seek corporate sponsors for sustainability efforts like bicycle wheels that purify the air. Or use this type of technology for a bicycle share program in Oroville and Butte County. https://www.designboom.com/technology/rolloe-kristen-tapping-bicycle-wheel-purifies-air-10-06-2020/ ● Partner with schools and get kids and parents involved in your sustainability efforts in a fun way. Sponsor superheroes and their capes in the fight for better air quality in school pick up lines and neighborhoods near schools. Use it as an educational tool to engage kids about the environment and health, giving them a better understanding of respiratory issues that some classmates may face. Capes can be designed with the brand or just the color palette.
The key idea is putting sustainability up front.
https://www.campaignlive.com/article/engine-creates-air-heroes-anti-pollution-capes-k ids-eon-campaign/1726558
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Water Quality
● As a critical steward of precious water in California along with DWR, stewardship efforts in this area deserve high priority.
It is a way to live the brand from a policy and preservation standpoint. While some interests are out of Oroville’s control, it should command a seat at the table for its proximity, governance, and expertise on these issues. Oroville should partner on student and public initiatives within the DWR and encourage the state to innovate in the area. Thought leadership and practical application of ideas in Oroville can lead to hosting entrepreneurial challenges focused on water interests.
Sustainability efforts and innovation can preserve the quality of life and perhaps broaden the entrepreneurial, innovative reach of thinkers and doers in Oroville. Building on your leadership regarding biomass, water presents a similar category of expertise for Oroville. Your quality of life and quantity of water can attract this expertise to the area. ○ Consider involvement in global challenges (view video in link) https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-issue/a002o0000173B6sAAE/global-freshwater-challenge. ○ Host a conference on water issues and tech by inviting emerging start-ups like https://www.glanris.com/ and https://gjosa.com/loreal-x-gjosa/.
Pollution and Stormwater
● Bring your corporate partners and institutions into Oroville’s collective responsibility and intervention of tackling pollution—particularly along highways, waterfronts, and corridors—into town. Look to London’s City Trees as an attractive, functional, and beneficial solution to improving the area. Encourage institutions and businesses to sponsor these innovative sculpted benches that promote gathering in an environmentally enhanced downtown. This effort is ripe for integration with high school and college students. https://yupthatexists.com/city-tree/ 373
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Recycling and Waste
● Encourage residents keep things out of the landfill by hosting a Get Along Longer Cafe where volunteers of diverse skills and expertise gather monthly or quarterly to help their neighbors repair all sorts of items to keep them out of the landfill.
See an example from Vermont:
https://www.vpr.org/vpr-news/2018-03-29/the-fix-is-in-repair-cafe-works-to-keep-stuff-out-of-landfills. ● The VW Fun Theory asked: if you made things fun, would people be more likely to do what’s best for their community and the environment? They wondered about glass recycling and created the bottle bank. The answer was a huge yes. Work with Butte College or high school students in making your recycling efforts innovative and fun. Or create your own Where Bottles Belong Bank. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSiHjMU-MUo Beautification
● Name your beautification volunteer group in the spirit of the brand or allow the group to choose a name. Be sure to organize all volunteer opportunities on your website for ease. Produce fun merchandise and shirts for the group. Dispatch crews on a weekly (weekend) basis to beautify a certain district or corridor. Start with underserved neighborhoods to help improve their aesthetic and sense of place. This also demonstrates belonging and inclusion. ● Innovative trash disposal and recycling can assist with the unattractive appearance of Oroville as highlighted in the research. Use branded bags for trash/debris pickup—even poop bags—in parks that show the message: It belongs here! ● Consider public art installations that celebrate recycling and reuse with mixed media or found objects as the basis for a call for entries. Work with a Public Art program and event organizers to host a juried art fair with that same focus. Include a student component to these fairs or calls for entries. As the initiative grows, seek partnerships with your largest event promoters to include the art into their events.
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Beautification cont.
● Connect with an app/service like Litter Lotto that incentivizes and rewards picking up litter. Brand the app with your Sustainability logo and color palette. Use branded language where appropriate. ○ https://www.litterlotto.com/
○ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-litterlotto-app-launches-to-combat-the-two-million-pieces-of-li tter-dropped-daily-301431464.html
● Those creative minds at the VW Fun Theory (shared earlier) impacted beautification and litter efforts with the world’s deepest bin. Those placing rubbish in the can were rewarded with fun sounds as if the trash was falling in a deep hole. The experimental can collected far more trash than those without it. The previous Fun Theory videos are linked in the same article below including the deepest bin. It also includes a piano staircase to motivate people to use stairs rather than an escalator or elevator (which could connect with wellness programs in Oroville). Oroville might focus along the waterfronts first to improve and increase activation efforts along the water. Clean and beautiful areas are more attractive and give a stronger sense of safety. https://land8.com/the-fun-theory/
● Consider interactive installations like those by Candy Chang that invite the thoughts and dreams of those in Oroville. What do they want for a particular space? Visit https://candychang.com/ for ideas. If possible, go digital with a oversized, tablet-like screen that allows you to write in a few words or less your hope for Downtown or Oroville in general. It would immediately be translated into different languages and added to the screen background. 375
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One of the ultimate goals of any community-wide brand is to increase residents’ pride and advocacy in their hometown. Even if not all citizens like the brand or the strapline (and not everyone will; that is the nature of creativity), all citizens can agree on the unique dichotomy of assets Oroville offers—a smaller, close-knit, welcoming community connecting you to water resources, scenic beauty, healthy lifestyles, community events, and outsized opportunity. One of the most important ways to ensure the success of Oroville’s brand reputation is to make its messaging part of your residents’ way of life and living. As they claim the brand message as their own, residents will reflect not only a general pride in Oroville but, more specifically, pride in the brand personality that makes the City special. Getting residents on board with the Oroville brand is about much more than selling a logo. It’s about giving them a point of pride for the place where they live, about talking to residents in the language of the brand, about amplifying their voice in community improvements and changes moving forward, and about giving them a way to share what they love about their hometown.
● Plan some activities just for residents that help them connect more with community leadership. As discussed earlier, you could hold monthly walks with the Mayor. Every month meet on the trails, in a neighborhood, or at a coffee shop. The group will participate in a short one-mile walk during which participants can ask the mayor questions or just talk. Such programs are fun, interactive, interesting ways for residents to engage with their leaders.
● We’ve mentioned stickers (shown here) and decals previously, but it should be a major goal to have every resident’s car in Oroville proudly decked out with a decal. Distribute them via libraries, government offices, schools, events, gyms, shops, restaurants—anywhere and everywhere that residents gather. Create a variety of decals so that residents can have choices.
Not only are they a great way for residents to display pride, but they also create interest for others who see them. 376
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● Look for ways to integrate the brand into the
active lifestyles of residents. Expose them to the
brand with activities they are interested in. Let
families play among the brand with branded
playgrounds. Any brand that “belongs along the
water” should be celebrated with water features or
splash pads at parks.
● Consider permanent or temporary art installations
(shown) of the logo (include seating so people
experience a sense of belonging). Consider this
same design as a water feature that cleans and
uses recycled water.
● Get young professionals and other adults in on the fun by providing branded cycling gear, including branded wheels and gear. The logo shape can inspire applications like the top of the key on basketball courts or discs for youth and adult disc golf leagues.
Anything circular is ripe for integration.
● Create kids’ activity books that encourage them to express their artistic talents as well as their analytical skills by identifying things that belong in particular settings. 377
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● Look at all the ways you communicate with residents. Make sure that all communications convey brand messaging. Brand an online newsletter (with perhaps a small batch printed version). Some things to note:
○ Use the language of your brand for headlines and copy points. Reference the brand narrative to set the tone. See example from Georgetown, TX. ○ Keep content consumer-oriented. Short, punchy articles about new businesses, infrastructure improvements, upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and customer service programs are all of interest to residents.
○ Keep the design bright and engaging. Digital or printed, it should be as vibrant as the people who read it.
○ Look for ways to make the publication interactive. In every issue give residents a new program to sign up for, a new social media platform to use, new perspectives to contemplate, ot a new restaurant or business to try. You don’t just want to be talking at them—you want to be interacting with them. The newsletter should reflect the ongoing sense of belonging for folks in Oroville. Anyone who registers for the newsletter should be in a monthly drawing for branded merchandise for their home or business. 378
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● Start “This Belongs in Oroville” to embody Oroville’s forward thinking spirit. Enlist residents in generating ideas for starting new activities and creating new amenities.
