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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Packet 09-21-1987 Special11 t BUDGET STUDY SESSION III AGENDA Septem ear 27, 1987 5:30 p.m. I. Communications Budget II. Human Services Agency Requests III. Other Budget Questions Adjourn 7:00 p.m. - Resume following City Council Meeting 4 a z It MEMO TO: James G. Willis, City Manager FROM: Helen LaFave, Communications Coordinator SUBJECT: COMMUNICATIONS PLAN As part of the 1988/89 Budget review process, the City Council has directed that I revise the proposed Communications Plan. The revised plan (attached) specifies work objectives for calendar year 1988 and is somewhat more modest in its expectations than was the first draft. I have tried to show the financial impact of each work objective. The proposed communications plan contains two items which require some explanation. They are the answering machine listed under objective III (a) and the slide - tape listed under objective III (e). ANSWERING MACHINE The answering machine would be a way of soliciting customer feedback 24 -hours a day on cable television programs and city services. A secretary would transcribe the tape each work day. The communications coordinator would pass along requests for information and complaints to the appropriate staff people as well as follow-up to see that the department responded. This "Customer Comment Line" would allow us to track areas of resident. concern. For instance, if we would receive a rash of calls concerning a specific subject it would tip us off that we should examine that area and/or related communications efforts. I propose that we initiate the program on a six-month trial basis. Initially we would rent the answering machine and if the program proves a success, purchase the equipment. Success will be measured by citizen participation in this program. Our target is 50 responses per month during the six-month period. SLIDE -TAPE The proposed slide -tape represents a public/private venture between the City and an area photographer. The slide -tape would be a high quality identity and image piece aimed at Plymouth residents and businesses. Communications Plan Page 2 The entire project would cost about $13,000. The City's portion would be $7,300. The remaining amount would come from monetary and service contributions from the private sector. A Plymouth photo processing lab has expressed interest in sponsoring the project by offering discounts on processing. An international corporation, with world headquarters in Plymouth, may also be interested. The photo processing equipment they produce would be used to develop the film. If this idea is pursued, Kodak will also be asked to sponsor the project. If the Council is interested, it could opt to make the project contingent upon sponsorship financing. In the event that sponsors are not found, a scaled back, 100 % city -financed program could be developed. The Proposal: A professional photographer would commit one-half day a week for one year to chronicling the city of Plymouth. He would shoot approximately 120 rolls of film. 140 of the best of the color proofs would be made into slides. The slides would be combined with a 10 -minute script and music. Initially, a two -projector show, utilizing dissolves, would be produced. It would then be transferred to videotape to preserve the two -projector special effects. Next, the show would be reformatted as a single -projector show, so that it is portable and able to be shown on existing city equipment. Uses: Introduction to speaking engagements given by city staff. Introduction to Town Meetings. The videotape version would be shown on cable television. The videotape could be loaned to new residents/Welcome Wagon and other interested parties. Businesses, such as real estate companies, could purchase videotape copies. l I Communications Plan Page 3 Not all costs in the Communication Plan are clearly identifiable. I have indicated these items. Where a "C.C." appears in a cost column, it means that the cost is in the Communications Coordinator's time only. Similarly, the symbol, "V.P." means Video Producer time. The final communications line item budget will have to be revised to correspond with the final Communications Plan adopted by the City Council. t 1988 CITY OF PLYMOUTH COMMUNICATIONS PLAN GOAL Use clear, concise communications to: inform the City of Plymouth's target audiences of city policies, programs and ordinances; promote citizen participation in local government; instill a sense of community in Plymouths residents; and create an awareness of the city of Plymouth as an effective service organization. OBJECTIVES I. Review the function, format and content. of existing city publications and make recommendations for, improvement--. II. Develop and enhance the effectiveness of the Plymouth government access cable television channel. III. Supplement current communications by disseminating information via other appropriate media. IV. Work with departments to ensure that accurate information is disseminated in response to inquiries. TARGET AUDIENCES citizens homeowner associations civic groups businesses developers/builders city employees potential/future residents media schools other public agencies serving