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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Meeting - Council Workshop - Minutes - 06/02/2015 i 1�E O T XfN13Q was r++ncrox Kent City Council Workshop Minutes June 2, 2015 The workshop meeting was called to order at 5:03 pm by Council President Ralph. Councilmembers present: Ralph, Berrios, Boyce, Fincher, Higgins, and Thomas. Regional Animal Services of King County — Jeff Watling, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director highlighted the background of the current five-year agreement which expires at the end of this year. Twenty-five cities are currently serviced by King County and they agreed to extend the contract for two years. Additionally, he noted that the City's cost is consistent through 2017 and the extension agreement is on the regular Council meeting consent calendar tonight. He pointed out that jurisdictions have been meeting to consider a sub-regional animal control services after the two year period is over, but the main hurdle is sheltering. He pointed out that the City's code needs minor revisions in three areas; 1) authority, 2) clarifying the leash law, and 3) revisions to the poop scoop law. Councilmember Boyce confirmed that the twenty-five cities which formed a group did a great job working and getting this extension completed. He further confirmed that the two-year extension was the compromise that all the agencies came to when determining the length of the extension. Council President Ralph agreed that the leash law does need to be addressed. City Attorney Tom Brubaker confirmed for Council President Ralph that proposed revisions to the City's leash laws would be coming to the Council at a later date. Communications Strategy — Michelle Wilmot, Community and Public Affairs Manager handed out a draft of the City's Communications Plan, presentation, and a snapshot of the City's monthly activities. She thanked the Councilmembers for the opportunity to present this to them. She communicated the current situation and the current tools the City currently utilizes. Wilmot noted that the City's website had over 2.2 million page views last year and over 900,000 people visited the City's website. She highlighted how and where news releases and newsletters get distributed. She communicated that media relations training needs to be given to all employees. She communicated that there are over 17 City Facebook accounts with over 9,284 Facebook followers and two Twitter accounts with 5,956 followers. She noted that the City also have YouTube and Vimeo accounts where the City posts many video productions with 10,002 views. She discussed the various ways people can sign up to receive updates and briefly reviewed TV21. Wilmot noted that the City has generally low public engagement and explained methods for increasing engagement. She noted that the City's website hasn't been updated since 2009 and the typical life of a website is four years. Wilmot continued and discussed the eAlert system which isn't functioning and has no current vendor support. She communicated that there are 3.2 million Facebook accounts in King County and 1.9 million (59 percent) of them are in Seattle, Bellevue, and Kent. Wilmot discussed several initatives that are being I ......._.....__... Kent City Council Workshop Minutes considered such as having an application for residents to report issues immediately, to be able to stream meetings on all hand-held devices, the rebranding of TV21, and upgrading the Council Chamber. Councilmember Boyce discussed the City's website and improvements. He felt that the first page should highlight what attracts people to Kent. He also noted that there isn't anything mentioning the City's 125th Anniversary on the website. Councilmember Fincher discussed the use of QR codes. Wilmot responded that there isn't a charge to use them and noted that they have been used in the past and can be used more. I Council President Ralph noted that it is 2015 and the website should be easier to use. Councilmember Berrios stated that the City's website needs to be engaging and said the numbers concerning the number of views don't mean anything. He said there comparisons to other cities need to be done. Councilmember Berrios felt the City needs to backup, look what's out there, decide what it wants, and implement it. Wilmot responded to Council President Ralph that there should be prioritization, to include some training initially and communication coming from the leadership that this is a priority. Councilmember Higgins noted that he is very interested in a City survey. He added that maps need to be implemented on the site. He added that a site for building permits needs to be created. He expressed concerns with the number of Facebook accounts the City has. Additionally, he felt that revising the job descriptions and adding website related duties to them is important. He stated that the City should stop doing things that are counterproductive to communications. Councilmember Boyce thanked the Communications Team. Information and Technology Director Mike Carrington stated that the technology and content-needs to be ugdated and refreshed. The website-is-only-as-good-as the- information put on it. He felt it must be a priority for staff and the leadership must acknowledge that. He stated that the Web Content Management team will need to be revamped. Additionally, keeping the information fresh and up-to-date is very critical. Councilmember Fincher communicated that there is information available on the website. However, there is a need to have this information easier to find. Meeting adjourned at 6:38 pm. Ronald Foore„MMC City Clefk ./ 2 CITY OF KENI COMMUNICATIONS PLAN June 2015 DRAFT I 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This plan was prepared by Michelle Wilmot, Community and Public Affairs Manager, with input and support from Kent's Communications Team. Special thanks to following for their outstanding creativity,innovative thinking,and teamwork: Dea Drake,Multimedia Manager Patti Belle,Art Direction Coordinator Mark Ciavarella,Multimedia Specialist III Edgar Riebe,Video Program Coordinator Gregg Sconce,Webmaster Presented to the Kent City Council June 2,2015 "A popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a force or a tragedy or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives." - James Madison TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction............................................................................ 2 SituationAnalysis....................................................................... 3 CommunicationsObjectives............................................................. 5 CommunicationsPlan Development..................................................... 6 GuidingPrinciples ...................................................................... 6 TargetAudiences ....................................................................... 7 KeyMessages and Themes Development................................................. 7 Current Communications Tools for External Audiences.................................... 9 Current Communications Tools for City Employees.......................................17 CommunicationsAction Plan........................................................... 18 Conclusion ............................................................................23 Appendix .............................................................................24 Communications and Graphics Standards Policy Style Sheet Logo Use Policy Media Relations Policy Social Media Policy Emergency Communications Plan CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 1 Introduction Vision for 2025 Kent is a safe, connected and beautiful city, culturally vibrant with richly diverse urban centers. M, I + Communication,teamwork and innovation area mong the fundamental values that guide us in achieving the vision for Kent. And being connected requires a focus on what, how, where and when we communicate so we can inform,educate and engage our community members. In 2006,the Kent City Council directed the development of a communications plan in order to coordinate Kent's citywide communications, position Kent as a destination/place brand, expand community outreach,and to establish image and public relations protocols. While the initiatives prescribed in the previous plan are complete, since that time, Kent has grown tremendously, and with it, so too has the demand for communications delivered through more contemporary channels following the advances in technology. The rise of social media and mobile devices has raised public expectations for immediate access to information as well as opportunities for feedback and input. This plan serves as roadmap to respond to these challenges. CITY OF KEN COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 2 I / Situation Analysis With a population over 124,000,the City of Kent is the sixth largest city in Washington. U.S.Census data provides useful details about Kent's residents—our audiences. Population,2013 estimate 124,435 Persons under 5 years,percent,2010 8.0% Persons under 18 years,percent,2010 26.2% Persons 65 years and over,percent,2010 8.8% Female persons,percent,2010 50.1% White alone,percent,2010(a) 55.5% Black or African American alone,percent,2010(a) 11.3% American Indian and Alaska Native alone,percent,2010(a) 1.0% Asian alone,percent,2010(a) 15.2% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone,percent,2010(a) 1.9% Two or More Races,percent,2010 6.6% Hispanic or Latino,percent,2010(b) 16.6% White alone,not Hispanic or Latino,percent,2010 49.7% Living in same house 1 year&over,percent,2009-2013 82.1% Foreign born persons,percent,2009-2013 27.7% Language other than English spoken at home,pct age 5+,2009-2013 40.4% High school graduate or higher,percent of persons age 25+,2009-2013 83.9% Bachelor's degree or higher,percent of persons age 25+,2009-2013 25.0% Veterans,2009-2013 6,800 Mean travel time to work(minutes),workers age 16+,2009-2013 29.3 Housing units,2010 36,424 Homeownership rate,2009-2013 53.5% Housing units in multi-unit structures,percent,2009-2013 41.5% Median value of owner-occupied housing units,2009-2013 $261,300 Households,2009-2013 40,189 Persons per household,2009-2013 2.84 Per capita money income in past 12 months(2013 dollars),2009-2013 $25,137 Median household income,2009-2013 $57,553 Persons below poverty level,percent,2009-2013 17.2% Total number of firms,2007 8,094 Black-owned firms,percent,2007 3.9% American Indian-and Alaska Native-owned firms,percent,2007 1.1% Asian-owned firms,percent,2007 14.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander-owned firms,percent,2007 Fewer than 25 Hispanic-owned firms,percent,2007 3.7% Women-owned firms,percent,2007 22.9% Manufacturers shipments,2007($1000) 6,922,592 Merchant wholesaler sales,2007($1000) 7,016,362 Retail sales,2007($1000) 1,504,350 Retail sales per capita,2007 $17,865 Accommodation and food services sales,2007($1000) 170,856 Land area in square miles,2010 28.63 Persons per square mile,2010 3,228.3 Source:U.S.Census quickfacts.census.gov CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 3 Communicating with our various audiences and being assured we are reaching all of them is difficult on a variety offronts.According to the U.S. Postal Service, a 2015 survey counts 49,688 addresses in Kent's city limits, of which 46,233 are homes and 3,455 r._. are business addresses.The following points illustrate the City's communications challenges from a print media perspective: The absence of a local daily newspaper prevents publication of W newsworthy information in a timely manner. •The Kent Reporter is distributed to only 24,967 addresses on a weekly basis. N •The Seattle Times has only 8,542 daily subscribers in Kent. Complicating matters is that reporters from Seattle media tell us Kent is too far south while those from Tacoma media tell us we're too far north to offer more regular coverage beyond high profile, controversial,or crime stories. With the rise of digital media, news room staff has been reduced, resulting infrequent turnover.This makes upkeep of our media lists, and maintaining relationships with specific editors and reporters difficult. r Perhaps the biggest challenge is the fact that public engagement in local government is abysmally low. According to a 2014 survey by the National Research Center, engagement with communities is confined to hot-button issues.And, even then, residents aren't compelled to weigh in on an issue unless it negatively affects them. Only 19 percent of Americans report contacting a local elected official during the last year, and only one percent regularly attend public meetings. The survey further notes that residents don't believe they have time to participate. With the exception of direct mail, the lack of a communications venue that reaches a larger audience within Kent city limits necessitates the need for the City's communicators to be strategic, thoughtful, and consistent as we utilize the varied communication tools available. Since involvement by residents is a priority in the Council's decision- making, the ability to solicit and reach residents for their input is extremely important. CITY OF KEN 11 COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 4 4 Communication Objectives Kent's communications aim to achieve the following objectives: •Supports the City Council's vision and strategic goals,especially by making target audiences aware of these components and reporting on activities and programs that are advancing the Council's objectives; •Employs technology to raise the level of engagement by residents by providing venues for gY participation that are convenient and accessible anytime, rather than limited to a public meeting format. In spite of low engagement from a public meeting standpoint, we must strive to make information about City programs and services easily accessible. •Facilitates two-way dialogue between City government and Kent residents so they have the opportunity to be actively engaged in decision-making and are aware of City services and activities; •Enhances communications at and among all levels of City government;the assumed model is that all elected officials and City employees are communicators for the organization on a day-to-day basis; • Ensures that all communications/marketing venues and materials are coordinated and consistent in design and content,thereby presenting a professional image of the City;and, •Positions Kent as center of innovation from an employment and educational perspective, and as destination that is culturally fluent with a dynamic population and quality of life,along with a local government that is responsive to its residents,while also encouraging their participation. Strategy Build a sustainable communications framework that achieves the following: •Expands the City's reach and enhances community engagement; •Bolsters traditional communication channels through the use of new technologies. Ft CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 5 Communications Plan Development This plan is intended to serve as a road map and guide to achieve the communications goals of the City in 2015 and beyond.Like every plan,it is an evolving document that needs to be updated as circumstances change and goals are achieved.This communications plan is based on considerable background and research,as well as the following activities: •Conversations with the Kent City Council President; •Conversations with each departmental director; •Monthly meetings with the City's internal Communications Team •Weekly meetings with the City's Multimedia Manager; •Weekly meetings with the City's Webmaster; •A review of current communications programs and materials; •Extensive research into new communication trends via the International City County Management Association, City County Communications and Marketing Association, and the Public Relations Society of America. Guiding Principles The City of Kent Communications Plan was created with these guiding principles in mind: Proactive vs.Reactive The intent of this communications plan is to take a proactive rather than a reactive approach—to execute a program which creates communication channels and tools necessary to achieve specific goals, rather than simply respond to inquiries. Communication is everyone's job This communications plan assumes City of Kent councilmembers and employees will support the communication of timely,accurate and useful information to its residents in a coordinated fashion.This includes a strong commitment to presenting consistent and focused messages. Two-way vs.One-way The two-way flow of information, both internally and externally, enhances the principle of community problem solving. Gathering information and receiving feedback is just as important as providing information. Strongly themed vs.scattered messages A communications program built on strong themes is more effective than one with unrelated,scattered messages. Communication should reinforce and reflect the vision established by the City Council, underscoring the idea of an organization with one common purpose in concert with its residents. Perception is Reality From a communication perspective, if something is perceived to be true, then it is true.The goal is to bring perception and reality in line with each other by providing accurate information to ensure that perceptions about the City of Kent are correct. