HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda CC 10.27.2020 WorkshopN otice of M eet ing of the
Governing B ody of the
C ity of Georgetown, Texas
O ctober 2 7 , 2 0 2 0
The G e orgetown City Council will meet on Octo ber 27, 2020 at 2:30 P M at Teleco nference
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Page 1 of 148
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Policy De ve lopme nt/Re vie w Workshop -
A P re sentatio n and update regarding Tree City USA requirements -- Kimberly Garrett, P arks and
Recreation Director
B P re sentatio n and discussion regarding the City of Georgetown Intergo vernmental and Legislative
P rogram and the draft Legislative Agenda for the 87th Texas Legislature ’s Regular Session in
2 02 1 -- Bridget Hinze Weber, Assistant to the City M anager
C P re sentatio n, discussion and possible direction regarding the City’s re spo nse to C O VID-19 --
J ac k Daly, Community Services D irector
D P re sentatio n and update regarding the accomplishments and next steps for the 20 19
Co mmunications and Marketing Asse ssment -- Aly Van Dyke, Director o f Communications and
P ublic Engagement
Exe cutive Se ssion
In compliance with the Open Meetings Ac t, Chapter 5 51, Government Code, Verno n's Texas Codes,
Annotated, the items listed below will be disc ussed in closed session and are subject to action in the
regular se ssio n.
Page 2 of 148
E Sec. 5 51 .07 1: Consul tati on wi th Attorney
Advice fro m attorney about pending or co ntemplated litigation and o ther matters on which the
attorney has a duty to advise the City Co uncil, including agenda items
- Litigation Update
Sec. 5 51 .07 2: Del i berati ons about Real P ro perty
- Rivehaven -- Travis Baird, Real Estate Services Manager
- Berry Creek Interceptor, P arcels 1, 2 , and 3 -- Travis Baird, Real Estate Services manager
Sec. 5 51 .07 4: P ersonnel M atters
- City Manager Work P lan
Sec. 5 51 .08 6: Certai n P ubl i c P ow e r Uti l i ti es: Competi ti ve M atters
- P urchased P ower Update
Sec. 5 51 .08 7: Del i berati ons Re gardi ng Economi c Devel opment
- P roject Woods
- P roject Wafer
- P roject Farm
Adjournme nt
Ce rtificate of Posting
I, R o b yn Dens mo re, C ity S ec retary fo r the C ity of G eorgetown, Texas , d o hereb y certify that
this No tic e of Meeting was posted at C ity Hall, 808 Martin Luther King Jr. S treet,
G eorgeto wn, T X 78626, a p lace readily ac ces sible to the general pub lic as required by law, on
the _____ day of _________________, 2020, at __________, and remained s o posted for
at leas t 72 c ontinuous ho urs p receding the s ched uled time o f said meeting.
__________________________________
R o byn Dens more, C ity S ecretary
Page 3 of 148
City of Georgetown, Texas
City Council Workshop
O ctober 27, 2020
S UBJEC T:
P resentation and update regarding Tree City U SA requirements -- Kimberly Garre tt, P arks and Recreation Director
I T E M S UMMARY:
Tree City U S A is spo nso red by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USD A Forest Service and the National
Association of State Fo resters. There are several benefits to being designated a Tre e City U SA community including:
1. A frame w o r k fo r acti on which provides fo r initial direction and a systematic management of tree resources se t
out in the standards;
2. Educati o n is available to City staff as they discuss the requirements to me e t the Tree City U S A status;
3. P ubl i c Image is displayed pro udly by the Tree City U SA sign telling visitors that o ur community cares about its
environment and quality of life;
4. Ci ti zen P ri de is a direct benefit of the program as residents value trees as an asset to the community; and
5. P ubl i ci ty o pportunities through awards and the annual Arbor Day Celebratio n.
The Tree City U S A designation is available for citie s meeting the designated standards set fo rth in the application.
Standards include
•Forestry P rogram with Annual Budget o f at least $2 /Capita
•Arbor Day Observance and P roclamatio n
•Tree Bo ard o r Department
•Tree Care Ordinance
Of all the standards required, a tree care ordinanc e is the o nly item that the City ne e ds to address in order to apply. There
is an annual recertificatio n required.
A public tree care ordinance provides an opportunity to se t goo d po licy that is legally e nforceable. It provides a guidance
for planting, maintaining and removing trees o n public property including City P arks, Rights of Ways, City Streets and
other P ublic P roperty. It also establishes a tree committee made up o f various staff which will include representative s
from P arks, P ublic Works, Electric and Code Enforcement.
A draft tree care ordinance is attached which will be brought forward to City Council fo r actio n on November 10th.
