City Finance Committee Discusses Communications Director Role
MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – At Tuesday’s meeting of the City of Marshfield Finance, Budget, and Personnel Committee, members discussed the job description and role of the Communications Director, and the role of the Communications Department in general.
The Communications Director position was established in 2019.
Alderman Adam Fischer introduced the subject, explaining that the reason he asked for the item be on the agenda is to clarify some different perspectives on what the role entailed.
“I feel like I am not seeing as much come out of our Communications Department as I would like to be seeing,” contributed Alderwoman Rebecca Spiros. “I want to know from Tom, are you getting all the information you need…is this role fulfilling what you expected when you came into the City?”
“I have to say ‘no, we are not [getting the information],'” Loucks said in response to Spiros’ question. “A lot of this is structure on what the communications director can do. Right now, departments do their thing. Department heads run their department. The Communications Department is a department of everyone, not a department of public access.”
“We need a Communications Department that is proactive and not reactive,” said Alderman Eg Wagner, using the example of a recent change in street treatments. “Communications is not public access anymore. It’s not the polka party. It’s a complex thing and we need to look at it that way.”
“It needs to be more of an overall, similar to HR,” Loucks said. “We need more information and collaboration. We can seek it out. Is that what we should be doing? Should we be watchdogs? We can do that, but that turns us into more of a media entity than a team player.”
Spiros questioned if some of the duties of the role were being completed.
“I’m looking through your job function. I don’t think all of them are being done on a consistent basis. I would like to figure out a way that is going to be improved. I’m not casting blame because I don’t know why that is happening, but I’d like to suggest the department heads work with Tom and that Tom is the face of the City and he releases those press releases,” she said. “I do think there are a lot of things slipping through cracks, that aren’t getting to taxpayers.”
Per City documents, the Communications Director’s current role is to “provide strategic communications support for the City of Marshfield. The position provides communication efforts throughout the City by creating and promoting transparency with the public. The position fosters and maintains positive relationships between the City and the public by providing accurate and timely information via City publications, social media, City website, and Public, Educational and Government (PEG) Television by working with City Department and Division Heads, the City Administrator, and the Mayor.”
“I see a lot that could be done,” said Loucks.
Alderman Tom Witzel asked how much of the population important information is actually reaching.
“I don’t want to overwork you, but I think 100% of communication should go through the communication department,” he said. “I really wholly think that if we are going to provide quality communication and not have fragmented communication, 100% needs to go through you.”
Essential Job Functions Include:
- Serves as a webmaster for the City website. Serves as the administrator and content producer for
the City’s Facebook page and assists with department specific Facebook pages - Develops effective communications through social and new media tools to enhance
communications of the City - Creates a weekly City update available to the public via media outlets such as an online blog,
social media posts, MCTV, electronic bulletin boards, a newsletter, etc. - Creates a consistent communication platform for City staff.
- Creates and implements marketing/advertising campaigns for the City via radio, billboards, electronic, and print platforms
- Develops effective relationships with Department and Division Heads, the City Administrator, Mayor, elected officials, key stakeholders, and community organizations to foster positive communications of the City
- Writes, edits and distributes news releases for the City
- Assists City employees and other departments with multimedia tasks
- Oversees and manages communication department including budget, communications staff, including Public Access Television
- Provides filming and producing of the City of Marshfield’s government meetings and programs related to City government business for live and playback on MCTV, the City website via Granicus, including the City’s social and new media tools to provide transparency to the public
- Performs other related tasks as assigned
- Reviews and meets ongoing competency requirements of the role to maintain the skills,
knowledge and abilities to perform, within scope, role specific functions. - Regular attendance is required in order to carry out the essential functions of the position.
The subject of communications will be revisited at a later date.
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Author: News Desk
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