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 6 Target Audiences In the broadest sense,our audience for public information is anyone who lives,works or visits Kent.Much of the City's information is generated to inform residents,community organizations,businesses and other government organizations,or media that serves these groups.This represents a diverse group of people with varying needs and interests in the services of city government. Our Primary Target Audiences Residents and business owners - A relationship between City government and Kent's residents and business owners in a true interactive spirit is the starting point of a sound communications program; Employees - Kent's 600+employees need to be aware of news, activities and events of the City to be effective communicators with the public; News Media-As a disseminator of information,media are partners in our communications efforts.While their coverage of city government is not without limitations,it can have an influence on the City's image among its target audiences. Our Secondary Target Audiences •Visitors to Kent; •City boards and commissions,business organizations,and educational institutions; •Residents and businesses outside Kent's boundaries but within our greater service area (Kent Regional Fire Authority and Kent and Federal Way School Districts); • Residents and businesses in neighboring communities; •Other local governments in King County and beyond; •Regional and statewide government and business organizations; •National business organizations,developers,and media. Key Messages and Themes Development To be effective, a strategic communications plan must be built on strong and consistent themes. In addition, the plan should reinforce and reflect the goals and target issues of City government as established by the City Council. The City Council's vision: "Kent is a safe, connected and beautiful city, culturally vibrant with richly diverse urban centers." CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 7 While not a key message on its own,Kent's key messages should reflect the Council's vision for Kent. How Kent officials and employees represent the organization can have an impact on perceptions about Kent, which, in turn, can impact home-buying decisions and businesses locating to Kent, and even levy and ballot measures. •Kent is the sixth largest city in Washington, and yet our neighborhoods and schools cultivate a home-town feel with a variety of In Kent, housing options and a park and we make things trail system that rivals much bigger communities. that not only -With 138 languages spoken in travel the world, our homes, Kent's population is but , _ a reflection of dramatic global influences that are shown in our diverse shops, restaurants, and services. This diversity brings cultural IT # INNOVATIONEREDBY fluency and a worldwide perspective ��'�� to this growing community. •Kent is at the geographic center of the metropolitan area and our city reflects our unique regional position. We are well connected with a stop for the Sounder rail stretching from Everett through Seattle to Tacoma.Positioned minutes from one of the nation's busiest airports and two seaports allow us to bring the world to America and America's products to the world. } or more information: •Kent is atthe centerofthe fourth largest Ken` manufacturing and distribution area in gdnging the Wodd Home VisitKent.com/innovation the United States. The KentVailey is an economic engine that generates 1/8 of our state's Gross Domestic Product- to the tune of$49 billion annually. •From the first lunar rover developed at Boeing's space center to the creation of next-generation rockets at Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, brilliant scientists and engineers are developing the world's most advanced vehicles in Kent. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 8 � r Current Communication Tools - External Before presenting new actions items, it is worth reviewing the variety of tools used by the City to present messages to the community.Except where noted,the City will continue to utilize these tools for communication. 1.City of Kent Communications Team Established in 2008,Kent's CommunicationsTeam comprises City employees across departments charged with communication with the public as part of their professional roles. The team meets monthly to gather,coordinate and distribute information,providing communicators awareness of the City's broader communications efforts. Calling on the expertise of the Community and Public Affairs Manager,individual communications plans are developed for various projects,ensuring 1)alignment with the Council and Mayoral objectives,and 2) that target audiences are delivered accurate communications in the most efficient and effective manner. With Kent's Multimedia staff as an integral part of the team,guesswork is removed from the design of web and print materials and a professional,higher quality of product/presentation is ensured. 2.City of Kent Website-KentWA.gov To ensure that residents have the most current and relevant information available, the City of Kent constantly manages and updates its website. Since June 1,2014,the site and its 1,569 pages have seen 2,278,563 page views,of which 771,305(33.85%)were from hand-held devices.(Saarce:Gi fof ent WeMaster). During the same time period,there were 916,357visits/sessions. Sessions count the numbers of visits to the site,where there may be multiple page views during a single session by a website visitor. Of those, 397,916 visits were from mobile devices. Mobile traffic has more than doubled in the last two years.In January 2013,visitors to the website via hand-held devices were 20.96%. Today,46.72%of the website visitors come from hand-held devices. Given this wide usage,it is imperative the site is 1)updated to make it easier for users to navigate and find information,and 2)formatted for usability by those accessing the site from mobile devices. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 9 3.Reaching non-English-Speaking Residents/Stakeholders The City utilizes GoogleTranslate on its website. Supporting 90 different languages,Google's free online a translation service instantly translates text and web pages from one language to another. Google Translate was used by 801 people to translate a total 3,137 pages since June 1,2014. The top languages translated were the following: Pages By People Spanish 1,249 306 Russian 175 47 Chinese 153 52 Arabic 129 63 Vietnamese 99 37 Punjabi 92 29 Korean 75 16 (Source:City d Kent Webmaster). While Google Translate is a great tool that can help the reader to understand the general content of a foreign language text, it does not always deliver accurate translations because it can't do contextual translation. For this reason,translation by itself is not considered culturally competent because it does not provide the context that cultural and localized traits, behaviors, idioms and jargon needed for successful communication. i.e.The Chevy Nova wasn't a hit in Mexico,since no va means"no go°Gerber baby products didn't do well in France,since Gerber translates loosely into the French word for vomit. To reach specific audiences with various communication objectives, trusted community advocates are relied upon to help devise the most appropriate method of sharing information. Working with the group's facilitator,the Kent Cultural Diversity Initiative Group members are a crucial resource in reaching and building alliances,and increasing knowledge and understanding across cultures. Made up of individuals from multiple cultural groups in Kent,they know best howto communicate within their own communities. When information or translation services are needed right away,the American Red Cross Language Bank is utilized.While the City doesn't translate any of its materials unless they are grant funded, it does pay for translation services as necessary/required when dealing with public safety/legal/court issues. 4.News Releases Distributed to Media Outlets,Community Leaders and eAlert Subscribers The City regularly sends news releases to keep the media, including TV, print, radio, and non-English news outlets, informed of current information. Releases are also sent to community leaders, including local, state and county elected officials, business leaders, school officials, human services organizations, members of the Kent Cultural Diversity Initiative Group, Neighborhood Council presidents and previous eAlert subscribers. Topics include events,new programs,construction bulletins,community services,parks and recreational programs,crimes,emergency situations,and other information about what is happening in the city.News releases are distributed by the Community and Public Affairs Manager and by Public Information Officers from various City departments.News releases are also posted on KentWA.gov/Communications. See the Media Relations Plan for specific information aboutprotocols,templates,and a Style Sheet in the Appendix. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 10 5.Media Relations Training Training by an outside media relations professional is provided periodically for interested individuals to teach them how to respond to the media in a way that is consistent with the City's key messages and themes.Training includes communications protocols,media relations strategies,tips and role-playing. 6.The Scene monthly eNewsletter The Scene eNewsletter is distributed monthly to over 8,000 subscribers via Get Response, a third-party vendor.This newsletter contains news briefs that highlight City issues,activities and events.Topics covered include new developments,safety and traffic issues,hot topics and upcoming events.Previous issues are also posted and archived on KentWA.gov/Communications. 7.The Green Kent eNewsletter The Green Kent eNewsletter is distributed monthly to over 2,000 subscribers via Get Response, a third- party vendor. Each issue provides features on the people, plants and events that are part of the Green Kent Partnership, a 20-year plan to restore and manage Kent's 1,300+ acres of forested parks, wetlands and other natural areas.Previous issues are also posted and archived on GreenKent.org. 8.CAO Report Derek Matheson,the City's Chief Administrative Officer,provides a report in each bi-monthly City Council meeting agenda packet to share discussions taking place among the Mayor's Leadership Team, as well as pertinent updates on City issues/projects.This report is also provided to all City employees via email. 9.Direct Mail In coordination with the Community and Public Affairs Manager, city departments often communicate with different segments of the community with special interests to keep them informed.These methods might include special event flyers, postcards, letters, email notices, etc.The Kent Parks and Recreation Guide,Kent's largest mailing,is distributed to nearly 50,000 residents three times per year. 10.Social Media Since 2008,social media tools have been used by City employees to assist in engagement with residents, customers and the general public in electronic forums where conversations and interactions already exist. Who uses social networking sites? %of internet users within each group who uses social networking sites All internet users 74% Men 72 Women 76 18-29 89`1 30-49 82 a 50-64 651 65+ 49 High school grad or less 72 Some college 78 College+ 73 Less than$30,000/yr 79 $30,000-$49,999 73 $50,000-$74,999 70 $75,000+ 78 Pew Research Center's Internet Projed/anuary0minbu5 Survey,January23-26,2014.Note.,Percentages marked with a superscript letter(e.g.,a)indicate a statistically significant difference between that row and the tow designated by that superscript letter,among categories oleach demographicchomaeristic(e.g.age).Pew Research center. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 11 These tools allow the dissemination of information immediately,directly,and at no cost.Posting to these social media accounts is managed by a small Social Media Team, (made up of 17 staff) who voluntarily use these tools to assist in reaching specific audiences. In 2010, a Social Media Policy (see Appendix) was developed to guide employees in their use of these tools and to help protect all parties from illegal or damaging actions by individuals,either knowingly or unknowingly.The policy is very flexible as social media technologies are constantly changing. Kent utilizes a total of 17 Facebook pages with 9,284 followers,targeted for specific audiences,as well as two Twitter accounts which collectively have 5,956 of followers.These accounts are linked together to be accessible and monitored by Kent's five social media administrators.To promote their existence and use,icons and links to these tools are included on Kent's website footer,almost all print and electronic materials and on each employee's email signature. City of Kent Facebook-2,728 followers k ® Targeted pages:Kent Police,Kent Running,Kent Drug Free Coalition,Kent Valley Loop Trail,KentArts Commission,Kent Sports Leagues,Green Kent Partnership,Kent50 Plus Adventures,The Clean Water Project,Kent Police Youth Board,Kent Neighborhood F �- Program,Kent Teens,Riverbend Golf Complex,Kent National Night Out Kent4Health, Earthworks Park. City of Kent Twitter-2,562 followers Kent Police Department Twitter-2,394 followers The City also utilizes Vimeo and YouTube video hosting/sharing services. These enable the sharing of video coverage of council .... .