F I NANC I AL IMPAC T:
N A
S UBMI T T ED BY:
Kimberly Garrett, P arks and Recreation Directo r
AT TAC HMENT S :
Description
Draft Tree C are O rdinanc e
P resentatio n
Page 4 of 148
Draft 2020.09.30
Ordinance No. _
Description: Public Tree Care
Date Approved: _________
ORDINANCE NO. ___________
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN, TEXAS,
ADDING CHAPTER 9.16 “PUBLIC TREE CARE” TO THE CODE OF
ORDINANCES; ESTABLISHING PRACTICES GOVERNING THE
PLANTING, CARE, AND REMOVAL OF TREES ON PUBLIC
PROPERTY; PROVIDING FOR THE REMOVAL OF TREES ON
PRIVATE PROPERTY UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS;
PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY; REPEALING CONFLICTING
ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Georgetown, Texas, recognizes that trees
generally protect and enhance the quality of life and general welfare of the town; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Georgetown have long valued trees as a natural and often
irreplaceable community resource and recognize them as assets for their beauty and service; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of Georgetown, Texas, has further determined that the
protection and care of trees located on Public Property is essential to the present and future
health, safety, and welfare of all citizens, and accordingly, have determined that the adoption and
implementation of this “Public Tree Care" ordinance is meritorious and necessary.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF GEORGETOWN, TEXAS:
Section 1. The meeting at which this ordinance was approved was in all things conducted
in compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551.
Section 2. The facts and recitations contained in the preamble of this ordinance are
hereby found and declared to be true and correct, and are incorporated by reference herein and
expressly made a part hereof, as if copied verbatim.
Section 3. The Code of Ordinances of the City of Georgetown, Texas, is hereby amended
by adding Chapter 9.16 - "Public Tree Care" to read as follows:
“CHAPTER 9.16 - PUBLIC TREE CARE
Sec. 9.16.010. Purpose.
To enhance the quality of life and the present and future health, safety, and welfare of all
citizens, to enhance property values, and to ensure proper planting and care of trees on Public
Property, the City Council herein delegates the authority and responsibility for managing Public
Page 5 of 148
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Trees, establishes practices governing the planting and care of trees on Public Property, and
makes provision for the emergency removal of trees on private property under certain conditions.
Sec. 9.16.020. Definitions.
As used in this Chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings indicated:
Damage – any injury to or destruction of a tree, including but not limited to removal;
Topping; uprooting; severance of all or part the root system or main trunk; storage of
material on or compaction of surrounding soil; a substantial change in the natural grade
above a root system or around a trunk; surrounding the tree with impervious paving
materials; or any trauma caused by accident or collision.
Public Property – all real property owned or maintained by the City, including but not
limited to parkland; plazas; sidewalks and trails; City buildings and other facilities; City-
owned vacant land; City streets, alleys, and other rights-of-way; City utility easements;
and drainage areas.
Public Tree – any tree or woody vegetation on Public Property.
Topping – the non-standard practice of cutting back of limbs to stubs within a tree’s
crown to such a degree so as to remove the normal canopy and disfigure the tree.
Sec. 9.16.030. Authority and power.
A. Delegation of authority and responsibility. The City Council hereby delegates to the City
Manager the authority to establish a Public Tree Committee (the “Committee”),
comprised of appropriate City staff responsible for maintaining Public Property and
permitting projects thereon. The Committee shall have the authority and responsibility to
plant, prune, maintain, and remove Public Trees on Public Property; to establish practices
governing the planting and care of trees on Public Property; and to order the emergency
trimming or removal of trees and other landscaping on private property under certain
conditions set forth in this Chapter.
B. Coordination among City departments. All City departments shall coordinate as
necessary with the Committee and shall provide services as required to ensure
compliance with this Chapter.
C. Interference. No person shall hinder, prevent, delay, or interfere with the Committee or
its designee(s) while engaged in carrying out the execution or enforcement of this
Chapter.
Sec. 9.16.040. Tree planting and care standards.
A. Standards. The Committee shall develop and maintain standards (the “Standards”) for the
planting and care of Public Trees planted on Public Property in accordance with this
Chapter. At a minimum, all planting and maintenance of Public Trees shall conform to
the American National Standards Institute A-300 "Standards for Tree Care Operations"
and shall follow all tree care Best Management Practices (BMPs) published by the
International Society of Arboriculture, unless otherwise set forth in City ordinance or
regulation.
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B. Requirements of franchise utility companies. Unless otherwise expressly authorized by its
franchise agreement with the City, any utility company utilizing a City right-of-way shall
provide advance notice to the City of its intended non-emergency tree pruning schedule
and the location of impacted area. The maintenance of Public Trees for utility clearance
shall conform to all applicable City ordinances and regulations.
C. Tree Species List. As part of the Standards, the Committee shall develop and maintain an
official list of desirable tree species for planting on Public Property in accordance with
this Chapter (“the Tree Species List”). The Tree Species List shall organize the approved
tree species two size classes: Ornamental (20 feet or less in height at maturity) and Shade
(greater than 20 feet at maturity). Only trees from the Tree Species List may be planted
on Public Property, and only with written authorization from the Committee.
D. Planting distances. As part of the Standards, the Committee shall develop and maintain
an official set of spacing requirements for the planting of trees on Public Property. In the
event any such requirements conflict with other laws, ordinances, or standards adopted by
the City Council, such other laws, ordinances, or standards shall control.
E. Permit required. Any person, firm, corporation, or governmental entity that desires to
plant trees on Public Property shall first obtain a Right-of-Way Permit or other applicable
City approval. In the event any requirements of said approval conflict with the
Standards, such other requirements shall control.
F. Protection of Public Trees during construction. Any person, firm, corporation, or City
department performing construction in the area of any Public Tree must employ
appropriate measures to protect the tree, including, but not limited to, placing barriers
around the tree to prevent any Damage. The Standards shall identify BMPs for the
protection of Public Trees during construction. In the event any such requirements
conflict with other laws, ordinances, or standards adopted by the City Council, such other
laws, ordinances, or standards shall control.