Plymouth property owners ESTIMATED COSTS STRATEGIES I. Review the function, format and content of current city publications and make recommendations for improvements. A. Plymouth on Parade: Improve appearance, readability and highlight issues and actions of City Council through format changes. POSSIBLE OPTIONS Printing: 40,500 1. Use current format; improve Postage: 11,000 appearance; design new nameplate; Mailing 29,100 divide news into departments; use Service: 3,000 an easy -to -read typestyle; use two - Nameplate: 300 colors of ink. Total: 54,800 Total: or 6-8 pp: 15,000 2. Bimonthly 6 to 8 page Quarterly: 16,000 newsletter (8 1/2" x 11") and a Postage: 18,200 quarterly (5 1/2" x 8 1/2") recre- Mailing ation catalogue (40 pages). Service: 5.000 Nameplate: 300_ Total: 54,500. or 6-8 pp: 30,000 3. Monthly 6 to 8 page newsletter Quarterly: 16,000 8 1/2" x 11") and a quarterly Postage: 29,100 5 1/2" x 8 1/2") recreation Mailing catalogue (40 pages). Service: 81000 Nameplate: 300 Total: 83,400 or Printing: $42,000 4. Bimonthly (8 1/2" x 11") 28 Postage: $11,000 page (approx.) publication. News/ Mailing seasonal information formatted in a Service: $ 3,000 3 -column newsletter style. The Nameplate: $ 300 second part of the publication Total: $56,300 would contain recreation inform- ation. It would be listed in 2 - columns. or 2- 1 6-8pp: $15,000 5. A (8 1/2" x 11") bimonthly 6 Rec: $18,000 to 8 page newsletter and a bi- Postage: $22,000 monthly (5 1/2" x 8 1/211) recrea- Mailing: tion brochure (30 pages). Service: $ 6,000 Nameplate: $ 300 Total: $61,300 Printing: $14,000 B. Community Information Booklet: Postage: $ 11900 Use current format; eliminate dated Mailing material; re -publish biannually; add Service: $ 500 information regarding city ordinances, Total: $16,400 public safety, city policies, etc. Mail first re -printing to all residents, thereafter- distribute via Welcome Wagon. 15,300 C. Comprehensive Plan Booklet.: Use same format and graphics; edit content and present in easy -to - understand language. Continue to distribute as individuals homestead. C.C. II. Develop and enhance the effectiveness of the government access channel. V.P. A. Periodically update the datacaster, utilizing Plymouth on Parade and the Community Information Booklet as primary sources of information. C.C. B. Continue to produce six "City Specials" per year with Northwest. Community Television Corp. 3,500 C. Continue to cover City Council and Town Meetings. 13,000 D. Produce six city government programs per year. Cover at least two recreation events or concerts. To be produced by part-time video producers. C.C. E. Regularly publicize government access programs through weekly newspapers. 3- 3,500 F. Develop a periodic city -produced program to highlight. information in Plymouth on Parade; Community Information Booklet; and community events, i.e., dogs, snowplowing, parking, sprinkling restrictions, voter registration. G. Utilize free programming on government -related topics, e.g., public safety, public health. 11I. Supplement current communications by disseminating information via other appropriate media. 7,300 (included A. Slide -tape promoting Plymouth. To as in Comm. ID. $) be used as an opening to presentations by City staff and for showing on cable television, check out to new residents and to businesses. 600 B. Park Brochures (2) 500 C. Meet. Your Council Brochure. For distribution at City Council meetings. Explains the format of the meeting. C.C. D. Author "Reports" Column for the Wayzata Weekly News. 150 E. Install an answering machine to receive customer comments on city services and cable television programming. C. C. F , [leve 1 op a c oftlpreheni5 i ve 1 i st of city staff members able to speak at group meetings. Distribute list to HOAs and civic groups. Vidoetape presentations for check out in the event that the desired speaker has a schedule conflict. C.C. IV. Establish procedures to ensure that accurate information is disseminated in response to inquiries to Communications Coordinator. 4- CAPITAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMMUNICATIONS PLAN Specific costs associated with the above proposed plan are rioted above. However, two related proposed expenditures are not. They both are listed as capital outlay. Of the $10,000 budgeted, $9,000 is earmarked for a VHS editing system. Currently, the City competes for editing time with other cities and community access producers served by the NW Community Televison Corporation. Consequently, our time is limited. An in-house editing system would allow our video producers to more frequently update playback tapes and to more efficiently complete video productions. It would also ensure the City that enough editing time is available to produce a regular program as noted in the Communication Plan. The remaining $1,000 would be used to purchase a 35mm camera, a wide angle zoom lens, a telephoto zoom lens, a camera bag, and a telephone answering machine. The camera would give city staff flexibility in photographing for city publications and slide projects. The answering machine would provide a Customer Comment Line. 5- T ii X iI C C k N T n p. N N N JJ-- N N ri y N niiiYY N n c6 c6 N I O y N 3 V Y I V 1 p W I `NYf } y i i •SiT Y T g3 Y g o b N L.