�_ 3® and committee meetings,events,special programs,and election coverage for candidates. _. Vimeo allows the delivery of longer and higher-quality HD content in an ad-free space and YouTube,while more well-known,is more of _ a free-for-all space that offers much shorter(15 minutes max)videos. Its massive viewership and content database has made it the one- stop place for everything from how-to videos and online courses,to viral marketing,political campaigns,and candid home videos. �_ � • YOU YouTube-57 subscribers;4,830 views =� = Vimeo-5,192 views(seegraphi[onpage751 Linkedln - The City has recently begun posting open job opportunities on this professional networking site. With 580 . ..w.P- ® followers,the use of this tool can build awareness,drive traffic to -- our website,and attract media coverage. Backupify Retains our Social Media Interactions ` Records retention and public disclosure laws in Washington mandate that social media interactions are no different than documents and email.Backupify keeps daily copies of all social media accounts safe •-�°- and secure,so individual employees don't have to. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 12 11.Paid Advertising While some departments are allotted funds for advertising programs and services using various marketing opportunities including, but not limited to, paid print advertisements, radio orTV spots,web advertisements, participation in trade shows, etc., budgetary constraints dictate the City seek editorial/ free promotion of its programs and services as much as possible. 12.State of the City Address Each year, Mayor Suzette Cooke presents her State of the City Address, which summarizes the City's progress from the previous year and includes goals and plans for the year ahead.The State of the City Address is presented at a Kent Chamber of Commerce luncheon which the Chamber opens up to non- Chamber members, as well as those who wish to forgo the lunch option.The Address is taped and televised on Comcast Channel 21 and is available online anytime at KentTV21.com. 13.Online"Public Meetings"/Surveys Given the low turnout at public meetings, the City has utilized technology to gauge public interest and opinions on topics with great success. Rather than promoting attendance at a meeting, the City has begun to promote clever,engaging,and short online surveys where stakeholders can share their opinions during a timeframe that works best for them. By promoting these surveys via print and social media,feedback on topics has resulted in meaningful and helpful information to help guide decision-making. •2015 James Street Sidewalk Improvement-86 responses •2014 Comp Plan—458 responses LLB L� L`��l L� •2013 KentValley LoopTrail—313 responses Eat. 2013 •2012 Venture Downtown—393 responses 14.Council Committee/Meeting Agendas Utilizing third-party vendor, Accela, individuals interested in upcoming City Council and/or Committee meetings can register and sign up to receive the meeting agendas and minutes via ventu email. Links to this information are provided on the City Council, Council Committees,and Communication webpages. E INVESTING IN THE FUTURE 15.KentWA.gov/Jobs Utilizing third-party vendor,NeoGov,individuals interested in job opportunities can sign up to be notified each time a position opens with the City. Email reminders will be sent 11 months later to give subscribers the opportunity to extend their job notifications for another year. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 13 16.CrimeReports.com Residents and business owners can register to receive alerts about crime data, and browse crime information as shown on a map from any computer or mobile device. Users can also submit anonymous tips through the platform. 17.KentCodeRED.com Residents and business owners can sign up for CodeRED, Kent's Emergency Communications system,to receive urgent pre-recorded telephone,cell phone,email or text messages in the event of an emergency. 18.DriveKent.com DriveKent eAlerts are distributed as they occur to 535 subscribers via Get Response,a third-party vendor. This tool helps keep residents informed of road closures and other significant traffic disruptions.These alerts are also posted to Facebook and Twitter to broaden the reach of this information. • DriveKent,,com 19.1650 AM Traffic Radio Broadcasting from the Centennial Center with a reach of a four mile radius, the station's purpose is to encourage drivers to seek alternate routes. The broadcast is updated when conditions change or in advance of major events that affect traffic movements. 20.Resident Request Tracking System Accessible at KentWA.gov Hosted by GovQA, a third-party vendor, this interactive option allows residents to find information or make a request via the website 24/7.It also provides City employees a tool to track the number and type of resident requests in one place, whether they come in via the Internet or by phone.The system also provides opportunities for residents to: •Look up frequently asked questions; •Submit a comment or question (which will be assigned to the appropriate staff member based on the comment category/sub-category); •Submit a request(which will be assigned to the appropriate City staff member based on the request type and workflow associated with the request). In 2015,there have been a total of 780 requests via this system;roughly 180+a month. 21.Online Code Violations/Reporting via KentWA.gov Residents who have specific complaints about possible code violations can report their complaint using an online form via KentWA.gov.Tied to the Resident Request system,whenever anyone fills out this form, it creates a ticket in the system and emails the individual the ticket number for reference and follow-up by City employees. 22.KentCommunityCalendar.com Since 2008,Kent's Community Calendar has been a feature on the homepage of the City's website,which allows for the posting of events in a common location for viewing by the general public.Within certain guidelines,anyone in the community is allowed to post events to the calendar free of charge. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 14 23.KentTV21 Kent TV21 is available to 26,368 Comcast subscribers within Kent's viewing area. In addition to City Council and Committee meetings,programming changes weekly and includes topics such as employee recruitment,documentaries,transportation,public safety,off-site meetings,diversity and local events. a. Televised City Council Meetings City Council meetings are broadcast live the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7 p.m. (live) and 7 a.m. (taped).The meetings are rebroadcast daily for two weeks following each meeting at 7 a.m.,noon,7 p.m.,and midnight.These meetings,along with archives of previous meetings,are also available online anytime at KentTV21.com. b. Video On-Demand The City offers video-on-demand service,which includes all videotaped City meetings,events,and informational videos created for or played on KentTV21,and any other guest video information the City elects to provide from other agencies or organizations. Users can search and retrieve information for all Council and Committee meetings,as the videos are integrated with both the meeting agenda and the minutes on a topic-by-topic basis. If users wish to see a video of a specific public hearing,they can select that hearing from the"agenda" and be taken to the point on the video where the topic was discussed. All meetings archived in this manner are fully searchable both within the meeting and across multiple meetings.For example,all items related to a specific item,such as"ShoWare Center,could be found by searching for the key words"ShoWare Center"and all videos that contained that topic will be referenced by the search. Vimeo views of KentTV CountryILI Total Plays +� r United States 4,746 Japan 108 ' tt Canada 90 Netherlands 82 Mexico 58 United Kingdom 20 Belgium 16 Germany 14 Turkey 12 Taiwan 11 Source:vimeo.com/kenw2l c. KentTV21 Reader Board Available to Kent's Comcast customers, KentTV21 offers a Reader Board which is updated weekly. The Reader Board includes specialty programs, agendas for upcoming committee and council meetings,road work and traffic information,public notices and job openings. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 15 27.K-HOLD—Telephone Hold Messaging System K-HOLD takes advantage of the City's telephone hold messaging system to share with callers key themes and information about upcoming City events,and/or programs. 28.City-Sponsored Public Meetings and Events The City holds special meetings and events to share information,announce new projects or services,and to celebrate successes,generating excitement in the community. 29.Legal Notices Per state law,many departments are required to place legal notices in the local newspaper to inform the public of hearings,special meetings,requests for proposals,etc.This information is also posted on the City's website. 30.Public Records Requests online Any person who wishes to request public records can do so via the City Clerk,but they can also make the request online via a third-party vendor,WebQA. Standardized Graphics, Image and Public Relations Protocols 1.Cross-Marketing of Activities,Events and Promotions Ongoing coordination of our communication efforts with other City departments and ensures Cross- marketing of events and promotions maximizes our marketing reach while ensuring message consistency, and in some cases, keeps advertising costs lower. 2.Communication and graphic Standards Policy(See Appendix) In order to project a unified, professional image for all City communications, a Communications and Graphics policy aims to: •Enhance the quality and consistency of City information distributed to residents, businesses and other stakeholders; •Coordinate the City's communication efforts with residents, businesses and the media •Enhance coordination of public communications efforts between City departments. 3.Utilization of Departmental"Families of Products"for Print Communications To take the guesswork out of the development ofcommunication materials such as brochures,newsletters, public notices,etc.,department directors have asked for the development of a standard"family of product templates"for use by each department. These templates allow employees to focus on content rather than the design of their materials while also and providing a consistent brand image and identity for all departments as a whole. 4.Verdana 11 is the City's Official Font A standardized font for City Communications was developed at the request of previous City Council members. Verdana 11, a font on every City employee's computer, is easily read, transferable, and reproducible among different mediums. With the exception of promotional materials,city stationary and forms,this font is to be incorporated into all print,or email correspondence for consistency,readability and brand identity. 5.Utilization of Standardized Print Formats and Templates Inconsistency among the City's print communication can affect the public's perception of the organization and its level of professionalism.To provide consistency among forms, letters, memos,faxes, etc.,standardized templates for communications removes the guesswork by staff from the development process,and conveys a consistent and professional image in the minds of the recipients. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 16 6.Standardized Employee Email Signatures Every communication with the public leaves an impression with the audience. A standardized email signature presents a professional, coordinated visual image to our audience via our electronic communications. 7.Simplified Web Addresses Utilizing simplified Web addresses in our marketing/advertising activities is more user-friendly for the audience as it allows for easier recall for future reference. (I.e. KentWA.gov/communications vs. http:// www.kentwa.gov/content.aspx?id=21455) 8.Appropriate Use of the City's Logos To ensure logos are used properly,a logo use policy is in place ensure proper logo use and placement.See the Logo Use Policy in the Appendix. 9.Standardized Way-Finding Signage Standardized Cityway-finding signagetakes the guessworkoutofsign design,and presents professional, coordinated consistent visual image to our audiences via roads,projects and parks signage. Current Communication Tools - Internal 1.All Users Email A citywide email system is in place to inform City staff of news releases,policies,procedures,and events. This system equips them with information to be communication ambassadors in the community. 2.Training and Staff Meetings The City holds regular training sessions for its employees and volunteers to prepare them to assist City residents in a professional manner. 3.Mayor's Leadership Team Meeting Agendas The agendas for the weekly Mayor's Leadership Team meetings are distributed to all employees in order to provide awareness of current or emerging issues. 4.CAO Report Derek Matheson, the City's Chief Administrative Officer, provides a report in each City Council meeting agenda packet to share discussions taking place among the Mayor's LeadershipTeam,as well as pertinent updates on City issues/projects.This report is also emailed to all City employees. 5.City of Kent Internal Website-CitySpace CitySpace is an employee-only Intranet site where information pertinent to City services and programs, employee benefits and training,as well as forms and templates is readily available. 6.Communications Materials On-Demand—Avanti Business System This online store provides staff accessibility to approved materials appropriate for other departments'use. The more obvious examples of this include letterhead, business cards,envelopes,thank-you notes,and certificates. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 17 Moving Forward - A Communications Action Plan 1.Annual Resident Survey Formerly an annual activity, the last statistically-valid survey was conducted in 2006.We have no current, statistically-valid information to guide decision-making,to help gain a valid understanding of our audience's priorities,or to understand where our audiences obtain information about City services and programs. Recommendation:An annual resident survey should be conducted to increase our understanding of the public's opinions on important issues and services. 