Sec. 9.16.050. Adjacent owner responsibility.
A. The owner of land adjacent to any City right-of-way, with the written consent of the
Committee, may plant and maintain Public Trees and other plants in the adjacent right-of-
way in accordance with the Standards. Property owners are responsible for the reasonable
and routine maintenance of Public Trees and other plants in the adjacent right-of-way.
The Committee may at any time notify the property owner to prune or remove a Public
Tree or other plant planted within the adjacent right-of-way pursuant to this Chapter. If
the owner fails to comply with the notice within the timeframe set forth in said notice, the
City may undertake the necessary work and charge the cost to the property owner.
B. No property owner shall allow a tree or other plant growing on his or her property or
within the adjacent right-of-way to obstruct or interfere with pedestrians or the view of
drivers, thereby creating a hazard. If the Committee determines that a tree or other plant,
or any part of a tree or plant, within the right-of-way constitutes a hazard, the City shall
summarily remove the offending tree or plant.
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C. Except as may be set forth in an applicable license agreement approved by the City in
accordance with the City of Georgetown Code of Ordinances and Unified Development
Code, all Public Trees and other plants within a City right-of-way are subject to removal
by the City at any time and for any reason.
Sec. 9.16.060. Prohibition against harming Public Trees.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to cause Damage to, or the
removal of, a tree on Public Property without written permission from the Committee.
B. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to attach any cable, wire or signs
or any other object to any street, park, or public tree.
Sec. 9.16.070. Certain trees declared a nuisance.
Any tree, or limb thereof, on private property determined by the Committee to have contracted a
lethal, communicable disease or insect; to be dead or dying; to obstruct the view of traffic signs
or the free passage of pedestrians or vehicles; or that threatens public health, safety, and welfare
is declared a nuisance and the City may require its treatment or removal. Private property owners
have the duty, at their own expense, to remove or treat nuisance trees on their property. The
Committee shall provide a property owner written notice that a tree has been determined a
nuisance in accordance with this Section. The City may remove such trees at the owner's
expense if the owner does not comply with treatment and/or removal as specified by the
Committee within the written notification period.
Sec. 9.16.080. Violations and penalty.
In addition to any other remedies afforded the City by law, any person, firm or corporation
violating any provision of this Chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon
conviction thereof shall be subject to a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each
offense. Each day that a violation continues shall be considered a separate offense.
Sec. 9.16.090. Appeal of Committee Determinations.
Any determination of the Committee in accordance with this Chapter may be appealed by the
affected property owner, or the offending person or corporation, by submitting an appeal in
writing to the City Manager within seven (7) days of the date of the Committee’s determination.
The City Manager shall be the final authority for all appeals of a Committee determination.”
Section 4. All ordinances and resolutions or parts of ordinances and resolutions that are
in conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance are repealed to the extent of the conflict and all
other ordinances of the City not in conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance shall remain in
full force and effect.
Section 5. That should any word, sentence, clause, paragraph or provision of this
Ordinance be held to be invalid or unconstitutional the remaining provisions of this Ordinance
shall remain in full force and effect.
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Section 6. The Mayor is hereby authorized to sign this Ordinance and the City Secretary
to attest. This Ordinance shall become effective in accordance with the provisions of the Charter
of the City of Georgetown.
PASSED and APPROVED on First Reading ___day of ____________, 2020.
PASSED and APPROVED on Second Reading ___day of ____________, 2020.
THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN
_____________________________
Dale Ross, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________________ _______________________________
Robyn Densmore, City Secretary Skye Masson, City Attorney
Page 9 of 148
City of GeorgetownPage 10 of 148
Points of discussion
•Introduction of the Program
•Program Benefits
•Program Standards Required
•Public Tree Ordinance
•Next Steps
Page 11 of 148
Tree City USA Introduction
•Sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the
USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State
Foresters
•Provides structure on which the community can build its forestry
program
•By meeting standards, it provides systematic management of tree
resources
•Requires a Public Tree Care Ordinance
–Provides for management practices of trees in ROW and on
public property.
–City currently only has a new development tree ordinance
Page 12 of 148
Program Benefits
•Framework for Action
•Education
•Public Image
•Citizen Pride
•Publicity
Page 13 of 148
Program Standards
•Forestry Program with Annual Budget of at
least $2/Capita
•Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation
•Tree Board or Department
•Tree Care Ordinance
Page 14 of 148
Public Tree Care Ordinance
•Provides an opportunity to set good policy that is legally enforceable
•Guidance for planting, maintaining and removing trees on public property
–City Parks
–Rights of Ways (Electric and Street)
–City Streets –(vehicle clearance and blind corner)
–Other Public Property
•Establishes a tree board/committee and provides for responsibilities
–Designate staff from various departments such as Parks, Public Works, Electric and Code Enforcement to serve on a committee
Page 15 of 148
Public Tree Care Ordinance
•Affects multiple departments such as Parks,
Streets, Electric and Code Enforcement
•Both the Electric Department and the Parks
Department have resources to manage trees
in City Parks and under electric lines
•Code Enforcement’s role would be to notify
resident of violation
•Ordinance reflects active management of
trees in the right of way.