○ Sponsor an annual contest in which you invite people to submit their ideas. These might involve things in any number of categories, from infrastructure to parks to schools. Publicize this contest throughout the community, and offer adequate time for entries. Form a cross-sector committee to evaluate entries based on feasibility and the value they would add. Each year, implement the winning idea. Hold a banquet to announce the winner, and honor the person who came up with the idea. You might consider expanding this context by picking winners in various categories: fun/entertainment, recreation, creativity, learning/knowledge. ○ Launch a tree-planting campaign that more than demonstrates that your health and long-term view are priorities in Oroville. Provide the trees, and rely on volunteers to plant them. ○ Offer a recreational sport through the Parks and Trees department that is not currently available. ○ Create a lecture series with a range of topics focused on exposing attendees to new perspectives. ○ Partner with local higher education institutions to offer continuing education courses in the evenings at the high school or library. The short courses would offer residents the chance to supplement their knowledge on select topics, from classical music to local history to navigating the healthcare system. ○ Work with area arts organizations to sponsor an annual public art program or juried art event that has an on-brand, rotating theme to the medium or style of art to be featured. 379
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● Make a list of events where resident participation plays a big part, and see where the brand message or graphic identity can play a role. Meet with all event organizers with community boards to determine fun brand extensions. For example, integrate the refreshed logo and color into your next Salmon Fest celebration. ● Brand your civic awards. Add a new category called the “Belonging Award,” and present it to the group who brought about the most positive change in Oroville with great generosity. ● Once or twice a year, offer residents an opportunity to “discover” their own community. For a discounted price, locals can eat in the restaurants, shop, sample craft beer, enjoy massages, golf or fish, and visit the attractions typically associated with tourists. End this “Play Along” weekend (or month) with a party and street dance under tents in one of your parks. ● Another great way to encourage residents to get out and about in their own town is with “Dine Along Local Fare” restaurant week. All restaurants join forces to offer discounts and deals on meals to area residents. Connect this with the restaurant passport discussed later in this report.
● Organize a squad of volunteers to address public parks, scenic beauty, and blighted areas in the community. 380
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● Involve the schools. By their very nature, schools are a tool for encouraging new ideas and thinking, and young people—as well as teachers—bring enthusiasm and energy. Start by educating school leaders on the brand and identifying ways to integrate its ideas into the system. Here are some initial ideas to consider:
○ Look for ways to integrate your logo into the infrastructure and signage of your schools. Dual pole banners in parking lots and banners in gyms, hallways, and playing fields are all ideas. See example from Anna, TX. ○ Some may just want to wear their pride with branded merchandise, while others may want to get more involved in planning the future of the place with new ideas. Encourage them both. Some ideas that have come out of this type of engagement are:
■ Artists’ interpretations of the brand in mural or selfie wall form ■ Trading pins for students or athletes
○ Launch a program called “New Ideas Belong Here.” Offer entrepreneurship and social enterprise classes that build skills students will need to start their own businesses someday (and that will promote financial literacy in the process). Leverage Oroville’s entrepreneurial community to serve as guest instructors. (These classes could also be offered in the evenings during the summer and could be opened to the public).
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○ Start a Young Entrepreneurs club at the high school. The club’s goals could include building skills needed for entrepreneurship, educating would-be entrepreneurs through field trips to area businesses, and exploring opportunities and challenges to launching a small business. Recruit mentors and sponsors from the local business community, particularly entrepreneurs.
○ Offer job shadowing and internship opportunities in which students can learn from area companies and possibly earn course credit for the internships. Such a program not only reinforces your brand reputation but can play a role in workforce development. In addition, it can help entrepreneurial employers feel more of a direct stake in your schools and can encourage deeper levels of partnership that will benefit companies and students alike. ○ Give awards for the best ideas for civic improvements. Create an annual competition in which students can present ideas for new service projects in the community. Bring in a panel of judges from the community to evaluate the submissions based on feasibility and the value they would provide. Award a financial grant to the winning entry that will enable them to launch and maintain the project.
○ Since Pre-K is the starting point for formal education, recruit and train volunteers to help Pre-K teachers at Oroville’s public schools and at the private institutions. Improving education at this age improves the chances of success for students as they progress. Volunteers can serve during part of the day to help students learn more, work on reading skills, help with other classroom tasks under the teachers’ supervision, and help oversee students at recess. You want people at all stages in life to experience a strong sense of belonging and community here. Each volunteer—whose participation reflects their own devotion to improving the community—would wear a branded shirt or apparel.
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Downtown is emerging as a dynamic cultural and entertainment center and is a great opportunity to leverage a brand of belonging on the waterfront. Young professionals and Millennials are a key demographic here. Downtown needs to create messaging and tools for Downtown businesses, residents, and fans to distribute to their personal and professional networks. Over 70% of people will believe people like themselves (friends, family, and folks they know) more than organized messages from corporations or public entities.
In an effort to make brand integration more organic and not just City-driven, be sure to “get out of the way.” Because Downtown Oroville should be a place for all cultures including the Creative Class—the highly artistic and creative, the rebellious spirits, the risk-taking individuals—the brand must show that these interests belong here and should foster the creativity and risk-taking required.
This is also a challenge. Because creative minds often view a brand as a generalization or over-simplification of an area, a great deal of effort must be given to ensure that the community is actively involved in creating Downtown’s future. Whether videos, e-newsletters, real estate listings, or photos (old and new), provide content that is ready to distribute by your ambassadors on the platforms they prefer.
Attracting the Creative Class and young professionals is critical to the success of Downtown Oroville. These individuals are often early adopters of new ideas, programs, and technologies. However, engaging that group and using a brand to entice them to an area can be challenging. The Creative Class, and especially young professionals, want to feel in control of their decision making and don’t want to be persuaded by typical branding efforts and mass-marketing techniques. This group wants to discover ideas and creativity as opposed to being led to it by a brand. Only then will they talk about it with their peers. 383 Item 7.
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This target demographic will respond to ideas, programs, and events that are developed using grassroots techniques. Organic growth and development is key. Simply placing a logo and a strapline with a bit of messaging on an asset will not be enough.
As time progresses and the community becomes more involved and engaged in the brand, Downtown Oroville and the City should take a lesser role in brand progression. The beauty of the Oroville brand, and therefore Downtown, is that whatever cool, quirky, funky, irreverent, or brilliant thing that is created there ultimately supports the strategy of belonging and authenticity. Whether a piece of artwork, a brilliant idea, a tech startup, or a quirky mural on the side of a blighted building or in an alley public space, it is imperative to maintain an environment for participation, creativity, originality, and risk-taking in Downtown Oroville. Be sure not to control or provide too much structure for the brand in its infancy. Downtown Oroville,and its partners, including the Chamber, should be strong ambassadors for the area and should lead effectively but should be hesitant to take credit or even be visibly responsible for all programs, initiatives, and changes.
Downtown Oroville needs to be known for attracting great talent, but businesses and site selectors want to know that the pipeline of talent can be maintained for the long term. Brain drain and brain gain have become a high-stakes game of economic poker for cities and regions throughout the United States. In addition to sustaining highly skilled workforces, studies show that education levels influence median wages in a community and drive wealth creation through the creativity and innovation of college graduates. While the driver may lie in economic development factors like job creation, competitive wages, and availability of jobs for college grads, there is much the area can do to connect with and support its college populations. Having Butte College with a presence Downtown gives Oroville a head start. Creating buzz among these audiences will prove beneficial through positive word-of-mouth. Meet with workforce groups and local training centers for ways to integrate the brand into programming and messaging. Make Downtown a branded reward for residents, businesses, and visitors. 384 Item 7.
Action 8. INFILTRATE YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND BRAND COST-EFFECTIVE SIGNAGE 257
We understand that a total overhaul of all signage in Oroville (entryway, directional, etc.) is not politically or financially feasible.
However, signage is a critical branding component for communities. Effective signage can positively impact a visitor’s experience and advance general awareness. Oroville should inventory all of its signage needs to develop a prioritized list and long-term plan for implementation. A few ideas:
● Start simple. This brand will be adopted first by the City of Oroville, so government buildings should reflect the new graphic identity in some way. Wall colors or large installations of the logo and line are easy beginnings. Consider painted exteriors or projection for temporary signage.
● Asset signage for City Hall or Council chambers can help create a sense of place and extend the cohesiveness of the new brand.
● Entryway or monument signage is important to define
when you have arrived in Oroville, but it is not feasible to install or replace entryway signage at every point of
entry to town. Choose one corridor to focus on with
signage or pole banners, and then identify a 5-7 year
plan to address the others throughout town. Keep
landscaping in great shape. Some entry corridor can
accommodate monument signage, and others may
require a branded metal sign.
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● Branded wayfinding is a great opportunity for building brand recognition because people interact with wayfinding on such a regular basis. See examples of welcome/district signage, vehicular and pedestrian directional signage, map, and trail signage for Johnson City, TN. Remember that function is the priority in wayfinding; brand integration and design are secondary. ● Wayfinding can also include asset signage for government buildings or parks. ● Use pole banners (as regulations allow) in parking lots, retail developments, schools, parks, golf courses, Downtown, and along main corridors. A high-impact, easy-to-use template that spans dual pole banners is the perfect way to promote all the best things in Oroville. Dual pole banners allow for joint marketing of specific assets such as Downtown, parks, and events. 386
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The infrastructure throughout Oroville represents a unique, three-dimensional medium for displaying your brand. Options include adding some element of the brand to infrastructure that already exists as well as developing new infrastructure in places where demand and opportunity are high. In addition to displaying the brand on buses, pole banners, City vehicles, park benches, crosswalks, or community signage, here are a few ideas:
● You would expect fast connections and easy communications in a City with a strong sense of belonging. Brand your zones of high speed WiFi with signage and stickers. Also, give branded window decals and table tent cards to retailers that offer WiFi. The goal is to convey the idea that Oroville is one large, seamless zone of lightning-fast broadband. ● Municipal vehicles like City cars, buses, vans, and trolleys are a moving palette for your brand look and message. In some North Star communities, branding City vehicles is the top priority. ● Pay attention to the shapes in your logo and apply them to your infrastructure as temporary wayfinding to events or activities. Consider light projections or chalk drawings. ● Look for less expensive ways to integrate the brand. One of the easiest and least expensive methods for adding the new brand to all government buildings is by adding an Oroville flag to the other flags being flown.