2.A New and Improved Website is Critical A great-looking municipal website can represent the City well and speak to the quality of people and services it provides.It is important that the website be easy to navigate and read,so that staff members and the public can find important information quickly. Posting regular updates should be simple and easy to perform. Internet users in 2014 Interviews among Council members, department directors and staff Among adults,the%who use reveal concerns with the City's website and its 1,569 pages, which is the internet,email,or access double what industry best practices note between 600—800 pages. the internet via a mobile device Useinternet adults rnet Citing inconsistency across pages, lack of information, or too much All87% All unnecessary information, broken links, difficulty in navigation, and Sex Men 87 frustration with visual elements or lack thereof, the need to coordinate Women 86 and consolidate content is imperative. Currently the City's website is Race/ethnicity populated with content by over 80 employees, making a coordinated, White 85 easily navigable,visually pleasing site impossible. Aftrican-American 81 Hispanic 83 Complicating matters is an extremely difficult user interface for those Age Group who create the site's content.The site was last updated five years ago. 18-29 97' Industry-speaking,websites are out of date and in need of a refresh every 30-49 93' 3—4 years.Future consideration will be given to vendors who specialize 50-64 88, on municipal websites.Municipal websites have much different purposes 65+ 57 than commercial sites. Additional challenges include: Education level High school grad or less 76 .A lack of prioritization in keeping the site updated.Web content Some college 91, writing and maintenance is not written into mostjob descriptions, College+ 97ab therefore those skills are not queried when new employees are Household income sought.The best technology in the world will not fix challenges Less than$30,000/yr 77 with content. $30,000-$49,999 85 $50,000-$74,999 93ab $75,000+ 99ab •Staff seeking communications and marketing counsel generally think Community type of posting content last—after posters and flyers-when the reverse Urban 88 should be the standard,given the site's over 900,000 annual visitors. Suburban 87 Rural 83 •Some believe that'older residents,or those with lower incomes,do Source,Pew Research Center Internet PmlectSurvey,,January not use the Web"Nothing can be further from the truth. 9-11,2014.N=1,0006 adults.Note:Percentages marked with a superscript letter(e.g.,)indicate a statistically significant difference between that raw and the raw designated by that superscript letter. , among categories ofeach demographic characteristic(e.g.,age).* Recommendation: Kents website as its primary communication tool The results twoweklyO in/ethuiveys,Jbased uary9-1 combined sample -2ram cannot be underestimated,and as such,should be updated to reflect two weekly Ominibus surveys,January 9-12 andlanuaryl3-16, 2014.The combined total n for these surveys was 2,008,n=1,421 newtechnologies thatare easierforboth users,and content managers. for whites,n=197 for African A mericans,and n=236 for Hispanics. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 18 3.Refresh the Web Content Managers Team With 80 individuals posting information, along with no process for approvals or"clearinghouse"in place to ensure correct,consistent information,the site's appeal and navigation are difficult for users,no matter how great of a website tool or vendor Kent utilizes. Recommendation: Ask department directors to appoint one Web Content Manager who will provide the final approval for what is/is not posted to their department's Web pages. The Web Content Managers will work in concert, and in many cases, be the same individuals on the Communications Team. Steps include: (1) Appoint Web Content Managers; (2) Require Web Content Managers and Web authors to attend training on"Writing for the Web"prior to posting content;(3)Coordinate with Communications Team to incorporate department identities to departmental Web pages. 4.Conduct a Usability and Accessibility Study Before any new website is launched or goes live,its usability and accessibility should be tested for ease of navigation,content,organization and information architecture. Recommendation: Pending authorization and funding approval, an independent consulting firm should be hired to assess usability and accessibility through focus groups and/or user interviews/ surveys. This information and feedback could be used as a basis for recommended enhancements to the site. 5.Engage Residents in Productive New Ways Online While Kent has countered low meeting turnout with online surveys, new technologies have emerged, making engagement opportunities more robust and user-friendly. Various vendors offer online engagement tools, where it's easy for more people to contribute ideas for community improvement and provide feedback on current initiatives.These tools are a convenient way for residents to stay engaged in the governing process and in turn, help the organization collect timely and actionable input from residents. Recommendation: Utilize innovative online tools to make managing input easier while expanding engagement to a wider base. With about 80%of Kent's residents online,it is necessary to effectively leverage the most powerful communications media available in order to reach our audiences. 6.Connect Residents with the City by Building a Digital Audience Kent's eAlert system, provided by Ektron, is no longer supported by the vendor, leaving the City without a way to automatically build digital audiences across the website. We're often asked to"share this information with the community°but the absence of a group of subscribers limits this to the use of social media. While Kent's website had 900,000 visitors last year,the site isn't able to convert these visitors to subscribers. Recommendation: Utilize on eAlert overlay of the website to provide website visitors directly and repeatedly with opportunities to sign up for updates on specific content of interest. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 19 7.Develop a Social Media Strategy While Kent has a social media presence, as noted earlier, its presence was established to engage in conversations that were already taking place. Social media has evolved, and continues to evolve, at lightening speeds,and unfortunately,at a pace that is difficult to maintain. We're learning that there are better times of the day and weekto post,and only those posts with links and photos have more reach.We've also learned that while Facebook used to be an excellent communications tool,it isn't any longer. Facebook has changed its computer algorithm,making it difficult to reach Kent's followers.The company has moved to a pay-to-play environment,and now asks users to pay money to reach followers. We've learned that only our most engaged fans and posts—those that are liked and shared the most—will be visible.Without this level of engagement,only 10%of Kent's fans will see our posts. Some have suggested we increase or move our efforts to Twitter,but it is the smallest network of the big five social networks.While used by media, it doesn't overcome the distance media notes as a challenge for Kent news coverage. Others note Twitter is a great tool to drive users to the City's website,while Facebook has more to do with storytelling. Facebook users Among online adults,the%who use Facebook 2013 2014 All internet users 71% 71% Men 66 66 Women 76 77 White,Non-Hispanic 71 71 Black,Non-Hispanic 76 67 Hispanic 73 73 18-29 84 87 30-49 79 73 50-64 60 63 65+ 45 56 High school grad or less 71 70 Some college 75 71 College+(n=685) 68 74* Less than$30,000/yr 76 77 $30,000-$49,999 76 69 $50,000-$74,999 68 74 $75,000+ 71 72 Urban 75 71 Suburban 69 72 Rural 71 69 Source,Pew Research Center Internet ProjectSurvey,September 11-14 and September 18-21,2014.N=1,597 internet users ages 18+.The margin oferror for all internet users i5+1-1.9 percentage points.2013 data from Pew Internet August tracking Survey,August07-September 16,2013.n=1,445imernetusers ages 18+ Note.Percentages marked with on asterisk(8)represent a signifimntchange from 2013.Results are significant at the 95%confidence level using an independentz-test. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 20 Looking at the numbers,what follows are some general conclusions(using their terminology): •Facebook— Largest social network by far, better for women than men, above average use from Hispanics and low-income users,below-average use from blacks. •Twitter—Smallest social network of the big five, better for men than women,above average use for blacks and Hispanics,below average use for whites and low-income users. •Instagram— Better for women than men,significantly higher use by blacks and Hispanics,above average for low-income users,below average for whites. •Linkedln—Better for high-income whites,very low use by blacks,Hispanics and low-income users. • Pinterest—Better for high-income white women,very low use by blacks and Hispanics. Facebook: •71%of all Internet users •66%of men/77%of women •71%of whites •67%of blacks •73%of Hispanics •77%of low-income(vs.72%of$75K+) Linkedln: •28%of all Internet users •28%of men/27%of women •29%of whites •28%of blacks • 18%of Hispanics • 15%of low-income(vs.44%of$75K+) Pinterest: •28%of all Internet users • 13%of men/42%of women •32%of whites • 12%of blacks •21%of Hispanics •22%of low-income(vs.34%of$75K+) Instagram: •26%of all Internet users •22%of men/29%of women •21%of whites •38%of blacks •34%of Hispanics •28%of low-income(vs.26%of$75K+) Twitter: •23%of all Internet users •24%of men/21%of women •21%of whites •27%of blacks •25%of Hispanics •20%of low-income(vs.27%of$75K+) Recommendation: Rather than simply existing in the social media space,dedicating staff with social media expertise to manage the City's social media accounts will ensure this platform is more strategic and relevant to our followers. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 21 8.LEAN Kent's Resident Request Tracking System Hosted by GovQA, a third-party vendor, this interactive option allows residents to find information or make a request via the website 24/7.It also provides City employees with a tool to track the number and type of resident requests in one place,whether they come in via the Internet or the phone. While this tool works well when residents use the system online,it doesn'tworkwell for those departments without administrative support.The practice now is when a resident calls with a complaint or question; the call recipient must take all of the information,and then enter the information again into the tracking system.It is a duplication of the time spent to take and then enter the request. Recommendation: A LEAN process or improved digital solution that is more user-friendly would save staff time and potentially reduce customer service response time. 9.There's an App for That—Report potholes,graffiti,dumping,etc. With 90 percent of the population toting a cell phone and more than half using a smartphone,the phone can be one of the quickest ways to connect with residents. In some cities, residents can report problems like potholes or graffiti by snapping a photo,tagging the location,and sending a report through the app.Users receive a tracking number and can monitor when the city fixes the issue. Recommendation: As cities explore the benefits of digital tools, mobile apps should be considered among our platforms for civic engagement as well. Many have suggested Kent utilize such a tool,as long as it resulted in streamlined reporting,and doesn't add an additional step in the process(like Resident Request Tracking). 10.A LEAN Solution for Posting Events While Kent's Community Calendar is utilized by City staff to post meetings and events,it is one of several places staff is expected to post this information. The media used to input listings themselves,and submitting a news release was sufficient. Now media outlets require us to do all the inputting of information. It generally takes about 5 - 10 minutes to enter an event onto each events calendar. For performances (Summer Concerts and Spotlight Series),we generally include them on seven newspaper sites,the city calendar,SOCO Culture,Facebook and at least one or two specialty calendars depending on the genre of performance.So,that's about 10 calendar postings for each event. The following example notes the time needed to post events within a short posting window for promotional purposes: Spotlight Series:9 shows x 10 calendars x 5-10 minutes per show= 7.5 to 15 hours of calendar data entry-short posting window Summer Concerts:12 shows x 10 calendars x 5-10 minutes per show= 10 to 20 hours of calendar data entry-short posting window The above does not include other City events, including special public meetings,festivals, etc. that get posted to some of the same calendars. Recommendation: A digital solution should be found that would allow for the posting of event information one time, with the capability of 'auto-populating" other calendars. This would save hours of staff time while still ensuring Kent's events are publicized. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 22 11.Live Streaming to Hand-Held Devices Given the increasing number of visitors to Kent's website via mobile devices, it's important our video programs be accessible.While we live stream City Council meetings for those watching from a desktop computer,the technology used to provide this service is not compatible with hand-held devices. Recommendation: Utilize technology that would allow our web audio and video stream to be accessible by any hand-held device. 12.Rebrand KentTV21 The KentTV21 brand, which started as programming on Comcast Cable TV channel 21, has expanded beyond TV to Web,social media,on-demand and live streaming. Recommendation: By rebranding this tool to more accurately reflect its use,programs will also have a greater reach with targeted audience marketing. 13.Council Chambers Technology Upgrade The City's IT and Facilities departments are planning to replace outdated technology in Council Chambers. Video programing will be upgraded from the old"squa re"(4x3) low resolution TV format to high definition broadcast quality for the new wider(16x9)television formats. Recommendation: These upgrades, including audio, video, presentation, connected conferencing and lighting will expand the meeting space,room functionality and video capture. t Conclusion The City of Kent has much strength, a heritage of success and a bright outlook; however, it also faces challenges and change. This document is designed to provide the communications analysis, messages,and strategies to ensure our target audiences receive necessary information,or have access to it.As well,it provides opportunities for greater involvement by residents in the decision making process as prioritized by the City Council. Finally, it creates the foundation for more ambitious communications strategies in the future. This Strategic Communications Plan was developed in response to a directive by the Kent City Council and the Mayor.Like any major undertaking,this project could not have been completed without the input of the City Council,Mayor Cooke's LeadershipTeam,and others.Their ideas,insights and contributions are much appreciated. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 23 Appendix I CITY OF KENT PERSONNEL POLICY NUMBER: 2.31 EFFECTIVE DATE: June 30, 2015 SUPERSEDES: New APPROVED: Suzette Cooke, Mayor POLICY: COMMUNICATION STANDARDS It is the policy of the City of Kent to project a unified, professional image for City communications and promote effective community partnerships with residents, businesses, employees and visitors. The Community and Public Affairs and Multimedia Services teams serve as a resource to all City departments in supporting their public involvement and communication efforts. 