Page 16 of 148
Next Steps
•Consideration of Public Tree Care
Ordinance
–1st Reading on November 10th
–2nd Reading on November 24th
•Once ordinance is adopted, apply for Tree
City USA; Annual recertification
–Texas Forest Service has reviewed the draft
Public Tree Care Ordinance and supports the
language
Page 17 of 148
Questions?
Page 18 of 148
City of Georgetown, Texas
City Council Workshop
O ctober 27, 2020
S UBJEC T:
P resentation and discussion regarding the City o f Ge orgetown Intergovernmental and Legislative P rogram and the draft
Legislative Agenda for the 8 7th Texas Legislature’s Regular Sessio n in 2021 -- Bridget Hinze Weber, Assistant to the
City M anager
I T E M S UMMARY:
Staff will an update on the 20 20/21 legislative program and propose a draft State Legislative Agenda for the City Co unc il
to adopt for the 87 th Legislative Session. Typically, the state legislature considers approximately 1,500 bills that directly
affect Texas citie s. Staff ho pes to track certain bills during the upcoming legislative se ssio n, as well as communicate
regularly with state elected o fficials and staff. To help ensure City staff is acting in ac c ordance with Council direction,
the proposed le gislative Agenda will serve as a guide when engaging with state officials.
F I NANC I AL IMPAC T:
None at this time.
S UBMI T T ED BY:
Bridget Hinze Weber, Assistant to the City Manage r
AT TAC HMENT S :
Description
P resentatio n
S tate Legislative Agend a - Task F orc e R edlines
Draft O ne P ager S tate Legislative Agenda - 87th S es s ion
Draft S tate Legis lative Agend a - 87th S essio n
Page 19 of 148
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS PROGRAM
87TH STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: OCTOBER 27, 2020
Page 20 of 148
AGENDA
•Overview of Legislative Program and Key Initiatives
•2021 State Legislative Agenda for the 87th
Legislative Session
•Next steps for program
•Seeking guidance on:
•Draft 2021 State Legislative Agenda
•Program next steps
Page 21 of 148
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM OVERVIEW
•Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
•Legislative Task Force
•Outreach and Engagement
•State Legislative Agenda
•RFIs/Position Papers
Page 22 of 148
WHY WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Page 23 of 148
OUR ROLE IN AUSTIN
•Represent Georgetown residents
•Communicate with legislators
•Monitor legislative process and react accordingly
Page 24 of 148
2020/21 LEGISLATIVE SCHEDULE
•The House will elect a speaker in January
•The Legislature can hold committee hearing in the early days of session, but per the
constitution, legislators can’t pass any bills during the first 60 calendar days –unless
the governor declares it an emergency item or it’s an emergency appropriation
Page 25 of 148
LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE
•New citizen stakeholder group to
engage the public in the State
Legislative Agenda development
process
•Comprised of existing, active leaders
in the community -the leadership of
City Boards and Commissions
•Met for 5 meetings from August –
October to provide input on the City
of Georgetown 2021 State
Legislative Agenda
Page 26 of 148
STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
•Serves as the foundation for the City’s advocacy strategy:
•High-level summary of City positions adopted by City Council
•Includes funding needs with policy priorities
•Incorporates legislative priorities of allies
Page 27 of 148
2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Protect City of Georgetown Interests: The City of Georgetown (City) supports legislation that benefits the City and opposes legislation detrimental to the City, including bills that:
•Limit the City’s ability to abide by the principle of self-government;
•Mandate increased City costs;
•Mandate decreased City revenue;
•Limit the City’s ability to advocate on behalf of the community
through trade associations and consultants; and
•Diminish the City’s authority to provide for the public’s health,
safety, and welfare.
Page 28 of 148
2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Preserve Municipal-Government Policy Enactment
•The City supports legislation that protects the rights of elected
municipal officials to enact ordinances that address the policy
priorities and needs of cities’ residents, businesses, and visitors.
Page 29 of 148
PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF WHILE
PRESERVING CURRENT SALES TAX REVENUE
The City supports legislation that provides meaningful property tax relief to owners of property in the City’s jurisdiction.
•The City supports transparency regarding property tax rates, property values, and
property tax income.
•The City opposes expansion of revenue, tax, or appraisal caps which limit the City’s
ability to raise sufficient funds to pay for critical municipal public policy services.
•The City opposes shifting the tax burden from one taxpayer to another taxpayer.
•The City supports maintaining provisions for debt financing so it can issue financial debt
to pay for such expenditures as infrastructure and equipment.
The City supports legislation allowing for the local sourcing of sales and use taxes for internet orders.
Page 30 of 148
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS’ INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC
UTILITIES AND ASSETS
•The City supports legislation that ensures the City can continue to own and operate the City of Georgetown Utility Systems.
•The City opposes legislation that negatively impacts the service level, stability, or return-on-investment for its residents.
•The City supports legislation that maintains state and regional water plans and while preserving authority to continue the City of Georgetown Water Utility’s current operational system within its current jurisdictional boundaries.
•The City opposes legislation that would deny the City from being adequately compensated for the use of its rights-of-way, would erode municipal authority over the management and control of rights-of-way, or both.
Page 31 of 148
KEEPING GEORGETOWN COMPETITIVE
•The City supports legislation maintaining incentives that
supplement local economic development strategies to fund
employee recruitment and retention.
