HomeMy WebLinkAbout0243.095City of Palo Alto
City Manager's Report
TO: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FINANCE COMMII"IEE BUDGET 95 -96 AITEN'nON:
FROM: CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: City Manager
AGENDA DATE: May 9, 1995 CMR:143.:9S
SUBJECT: Public Information Program in the City Manager's Off'1Ce
REQIIEST
hi Fall 1994, the CitJ Council gav<> its approval I<:> the p<op<><al p<esented bJ the City
Manager and lbe City Clerk ~ ilTlp""'Ulg public communicaooD activities. Fundamenlal to
the proposal was die underslanding lItot Council-related public communications would be
lwIdled by the City C!erl<'s Office and publi<: communications by mdror cooceming the
ckpartmCnls responsible to the City Manager would be under the jurisdiction of the City
MalIagcr't Office, Implementation of the program ;mpr,wements woold occur with the start
oflhe 1995-96 fisc:al year. The l'WllO'" ofthi. staff report is to <Ie>Cribe the program in !be
City Manager's Office.
RFCOMMVw'DrlTIONS
This is an infonnalioo report. No Council action is required.
POIJCY ThIP[,ICATlONS
The program responds 10, ",KI is cOflsist~nt with, Council', direction to im~
communications between the City govornmenl and the many public r.onstituencies served,
EYFrIJTJVE SJiMMrlRY
The goals of the City Manager's Publi<: lnfOllllaOOn Program can be .umnwized as follows:
• provide clear accuraIe inf~ ooocerning gOVernmenl operatioos to tIk' publi<: and
the med'lll;
• assure effectiveness. clarity and • higb standard of quality fOl' all publicaOOru! md
""",munic.lions emanating from City departments;
• build IJl IInderstandi oS of, and pub!i<: support for. City programs L'Id aenvilles;
• sirlve to convey the City', messages to the oNerse audience. witl-Jn the Palo Aho
community;
.,-"
• __ +'c'---'-:·--' ',,:,;
.~--." ->:-:~-" •
• promote I positive image of the Citj;
• achie"{C recognition for the City's .. cellenee;
• facilitate the public', ibIDI)' \0 communicate ... -ith the City;
• slay abreast of new bends ud inno'IlItions in the field 0( public infocmoti«>.
11>e Public Information Prognm will funcUoD in • decenL-aliud manner. The role 0( the
City Manager" Office v.u be tltal 0( cncOUl'llging and advising. i.e., "coachlng: the
departments in their ~ of public information. The Assistant \0 the City Manage!
",m work with departmenls \0 assure lIIat the goal. 0( the program are internaliz.ed within
eoclt depatlment.
Departmenfs will be encouraged \0 identify their program,. activities and proposed actio. ...
which warrant ouJreacll 10 the pubfu: or \0 !Mgel a""",nco.. In coocert "'ith the City'.
C\ISIOmer servia: eltJe, dcpar1ments mullt be se""iti"e to their respo<'.sibilily \0 keep the public
Wanned and \0 anticipate .itu.oons where advance information is particularly important.
All awuer.es, 0( the characteristic.; and interests of the populo.Ooo \0 be reacbed will mw
it easier to deliver the infonn .. tion..
There are olready many exemplary public ir.formation activities ongoing in the City. 1"Iwse
4eparIments which teIy on public participati«> 10 maintain 11>eir programs have developed
parIlcuIar skills i. thi, are.. The Wents existing in 11>= departmenls can be instructive
elsewhere in the <q:anization. when a ID'"..ebanism for sbaring ideas and skills is developed.
During the course 0( fiscal year J 995-96, the City Manager's Office in!ends 10 f.uther the
goals 0( the Public Infonnalion Program by means of the following actions:
• EstabIisb g>Jidelines for the preparation of consistently higll qualil)' news releases;
• Create and keep IIp-lo-date • media contact list;
• Be. n:>OUrOe fo< ad,ice ccnr..erning public communications and publicaticns;
• LooI< for OfpX1Unities for placing articles about City programs, ~vi1ies and acllieve·
ments ia local, state and naoo.,aJ publications. Stirn" late departments IG draft the
articles;
• Encourage. and provide assistance 10, departments 10 submit applications for hono ...
and IwandS;
• Encourage departments I<> make a practke of • celebrating" ()( publicizing new
facilities &nd new programs 10 assure pubL~ awareness;
• Serve as liaison between City Clerk', Oftke and City departments in identifying
content for cable government access channel programs and public service
announcements.~
• Cooperate with City Clerk and Economic Resources M31lager 10 plan information
publieations about the City. 10 avoid dup/:-cation and assure compatibility;
hatl., J
.
'."--
.. .
.' ". -~.,' :"":~'--~"-:':"~-;" >
<
-", .
• Develop a system for cataloging and Iiling City photograpbs, neg.tives, slides .nd
vidoo<, eventuaDy miling iI an interdepartmental resource;
• Partner with the Palo Alto Unified School Di<;trlcl for publk: information 011 joint
programs and im>e. of common interest;
• Secure editorial support for City', pos.:tjoos O!I state and feden.! legislation;
• All .... bow !he City', presence on !he Internel can be employed 10 enhance pubft<:
communications.
The effort was made in the preparation of the City Mallllger', Offi<:<: budget to incorponte
the illljlfoved Public Infonnation Ptogram wi:boot an increase in staffinJl (l< noo-solary
.Jpendi!ures. The decentralized character ci the program r..cilitat •• this, The elimination
of Ihe Annual Report to !he CoolIn"nity is anotheo key to attaining the budge! objectives. The
Annual Report documenl requires significant staff Ii me as wen as Ihe asS<lciatrA desip.
printing and distribution experu;es, While it ~as been I valued public.boo for summing up
1he City'. ocoomplislunenl5. iI does n-presentjuSl on: poin! of public contact during the year.
In 1ieu of prepararioo of !he Annual Report, staff time will be available fa implementing the
acIlvities des<xibed above. enabling rrJ<lf'e in,tances of commur.ication wit!> !l"oe media and
puNic.
nSf AJ • IMP A.CT
The increased emphasis ()II public commu nications will be accomplished Iltroug'll I
reorganiza!ion of staff assignments in the City Manager's Office. The program as propo.ed
require3 no budgel teques! for additional resources.
EN\'IRONMENTAI. ASSESSMENT
NlA
PREPARED BY:
CITY MA."IAGER APPROY AL:
'~.
"'"'-~c
'-~ ~1-.;
"~ .. "
.,
"
.... lal)
.. --~