2.31.01 GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS: Kent's communications provide a wide variety of information to the public. Due to this broad array of content, it is optimal to have consistent quality of design, professional image, and coordination of effort. Departments are required to use the services of the Community and Public Affairs and Multimedia Services teams when communicating to the general public through the following: A. Articles for publication in newspapers, newsletters, magazines, annual reports, etc. B. Print and/or electronic communications, including publications/items prepared for broad public distribution i.e. mailings, official city documents, TV21, video, radio, KentWA.gov, phone hold, and City business products such as business cards, letterhead, envelopes, bills, forms, etc. C. Marketing communications and materials such as flyers, posters, brochures, clothing, collateral materials, giveaways, HTML emails, etc. D. City signage. E. City staff working with hired consultants must consult with Community and Public Affairs to ensure any materials prepared by the third party will comply with City standards. 2.31.02 GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS PROCEDURES: 1 CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 24 A. Content is provided and approved by department project manager and then sent to Community and Public Affairs for review, possible editing and approval. B. Community and Public Affairs reviews/recommends distribution methods, project schedules, and ensure policy standards compliance. C. Stylistic direction and creative/marketing messaging is developed by Multimedia Services in consultation with Community and Public Affairs and the department project manager. 2.31.03 INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS: Departments should take care in the production and distribution of internal communications, keeping in mind that the City is a municipality subject to disclosure requirements of the public records act. The City's communication standards serve as a guide to employees for all internal communications. Departments must use Community and Public Affairs and Multimedia Services for the production, printing and maintenance of citywide or cross department printed forms and graphically complex projects, such as the Wellness and Employee Recognition programs', marketing campaign posters, flyers and videos under the same guidelines and standards as external communications. For a professional image, quality design and effective communication, departments may use the Community and`Public Affairs and Multimedia Services teams for all internal communications as follows: A. Development and graphic design of internal department informational or promotional flyers, posters, newsletters, printed forms, templates, SharePoint collateral, etc. B. Determining the most effective venues and tools needed to reach target audiences. C. Documents subject to public records disclosure, including official program materials, employee training, etc. 2.31.04 INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PROCEDURES: A. Content is provided and approved by department project manager and then sent to Community and Public Affairs for review, possible editing and approval. B. Community and Public Affairs reviews/recommends distribution methods, project schedules, and ensures compliance with policy standards. C. Stylistic direction and creative/marketing messaging is developed by Multimedia Services in consultation with Community and Public Affairs and the department project manager. 2 CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 25 2.31.05 CITY LOGO/BRANDING: The City has an official logo that shall represent the City in all branding communications. Community and Public Affairs in conjunction with Multimedia Services shall provide overall quality control for the use of the City's logo, maintain the integrity, and provide clear standards and guidelines for departments. The City logo use policy below applies to all City of Kent departments, staff, elected officials, representatives, paid consultants and volunteers. A. The official city logo has been registered (copyrighted) with the State of Washington and cannot be modified in any manner or used by outside agencies, businesses or groups without written permission of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) or designee. B. The logo can only be given to a person, agency or group who is working on a joint City or City-funded program or project with an authorized City employee. The logo permission is limited to a specific project or product. When that project or product is complete, new permission must be obtained. Prior to providing the City logo to an agency or group employees must use the authorized permission form available from Multimedia Services. C, It is the responsibility of City departments and staff in coordination with Community and Public Affairs and Multimedia Services to ensure the City logo follows usage rules and is used on all City materials including brochures, web pages, signs, banners, letterhead, business cards, internal forms, documents, other printed and electronic materials, apparel and collateral. D. To qualify for a separate brand identity from the City's logo, the place, program or event must meet three of the four following criteria: 1) Unique place or program requiring separate and sustained marketing to grow and succeed„ 2) Unique set of usersthat would respond more favorably to a brand relating to them. 3) Funded in partnership with another agency, i.e. grant funds, community or business partnerships, other unique sources. 4) Major ongoing or frequently recurring events. 5) 'Families of Products" providing departments a consistent brand image and identity. 6) Be approved by the Community and Public Affairs manager. Besides meeting the above criteria, the following may also apply: 3 CITY OF KEiW COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 26 a) Department must give a commitment to an ongoing marketing plan. b) Department head must approve the marketing plan and separate branding. c) Community and Public Affairs must sign-off on the plan and branding. 2.31.06 OFFICIAL EMAIL SIGNATURE Standardized official email signatures present a professional, coordinated visual image to audiences via electronic communications. Email signatures must not be edited or include the use of emoticons or graphics, script, or quotes. 2.31.07 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS/CIVIL SERVICE RULES: Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements or Civil Service rules will be subject to the specific terms of those agreements and rules. In the event a collective bargaining agreement or Civil Service rules do not contain language regarding communication standards as specified in this policy, then those employees will be governed by this policy. 4 CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 27 Appendix II Style Sheet These guidelines assist in ensuring our materials are consistent across the board,and takes the guesswork out of determining which formats to use. If a particular style issue is not listed here,the City will defer to the Associated Press Style Guidebook. •Use the City's official font, Verdana 11 pt. on print and email documents.This doesn't apply to promotional materials. •Block style text,no paragraph indentions •One inch margins(top,bottom,left,and right margins on all documents) • News releases should follow the template •Numbers under 10 should be spelled out.Anything at 10 or above should be written numerically (10,25,etc.)This rule does not apply to numbers in a list or a table. -Titles should only be capitalized when they precede a name(e.g., Public Information Officer Jarod Kasner versus Jarod Kasner,public information officer for the City of Kent) •Use one space after each period [.1 and two spaces after each colon [:1; •Do not use a comma after the last item in a series(e.g.,Police Department,Fire Department,Public Works and Multimedia) •When referring to a URL in print,omit"http://www"from the address. Begin with KentWA.gov/.... and use a simplified Web address if the site is frequently referred to or promoted. •When referring to a website,refer to it directly. Le."For more information,visit KentWA.gov", rather than"For more information,go to the City of Kent website at KentWA.gov': -Times should be written as follows: 10 a.m.or 5:30 p.m. • Use the terms"noon"and"midnight"rather than"12 a.m"or 12 p.m" •For dollar amounts, only refer to cents that are NOT zero. For instance, $250,558.23 is correct, but $250,558.00 is not. •For amounts more than $1 million,use up to three numerals and spell out the remaining amount. i.e."$125 million"or"$4.35 million"or"$400,000. •Spell out percent when referred to in text,the%symbol should only be used in charts • Phone numbers should be listed at 253-856-5700 without parentheses,not as(253)856-5700. Kent Specific Terms •City of Kent— Both City and Kent should be capitalized,unless writing for news outlets where city would be lowercase,i.e.city of Kent. •City should be capitalized when referring specifically to the City of Kent (City Hall,City programs, etc.).The word city should not be capitalized when used generically(Kent police patrolled the city streets.) •Councilmember is one word. Never use Councilman or Councilwoman. •Department names should be capitalized •Do not capitalize"staff"when referring to City of Kent employees. •Use the word resident(s) instead of citizen(s).Given Kent's population,it isn't culturally competent to refer to residents as citizens when we cannot possibly know their citizenship status. •Capitalize East Hill, Kent Valley and West Hill. City Seal The City Seal is the official mark used only by the City Clerk on documents which represent the City in an official capacity. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 28 Appendix III City of Kent Logo Standards: The official City logo has been registered with the State of Washington and is not authorized for use by outside organization without written permission. Under no circumstances is City staff or vendor(s) authorized to deviate from these rules without express written authorization by Community and Public Affairs,Multimedia Services or the Chief Administrative Officer. Use of the City logo establishes a recognition factor in the eye of the public and gives the City credit where credit is due. A logo becomes increasingly more recognizable when it is used consistently. Use: Use of the City logo establishes a recognition factor in the eye of the public and gives the City credit where credit is due. A logo becomes increasingly more recognizable when it is used consistently. It is the responsibility of City departments and staff in coordination with Community and Public Affairs and Multimedia Services to ensure the City logo follows usage rules and is used on all City products including brochures, web pages, signs, banners, letterhead, business cards, internal forms, documents, other printed and electronic materials,apparel and collateral. Scope: The City logo use policy applies to all City of Kent departments, staff, elected officials, representatives, paid consultants and volunteers. Authorized Uses: The logo can only be given to a person, agency or group who is working on a joint City/City-funded program or project with an authorized City employee. The logo permission is limited to a specific project or product. When that project or product is complete, new permissions must be obtained. Prior to providing the City logo, employees must use the authorized permission form available from Multimedia Services. City Staff Responsibility: The City employee ordering products, material or using a consultant is responsible for authorizing appropriate logo use and for compliance by the vendor or partner. For questions about logo usage or compliance,contact Multimedia Services or Community and Public Affairs. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 29 Logo Rules: -The logo may be used in any size,but usually not less than 3/a"tall •The logo may not be stretched or distorted or changed in any way;it may be sized proportionally up or down. (The"dot"must be round-rather than oval shaped) -The words"Kent"and "Washington"are considered part of the logo and may not be deleted or changed in any way. This includes the text font,size,positioning,etc. •The logo quality must be smooth,and high resolution. Low resolution'web"quality is not acceptable for print media. -The logo cannot be used where the usage implies endorsement of an individual or company by the City of Kent or a partnership on a project where none exists. -The logo cannot be used for any purpose other than the purpose stated in the permission section of the permission form. -The City reserves the right to determine logo usage by all parties. -The logo may only be one of the following: •Full color,B&W or one solid color. •Full color logos must be Pantone (PMS) colors as follows: PMS 287 blue, 369 green, 1797 red and 100k black. If vendors do not use PMS colors,the color choices must be approved through Multimedia Services. •B&W logos may be solid or grey scale. •One color logos must be the same solid color.Le.all Red,or all blue. Note, logos may not be two color, three color or multicolored other than the official full color version without preapproval. Example,black everywhere but with a"red"dot. Examples of logos: 4000 KEN T KEN TT W A S H I N G T O N WASHINGTON CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 30 4 Appendix IV Media Relations Policy Because of the media's vital role in providing information to the public, we have developed a Media Relations Plan to help City staff and representatives better understand the media's role and to learn how to work with the media consistently and effectively. The purpose of this Media Relations Policy: •To provide useful and accurate information in a timely and professional manner regarding City business and service. •To present information in a manner consistent with City of Kent and Kent City Council policies, philosophies,and objectives. •To assure to the extent possible that our key messages and themes are consistent and are being properly conveyed by everyone within the City. •To ensure that City Council,staff,media,and the general public are aware of any communications issues. •To use the media as a resource,particularly in emergency,disaster,and crisis situations. -To foster a cooperative working relationship between the City of Kent and the media. •To establish procedures for responding to media inquiries,including identifying City spokespersons. •Toclarifythedifference between being a spokesperson on behalf of the Cityof Kent and the personal expression of individual opinions of elected and appointed officials and City staff regarding political matters and policy development. •To ensure the accurate and prompt exchange of information with the news media in accordance with this policy. Scope The City of Kent Media Relations Policy applies to all City staff,Kent City Council and appointed members of the City's advisory boards and committees. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 31 Media's Role The City of Kent should never underestimate the role the media plays in our ability to communicate effectively with the public. Its role in the democratic process necessitates a relationship with representatives of the media as well as City officials and staff.The media serves as both an observer and a participant in government affairs.As an observer,the media records and transmits information to and from government policy makers and administrators. At the same time,the media acts as a participant, serving as a government watchdog and critic. The following procedures and standards will be used by all departments as applicable to media relations within the City of Kent.Refer questions to the Community and Public Affairs Manager. Spokesperson. In most cases,there will be one spokesperson designated for responding to each media inquiry.ForCitywide inquiries,the spokesperson will mostoften bethe Mayor orthe Community and Public Affairs Manager. For department-related issues, the spokesperson will most often be the Department Director.The spokesperson will work directly with the Community and Public Affairs Manager to ensure that information for specific media issues is communicated appropriately. Primary City Contact.The Community and Public Affairs Manager will serve as the primary source of City information, providing background information about City issues, projects and services.The Mayor or appointed designee will serve in the absence of the Community and Public Affairs Manager. Responsiveness. Priority attention will be given to all media inquiries. Every effort should be made to meet the media's deadlines and ensure that all information released is accurate.Accuracy of information takes precedence over media deadlines. If another priority prevents an immediate response,a courtesy call should be made to the reporter confirming the information being requested and advising when the City's response will be made. Accuracy. Errors in reporting will be brought to the attention of the Community and Public Affairs Manager. Staff will make every effort to have the Community and Public Affairs Manager,the Mayor or designee present at all person-to-person interviews to offer assistance to staff and media. Routine Media Requests. Such requests may be responded to by any employee if the response is of a factual,incidental or inconsequential nature(e.g.,special event schedule). Non-routine Media Requests. These types of requests should be forwarded to the Community and Public Affairs Manager prior to response.These may include responses that require the interpretation of policy,employee information or emergency situations. Sensitive and Controversial Issues. These issues often become headlines for the news media. This provision provides the framework for the City's Community and Public Affairs Manager to respond appropriately and as soon as possible to sensitive and controversial issues. Sensitive and controversial issues pertaining to internal operations of the City should be immediately forwarded to the Community and Public Affairs Manager, the Mayor or a designee to prepare for and respond to media inquiries. CITY OF KEN] COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 32 Sensitive and controversial issues of interest to the media may be best assessed by asking the following: •Is the issue a threat—existing or potential—to life,health or property? •Could the issue likely be interpreted to negatively affect public confidence in or the opinion of the City of Kent's Administration or City Council? •Is the issue of particular interest to the general public? •Are there legal ramifications—existing or potential—raised by the issue? •Has more than one member of the media inquired about the same issue? •Has someone or some aspect of the issue threatened to go to the media about the issue? •Is there unusual or inappropriate interest by a person or small group of people about a seemingly routine issue? Public Records Requests. Public records requests from the general public or media must be made in writing in accordance with the City's Request for Public Records policy or via our online Public Records Request portal.All public records requests will be forwarded to the City Clerk immediately upon receipt. News Releases.News releases will be prepared and issued by the Community and Public Affairs Manager or designee as newsworthy information becomes available or as events occur. For specific information including a template and samples,see the News Release section of this plan. News Conferences. News conferences will be held at the direction of the Mayor or the Community and Public Affairs Manager or their designees to announce or respond to an issue of significance orcontroversy. The City will respond with a united voice pertaining to facts, information, rules and emergency or crisis procedures in a manner consistent with the established policies and rules of the City. •A news conference allows City officials to effectively respond at one time rather than responding individually to many media contacts and requests for information. •A news conference enables City officials to address issues personally and conveys a willingness to openly discuss an issue. •A news conference may be called when: •The issue to be announced is best conveyed at a news conference. •Major participants of a project are available to highlight their participation and respond to media inquiries as a group. •The issue is likely to produce controversy. • News conferences will be coordinated with the Community and Public Affairs Manager. •A spokesperson for the news conference will be selected by the Mayor. •If the issue is directly related to the employment of the CAO,the Mayor will coordinate with the Community and Public Affairs Managerfor a news conference.Additional City staff may be required to attend who can provide background information and details. Emergency Public Information.The City of Kent may experience emergency situations, which require the dissemination of critical information to the public and news media. Public information is critical to alerting citizens of an impending emergency,directing and informing them during the emergency,and assisting them in the recovery process. In the event of a disaster or major emergency the City of Kent will activate the Emergency Coordination Center(ECC). CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 33 As detailed in Appendix VI of the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP),the Director of Emergency Management will designate an Emergency Public Information Officer(EPIO)when activation of the ECC occurs. All EPIO actions will be accomplished in a coordinated fashion with the ECC. EPIOs may include:the Community and Public Affairs Manager,Police PIO,and RFA PIO. Communications Protocols:Responding to Media Inquiries The following protocols should be adhered to when City staff and representatives respond to media inquiries. Direct questions to the Community and Public Affairs Manager. City Employee and Representative Responsibilities and Guidelines It is the responsibility of City employees to immediately notify their supervisors or department directors of significant events or issues that occur and may be of interest to the general public (e.g., public safety issues,accidents,etc.); A City employee may respond directly to the media inquiry regarding routine,factual or inconsequential information relating specifically to his or her function; If the inquiry involves policy issues,the staff member may only respond after direction to do so from his or her department director and with the director's knowledge of the response. Department Director Responsibilities and Guidelines It is the responsibility of department directors to immediately notify the Mayor or Community and Public Affairs Manager of significant events and issues that occur within their departments that may be of major interest to the general public.The Mayor will determine the appropriateness of contacting the City Council.Examples include but are not limited to the following: •Termination,injury,serious illness,or death of an employee; •Major malfunctions of City equipment,City facilities,or infrastructure that could impact the general welfare of the public,environment or ability to provide service; •An unexpected work stoppage or inability to provide a critical City service; -The arrest of an employee; • Programs and employees receiving awards. Responding to Media Inquiries Upon receiving a media inquirythat requires additional information the Communityand Public Affairs Manager is unable to provide,the inquiry will be immediately forwarded to the appropriate department director. -The Community and Public Affairs Manager will work with the department director to develop a strategy to properly respond; •The department director may forward the inquiry to a staff member; •No employee shall provide media interviews unless approved by the Department Director and the Community and Public Affairs Manager. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 34 Media Contact Guidelines • Respond only to media inquiries within your purview. Do not respond to matters that do not directly relate to your professional responsibility for the City; •Do not make judgmental comments, particularly about individual City Council members,council actions,or official City policy; i •Do not offer legal opinions on City policies or activities; •Do not discuss City employees or personnel actions; •Do not speculate about what action the City will take; •Media inquiries shall be responded to within two to four hours of receiving the request; •Ask about the story's focus,the reporter's deadline and the story publication date; •Administrative staff shall give priority to phone calls from reporters. The Community and Public Affairs Manager or Designee Will Prepare News Releases The Mayor has the overall authority and responsibility for the dissemination of public information.The Community and Public Affairs Manager will workwith the Mayoras necessary when releasing information to the public and the media; •The Community and Public Affairs Manager shall maintain a media contact list; •City News Releases will be distributed to the City Council and all City staff, •News releases shall contain contact information forthe Community and Public Affairs Manager and other City staff as designated; •News releases shall be distributed by e-mail when available(by fax when e-mail is not available)to appropriate broadcast and print media; •News releases shall be posted to the City's Web site. Editorial Responses from Staff The Community and Public Affairs Manager will monitor the editorial column of local newspapers and,if deemed necessary by the Mayor,forward them to the appropriate staff for a response. Editorial responses shall be reviewed by the Mayor and the Community and Public Affairs Manager in advance.These must be shared in draft form with the City Council and shall be shared in final form with City Council prior to publication. Letters to the Editor may be submitted to clarify the City's position,educate readers about a City service or program,or express the City's gratitude to the community. News Releases One of the key ways the City provides the media with news and information is through the use of news releases. A news release is typically a one to two-page document that conveys a newsworthy event or occurrence to the media. It includes the who,what,when,where and why of a particular happening (a notable fire or crime,upcoming event,award,etc.)as well as who to contact for more information. News releases are typically written in an objective format so the media can simply read it to glean the key facts of a particular news item. In some cases,the media will quote a news release verbatim so it is important that it is well written and error-free. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 35 j Because media outlets and reporters receive hundreds of such news releases each week, it is important that the City utilize this avenue carefully.Rather than inundate the media with a news release about each and every occurrence within the City,we must pick and choose what items are newsworthy enough to garner attention. This guideline applies not onlyto the Cityas a whole,butto each individual department and staff memberas well. To help guide departments and staff members in the appropriate use of news releases,we have assembled the following guidelines and have prepared news release templates for each department's use. •News releases should be sent to key local media (e.g., Kent Reporter,The Seattle Times,The Seattle P-I, IocalTVand radio stations,diverse publications outside the mainstream media,etc.).For further guidance on distribution channels for news releases,contact the Community and Public Affairs Manager. •Send news releases via e-mail.This makes it easier for reporters to cut and paste text rather than retyping information from a hard copy. •For important news releases,follow-up with a phone call to ensure the news release was received and to see if the newsroom or reporter has any questions.Use this tactic only for key items or when additional publicity would serve the public interest.If this tactic is overused,the media may ignore future calls and news releases all together. •Send news releases in the body of an e-mail, NOT as an attachment. Many newsrooms use technology that filters out attachments. Attachments that do make it through are often deleted without being opened. -The subject of your e-mail should include the same headline used in the release. Editors receive hundreds of news releases in a day. By providing in the subject line, an attention-getting (but accurate) title, (e.g., Five Alarm Fire Destroys Three Kent Businesses; Mayor Cooke Accepts Award on Behalf of City at Annual Chamber Dinner;Kent Cornucopia Days Expected to Draw 40,000 This Weekend),our news releases are more likely to be read. •Relevant information should be at the top of the news release.Contact information should be at the top. •Our relationship with the media is a'give and take'process.Provide the media with critical information on a timely basis,but don't bombard them with insignificant news,flowery details or unnecessary information. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 36 To help City staff to determine if an item or event is notable enough for a news release, review this checklist: Yes or No to the following: Is the news release...? •Newsworthy and timely? Is it something the general public needs or wants to know? •Your department's responsibility to distribute? •Written using the City of Kent's News Release template? • Being sent in: 1)the body of an e-mail,2)not as an attachment,3)with the headline in the subject line? • Being distributed to relevant local media? • Error free? Did you proofread it for grammatical, punctuation and spelling errors? •Did you double-check key facts (e.g.,dates,times, names of businesses,etc.)