•The City supports the continuation of Type A and Type B sales tax
that can be used to pursue and retain primary employer jobs.
Page 32 of 148
TRANSPORTATION FUNDING FOR CURRENT AND
FUTURE GROWTH
•The City supports legislation that would allow municipal-elected
officials, municipal voters, or both to approve city funding options to
pay for construction, maintenance, and repair of streets, sidewalks,
and transportation authorities.
•The City supports efforts to ensure the equitable distribution of
state funding and the continued full funding of Propositions 1 & 7,
as well as the extension of the Proposition 1 sunset provision.
Page 33 of 148
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT TO MAINTAIN
GEORGETOWN’S UNIQUE CHARACTER
The City supports legislation to maintain the municipal election officials’ authority to regulate city growth and development through city land development ordinances.
Annexation:
•Primary Position: The City supports a position which would allow for pre -2017 annexation requirements.
•Secondary Position: The City supports retaining requirements established in 2019 while expanding opportunities for voluntary annexation by property owners that are not contiguous to the city limits and allowing for pre -2017 annexation requirements for areas surrounded by City limits for contiguous City boundaries.
Development Process:
•Primary Position: The City supports legislation that clarifies that House Bill 3167 (86th Regular Session) only applies to changes made to an application intake process or unified-development-code -approval process while improving the opportunity to collaborate with applicants to solve problems and challenges.
•Secondary Position: Support the retention of House Bill 3167 (86th Regular Session) for only the largest of Texas cities or else allow for local control on decision making regarding an applicant’s request for a waiver relating to House Bill 3167 requirements.
Building Codes and Materials:
•The City supports legislation that repeals amendments to House Bill 2439 (86th Regular Session) which preempted cities from regulating building materials.
Page 34 of 148
PARKS AND RECREATION INVESTMENT FOR A
HEALTHY GEORGETOWN
•The City supports legislation that enhances the investment in parks
and open spaces and conserves open spaces that connect
communities safely to the mental, social, and physical benefits of
outdoor and recreational opportunities.
Page 35 of 148
CONTINUATION OF A VIBRANT ARTS & CULTURE
COMMUNITY
•The City supports legislation that funds the arts and libraries to
support a strong and vibrant City of Georgetown arts and cultural
industry by:
•Preserving the use of Municipality Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT)
to fund the arts; and
•Maintaining municipality autonomy in allocation of HOT revenue
Page 36 of 148
PROGRAM NEXT STEPS
•Stakeholder outreach with the 2021
State Legislative Agenda to
community partners
•Building a digital network of
community advocates
•Public outreach:
•Webpage:
https://georgetown.org/intergovernmental-relations/
Page 37 of 148
FEEDBACK REQUESTED
•Seeking guidance on:
•Draft 2021 State Legislative Agenda
•Program next steps
Page 38 of 148
City of Georgetown
2021 State Legislative Agenda - Draft
87th Legislature
Protect City of Georgetown Interests
The City of Georgetown (City) supports legislation that benefits the City and opposes legislation
detrimental to the City, including bills that:
• Limit the City’s ability to abide by the principle of self-government;
• Mandate increased City costs;
• Mandate decreased City revenue;
• Limit the City’s ability to advocate on behalf of the community through trade associations and
consultants; and
• Diminish the City’s authority to provide for the public’s health, safety, and welfare.
Preserve Municipal-Government Policy Enactment
The City supports legislation that protects the rights of elected municipal officials to enact ordinances that
address the policy priorities and needs of cities’ residents, businesses, and visitors.
Provide Property Tax Relief While Preserving Current Sales Tax Revenue
The City supports legislation that provides meaningful property tax relief to owners of property in the City’s
jurisdiction.
• The City supports transparency regarding property tax rates, property values, and property tax
income.
• The City opposes expansion of revenue, tax, or appraisal caps which limit the City’s ability to
raise sufficient funds to pay for critical municipal public policy services.
• The City opposes shifting the tax burden from one taxpayer to another taxpayer.
• The City supports maintaining provisions for debt financing so it can issue financial debt to pay for
such expenditures as infrastructure and equipment.
The City supports legislation allowing for the local sourcing of sales and use taxes for internet orders.
Protecting Taxpayers’ Investment in Public Utilities and Assets
The City supports legislation that ensures the City can continue to own and operate the City of
Georgetown Utility Systems.
The City opposes legislation that negatively impacts the service level, stability, or return-on-investment for
its residents.
The City supports legislation that maintains state and regional water plans and while preserving authority
to continue the City of Georgetown Water Utility’s current operational system within its current
jurisdictional boundaries.
Page 39 of 148
The City opposes legislation that would deny the City from being adequately compensated for the use of
its rights-of-way, would erode municipal authority over the management and control of rights-of-way, or
both.
Keeping Georgetown Competitive
The City supports legislation maintaining incentives that supplement local economic
development strategies to fund employee recruitment and retention.
The City supports the continuation of Type A and Type B sales tax that can be used to pursue and retain
primary employer jobs.
Transportation Funding for Current and Future Growth
The City supports legislation that would allow municipal-elected officials, municipal voters, or both to
approve city funding options to pay for construction, maintenance, and repair of streets, sidewalks, and
transportation authorities.