Action 8. INFILTRATE YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND BRAND COST-EFFECTIVE SIGNAGE 259
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● Identify high-profile park installations including playgrounds, skateboard parks, basketball courts, and the bottom of pools where the City logo might work. Flags on greens at public golf courses are another great place for brand elements. Above are examples of a branded skate park, play structure and ice skating rink from Lee’s Summit, MO; Columbus, IN; and Providence, RI. ● Recruit local artists to creatively integrate the new Oroville logo into public art, sidewalks, benches, planters, etc. ● Partner with local high schools or nearby college art students to bring the idea of “Belong. Along Our Water.” to life with public art and architecture throughout the community.
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● Create a series of selfie walls throughout Oroville—on blank walls where people congregate like Downtown, on bike trails, and in public parks. In time, visitors and residents will make it a point to stop and get their pictures taken while window shopping, waiting for a table in a restaurant, or after a great run or bike ride. Not only are the walls artistic uses of blank space, but they encourage interaction with Oroville consumers. ● Crosswalks and public areas are great ways to inject brand colors and elements subtly into the built environment. ● Alternate transportation like cycling is a great way to the extend the brand for the youthful population and the City’s active lifestyles. Bike racks are an excellent way to bring the brand to life functionally and serve as public art. The Oroville logo mark would make for an iconic and interesting bike rack. See example from Columbus, IN. 389
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Action 9. PURSUE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
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The resources and manpower to accomplish the goals of the Oroville brand will be increased exponentially by marshaling the power of your private sector. Oroville should consider engaging this group and other interested parties in a standing Oroville Partnership (OP) with members from large and small businesses, non-profits, healthcare, the Chamber, Butte College, car dealers, major employers, realtors, neighborhood organizations, producers, packaging firms, manufacturers, industrial park tenants, media, business districts, civic groups, area developers, arts organizations, event organizers, DWR, even individuals, and perhaps a revitalized Oroville Economic Alliance or equivalent. Allow anyone who is interested and willing to contribute—time and funding—to participate in this collective focused on marketing the community.
Hold regular meetings under the guidance of the Brand Manager. We even have a charter to give you that seals member commitments in writing (see in Appendix G in your Google Drive). See members of the Partnership in Gainesville, FL signing a brand charter in the photo to the right.
A team approach (including the private and public sectors) to managing the brand furthers the buy-in and adoption of the resulting work. It keeps in mind the big picture, and it weathers changes in political administrations. Most importantly (and this is key!), this group can solicit funds for brand implementation from its members. (Typically, the larger the organization, the greater the financial support.) Ultimately, partnerships with private sector companies and organizations will be the primary funding source that drives the brand. Plus, with the private sector involved, decisions are often sharper and quicker. It is imperative that this becomes more than just a City-driven initiative. The community should work towards having all segments and aspects of Oroville invested in the brand. The more successful and far-reaching the brand is, the more talent and the more consumers businesses can expect. 390 Item 7.
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Some ideas for the group to get you started:
● Have each member of the OP bring a printout of their company’s website homepage to the first meeting. Discuss ways to integrate ideas and language that support the brand strategy into these web pages. Use your brand narrative as a guide.
How have employees demonstrated a higher level of service or generosity? How have business owners shown more leadership to their staff? What about their business is forward-thinking compared to their competition? How do they inspire employees’ growth? How does the waterfront and natural setting impact their talent recruitment and business growth? Ask each member to craft branded language that works with the spirit of your brand and incorporate it into their website homepage. If a major business partner or organization is not in attendance at the meeting, go through this exercise for them. By presenting a consistent message about how Oroville is the place that families, talent, and business belongs (to various audiences), you can establish a strong brand presence…absolutely free! ● Develop a branding toolkit that business partners can use to put the brand to work in their enterprises. Include research and the explanation of the brand, camera-ready art of the logo, bumper stickers, and a premium item such as a T-shirt or lapel/trading pins. Packaging for this toolkit can be inexpensive and straightforward or customized and expensive. Or you could strictly offer the tools online for cost and time savings. See lapel pin example from Union County, NC.
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● Research revealed that people in the region don’t associate Butte College with Oroville. Meet with administrators for key partnerships with programming, curricula, initiatives, etc. Consider having space for Butte College courses or events in unused spaces Downtown as you continue to revitalize. Co-brand sustainable and stewardship initiatives with Butte College. Identify ways to involve the college with waterfront development and revitalization. Be sure that faculty, students, staff, and visiting parents feel like they belong in Oroville. Sponsor incoming freshman orientation activities and contribute branded welcome packages showcasing Oroville water recreation and local businesses. ● Get positions on County and regional boards. Be intentional about securing spots for Oroville residents (business leaders, civic leaders, etc.) on these boards. Be sure the people involved are champions of your brand so that they can help increase awareness of your position in the regional landscape and can help you attract new businesses, new talent, new residents, and new investment.
● Engage area business accelerators. With economic development staff, reach out to and seek relationships with associations and clusters of tech across the region. Also include incubators and entrepreneurial groups in the region. Raise awareness about your brand and your goal to be known as a city where great talent chooses to live and raise their families, enjoys active lifestyles, and knows their neighbors.
Explore partnerships which might help young companies locate in Oroville. ● In subsequent meetings of the Partnership, discuss public sector initiatives and identify opportunities for cooperative efforts with the private sector.
Co-branded pole banners, advertising, signage, public art, events, merchandise, music, programming, products, etc. are just a small sampling of branded projects you can undertake in partnership with the private sector. Inventory partner assets and discuss ways to create a branded sense of place. See examples for Oroville Convention Center. 392
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● Adapt the closing paragraph strategy for press releases for the private sector and your non-profit community organizations. Ask your Brand Manager or a public relations writer (hired freelance by the Brand Manager) to develop a closing paragraph appropriate for each major business or sector (dining, shopping, health care, artisans, retailers, education, realtors, and so forth). This paragraph can serve as a customizable template for use by Oroville businesses in their own press relations. The Brand Manager should push this tool out into the community through the Oroville Partnership, the Chamber and other brand partners.
● Be sure to educate, engage, and invite Butte County and Sacramento regional organizations to understand your branding position. They will not adopt the Oroville brand as their own, but as they advance the area’s interests, they will have opportunities to discuss your community. Encourage them to use new brand elements and particularly brand language where appropriate. Consider a brand toolkit for them as well so you can make it easy for them to understand and use some of your branded tools. These are groups to whom you should present your branded PowerPoint(s) early in your implementation. Share eco-friendly branded merchandise they can reuse regularly, like water bottles. 393
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Action 10. DEMONSTRATE HOW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BELONGS 266
Oroville’s quality of life, resource-rich environment, and commitment to making business feel like they belong, make the brand perfect to pitch new business prospects. Companies not only are welcomed and nurtured but are crucial to Oroville’s identity, and that type of support, resources, and new thinking has appeal to all companies. Service industries relate to Oroville’s supportive, close-knit community. Tech companies can align with Oroville’s energy and forward thinking. Proximity to airports and outdoor recreation is key for talent attraction. Make business prospects feel the reason you seek to bring them to Oroville is about more than economic impact; it’s because you believe they are a good fit with your identity. ● Make an economic development mini-site a priority. Though already discussed in the digital section of the Action Plan, it bears repeating. An early priority should be to create a more robust presence on the City’s website for your economic development efforts. If current resources don’t allow for development of a stand-alone economic development site, let this take the form of a site within the main site, where users can drill down to obtain much more detail than they can now.
Remember, site selectors often do most of their research online BEFORE contacting an EDC group in a community. Your website is vital to making the shortlist. Integrating the brand into that website reinforces the message that all the players in Oroville are united in their understanding and promotion of a special community. Some considerations for the site:
○ Adhere to IEDC data standards
○ Use Google Earth
○ Showcase entrepreneurship
○ Showcase economic development staff as a one-stop shop to assist businesses, along with your innovative support and resources. A brand where businesses belong should be demonstrable in the ease and agility of the process for prospects.
○ Create a dynamic, prominent presence for business recruitment on the homepage of the City’s website. Don’t let it be simply a menu item.
○ Showcase the quality of life and outdoor recreation for talent recruitment. 394 Item 7.
● Use strategically placed outdoor boards along highways in the region so people understand that Oroville is just off the highway, welcoming, and open for business.
● Upgrade your recruitment materials. North Star created a beautiful, clean, branded design for your economic development folder (easily converted to the new resident welcome kit mentioned earlier). The inserts placed inside the folder would shift from those appropriate for new residents to inserts exploring tax incentives, support services, accessibility, available office space and land for development, workforce development, and quality of life. Inserts can be designed for printing on a color printer (or professionally) as needed and can be customized for different prospects, making this a very flexible approach. Include a letter from the mayor, city administrator, or community development officer along with a branded card in the appropriate slot. Branded window decals, event brochures, photographs, and other information can also be included when appropriate. See additional example from
Johnson City, TN.
● Share branded elements and this economic development
collateral with regional ED organizations. It is imperative that they understand Oroville’s brand positioning and use that in their conversations with prospects as businesses or corporations consider the region.
Action 10. DEMONSTRATE HOW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BELONGS 267
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● Organize special events to bring site selectors to Oroville. Take them to dinner at a local restaurant.
