Agenda - Council Work Session - 07/11/2017

Home

• The city's newly adopted strategic plan calls for more emphasis on pro -active/ consistent communication efforts, improved brand/image, and more public engagement. Hiring this position will open up time for the existing Public Information & Event Specialist to focus on these strategic initiatives. Examples: o Become more involved and proactive with the Ramsey Resident, including refreshing articles, improving layouts, more editing, and creating new/ stimulating content (city is currently reactive). o Become more proactive with social media,including more frequent and proactive posts (city is currenity reactive). Additonally, city will consider implementing other social media options, such as Twitter. o Work with the city's Emergency Operations Coordinator and IT Manager to develop a streaminedlined crisis communications system (reference the communication challenges with the Blaine water crisis in 2017). Serve as the official emergency public information officer (current emergency communications plan has opportunity for improvement). o Provide general oversight and managment of the look and feel of the city's website, from a high level communications perspective. Additonally, take a pro- active approach to ensure we are maximizing the potential of our website, and keeping it updated (city is currently reactive). o Allow more time for speech writing, note creation, and content creation for Council/ Commission members participating in events, presentations, or interviews whom need assistance from staff. o Have ability to aid various department heads with their communation efforts (special projects that have major communication/ event components, including projects listed in the strategic plan). o Have ability to be more involved with ad -hoc projects, events, and targeted communiation piecies (several requests made to administration department annually, including requests from Council and various Commissions). o Attend training as needed to allow for continuous improvement and use of best practices from communications industry (city is currently reactive). Description of Duties: This new position will replace the existing Administrative Intern position. The purpose of this positon is to support the existing Public Information and Event Specialist (act as an assistant). Both positions will complement each other. This new position will act as the primary for events, and will provide support for communications. The existing Public Information and Event Specialist position will primarily focus on communications, and will provide support on events. However, because communications and events have a great deal of overlap, it is very likely these two staff members will act as a team. The existing Public Information and Event Specialist staff person will supervise this new position, and will still remain responsible for high level coordination of events.