The City supports efforts to ensure the equitable distribution of state funding and the continued full
funding of Propositions 1 & 7, as well as the extension of the Proposition 1 sunset provision.
Planning and development to Maintain Georgetown’s Unique Character
The City supports legislation to maintain the municipal election officials’ authority to regulate city growth
and development through city land development ordinances.
Annexation:
• Primary Position: The City supports a position which would allow for pre-2017 annexation
requirements.
• Secondary Position: The City supports retaining requirements established in 2019 while
expanding opportunities for voluntary annexation by property owners that are not contiguous to
the city limits and allowing for pre-2017 annexation requirements for areas surrounded by City
limits for contiguous City boundaries.
Development Process:
• Primary Position: The City supports legislation that clarifies that House Bill 3167 (86th Regular
Session) only applies to changes made to an application intake process or unified-development-
code-approval process while improving the opportunity to collaborate with applicants to solve
problems and challenges.
• Secondary Position: Support the retention of House Bill 3167 (86th Regular Session) for only the
largest of Texas cities or else allow for local control on decision making regarding an applicant’s
request for a waiver relating to House Bill 3167 requirements.
Building Codes and Materials:
• The City supports legislation that repeals amendments to House Bill 2439 (86th Regular Session)
which preempted cities from regulating building materials.
Page 40 of 148
Parks and Recreation Investment for a Healthy Georgetown
The City supports legislation that enhances the investment in parks and open spaces and conserves
open spaces that connect communities safely to the mental, social, and physical benefits of outdoor and
recreational opportunities.
Continuation of a Vibrant Arts & Culture Community
The City supports legislation that funds the arts and libraries to support a strong and vibrant City of
Georgetown arts and cultural industry by:
• Preserving the use of Municipality Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) to fund the arts; and
• Maintaining municipality autonomy in allocation of HOT revenue
Page 41 of 148
CITY OF GEORGETOWN 2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
CITY OF GEORGETOWN
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE 87TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE’S
REGULAR SESSION IN 2021
PROTECT CITY OF GEORGETOWN INTERESTS
The City of Georgetown (City) supports legislation that benefits the City and opposes legislation detrimental to the City,
including bills that:
• Limit the City’s ability to abide by the principle of self-government;
• Mandate increased City costs;
• Mandate decreased City revenue;
• Limit the City’s ability to advocate on behalf of the community through trade associations and consultants; and
• Diminish the City’s authority to provide for the public’s health, safety, and welfare.
PRESERVE MUNICIPAL-GOVERNMENT POLICY ENACTMENT
The City supports legislation that protects the rights of elected municipal officials to enact ordinances that address the
policy priorities and needs of cities’ residents, businesses, and visitors.
PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF WHILE PRESERVING CURRENT SALES TAX REVENUE
The City supports legislation that provides meaningful property tax relief to owners of property in the City’s jurisdiction.
• The City supports transparency regarding property tax rates, property values, and property tax income.
• The City opposes expansion of revenue, tax, or appraisal caps which limit the City’s ability to raise sufficient
funds to pay for critical municipal public policy services.
• The City opposes shifting the tax burden from one taxpayer to another taxpayer.
• The City supports maintaining provisions for debt financing so it can issue financial debt to pay for such
expenditures as infrastructure and equipment.
The City supports legislation allowing for the local sourcing of sales and use taxes for internet orders.
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS’ INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC UTILITIES AND ASSETS
• The City supports legislation that ensures the City can continue to own and operate the City of Georgetown
Utility Systems.
• The City opposes legislation that negatively impacts the service level, stability, or return-on-investment for its
residents.
• The City supports legislation that maintains state and regional water plans and while preserving authority
to continue the City of Georgetown Water Utility’s current operational system within its current jurisdictional
boundaries.
• The City opposes legislation that would deny the City from being adequately compensated for the use of its
rights-of-way, would erode municipal authority over the management and control of rights-of-way, or both.
KEEPING GEORGETOWN COMPETITIVE
• The City supports legislation maintaining incentives that supplement local economic development strategies to
fund employee recruitment and retention.
• The City supports the continuation of Type A and Type B sales tax that can be used to pursue and retain primary
employer jobs.
Page 42 of 148
TRANSPORTATION FUNDING FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GROWTH
The City supports legislation that would allow municipal-elected officials, municipal voters, or both to approve city
funding options to pay for construction, maintenance, and repair of streets, sidewalks, and transportation authorities.
The City supports efforts to ensure the equitable distribution of state funding and the continued full funding of
Propositions 1 & 7, as well as the extension of the Proposition 1 sunset provision.
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT TO MAINTAIN GEORGETOWN’S UNIQUE CHARACTER
The City supports legislation to maintain the municipal election officials’ authority to regulate city growth and
development through city land development ordinances.
Annexation:
• Primary Position: The City supports a position which would allow for pre-2017 annexation requirements.
• Secondary Position: The City supports retaining requirements established in 2019 while expanding
opportunities for voluntary annexation by property owners that are not contiguous to the city limits and allowing
for pre-2017 annexation requirements for areas surrounded by City limits for contiguous City boundaries.
Development Process:
• Primary Position: The City supports legislation that clarifies that House Bill 3167 (86th Regular Session) only
applies to changes made to an application intake process or unified-development-code-approval process while
improving the opportunity to collaborate with applicants to solve problems and challenges.