Make a personal sales pitch that is honest and straightforward. The event could include testimonial videos from business leaders. Incorporate Oroville’s brand into the presentation in a way that is customized for the needs and interests of the audience. Enlist 1-2 residents or business leaders to offer their views about what makes Oroville a great place to launch or relocate a business (and a great place to live and work). Make sure parts of the visit are on or along the water(s). ● Create business recruitment testimonial videos. Produce a series of brief testimonial videos from businesses in Oroville—with an emphasis on companies that have located in the City including legacy partners. In the videos, which would serve as third-party endorsements, business leaders would talk about why they are situated in Oroville and how it benefits them to be here. Ask them to speak to how relocating or expanding in Oroville allowed them to feel welcome and supportive of their goals. The videos could form the basis for an email campaign to prospects or for other applications, and they could be housed on the economic development mini-site. ● As a symbol of Oroville’s welcoming nature, responsiveness, and tech orientation, offer a branded smart speaker as a VIP gift to top prospects for business relocation to the community. See example from Richmond, CA.
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Action 10. DEMONSTRATE HOW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BELONGS 269
● Brand your trade show booth. At trade shows, your booth may be the first impression of Oroville that prospects receive. Make sure your display prominently reflects your new brand identity. At a minimum, this should involve adding the logo and strapline, but also consider designing the entire display so that messages and visuals align with and support the “Belong.
Along Our Water.” identity. You might consider additional pull-up banners that talk about the region to aid in communicating the idea of more density. ● Develop elevator speeches. Create a short “elevator pitch” that Economic Development (and regional ED) officials can use to explain the Oroville brand to prospects and site selectors. The speech is not intended to be delivered verbatim but to serve as a framework that facilitates the individual’s ability to put the message in their own words. The pitch should succinctly describe how Oroville makes entrepreneurs and the business community feel enabled towards success and welcomed with a sense of belonging here. ● Be specific. Discuss how “Belong” is shorthand for Oroville’s brand identity, what the brand means to people in Oroville, how it plays out in the work of Oroville businesses, and how those businesses connect to their customers.
Some of the basis for the pitch can be drawn from the brand narrative. Make these scripts (along with suggestions on how to use them) available to economic development officials and employers throughout the City. 397
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Action 10. DEMONSTRATE HOW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BELONGS 270
● Throw parties for relocating and start-up companies that reflect your welcoming community. When you welcome new businesses to Oroville, involve the whole community. Organize a public reception for them at City Hall or some other public spot perhaps along the water. Invite residents to come and say hello and perhaps hear a short presentation about the company from its leaders. Serve refreshments. Present the company’s leaders with branded ball caps or other items. In addition to building your reputation for strong connections and a welcoming business community, these events would evoke a quaint charm not typically seen in other cities. ● Develop a newsletter for prospects. Consider a targeted newsletter that keeps prospects informed of growth taking place in Oroville, entrepreneurial successes, and new businesses or expansions. Include content on technology, innovation, and quality of life that reinforce Oroville’s brand. Name the newsletter in the spirit of the brand. ● Recruit entrepreneurs from area universities. You have a brand and culture that can appeal to young, aspiring entrepreneurs. In your business recruitment efforts, don’t neglect to take your message to graduate and undergraduate business programs (especially those with concentrations in entrepreneurship) at area universities. Get the word out that Oroville is all about helping entrepreneurs. Give them extra incentives to be part of your business community. ● Form a Business Improvement rapid response team for handling business questions and issues raised by ED prospects, especially those in industries you want to attract. Set strict response benchmarks and follow them. ● Promote success stories on your mini-site and in your newsletter. ● Apply the brand to economic development assets, like the industrial park, so that site selectors and prospects can experience your cohesive message as they investigate locations. 398
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● Offer incentives that make an impression. Since you are interested in attracting entrepreneurs, small businesses, and talent, remove barriers by offering incentives with meaning for these audiences who may be short on capital but big on enthusiasm, creativity, progressive ideas, and ingenuity. For example, suspend any sort of business licensing for the first year, or offer graduated incentives that increase over a three-year start-up period as they demonstrate more staying power. ● Consider restructuring tax abatements for businesses that relocate to Oroville. Change the incentives so that companies cannot receive the abatement until they have successfully been in business for three years; those that meet this test will then receive a larger abatement than they would have enjoyed upfront under a current structure. While this arrangement can help attract new business, it also makes strategic sense as a reflection of your brand identity. Companies demonstrate their commitment to succeeding in Oroville and perseverance by staying in business for at least three years proving that they align with Oroville’s brand personality, and they receive an abatement as part of their success. This idea is just one example of how entrepreneurs and the business community belong in Oroville. ● For red carpet visits by prospects, site selectors, entrepreneurs, CEOs, travel writers, or any other economic development influencers, integrate an Oroville experience like dinner with a view or a meeting overlooking Downtown or at a waterfront where all of the players needed for this prospect’s project pledge their interest and dedication to bringing that organization to Oroville. Organize site visits as “Belonging Tours” and point out how close and supportive the business and governmental entities are in Oroville. End the tour at the dinner or meeting event mentioned above that introduces unique slices of Oroville’s culture. Make a personal sales pitch that is honest and straightforward. The event could include testimonial videos from business leaders.
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Action 11. SHOW LOCAL BUSINESSES HOW THE BRAND CAN WORK FOR THEM 272
There is a direct relationship between the success of your community brand and the businesses that call Oroville home. Engaging ambassadors among the business community with success stories in the spirit of the brand will prove beneficial. The Oroville Chamber should be instrumental in engaging the private sector and extending the brand into business attraction and retention efforts in Oroville (even beyond the Chamber membership). To engage local businesses, it will be essential not merely to show them the new brand but to help them understand how they can benefit from it and how they can use it to help them reach their own goals. Your brand identity offers businesses a way to identify your location and offer a promise of more success.
For most Oroville businesses, their primary connection to the City is either through the Chamber, OEA, or an Economic Development officer who recruited them. Businesses look to the Chamber for resources, networking opportunities, social opportunities, marketing assistance, and more. For the Oroville brand to work, Oroville businesses need to understand and believe in it, and they need clear cut ideas on how it can help them. For businesses to get on board with the brand, it must have the support and promotion of the Oroville Chamber. Participation in the brand should not be limited to the Chamber, however, as all businesses should be included. Although the Chamber does not have to change its logo immediately to start using the brand, it should consider integrating brand elements into its identity in the coming months with the goal of creating an integrated graphic identity. 400
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Action 11. SHOW LOCAL BUSINESSES HOW THE BRAND CAN WORK FOR THEM 273
Provide the Oroville Chamber with a quantity of branded folders that they can use to create a welcome kit for new residents and new businesses. On a macro-level, the kit welcomes residents or visitors to Oroville using the new brand, while on a micro-level it introduces the Chamber and its services.
Partner with the Oroville Chamber to create an Oroville brochure that can either be included in the new resident/business welcome kit or can serve as a welcome piece on its own. The brochure can also work to give visitors more information about what to do in Oroville and the region. Generous quantities of brochures should be given to retailers, arts organizations, the library, schools, and municipal offices. After its initial printing, consider sending copies of the brochure to all residents in utility bills. And make a digital version available on your portal and City website. See example from Carbondale, IL. 401
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Action 11. SHOW LOCAL BUSINESSES HOW THE BRAND CAN WORK FOR THEM 274
● Working with the Brand Manager and Chamber, plan a special brand presentation that introduces businesses to the brand and explains the importance and impact the brand can have on business growth in Oroville. Host this along the waterfront and feature local chefs from food trucks or a nice restaurant to increase attendance (charge per attendee). Some suggestions:
○ Do not roll out the brand to businesses until there is visible evidence of it (signage, website, pole banners). The more businesses can see the brand being put to good use, the more likely they are to use it themselves. ○ Hang banners at the event locale with the brand color palette, logo, and strapline. At every table, include tent cards with the brand narrative on one side and the logo and strapline on the other. ○ Customize the brand PowerPoint presentation for the business community audience. REMEMBER, a roll-out is for sharing what you’ve learned about the new brand direction, not about unveiling an updated logo. ○ Keep it short and simple, about 35-45 minutes with questions afterward. ○ Have branded keychains, USB drives, lapel pins, t-shirts, or other merchandise available for those who sign on for the Oroville Partnership.
○ Showcase volunteer opportunities for businesses. Give businesses a way to sign up to help that day.
○ Give all attendees a branded window decal announcing to customers they are a partner in Oroville and give them supplies of branded car decals or buttons that merchants and businesses can distribute to customers at the point of purchase. And for venues or cultural assets, develop similar decals that communicate how particular interests belong at Oroville locales.
Celebrate your historic State Theater with a decal proclaiming that arts and entertainment belongs here.
○ Following the event, email attendees thanking them and reviewing the goals of the new brand. Attach the PowerPoint presentation for their use. 402
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Since the Oroville Chamber should take the lead in championing the brand in the local business community for members and otherwise, consider these suggestions:
● Renovate Chamber offices to exemplify the brand with meeting spaces where people can come together, belong, and brainstorm.
● Offer branded column(s) in newsletters or electronic membership blasts called “Belong in Oroville” with each showcasing a different business and the ways they reflect the brand in their service or product offering, bringing together talent and expertise, rewarding employees with programs and incentives for solving problems, and celebrating community service programs and opportunities. Video editions of these profiles should be featured on your website. Share this content with local papers and other media outlets for regular business section features. ● Brand the Chamber’s online presence. As discussed earlier there is no vehicle more important than your online and mobile content. You can immediately apply the color palette, logo variation, and language to your existing site until the time and resources allow you to redesign the site.