? Does the news release... •Contain the words FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE? •Contain the dateline: Kent,Wash.,Today's Date? •Address the 5 Ws:Who,What,When,Where and Why? •Conclude with the City of Kent's boilerplate text? (This text is shown included in the News Release templates provided by Multimedia.) • Include complete contact information (name, phone number,e-mail address)? If you answered "yes"to all of the above items, then your news release is ready for distribution. If you answered"no"to any item,make the appropriate changes or contact the Community and Public Affairs Manager for assistance. CITY OF KFNT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 37 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Name, City of Kent Phone number Email address Attention getting headline here Sub heading here if appropriate KENT, Wash. - Month Day, Year - The first paragraph should contain the most important information in your press release. Basically, this paragraph should contain the who, what, when, where and why of your story. Keep it brief. Use action verbs rather than passive ones. Use clear, simple language. Remember this is a news piece not a marketing promotion, so omit adjectives (e.g., fantastic, beautiful, devastating). The second and subsequent paragraphs should provide additional detail, in brief terms but descriptive enough to engage the reader. Your paragraphs should be short, but newsworthy enough to hold the reader's attention. A good press release should range from 300 to 400 words - long enough to cover the topic but short enough to be interesting. The third paragraph often includes a relevant quote from a City official, business leader or industry expert. The selected quote should highlight the rest of the press release. The final paragraph (boilerplate text) should read as follows: Kent is the sixth largest city in Washington with a population over 124,000. As a culturally rich destination, Kent's dynamic quality of life features captivating neighborhoods, award-winning parks, and exceptional school districts. In recent years, Kent has experienced impressive economic growth, and is nationally known as a prime location for manufacturing. For more information visit KentWA.gov. (This symbol indicates to the media that the press release is finished.) CITY OF KFNT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 38 I / Appendix V CITY OF KENT PERSONNEL POLICY NUMBER: 7.8 EFFECTIVE DATE: March 1, 2010 SUBJECT: SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY SUPERSEDES: New Policy APPROVED: t�s/ S zett Cooke, Mayor POLICY: Social Media tools allow the City of Kent to engage with citizens, customers and the general public in electronic forums where conversations and interactions already exist. At the City of Kent, Social Media are to be used for business purposes in serving the interests of the organization, and of our clients and customers. This policy is intended to guide City of Kent staff in their use of Social Media for business purposes. The City of Kent's intention for publishing a Social Media Policy is to help all parties succeed in protecting City of Kent employees, partners and the organization from illegal or damaging actions by individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly. This policy reflects a flexible approach because Social Media mechanisms and technologies are constantly changing and the City of Kent continues to learn what approaches work best for the organization. Social Media include but are not limited to such tools and websites as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, wikis and blogging. Effective security, public disclosure, records retention and engagement with citizens and customers are a team effort involving the participation and support of every City of Kent employee and affiliate who deals with information and/or Social Media. It is the responsibility of every employee to know these guidelines and to conduct activities accordingly. The purpose of this policy is to outline the acceptable and unacceptable use of Social Media tools at the City of Kent, and the personal use of these tools by employees. This policy is in place to protect all parties at the City of Kent. Inappropriate use exposes the City of Kent to such risks as legal issues, loss of trust from our citizens and customers, and security concerns. 7.8.1 DEFINITIONS: Social Media: Social media are online communications in which individuals are both the audience and author. Examples include but are not limited to blogs, social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, 7.8 - Page 1 of 4 CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 39 Social Media Policy NUMBER 7.8 LinkedIn, Plaxo and Twitter; media-sharing sites like Flickr and YouTube, and information-authoring sites (wikis) like Wikipedia. Bloa: A blog (short for weblog) is a personal online journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Wikis: A wiki is a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. Wiki is a Hawaiian term meaning fast. Approved Authors: A City of Kent Employee who proposes a defined business use for Social Media, and that use is approved by Community and Public Affairs Manager and Information Technology Director. 7.8.2 SCOPE: This policy applies to regular and temporary employees, contractors, interns, consultants, third parties, visitors, or anyone using City of Kent related resources. 7.8.3 SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE: 1. FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES: This policy captures the acceptable use of Social Media tools at the City of Kent for business purposes, which include, but are not limited to, promotion and public outreach. a. Use of Social Media for a defined business purpose shall be: i. Approved by the Community and Public Affairs Manager and Director of Information Technology or their designees, ii. Published using the approved City of Kent platform and tools, and iii. Administered by approved City of Kent authors. (Approval granted by an employee's supervisor and Community and Public Affairs Manager or designee.) b. All Social Media postings and exchanges are subject to state records retention and public disclosure laws. c. Use of City of Kent computer systems for Social Media must be in support of City business. 2. FOR PERSONAL USE: City employees who choose to engage in Social Media for personal purposes assume any and all risk associated with that use. 7.8 - Page 2 of 4 Y OE KE,VT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 40 Social Media Policy NUMBER 7.8 a. City of Kent computer systems may only be used for personal use of Social Media in accordance with city policy 7.5, Network, E-Mail and Internet Use, Section7.5.2.2, Appropriate Use. b. When an employee clearly identifies his or her association with the City of Kent and/or discusses his or her work: i. He or she is expected to behave appropriately on the Internet and in ways consistent with the City's values and policies. ii. It is required that employees make it clear they are speaking for themselves and not on behalf of the City of Kent by including a disclaimer such as: "The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent the City of Kent's positions, strategies or opinions." c. City of Kent logins or e-mail addresses should not be used as an identifier for personal use or to express personal opinions in Social Media. An employee should use his or her personal e-mail address for these purposes. 3. UNACCEPTABLE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA: The following list is by no means exhaustive, but attempts to provide a framework for activities that fall into the category of unacceptable use of Social Media, both for business and personal purposes unless otherwise stated. Personnel should contact their supervisor, Community and Public Affairs Manager or the Information Technology Director for questions about this policy. The following activities are strictly prohibited, with no exceptions: a. Engaging in any actions that may harm or tarnish the image, reputation and/or goodwill of City of Kent and/or any of its employees when participating in Social Media, along with all activities prohibited by City of Kent's NETWORK, E-MAIL and INTERNET USE policy. b. Attributing personal statements, opinions or beliefs to the City of Kent when participating in Social Media (as stated above under "FOR PERSONAL USE"). c. Engaging in any activity that is illegal under local, state, federal or international law while using City of Kent -owned resources. d. Violating laws pertaining to the handling and disclosure of copyrighted or export controlled materials e. Violating the rights of any person or organization protected by copyright, trade secret, patent or other intellectual property, or similar laws or regulations. f. Using City of Kent's trademarks, logos and any other City of Kent intellectual property in connection with any personal Social Media activity. g. Using a City of Kent Social Media account to actively engage in procuring or transmitting material that is in violation of sexual harassment or hostile workplace laws in the user's local jurisdiction. 7.8 - Page 3 of 4 CITY OF KFNT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 41 Social Media Policy NUMBER 7.8 h. Making fraudulent offers of products, items, or services originating from any City of Kent account. i. Making statements about warranty, expressly or implied, unless it is a part of normal job duties, from any City of Kent account. j. Effecting security breaches, including but not limited to sharing data of which the public is not an intended recipient. 7.8.4 SECURITY AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 1. Keep passwords secure and do not share accounts. 2. Employees are prohibited from revealing any City of Kent confidential or proprietary information, trade secrets or any other material. 3. Postings by employees from a City of Kent e-mail address to Social Media sites is only allowed by approved authors. Approved authors have a business purpose for use Social Media, and are authorized by their supervisor and the Community and Public Affairs Manager (or designee). 7.8.5 ENFORCEMENT: Any employee found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. 7.8.6 UNION REPRESENTATION: Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements will be subject to the specific terms of those agreements or rules with respect to use of social media. In the event the collective bargaining agreement does not address the use of social media the employees covered by the agreement will be governed by this policy. 7.8 - Page 4 of 4 CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 42 0 0 Appendix VI City of Kent Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION #15 PUBLIC INFORMATION & AFFAIRS Primary Agency: Kent Office of Emergency Management Support Agencies: Office of the Mayor - Communications and Public Affairs City of Kent Police Department City of Kent Public Works Department City of Kent Information Technology Department Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority (RFA) King County Zone 3 Agencies King County Office of Emergency Management Washington State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) Federal Emergency Management Agency I. INTRODUCTION A. Purpose The purpose of Emergency Support Function #15 is to provide guidance for the development and delivery of accurate, coordinated, and timely incident-related information to affected audiences, including the residents of the City of Kent, City personnel and their families, government and public agencies, the media and the private sector. B. Scope 1. This ESF addresses the communication needs of the City and outlines the responsibilities for processing, coordinating, and disseminating incident-related information to various audiences. 2. The City of Kent's public information function occurs prior to, during and following an emergency or disaster. A significant emergency public information response will involve many City departments, King County, Washington State and possibly federal agencies. 3. This ESF also provides for the coordination of Federal public affairs support for the City's public information activities. 4. This ESF supports the King County Joint Information Center (JIC) Plan. II. POLICIES 1. All activities within ESF # 15 - Public Information and Affairs will be conducted in accordance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS). CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 43 City of Kent Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan 2. As a signatory of the King County Regional Coordination Framework for Disasters and Planned Events and through local mutual aid agreements, the City of Kent will make resources available to other jurisdictions, whenever possible. 3. The City of Kent recognizes the importance of providing vital health and safety information to affected populations. The City of Kent will work collaboratively to ensure that the information is consistent, accurate, complete, and promptly delivered using communication methods that will disseminate the information as widely as possible to affected populations. 4. The release of incident related information will be through the Kent Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) or the Joint Information Center (JIC). 5. All incident-related information will be developed by the Emergency Public Information Officer (EPIO) in coordination with ECC staff. 6. Before being released, all incident-related information must be approved by the ECC Manager or designee. Community and Policy releases will be reviewed by the Mayor's Leadership Team for final determination. III. SITUATION A. Emergency/Disaster Conditions and Hazards The City of Kent may experience emergency situations, which require the dissemination of critical information to the public and news media. Potential emergency situations include both natural and technological events, as identified in the Kent Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Analysis (KHIVA). Public information is critical to alerting citizens of an impending emergency, directing and informing them during the emergency, and assisting them in the recovery process. Many of the avenues for communicating can be found in ESF #2 Communications. B. Planning Assumptions 1. The event requires responding agencies to provide information and instructions to the public about the incident and actions people should take to save and protect lives, property, economy, and the environment. Responding agencies also would provide information to reduce public concerns about the incident and response activities CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 44 City of Kent Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan 2. The CodeRED and Emergency Alert System are the two best methods of issuing emergency information and warnings to the public in any emergency or disaster that poses a danger to life and property. 3. Once the initial warning is accomplished, the Emergency Public Information Officer (EPIO) has the task of keeping the public informed. 4. Normal means of communication within the affected areas may be either destroyed or largely incapacitated; therefore only limited or incomplete information should be anticipated from the disaster area until communication can be restored. 