• Secondary Position: Support the retention of House Bill 3167 (86th Regular Session) for only the largest
of Texas cities or else allow for local control on decision making regarding an applicant’s request for a waiver
relating to House Bill 3167 requirements.
Building Codes and Materials:
• The City supports legislation that repeals amendments to House Bill 2439 (86th Regular Session) which
preempted cities from regulating building materials.
PARKS AND RECREATION INVESTMENT FOR A HEALTHY GEORGETOWN
The City supports legislation that enhances the investment in parks and open spaces and conserves open spaces that
connect communities safely to the mental, social, and physical benefits of outdoor and recreational opportunities.
CONTINUATION OF A VIBRANT ARTS & CULTURE COMMUNITY
The City supports legislation that funds the arts and libraries to support a strong and vibrant City of Georgetown arts
and cultural industry by:
• Preserving the use of Municipality Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) to fund the arts; and
• Maintaining municipality autonomy in allocation of HOT revenue
CITY OF GEORGETOWN
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE 87TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE’S
REGULAR SESSION IN 2021
CITY OF GEORGETOWN 2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMPage 43 of 148
87TH STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION
CITY OF GEORGETOWN
2021
STATE LEGISLATIVE
PROGRAM
Page 44 of 148
CITY OF GEORGETOWN 2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The City of Georgetown’s Intergovernmental Affairs Program advocates, coordinates and advances the City’s
legislative agenda to enhance the City’s ability to govern and provide essential municipal and community
services. The purpose of the program is to ensure the City’s interests are protected and enhanced through
active involvement in the legislative process and strong intergovernmental relationships.
The City of Georgetown’s 2021 State Legislative Program is formed and created by community leaders to
advocate for the citizens of Georgetown.
LEGISLATIVE AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
SUBCOMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
The City of Georgetown Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee is a Standing Subcommittee,
a permanent Subcommittee of the City Council established to coordinate City policies related to state and
federal legislation and local ordinances.
The Subcommittee oversees:
• development of state and federal legislative agendas
• position on local partner ordinances
• development of position papers
• policies and programs that promote interagency cooperation
• advocating activities
2020/21 Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee Members:
Mayor Dale Ross
Councilmember Steve Fought, District 4
Councilmember Rachel Jonrowe, District 6
Page 45 of 148
CITY OF GEORGETOWN 2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE
The Legislative Task Force provided input to the Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee on the
issues relevant to the State Legislative Agenda in preparation for the 87th Texas State Legislative Session. The
Task Force met from August 2020 through October 2020 to develop a draft Agenda for the Subcomittee’s
consideration.
The Legislative Task Force is a special ad hoc group comprised of active leaders in the community - the
leadership of City Boards and Commissions. With the membership comprised of the Boards and Commissions
leadership, the Legislative Task Force are knowledgeable members of the community, educated on City
priorities, and representing a wide range of City interests.
2020/21 Legislative Task Force Members:
Levera Patton, ADA Advisory Board
Laura Klein Plunkett, Animal Shelter Advisory Board
Jane Estes, Arts and Culture Advisory Board
Bill Stump, Building Standards Commission
George Lourigan, Commission on Aging
Dawn Korman, Ethics Commission
Gordon Pierce, Firefighters’ and Police Officers’ Civil Service Commission
Rick Woodruff, Georgetown Electric Utility Advisory Board
Robert Case, Georgetown Electric Utility Advisory Board
Councilmember Tommy Gonzalez, Georgetown Government and Finance Advisory Board
Larry Raper, Georgetown Housing Authority
Sheila Mills, Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board
Alfred Hajka, Georgetown Transportation Enhancement Corporation
Thomas Glab, Georgetown Water Utility Advisory Board
Amanda Parr, Historic and Architectural Review Commission
Bob Weimer, Housing Advisory Board
Michael Kelley, Library Advisory Board
Aaron Adams, Main Street Advisory Board
Katherine Kainer, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Aaron Albright, Planning and Zoning Commission: Appointed
Jaquita Wilson, Strategic Partnerships for Community Services
PJ Stevens, Unified Development Code Advisory Commission
John Marler, Zoning Board of Adjustment
Page 46 of 148
CITY OF GEORGETOWN 2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
PROTECT CITY OF GEORGETOWN INTERESTS
The City of Georgetown (City) supports legislation that benefits the City and opposes
legislation detrimental to the City, including bills that:
• Limit the City’s ability to abide by the principle of self-government;
• Mandate increased City costs;
• Mandate decreased City revenue;
• Limit the City’s ability to advocate on behalf of the community through trade
associations and consultants; and
• Diminish the City’s authority to provide for the public’s health, safety, and welfare.
PRESERVE MUNICIPAL-GOVERNMENT
POLICY ENACTMENT
The City supports legislation that protects the rights of elected municipal officials to enact
ordinances that address the policy priorities and needs of cities’ residents, businesses, and
visitors.
PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF WHILE
PRESERVING CURRENT SALES TAX REVENUE
The City supports legislation that provides meaningful property tax relief to owners of
property in the City’s jurisdiction.
• The City supports transparency regarding property tax rates, property values, and
property tax income.
• The City opposes expansion of revenue, tax, or appraisal caps which limit the City’s
ability to raise sufficient funds to pay for critical municipal public policy services.