● Organize a team (group of 4-5 that changes each quarter) that visits a set number of businesses each quarter (particularly new businesses) to primarily make them feel that they belong in the business community. Talk about their goals, ideals, and pains and how to connect them with resources or other business professionals that can help them and present opportunities to help others.
● Work together (City, Chamber, etc.) to identify and offer incentives to businesses that focus on progressive ideas for public improvements, philanthropic efforts, employee wellness, sustainability issues, and other interests that enhance Oroville. ● Review the Chamber’s existing signature events, and identify areas where the brand and its message are a good fit, like publications and awards.
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Additional ideas on engaging business with the brand:
● Create branded window clings that read “Proud to Belong Along Our Water in Oroville” or “Proud to Belong in Oroville” that businesses (and other members of the OP) can place in their windows. Develop criteria that should be met to gain the distinction. Create an online map with icons featuring each partner site. See example from Gallatin, TN. ● Plant a new tree every time a new business opens or expands in Oroville. These plantings could be organized along waterfronts, greenways, and entryway corridors or as part of extended streetscapes out of the central core. Be sure each business knows where their tree is planted so they can watch the tree’s growth as their business grows. This could also be a fun website feature. Partner with Parks and Trees Department. ● Get businesses on board with the selfie wall initiative discussed in this report by educating them on how the foot traffic can help their own business. Have them promote their proximity to the walls in their promotions. Have interactive fun with these walls and add dimension by having the logo elements spin.
● At the next Chamber meeting, brainstorm with your members about ways businesses demonstrate a sense of belonging in Oroville or how they create community with their customers. This will make others aware of the creative, innovative things your members are doing.
● As you brainstorm with young creatives, entrepreneurs, the Chamber, and broader business community, consider ways to incorporate the idea of being “consumer centered” to create the belonging. This could be the concept of upgrades or buying multiple items with big discounts on the second or third item (BOGO) or could be additional customized attention or customer service. You want the word of mouth for your business community to be associated with a high level of service and satisfaction. To engage your members and local business owners, develop a podcast series featuring local business owners and panels of business owners discussing hot topics. Place podcasts on your website. 404
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● Provide small businesses, particularly those without a marketing budget, some template tools in the spirit of the brand to use for small space ads, digital banner ads, or direct mail postcards. This is a great way to showcase both brands in meaningful ways for business. The Oroville brand will help frame the message for partner businesses. See example from Lee’s Summit, MO.
● Oroville has a good retail mix and significant opportunity for more.
Invest some time partnering with existing retailers and tourism-focused businesses to elevate their profile in terms of customer service and hospitality training (important for a brand about belonging) as well as co-branded packaging like shopping bags or mailing labels for boxes. Retail prospects will be more interested if you can show them data supporting the sale of their product and municipal initiatives that help retailers succeed. ● For retailers you are interested in, offer small branded perks for elevating the appeal of their store. For example, place branded bike racks outside the shop of an outdoor outfitter and include their name in all promotions for water recreation, hiking, or biking in the area. Subsidize supplies of co-branded shopping bags or beer coasters. Give all retailers supplies of car decals they can give to customers at checkout.
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Action 11. SHOW LOCAL BUSINESSES HOW THE BRAND CAN WORK FOR THEM 278
● Partner with retailers on a quarterly basis for a massive “Big Deals Belong Here” sale where all stores feature promotions and extras. Time the community-wide sales around the holidays and back-to-school.
● Once a month, work with a Chamber member to offer “Belonging” events. The event will take place after business hours in a public building, park, or local business. This doesn’t have to be the same event every time: examples include a networking event, a video game tournament, an art gallery showing, an open-mic night, a craft workshop, a lecture by a passionate professor or citizen, a book signing, or book club meeting. ● Use branded banners to promote major Chamber events. Make the branded banners available at a subsidized price to Chamber members interested in promoting an event. Look for ways to support local and regional events (even those not sponsored by the Chamber). ● Look for opportunities to create collaborative merchandise with retailers and merchants whose products and services reflect the brand. Examples include coffee cups, coasters (shown), napkins, and packaging. The goal is to promote consumer-oriented businesses in the context of the Oroville brand, recognizing that the success of each is interrelated. ● Bring your artists and creative thinkers together along with business owners to brainstorm brand extensions, from craft brews to coffee to hotel partners. Successful businesses know they have succeeded because of the entrepreneurial, creative spirit embraced by their teams.
● Create branded gathering spaces and extensions of cafes or coffee houses in Oroville’s open alley spaces to create memorable experiences Downtown.
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Action 12. INVITE VISITORS TO BELONG ALONG THE WATER
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Visitors to Oroville are a great way to increase community awareness and build the bottom line. Butte County Tourism will be a valuable partner and, as mentioned, should have access to your brand elements and language to help them promote the area. The City and Chamber should advance tourism with the new community brand. The community tagline is a great fit for tourism, outdoor recreation, and hospitality interests across Oroville. The City, Chamber, visitor-focused businesses, and lodging partners should meet regularly as a subset of the Oroville Partnership. Each part of the group needs to work selflessly toward this effort, meaning that it cannot become a vehicle to promote only certain segments of active participants. ● The Brand Manager should meet with this subset of the Oroville Partnership to discuss integrating the Oroville logo, brand look, and messaging into tourism partners’ and attractions’ websites, advertising, and signage. Full integration takes time and significant planning but is worth the effort because of the impact integrated marketing has on your overall reputation.
● Bring together leaders of key organizations currently drawing visitors to Oroville—like the State Theater, event organizers, craft brewers, parks and trails advocates, restaurateurs, and retailers to discuss brand integration with their operations. How can the brand support their efforts and bring together the diverse destination?
● Meet with other regional communities to identify opportunities to communicate as a group and leverage the individual brands while also communicating the density of activity and opportunity near Chico and Sacramento. ● Produce Adventure Journals for visitors and tourism-related businesses. ● Partner with The State Theater for programming for students, residents, and visitors that remind folks that arts and culture are important and belong to everyone in Oroville. Let the brand suggest themes for concerts and performances.407 Item 7.
Action 12. INVITE VISITORS TO BELONG ALONG THE WATER
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● Visitors centers are another critical hub for a City’s brand integration. Many communities choose to paint their visitors center in the colors of the brand (ideas already discussed for Chamber offices as a source for visitor information). You could opt for a progressive mobile visitor center that can travel to venues, sports fields, facilities, and events within Oroville as well as to nearby sites beyond city limits. The mobile center could also be used by the Chamber and Economic Development staff to travel to area colleges and universities for recruiting purposes. The mobile center can be stocked with different materials depending on the reason for travel, but always stock both a brick and mortar center and the mobile visitors center with branded merchandise and Oroville brochures. See examples at right. ● Brand your visitors guide for Oroville in the spirit of the brand. Use spectacular photography to inform visitors that Oroville puts visitors at the center of the experience.
● Remember to make the Oroville brochure suggested for residents available to visitors containing information on retail, restaurants, recreation, and cultural activities.
Keep area visitor centers and attractions well-stocked with copies of the brochure or guide.
● When putting together packages for group tours or meeting planners, use the branded folder created for economic development prospects. Include the Oroville brochure and vehicle decals inside.
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Action 12. INVITE VISITORS TO BELONG ALONG THE WATER
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People will connect with your place and brand through emotion and experience. One of the best ways to introduce (or remind people of) Oroville to those unfamiliar with the area is through signature, memorable events. Oroville excels at community and destination events already, from the holidays to Salmon Fest. Salmon Fest is a perfect vehicle for extending your brand about waterfronts, stewardship and sense of belonging in Oroville, all in one event. Work with organizers to increase the scale and reach of the event. Add an art and food component. Consider adding an outdoor rec aspect. Examine the current calendar to identify ways to celebrate art, flavor, culture, water, and outdoor recreation with existing events in the spirit of the brand. Then, bring creative minds together to identify a couple of signature branded events that motivate commerce and get crowds to enjoy new experiences and creativity.
The Brand Manager should establish regular meetings with event organizers to facilitate the exchange of ideas on how to demonstrate the brand in creative ways and how each event makes attendees feel like they have always belonged. As your creative thinkers brainstorm events to add to the calendar, use the idea of “belonging along our water” as a starting point. With the active lifestyles in Oroville, running, biking, or multisport events with a SUP (stand-up paddle board) or kayak component are a natural for brand extensions. Consider a craft brew and music event that then evolves to include a social enterprise or new solutions component.
Showcase the concept of how Oroville is forward thinking and a good steward of resources. A few ideas on activities and events:
● Make event venues awash in the brand. Host movie nights in parks or on sides of buildings with available lots. ● Partner with local chefs and restaurants to host a competition or philanthropic event on the premise of the TV show Chopped where contestants or invited chefs receive a random collection of local ingredients to reinvent as great cuisine (consider prescribed water-based cooking methods).
● Host a Dam Dash race on top of the dam each Spring. Short distance. Fast race. Party at the end. Require costumes. Add a boat parade. Get folks along the water and celebrate.