5. In situations where normal means of communications are not available, non-traditional means (door to door, social bulletin boards, mic/speaker transmissions, etc.) of communicating with the public must be established and utilized. 6. The public may perceive there to be a larger problem due to misinformation, rumors, etc. creating unnecessary distress among residents. The EPIO must focus on stopping rumors and providing accurate and timely information to reduce public concerns. 7. Demands for information from media outside the City will be significantly increased during and after a disaster. IV. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS A. General 1. The release of incident-related information is the responsibility of the City through either the ECC or the JIC. 2. The level of EPIO function will be based on the size and scope of the emergency or disaster. 3. The initial response will normally be covered by the Incident Commanders PIO until the activation of the ECC and the designation of an EPIO. 4. During a regional event, the King County Regional Communications and Emergency Coordination Center (KCRCECC) may establish a Joint Information Center (JIC) to coordinated regional information. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 45 City of Kent Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan 5. The Joint Information System and the Joint Information Center may both include efforts of cities; special purpose districts; nonprofit organizations (e.g. American Red Cross, Salvation Army); other counties; state, federal, and international representatives; tribal representatives; utilities; and businesses. 6. During an incident of national significance, Washington State Emergency Management Division (EMD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may establish a JIC to coordinate federal, state and local information. 7. When activated, the KCRCECC and the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) may release incident-related information to the affected audiences and the public by working with lead agencies. 8. In the event of an Incident of National Significance, FEMA may provide support to the City to assist with the dissemination of accurate and timely information. 9. In the event of a terrorist incident, the release of information to the public may be coordinated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other Federal agencies. B. Organization 1. The ECC Emergency Manager will appoint an EPIO from the ECC roster to coordinate the dissemination of incident-related information to the public. 2. The release of incident-related information will be coordinated by the EPIO through the ECC or JIC. 3. Assistants may be assigned from other agencies or departments. The designated EPIO may appoint an Assistant EPIO as needed. 4. A media staging area will be designated by the EPIO and the ECC Emergency Manager. C. Procedures 1. Detailed information on the procedures that will be used by the EPIO when operating from the ECC is found in the ECC Operations Manual. 2. Public Information Officers must be pre-identified to be utilized during ECC operations. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 46 City of Kent Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan 3. To provide consistent and accurate information PIO's must receive initial and refresher training in emergency or disaster PIO procedures. 4. PIO's will participate in ECC exercises, evaluating their procedures and adjusting them as necessary. 5. During the response, the EPIO will coordinate the dissemination of all emergency or disaster information. 6. The EPIO will provide public information news to the media by news releases, news conferences and telephone. 7. The emergency information will continue through the recovery period, providing information and instructions in regards to the City of Kent, King County, State of Washington and Federal emergency operations. This will include future plans for restoration of disaster-affected areas and instructions on how to apply for federal disaster assistance programs administered by the state. D. Mitigation Activities 1. Primary and Support Agency None E. Preparedness Activities 1. Primary Agency City of Kent Emergency Management a) Provide appropriate training for personnel on responsibilities under ESF 15. b) Identify locations for media briefings c) Establish and coordinate procedures for the EPIO function during emergencies or disasters. d) Participate in coordinated programs to educate the public regarding the hazard potential of emergencies or disasters, and the actions people may take to protect themselves, their property and the environment. e) Provide emergency management trainings, drills and exercises in support of this function. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 47 City of Kent Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan 2. Support Agency Office of the Mayor — Communications and Public Affairs City of Kent Police Department — Public Information Officer City of Kent Public Works —Public Information Officer Kent Fire Department RFA— Public Information Officer a) Develop and maintain an accurate media contact list b) Coordinate Citywide Communications including the City of Kent Communications Committee. c) Coordinate with King County Emergency Management to develop and participate in trainings, drills and exercises in support of the JIC and JIS. d) Participate in Kent emergency management trainings, drills and exercises in support of this function. City of Kent Information Technology Department a) Develop technical procedures to allow effective communications for the City of Kent for communicating with the public. F. Response Activities 1. Primary Agency Kent Office of Emergency Management The ECC Manager will appoint an EPIO EPIO a) Coordinate with the ECC Manager for EPIO support staff as necessary and available. b) Utilize the Joint Information System (JIS) and coordinate with King County Joint Information Center (if operational), ensuring that other affected jurisdictions receive consistent information. c) Continually communicate with the ECC Manager. d) Prepare all press and public information releases concerning the disaster or emergency. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 48 Oty of Kent Comprenensive emergency Management Flan e) Prepare messages to assist departmental call receivers in providing public information. f) Respond to media inquiries. g) Coordinate media briefings with the ECC Manager and the MLT (location, frequency, etc.) h) Provide escort services for the media and VIPs. i) Assess the need for an established public information phone line. j) Assist with the reparation of CodeRED and Emergency Alert System announcements. k) Assist the Director of Emergency Management and Mayor in keeping the Council informed of the situation. 1) Request additional resources as needed. 2. Support Agency None G. Recovery Activities 1. Primary Agency Kent Emergency Management EPIO a) If activated, coordinate with the appropriate agencies to deactivate the JIC. b) Disseminate information for recovery programs or available disaster assistance programs. c) Conduct a Post-Incident review. 2. Support Agency Office of the Mayor — Communications and Public Affairs City of Kent Police Department — Public Information Officer City of Kent Public Works —Public Information Officer Kent Fire Department RFA— Public Information Officer a) Assist with the deactivating the JIC b) Participate in Post-Incident review. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 49 City of Kent Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan V. RESPONSIBILITIES A. Primary Agency Kent Emergency Management 1. Provide guidance on ECC procedures and other emergency operation activities. 2. Establish and coordinate procedures for the EPIO function during emergencies or disasters. 3. Participate in coordinated programs to educate the public regarding the hazard potential of emergencies or disasters, and the actions people may take to protect themselves, their property and the environment. 4. Provide emergency management training, drills and exercises in support of this appendix. 5. Coordinate the maintenance and upkeep of the CodeRED emergency notification system. B. Support Agencies Office of the Mayor — Communications and Public Affairs City of City of Kent Police Department City of Kent Public Works Kent Fire Department RFA 1. Provide trained PIO staff to the ECC, when requested. 2. Participate in emergency management training, drills and exercises in support of this plan. 3. Prepare and coordinates public information resource materials for an emergency or disaster. 4. Conduct training for departmental personnel whose normal duties do not include PIO functions. 5. Participate in coordinated programs to educate the public regarding the hazard potential of emergencies or disasters, and the actions people may take to protect themselves, their property and the environment. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 50 City of Kent Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan King County Zone 3 Agencies 1. Provide PIO support during response or recovery from an emergency or disaster to the City of Kent, when requested. King County Office of Emergency Management 1. Activate the Emergency Alert System (EAS) as appropriate and as authorized. 2. Provide a location and equipment for the JIC. 3. Conduct training for personnel who would be called upon to staff or assist the JIC during disasters. Washington State Emergency Operations Center 1. Throughout the emergency, public information staff form the SEOC will work with the Governor's press secretary to develop and disseminate information regarding the emergency and State response efforts. State EOC staff will also be available to assist local official in disseminating emergency instructions to affected communities. 2. Coordinate with local and Federal agencies on the release of emergency information and instructions. Federal Emergency Management Agency 1. Provide for the assignment and establishment of Public Information operations at eh Joint State/Federal Disaster Field Office (JFO/FFO) after a Presidential Disaster Declaration. VI. RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS Resource requirements are identified in supporting plans and procedures. VII. REFERENCES A. City of Kent Emergency Coordination Center Operations Manual B. Central Puget Sound Operational Area EAS Local Area Plan C. King County Regional Framework for Disasters and Planned Events D. King County CEMP, ESF #15 E. National Response Framework CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 51 City of Kent Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan F. Washington State CEMP VIII. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS See Appendices 1 and 2 of this Plan. CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN • 52 6/2/2015 1 CITY OF KENT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN Overview and Update DRAFT Presentetl Io the Nen[City Council How connected are we? Current Situation • Kent is a safe,connected and beautiful city,culturally vibrant with rich urban centers. • Being connected requires focus on what, how,and when we communicate so we can inform,educate and engage our community. • Communication,teamwork and innovation will help us achieve your vision. arvor x�Kr COMMUNICATIONS PLANA 1�rif 0/J 0 0 Kent's audiences - How do we reach them? • 124,000+ people • 46,233 homes,3,455 businesses - No daily newspaper - Kent Reporter-24,967 addresses - Seattle Times-8,542 subscribers -According to media-too far south for Seattle,too far north for Tacoma - Low public engagement arvor n[hr COMMUNICATIONS PLAN %,J Ii,I i Oil 1 6/2/2015 Kent Communication Tools • Communications Team • Kent Cultural Diversity Initiative Group • KentWA.gov • News Releases • Scene eNewsletter • Green Kent eNewsletter • Neighborhood Councils Kent TV21 CAD Report • Direct Mail • Paid Advertising • State of the City Address • Online"public meetings"/surveys • DriveKent eAlerts • Special Events COMMUNICATIONS PLAN�0 4 How do we enhance community engagement? • By learning what our residents opinions and priorities are,and where they get information about the City. • Harness what we learn,and communicate with our audiences using new tools designed for this purpose. i COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 13 11i How do we do it? • An annual resident survey • Website update needed — Last updated 2009,4-year life span — 1,569 pages,600-800 is best practice — Difficult to navigate for visitors/content authors — Lack of prioritization COMMUNICATIONS PLAN , a 4 0 !0 0 2 6/2/2015 But who's online? Nearly everyone! • 900,000 visits last year • 2.2 million page views,nearly half from hand-held devices • 87%of adults use the Internet - 18-29 97% - 30-49 93% - 50-64 88% - 65+ 57% (8.8%) - >$301, 77% UIVUi NENi COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 9 Refresh Web Content Managers Team • A great tool doesn't equal a great user- experience • 80 content managers,some haven't posted since 2010 • Web maintenance not included in most job descriptions • Writing for the Web vastly different than other formats-training is critical orrorxrrn COMMUNICATIONS PLAN Take Online Surveys to the Next Level • New tools allow for virtual public meetings online • Participants can see and respond to others'suggestions in real time • Integration with our website would allow collecting of participant comments to help guide decision-making OMMUNICAnoNS PLANA III it -0 0 100 v 0 3 6/2/2015 Build a Digital Audience • Current eAlert capability no longer supported • Unable to convert 900,000 website visitors to subscribers • An eAlert website overlay would provide opportunities for visitors to directly and repeatedly sign up for updates COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 4 4 It 0 1 P Develop a Social Media Strategy • 17 Facebook pages-9,284 followers • 2 Twitter feeds-5,956 followers • YouTube/Vimeo-10,002 views • Facebook limitations due to new algorithm • Twitter is the least used among audiences, exception being media,government COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 4 +11 Yes, Kent is Social! 3.2 million Facebook accounts in King County — 1.9 million(59%)are in Seattle,Bellevue and Kent • 13-17 106,000 18-34 1.5 million y 35-54 1.1 million • 55+ 520,000 - 58%women,42%men • Strategic vs.existing in social media space requires dedicated expertise COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 0 4 6/2/2015 LEAN Resident Request Tracking and Events Posting • Duplicate,time-consuming work Spotlight Series:9 shows 110 calendars z 5-10 minutes per show= 7.5 to 15 hours,/calendar data entry.short posting window Summer Concerts:12 shows x 10 calendars,5-10 minutes per show= 10 to 10 hours o/calendar data entry-short posting window COMMUNICATIONS PLAN More Excellent Initiatives • "There's an App for that" • Live streaming for hand-held devices • Rebrand TV21 • Council Chambers Tech Upgrade arrOFgW .11.111 COMMUNICATIONS PLAN OrIll Y\i= 0 1 i Next Steps • Review and consider options • Obtain Council approval in principle to investigate options and costs • Present findings/budget scenarios • Obtain approval for budget adjustment and/or allocation OiVOF1�M COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 4 i 1 olmg 0 5