HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole - 09 Sep 2024 - Agenda - Pdf
CITY OF RENTON
AGENDA - Committee of the Whole Meeting
6:00 PM - Monday, September 9, 2024
7th Floor Conferencing Center
1. COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
a) Presentation
COMMUNICATIONS
& ENGAGEMENT
DIVISION UPDATE
Laura Pettitt, Communications Director
September 9, 2024
Committee of the Whole AG
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MEET OUR TEAMDCAO and Executive
Services Department
Administrator
Kristi Rowland
Communications
Manager
Angel Laycock
Communications
Specialist 1
(Graphic Design)
Sheila Cowley
Communications
Specialist 2
(Web/Video Production)
Sam Severson
Digital Communications
Specialist
(Digital Engagement)
Will Ting
Print & Mail
Supervisor
Karl Hurst
Print & Mail
Assistantant
Ben Haglund
Community Outreach
Coordinator
Casey King
Communications
Director
Laura Pettitt
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2023-2024 DIVISION TRANSFORMATION
Jan 2023
New
Communications
Director
Sept 2023
New
Communications
Manager
Dec 2023
New
Communications
Specialist 2
(Web/Video - new FTE)
Apr 2024
New Community
Engagement
Coordinator
(transferred FTE)
Apr 2024
New Digital
Communications
Specialist
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2023-2024 GOALS
2023-24 Communications Division goals
•Five‐year strategic plan
•Develop standard policies and
procedures
•Train city staff
•Launch a new city website
•Show business plan goals through data
•Expand engagement platform
•Use data to show new audiences
•Enhance media relations on key issues
•Enhance Channel 21 productions
•Prepare for large‐scale emergencies
•Support staff development
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PROGRESS: COMMUNICATIONS GOALS
Communications & Engagement
Division Forward Movement
•Merging Communications Strategy +
Engagement Strategy Plan with
appropriate staffing
•Created Crisis Communications Plan
•New website launching Q1 2025
•Expanding digital engagement pilot
•Enhancing media relations program
•Building reports to show progress
•New policy development
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PROGRESS: 2022-2025
ENGAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE
Making progress on foundational goals identified in 2022 with appropriate staffing and team structure
1)Internal Community Engagement
Infrastructure and Coordination
2)Community Partnerships and Customer
Service
3)Accessible and Inclusive Participation
4)Data, Research, and Information Hub
5)Digital Engagement Capacity
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PROGRESS: POLICY
Creating and updating policies &
procedures that ensure consistency
and clarity.
1)Social Media Policy
2)Public Statement Policy
3)Proclamations and Recognitions
Policy (under review)
4)Others in development
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PROGRESS: CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
1.Natural disasters
2.Acts of terrorism
3.Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure
4.Public health emergencies
5.Civil unrest, riots, and protests
6.Industrial accidents
7.Transportation accidents
8.Public safety emergencies
9.Environmental disasters
10.Financial crises
11.Officer-involved shooting
12.Personnel issues
13.Equipment failures or injuries
caused by city-owned equipment
14.Large-scale fires
15.Officer killed in the line of duty
•Creation of Public Statement Policy
•Creation of strategic direction for crisis situations:
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PROGRESS: WEBSITE
Significant progress made with launch
date anticipated: 2025 Q1
1)Platform selected (Granicus)
2)Contract executed
3)City-wide collaboration on content
review
4)Public survey for design and
navigation
5)Remaining to do before launch:
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PROGRESS: DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT
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PROGRESS: MEDIA PLATFORM ANALYSIS
GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
•PODCAST STUDIO PRODUCTIONS
•CONTENT SERIES: “Branch Out” Urban Forestry
video; “Humans of Renton” ; Tales from the Trails
– bike, running, outdoor activities; the “Ren-
Tonys” – a fictional award series featuring the
unique, interesting and surprising pieces from
Renton
•COUNCIL MEETING RECAPS – a highlight reel
cut from existing footage
•TWIRL – “This Week in Renton Live” – giving a
face and voice to newsletter content, inviting a
number of city personnel to record the story
highlights for a social media and Channel 21
feature weekly.
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BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
Building on the Foundation
•Continued integration of
Communications and Engagement
•Expanding use of plain language
Federal Guidelines
•Expanding in-house production
•Launch of communication consults
•Centralized publication calendar
for everyone to see
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ADDITIONAL FOUNDATION WORK
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NEW STRATEGIC APPROACH
•Our approach to communications is
changing.
•Our audience has adjusted to new
ways of interacting faster than ever
before.
•In the past two years we have
accomplished foundation -building
goals to actualize the Mayor’s vision
for enhanced and improved
communications.
Communications
Feedback and
Improvement
Engagement
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STRATEGIC PLAN PURPOSE
•Clearly define messages, priorities,
strategies, and tools
•Ensure Renton’s story is told effectively
•Implement engagement in a timely and
effective way
•Support priorities of Mayor and Council
•Furthering the city’s mission
•Enhance customer service
•Increase resident trust in local
government
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STRATEGIC GOALS
•Increase resident engagement
•Identify and remove barriers
•Increase community
understanding of city services,
initiatives, and resources
•Measure outcomes to plan
future communication
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STRATEGIC PARTNERS
•City Departments
•Mayors Inclusion Task Force
•Community -Based
Organizations
•Community Leaders
(formal and informal)
We are a service division and rely on relationships and collaborative
teamwork across many groups:
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STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
LEAD STRATEGIC AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION EFFORTS
(INCLUDING CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS ADVANCED
PLANNING)PRIORITY 1
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENTPRIORITY 2
MODERNIZE OUR COMMUNICATIONS OUTLETSPRIORITY 3 AG
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REINFORCE BRAND IDENTITY PRIORITY 4
BUILD INTERNAL INFORMATION FLOW PRIORITY 5
PROVIDE MEASUREMENTS OF PROGRESS
AND SUCCESSPRIORITY 6
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
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HOW: LISTENING & RESPONDING
LISTENING &
LEARNING
Communications
is not just an
information
microphone
Build ways to
encourage
dialogue
FOUNDATIONAL
MESSAGING
Our message needs
to be consistent and
strong across all
platforms
STORYTELLING
We need to
“humanize” what
the City of Renton is
doing to fully
connect with our
audience
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HOW: DATA
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HOW: CORE FUNCTIONS
Content Production
Press releases, newsletters, magazines,
broadcast video, podcasts, website content,
social content and short films, photography,
videography, production studio, Channel 21
Communications Consulting
All departments and divisions can bring a
project to the team for a 360-degree consult
Engagement
Engage the public through participation at
events, through digital platforms, and with city
services.
Brand Management
Ensure the City of Renton brand is being
used – font size, language used, ease of
vision, ease of translation, ease of parsing
for AI voice for those with disabilities.
Crisis Communication
Communications, Emergency
Management Division and Renton Police
Department develop emergency
messaging, and prepares leadership in 15
potential crisis areas.
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QUESTIONS?
•Equity Commission, September 10
•Ongoing feedback
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