● Partner with events on branded merchandise like outdoor seating, apparel, etc. As shown earlier, develop branded merchandise for athletes and spectators at your parks and with partners. Even consider making visiting teams experience a sense of belonging by handling snacks and waters (for a fee) in branded coolers and packaging. 409
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Action 12. INVITE VISITORS TO BELONG ALONG THE WATER
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Beyond smart brand extensions with existing events, consider a one-of-a-kind event that integrates fully with your brand. ● Arts Along the Water: Leverage your arts engagement and giving nature with a fundraising arts festival. Each piece of art in the festival is affiliated with a charitable cause. The purchase of the art goes toward that charity and is a write-off so both the buyer and the artist can cover the costs. Connect this with local accomplished artists. Rotate the subject matter or medium each year. And of course host this event along the water perhaps between Downtown and the Feather River as you continue to revitalize the waterfront. The City could name best in show as “Belongs in Oroville” with the City or benefactors purchasing that piece for installation along the water with the ultimate goal of every waterfront as a sculpture garden. ● Local Brews Belong: With breweries in the Oroville area, there is significant potential for a beer event. Make it fun and casual with a name in the spirit of the brand.
○ One approach is an art and beer festival featuring presentations on craft brewing from the farm to the tap along with tastings by area brewers. The festival would feature interactive artists’ booths where they demonstrate their work (pottery, painting, etc.). One of the features of the art side of the festival could be designing beer labels with demonstrations by artists that focus on this area. Include a component where visitors can design a label based on specific criteria and representatives from the breweries can choose a winning label.
● Install pole banners for signature events (new or existing) that promote the event, experience, and community all at once. Create or install selfie walls at or near event spaces. Consider a three-dimensional selfies wall where the graphic embraces the subject and showcases how everyone belongs in Oroville.
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Action 12. INVITE VISITORS TO BELONG ALONG THE WATER
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● Organize restaurants to offer an Oroville Along the Way Foodie Passport Tour. A foodie passport is a great way
to get locals and folks from the greater region coming
back to your restaurants time and time again. Extend
your passports to include meals from food trucks or
pop-up restaurants. Passports are free and can be
distributed at participating restaurants, visitor centers, the Chamber, business districts, and retailers. Users get a stamp every time they dine at a particular restaurant. Get a stamp for every participating restaurant, and get a free meal at the place of your choice; get 5 stamps at a single restaurant and receive free drinks, desserts, two-for-one entrees, or more. Start with Oroville, but partner with neighboring communities. See example from New Rochelle, NY. ● Establish an art trail based on the brand using blank walls and retaining walls throughout the community as the primary canvas for murals in Oroville. Alternatively, partner with Parks and Trees on an art trail in your parks. ● Highlight the incredible artifacts and stories housed in local museums on social media in a running series titled “That Belongs in a Museum!” Ask local historians to contribute, and make sure that all museums have their turn. ● From retail marketing to experiential dining, pop-up events are gaining in popularity since their inception about a decade ago. But pop-ups are more than just a trendy, “seemingly unplanned,” or temporary happenings. They have real power in building brand awareness and impressing a new audience. Invite any interested organization to sponsor such an event, and the City will help with the location and pop-up infrastructure (may require some investment on your part). Events will be announced 24 hours ahead of time on social media platforms of the event sponsor and the City. People will follow Oroville on various platforms just to see what is popping up all over town. Pop-up events give a community a fun, spontaneous feel.
Best of all, they get lots of different types of people interested in Oroville, and they don’t have to be expensive. 411 Item 7.
Action 12. INVITE VISITORS TO BELONG ALONG THE WATER
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● Retail Downtown and across the community is a tourism draw for Oroville, so spend some time brainstorming ways to make the retail experience more interesting for visitors. See co-branded gift bags from York County and Downtown York, PA.
A few ideas:
○ Partner with local retailers to post weekly “Shop Along” tweets. Encourage shoppers from inside and outside Oroville to follow this Twitter account so they are up to date on the potential savings. ○ During the holidays, have City employees take shifts offering free branded gift wrapping inside tents where hot chocolate and craft beers are served. Use branded wrapping paper and shopping bags. ○ During coordinated sales events, have food trucks and live music in the area so the shopping feels like a party. ○ Coordinate cultural activities such as plays, concerts, or restaurant openings with special hours for retailers. ○ Have fun with brand merchandise, even limited editions. ○ Place selfie walls in heavily trafficked shopping areas (or temporary selfie backdrops), and encourage
visitors to take pictures with all their purchases.
Feature all the pictures on your website.
○ Partner with high-profile retailers and restaurants
on co-branded merchandise and infrastructure that
makes an impression with visitors. Remember that
bike shops are great candidates for bike racks; brew
pubs for co-branded coasters; etc.
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● Engage Oroville’s cycling community, including bike stores and riding groups. Reach out to organizers of all biking events to let them know about branded bike helmets and bike racks. Offer helmets as prizes and giveaways associated with various events, and make them available to biking groups at reasonable prices with the goal of getting as many people wearing the helmets as possible.
● Consider a bike share program with affordable rentals. Have bike racks at popular parks, attractions, trailheads, and retail centers. Brand these as “Get Along and Belong.” See example from Turlock, CA.
● Encourage your residents to hold family reunions in Oroville by going above and beyond in assisting the planning of the event. As part of every reunion, provide a free “Family Belongings” genealogy session that helps them trace their family tree so they can learn how their family has progressed through time. As you help plan reunions, include activities focused on bringing the family together.
● Business travelers and executives visit Oroville, and particularly those using the nearby airport. Partner with the airport to apply the brand to its infrastructure and even its communications. Look for ways the airport does more for its pilots and guests. Flags, banners, or selfie walls may be easy extensions at the airport. For some visitors, this will be their first experience with Oroville.
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● For residents and visitors, brand outdoor recreation gear and gear bags. Consider kayaks, tents, SUPs, coolers, etc. And to promote your outdoor assets in Sacramento, the Bay Area, and even Chico, partner with rideshare drivers or cabs that will carry a branded bike or kayak on top of the vehicle that drives traffic to your website with promotional messaging. Have folks register for a chance to win the kayak or bike. See example from Danville River District in Virginia promoting its urban waterways.
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STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN
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Plan Overview
This plan takes an integrated approach to marketing and communicating Oroville’s brand identity, benefits, and key differentiators to help achieve its business and economic objectives.
This plan was developed by leveraging the insights from the branding process as well as through input received from the team in Oroville. Specifically, the team provided, prioritized, and approved the community’s business objectives and marketing strategies, which all informed the development of the full plan.
The North Star team built this plan with the intent of Oroville’s marketing/communications/tourism team(s) and external partners executing it. North Star can make resources available and form a separate agreement to help execute the plan or portions of it.
The plan includes both high-level and specific recommendations for approaches and tactics, where some elements (e.g., creative materials, media buys, and spend allocations) must be built out during plan execution. North Star has accounted for this development period within the plan budget and timeline.
MARKETING PLAN
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Plan Overview
Below is a brief outline of what is included in this marketing plan. ● Economic and marketing objectives
● Target audiences
● Key messages
● Marketing strategy
● Tactical directions
● High-level timeline guidance
● Budget
● Recommendations for measurement and key performance indicators
MARKETING PLAN
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Economic Objectives
● Bring more employers and jobs to Oroville; retain existing employers ○ Supports the development of downtown and other regions across the City ○ Makes Oroville more attractive to prospective and current residents ● Retain existing residents and tax base of Oroville
○ Supports long-term sustainability and growth
○ Builds community pride and likelihood of organic resident attraction
MARKETING PLAN
Marketing Objectives
● Increase outreach to, and ultimately, engagement with/from prospective and existing employers in key industries
○ Quantify via various marketing metrics and calls-to-action ● Increase the likelihood of residents and local business owners recommending Oroville to others ○ Quantify via brand barometer score every 2-3 years
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Target Audiences & Insights
● Oroville Residents (Median Age of ~34 Years Old)
○ Low morale in Oroville as a whole, yet considerable pride in various assets, such as its nature and quality of life
○ An understanding of Oroville’s potential and expressed interest in contributing to its advancement ● Oroville Small Business Owners
○ Have been loyal to Oroville but seek more business opportunities and long-term sustainability that would result from a more robust local economy
○ Possible perception that economic growth = more competition and business risk. Must balance growth with empowering existing small business owners
● West Coast and/or California-Based Business Executives in the Biomass & Retail Industries ○ Struggling with economic limitations resulting from California’s increasingly difficult business/regulatory environment
○ Could be attracted to Oroville’s business-friendly economy and recent/future investments in areas across the City, especially Downtown
MARKETING PLAN
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Key Messaging
● As the seat of Butte County, Oroville is able to leverage some offerings that can’t be found throughout the rest of the county: services, needs, government business, etc.
● Natural resources are ready to nourish the success of business and entertainment here. ● Oroville is home to the industrious and has the workforce to deliver hard work, flourishing like the waters around them. ● Outdoor recreation and natural beauty along with the historic and timeless downtown are what make Oroville a treasure for residents and a destination for outsiders.
● From a personal or business perspective, there’s ample opportunity to develop and grow here. ● We have the story, history, and character that other cities only wish they could have. ● Oroville is perfectly suited for those seeking a slightly slower paced, more family-friendly getaway type of lifestyle. ● Life in Oroville is rewarding to both explorers and opportunity seekers. ● Whatever you bring to the table, you belong, along our water.
MARKETING PLAN
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Marketing Strategy 293
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Three-Part Strategy MARKETING PLAN
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Local Buy-In & Ongoing Engagement
● Brand rollout & education
● Inter-department adoption
● Oroville Economic Alliance re-activation
● Involvement opportunities
MARKETING PLAN
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Local Buy-In & Ongoing Engagement
Brand Rollout & Education
● Create a short video that communicates the City’s DNA as well as key strengths/differentiators. The video serves as a more subtle way to begin introducing the brand to the community without a massive unveiling event or ‘ta-da’ moment. Publish the video to the Oroville website and social media channels.* ○ If/when possible, feature Oroville residents and business owners and enable them to tell the story. ● Develop a landing page on Oroville’s official website that includes key talking points on the brand’s purpose, as well as FAQs and ways that residents can engage with the brand (or will be able to in the future).* ● Create and place flyers and/or QR codes across the community that link to the community brand landing page.* ● Execute a speaking circuit at local association meetings (e.g., downtown association, rotaries, Kiwanis, etc.). ○ The presentation should have a larger focus/theme beyond the brand (e.g., Planning for Oroville’s Future), where the brand and how to leverage it is just one component of the larger presentation. ○ North Star advises this circuit is executed several months after the full rollout is completed and the brand has already been seen by most/all of the community (avoiding a ‘ta-da’ moment).
MARKETING PLAN
*These tactics should take place in the few months following the close of this project and before the logo/strapline is widely promoted.424 Item 7.
Local Buy-In & Ongoing Engagement
Inter-Department Adoption
● The impact of a community brand strengthens when departments and/or agencies across the City adopt it. Not only is there creative alignment, but it shares a message to outside prospects that the City and its various entities work in tandem on their direction and future.
● Before the brand rollout, and similar to other stakeholder meetings, socialize the idea of various departments or agencies adopting the look-and-feel of the brand over time.
○ This is not necessarily a logo overhaul—other visual elements and messaging are effective as well. ○ Do not force it—allow departments to embrace and adopt the brand on their own (even if over time).
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Local Buy-In & Ongoing Engagement
Oroville Economic Alliance Re-Activation
● Re-activate the Oroville Economic Alliance, having it serve as the catalyst for local economic development in key industries. ● Mission of the Alliance: to be a catalyst for local economic growth, leveraging the area’s strengths and differentiators to attract employers, jobs, and investment in key and emerging industries. ● Secure leadership and participation from the public and private sectors. ● Leverage the look-and-feel of the Oroville brand.
● The Alliance should have its own marketing budget and platforms. It should champion most of the economic development tactics in this plan.
● Create a video that educates outside prospects on the Oroville Economic Alliance and benefits of being part of the local economy (feature key industries and individuals from leading employers).
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Local Buy-In & Ongoing Engagement
Involvement Opportunities
● Launch an ongoing testimonial video series that features the strengths and differentiators of Oroville. ○ Each video/story is told through everyday residents and features a different aspect of Oroville. ■ Can support economic development, tourism, and local community pride (e.g., features visitors, long-time residents, employers, etc.).
● Build a brand implementation toolkit for local businesses to help them integrate the brand into their operations, products, and offerings.
○ The toolkit should include brand assets, a brand standards guide, PR/social materials, and sample implementation ideas.
MARKETING PLAN
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Local Buy-In & Ongoing Engagement
Involvement Opportunities, cont.
● Establish the “Downtown Oroville Arts and Culture Walk” ○ A monthly festival in Downtown Oroville where various local and downtown vendors may exhibit, perform, and interact with the public.
○ Helps to activate downtown and expose more residents to the events, happenings, and progress taking place in Downtown over time.
● Collaborate with the Arts Commission to facilitate a public contest where local artists submit designs for a community mural that reflects the new brand.
○ The winning design would be implemented in the community. ○ Consider a video timelapse of the mural’s development; leverage earned and social media opportunities. ● Partner with the local school board to coordinate an opportunity for students (K-12) to create a piece of art (e.g., a found-object sculpture) that resembles the brand.
○ Students’ artwork is displayed across their respective schools. Consider a contest for high school students where best artwork is placed in the City or at the school board office. ○ Leverage earned and social media to promote initiative and contest.
MARKETING PLAN
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Industry & Employer Outreach
● Refreshed marketing materials for economic development ● Targeted advertising & trade show marketing
● Direct outreach
MARKETING PLAN
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Industry & Employer Outreach
Refreshed Marketing Materials for Economic Development
● Oroville should refresh its marketing materials supporting economic development, leveraging the brand look-and-feel and the reactivated Oroville Economic Alliance (OEA). Materials include but are not limited to:
○ An OEA website/microsite with the following baseline information:
■ Key industries and top employers
■ Why Oroville (key strengths and opportunities for employers) ■ Blog and key news
■ Form(s) to request brochure and/or more information
○ Economic development brochures for key industries (retail and biomass) ○ Employer testimonial videos (see: Local Buy-In & Ongoing Engagement, Involvement Opportunities) ○ Branded letters of introduction from City/OEA leadership for prospective employers ○ Misc. social media assets leveraging brochure/video content (infographics, short clips, etc.)
MARKETING PLAN
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Industry & Employer Outreach
Targeted Advertising & Trade Show Marketing
● Once the Oroville Economic Alliance is reactivated, presence and involvement in key industries (e.g., retail and biomass) via the following activities should be a key part of its marketing strategy. ○ Paid advertising in association publications and on their websites; include calls to action focused on driving prospects to the OEA website, setting meetings, and visiting Oroville. ○ Attend, advertise, and exhibit at key industry trade shows (budget pending, begin with one trade show in each industry)
● Key trade associations and shows to consider (involvement level dependent on final budget):
○ Retail - Retail Industry Leaders Association, National Retail Federation, International Association of Department Stores
○ Biomass - International Biomass Conference & Expo, Biomass Power Association, National Waste & Recycling Association
MARKETING PLAN
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Industry & Employer Outreach
Direct Outreach
● As relationships are built and prospect lists are expanded, send branded letters of introduction and/or call prospective employers to begin building relationships and setting meetings. ● As relationships mature, visit prospective employers in person and host them in Oroville. ● Allow them to meet local key employers about doing business in Oroville. ● All of the above activity should be led and facilitated by the Oroville Economic Alliance.
MARKETING PLAN
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Item 7.
Ongoing Awareness & Thought Leadership
● Industry leadership
● Public relations
● Social media
MARKETING PLAN
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Ongoing Awareness & Thought Leadership
Industry Leadership
● Invite and co-market with key employers at key industry trade shows.:
○ Submit proposals for speaking panels that involve Oroville officials and local employer leadership. ○ Co-host a private event/cocktail hour with Oroville employer(s); invite prospective employers and other key stakeholders at shows.
● Submit employer and/or City projects for industry awards. ● Seek opportunities for Oroville or local employer leadership to serve on industry boards (e.g., Board of Directors for the Biomass Power Association).
MARKETING PLAN
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Ongoing Awareness & Thought Leadership
Public Relations
● Local/Regional PR:
○ Use local media as a resource to share the strategic direction of the City (locally and externally) as well as key activity/momentum.
■ Annual sit-downs with the Oroville Mercury-Register, resulting in a larger story on the progress and future of the City
■ Press releases and features on key economic development news ■ Announcements and pitches about key tactics in plan (e.g., Arts and Culture Walk, Arts Commission/School Board contests, business brand implementation, resident involvement opportunities) ○ Communicate and collaborate with county and state tourism/economic development departments for broader reach of Oroville initiatives and messages as well as larger media pitches with statewide media. ● Industry PR:
○ Pitch press releases, features, and in-depth story ideas to trade publications in key industries. ■ Leverage voice and insight from prominent local employers. ■ Potential pitch: how Oroville is quickly becoming another West Coast hub for the biomass industry
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Ongoing Awareness & Thought Leadership
Social Media
● The City of Oroville and the OrovilIe Economic Alliance should maintain active social media pages, leveraging and creating content from the ideas and tactics listed in this plan. ● North Star recommends the City uses Facebook and Instagram and the Alliance uses Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Below are recommendations to build a consistent and active social media presence. ○ Integrate brand assets and look-and-feel (logo, etc.) into the existing Oroville social media pages after the initial rollout period.
○ Promote local happenings and scenery, including nature and community events (such as the Arts and Culture Walk). ○ Begin creating bite-sized content such as infographics, GIFs, and videos that promote the things to do as a resident and visitor, as well as benefits of the Oroville economy. Content from the recommended economic development folder, among others, should be leveraged.
○ Organize social media contests or calls-to-action that encourage resident and visitor participation. Attach these to key events such as the recommended Arts and Culture Walk. ○ Continue reposting and sharing content from local businesses and media outlets. ○ Develop a content series that followers can begin to expect and engage with on a monthly or quarterly basis (e.g., the testimonial video series).
MARKETING PLAN
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Timeline 309
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Year One Timeline MARKETING PLAN
June 2023:
● Decide budget and plan execution roles (outside consultants, internal capacity, etc).
Q3 2023:
● Initiate initial brand rollout tactics (landing page, video, community flyers). ● Socialize inter-department brand adoption via meetings with department/agency leads. ● Build buy-in and organizational infrastructure for the Oroville Economic Alliance. ● Update economic development collateral/assets; begin Oroville Economic Alliance website or microsite build with Q1 2024 target launch date.
● Decide 2024 show involvement and budget for ‘Retail’s Big Show’ (January) and the International Biomass Conference & Expo (March) and begin planning.
● Build a brand implementation toolkit.
● Begin organizing the Downtown Oroville Arts and Culture Walk and other community events. ● Begin scheduling local speaking circuit for early Q1. ● Ongoing PR/social.
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Year One Timeline MARKETING PLAN
Q4 2023:
● Continue brand rollout (initial tactics + relevant brand action ideas). ● Create misc. PR/social assets for brand and forthcoming Oroville Economic Alliance entity. ● Prepare for the Oroville Economic Alliance launch (build marketing plan, etc.). ● Continue scheduling and preparing for local speaking circuit. ● Shoot/edit initial testimonial videos.
● Continue planning for ‘Retail’s Big Show’ & the International Biomass Conference & Expo, pending budget. ● Announce the Downtown Oroville Arts and Culture Walk, beginning in 2024. ● Ongoing PR and social
Q1 2024:
● Launch the Oroville Economic Alliance. Follow this with PR and social announcements and sit-downs with key local and regional media.
● Begin executing local speaking circuit.
● Attend or sponsor National Retail Federation’s ‘Retail’s Big Show’ (Jan. 14-16, New York City, NY) & the International Biomass Conference & Expo (March 4-6, Richmond, VA), pending budget. ● Announce and coordinate public arts and school board contests. ● Ongoing PR/social
● Year 2 planning
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Budget 312
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Year One Budget MARKETING PLAN
Level 1: Conservative
Annual budget range: $100-200k
Tactical approach overview:
● Brand rollout (landing page,
flyers, speaking circuit)
● OEA activation (microsite/video
only)*
● Testimonial videos - 4 per year
● Business implementation toolkit
creation
● Arts & Culture Walk formation*
● Refreshed economic
development materials (landing
page, print/social items)
● No advertising
● Trade show attendance only
● Ongoing PR/social media mgmt.
(1 active pitch per 2 months, 5-8
posts per month)
Annual budget range: $200-350k
Tactical approach overview:
● Brand rollout (video, landing
page, flyers, speaking circuit)
● OEA activation (full
website/video only)*
● Testimonial videos - 6 per year
● Business implementation toolkit
creation
● Arts & Culture Walk formation*
● Refreshed economic
development materials (landing
page, print/social items)
● Select digital/print advertising in
2 key industries
● Trade show attendance, minor
exhibit, speaking/award
application fees (up to 2 shows)
● Ongoing PR/social media mgmt.
(1 active pitch per month, 8-12
posts per month)
Annual budget range: $350-500k+
Tactical approach overview:
● Brand rollout (video, landing
page, flyers, speaking circuit)
● OEA activation (full
website/video only)*
● Testimonial videos - 8 per year
● Business implementation toolkit
creation
● Arts & Culture Walk formation*
● Refreshed economic
development materials (landing
page, print/social items)
● Aggressive digital/print
advertising in 2 key industries
● Trade show attendance, strong
exhibit, speaking/award
application fees (up to 2 shows)
● Ongoing PR/social media mgmt.
(1-2 active pitches per month,
12-15 posts per month)
Level 2: Moderate Level 3: Robust
*The budget accounts for minor marketing support related to these items (e.g., collateral and messaging), not the full operational needs of the tactic. 441
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Measurement 314
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Measurement MARKETING PLAN
Local Buy-In & Ongoing Engagement:
● Flyer/QR code scans
● Landing page views
● Number of local departments leveraging the brand
● Brand implementation toolkit downloads and requests
● Arts & Culture walk average attendance and number of exhibitors ● Brand barometer score every 2-3 years
Industry & Employer Outreach:
● Creation of and public/private sector interest in Oroville Economic Alliance ● Oroville Economic Alliance website views/engagement and brochure downloads/requests ● Paid media engagement (impressions, clicks, conversions, etc.) ● Trade show performance (impressions, clicks, exclusive event attendance, leads, etc.) ● Letters responded to and/or meetings set with business prospects 443
Item 7.
Measurement MARKETING PLAN
Ongoing Awareness & Thought Leadership:
● Earned media hits by depth of article, extent of Oroville official quoted, tier of media, readership/viewership ● Advertising equivalency of earned media
● Increases in social media following and engagement (likes/reactions, shares, story views) ● Testimonial video views
● Speaking engagements secured with City and local employers ● Awards won by City and local employers
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EVALUATION
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Item 7.
Evaluation
How Is The Brand Performing?
Evaluation yields new information which may lead to the beginning of a new planning cycle. Information may be gathered from concept pre-testing, campaign impact in the marketplace, and tracking studies to measure a brand's performance over time. These methods of evaluation should be used once a visual brand identity has been established based on the strategic brand platform.
Ideally, two basic questions will be answered when there is visible implementation of your brand in the community: Have responses to the brand among target audiences changed in the way the BrandPrint intended? And have these changes resulted in consumer action that will achieve the desired objectives of the brand? Turnkey or do-it-yourself programs are recommended depending on your needs.
To begin the process of brand evaluation, North Star has set up a schedule to discuss Oroville's brand progress. This schedule begins immediately after the delivery of your BrandPrint. ● Immediately – North Star recommends building your databases and keeping them current. This ensures future success measurements can be calculated. These leads will be the best data start point for future brand evaluation. ● One year – North Star’s Research Director will conduct an assessment call to outline a plan for determining brand performance moving forward. Oroville will be contacted to determine specific measurement goals, including re-measuring awareness and perception of the community among intended audiences. 318
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Evaluation
As stated previously, North Star will consult with the community at the proposed times to evaluate your specific needs. Keep in mind that many of the research pieces in your BrandPrint were created to act as benchmarks by which future improvements can be measured. Based on what we know of the community, likely recommendations for success measurements at Oroville's two-year mark may include:
● Online Community Survey
● Community Brand Barometer
● Consumer Awareness and Perception Study
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Item 7.
Evaluation
Purpose
The purpose of the Online Community Survey is to gain a quantitative measure of the community’s perceptions of Oroville.
Methodology + Results
This qualitative survey is fielded online and is open to all residents of the community. The study measures the following:
● Overall top-of-mind perceptions of Oroville
● Strengths and weaknesses of Oroville
● Resident suggestions on what is missing in Oroville
● Measurements of Oroville's quality of life indicators Positive resident perceptions are a strong indicator of brand success. Successful brand implementation will energize the resident base, making them more likely to think of the community in a positive light.
Timing
The Online Community Survey should be conducted biannually. The first survey should be conducted no sooner than two years from brand introduction (when there is visible implementation of your brand in the community).
ONLINE COMMUNITY SURVEY
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Item 7.
Evaluation BRAND BAROMETER
Purpose
The Community Brand Barometer measures the strength of Oroville's brand according to:
● Resident satisfaction/advocacy with the brand as a place to live, work, and visit. ● Brand satisfaction/advocacy relative to the nation.
Methodology + Results
The methodology for the Brand Barometer has been carefully developed and determined to be statistically significant.
Participants answer three questions:
● Would you recommend living in Oroville to a friend or colleague? ● Would you recommend visiting Oroville to a friend or colleague? ● Would you recommend conducting business in Oroville to a friend or colleague? Resident advocacy is one of the strongest measures of brand success. Successful brand implementation will energize the resident base, making them more likely to recommend their community to others.
Timing
The Community Brand Barometer should be conducted biannually. The first Brand Barometer should be conducted no sooner than two years from brand introduction (when there is visible implementation of your brand in the community). 321
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Evaluation CONSUMER AWARENESS + PERCEPTION STUDY
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to gain insight into external consumer awareness, visitation, and perceptions of Oroville.
Methodology + Results
This quantitative survey is fielded online outside of Oroville borders in order to obtain an outsider’s perspective. The survey measures:
● Overall top-of-mind perceptions of Oroville and immediate competitors ● Consumer visitation trends (frequency and nature of visitation) ● Consumer visitation drivers (business, leisure, friends, and family) ● Strengths and weaknesses of Oroville identified within community attributes ● Consumer suggestions on what is missing in Oroville
● Measurements of Oroville's delivery of hospitality
● Measurements of Oroville's quality of life indicators Timing
The CAP Study should be conducted every 3-5 years. The first survey should be conducted no sooner than two years from brand introduction (when there is visible implementation of your brand in the community). 322
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Item 7.
ADMINISTRATION Page 1 9/5/23
OROVILLE CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: SCOTT E. HUBER, CITY ATTORNEY
RE: RESPONSE TO 2022-2023 FINAL BUTTE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT
DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
SUMMARY
The Council will consider approving the response to the Final 2022-2023 Butte County Grand Jury Report on behalf of the City of Oroville, which will be provided under separate cover.
DISCUSSION
On June 29, 2023, the Butte County Grand Jury released to the public a final report related to the investigation it conducted resulting from complaints it received from members of the public. The Grand Jury conducted inquiry related to these complaints.
The Grand Jury made several comments and recommendations.
As has occurred in previous years, the Grand Jury requests a response from the City Council. In addition, the Grand Jury invites many others, such as department heads, etc., to offer responses without any statutory authority to make such an invitation.
Similar invitations have occurred in prior years and the final response incorporates the thoughts of those invited to respond.
Penal Code section 933, subsection (c), provides that when the grand jury submits a final report on the operations of any public agency, “the governing body of the public agency shall comment … on the findings and recommendations pertaining to matters under the control of the governing body….” Accordingly, the response must come solely from the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
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ADMINISTRATION Page 2 9/5/23
RECOMMENDATION
Approve or provide other direction with regard to the City of Oroville’s response to the 2022-2023 Final Butte County Grand Jury Report and authorize the Mayor to sign the response.
ATTACHMENTS
Draft Response to the 2022-2023 Final Butte County Grand Jury Report (provided under separate cover)
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