• The City opposes shifting the tax burden from one taxpayer to another taxpayer.
• The City supports maintaining provisions for debt financing so it can issue financial
debt to pay for such expenditures as infrastructure and equipment.
The City supports legislation allowing for the local sourcing of sales and use taxes for internet
orders.
Page 47 of 148
CITY OF GEORGETOWN 2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS’ INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC
UTILITIES AND ASSETS
The City supports legislation that ensures the City can continue to own and operate the City of
Georgetown Utility Systems.
The City opposes legislation that negatively impacts the service level, stability, or return-on-investment for
its residents.
The City supports legislation that maintains state and regional water plans while preserving authority to
continue the City of Georgetown Water Utility’s current operational system within its current jurisdictional
boundaries.
The City opposes legislation that would deny the City from being adequately compensated for the use of
its rights-of-way, would erode municipal authority over the management and control of rights-of-way, or
both.
KEEPING GEORGETOWN COMPETITIVE
The City supports legislation maintaining incentives that supplement local economic
development strategies to fund employee recruitment and retention.
The City supports the continuation of Type A and Type B sales tax that can be used to pursue and retain
primary employer jobs.
Page 48 of 148
CITY OF GEORGETOWN 2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
TRANSPORTATION FUNDING FOR CURRENT AND
FUTURE GROWTH
The City supports legislation that would allow municipal-elected officials, municipal voters, or both to
approve city funding options to pay for construction, maintenance, and repair of streets, sidewalks, and
transportation authorities.
The City supports efforts to ensure the equitable distribution of state funding and the continued full
funding of Propositions 1 & 7, as well as the extension of the Proposition 1 sunset provision.
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT TO MAINTAIN
GEORGETOWN’S UNIQUE CHARACTER
The City supports legislation to maintain the municipal election officials’ authority to regulate city growth
and development through city land development ordinances.
Annexation:
• Primary Position: The City supports a position which would allow for pre-2017 annexation
requirements.
• Secondary Position: The City supports retaining requirements established in 2019 while
expanding opportunities for voluntary annexation by property owners that are not contiguous to the
city limits and allowing for pre-2017 annexation requirements for areas surrounded by City limits for
contiguous City boundaries.
Development Process:
• Primary Position: The City supports legislation that clarifies that House Bill 3167 (86th Regular
Session) only applies to changes made to an application intake process or unified-development-
code-approval process while improving the opportunity to collaborate with applicants to solve
problems and challenges.
• Secondary Position: Support the retention of House Bill 3167 (86th Regular Session) for only the
largest of Texas cities or else allow for local control on decision making regarding an applicant’s
request for a waiver relating to House Bill 3167 requirements.
Building Codes and Materials:
• The City supports legislation that repeals amendments to House Bill 2439 (86th Regular Session)
which preempted cities from regulating building materials.
Page 49 of 148
CITY OF GEORGETOWN 2021 STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
PARKS AND RECREATION INVESTMENT FOR A
HEALTHY GEORGETOWN
The City supports legislation that enhances the investment in parks and open spaces and conserves
open spaces that connect communities safely to the mental, social, and physical benefits of outdoor and
recreational opportunities.
CONTINUATION OF A VIBRANT ARTS & CULTURE
COMMUNITY
The City supports legislation that funds the arts and libraries to support a strong and vibrant City of
Georgetown arts and cultural industry by:
• Preserving the use of Municipality Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) to fund the arts; and
• Maintaining municipality autonomy in allocation of HOT revenue
Page 50 of 148
City of Georgetown, Texas
City Council Workshop
O ctober 27, 2020
S UBJEC T:
P resentation, discussion and possible direction regarding the City’s response to CO VID-19 -- J ack Daly, Community
Services Direc to r
I T E M S UMMARY:
Staff will prese nt an update regarding the City's re spo nse to C OVID-19 and seek City Council concurrence on public
gatherings and the approach to holiday events.
F I NANC I AL IMPAC T:
N/A
S UBMI T T ED BY:
J ackson Daly
AT TAC HMENT S :
Description
Draft P resentation
Page 51 of 148
Gatherings, Lighting of the Square,
and Promoting Downtown During
COVID-19
October 27, 2020
Page 52 of 148
Overview
•Revisit Council policy on gatherings
•Discuss Alternatives for Lighting of the Square
•Highlight Downtown Promotions During Holidays
Seeking City Council concurrence on gatherings and approach to
Light of the Square.
Page 53 of 148
COVID-19 Gathering Policy
•Governor’s Order Requires Mayor Approval for Outdoor Gatherings of More
than 10 People, with exceptions
•Exceptions for certain businesses/activities as identified in the Governors
guidelines for reopening Texas
•No occupancy limits for outdoor dining
•Wedding Venues and Movie theaters = 75%
•Generally, City has not been approving outdoor gatherings of more than
10 people
•For instance, would need to approve outdoor gatherings in a backyard
•Limited all pavilion rentals (even large ones) to 10 or fewer
•BUT many more people allowed in Community Center
Page 54 of 148
Revisit gatherings
•Recommendations going forward
•Issue proclamation requiring event organizers to follow Governor guidance
•"Allow outdoor gatherings, inclusive of public spaces, so long as they
follow Governor’s Order"
•If event requires a special event permit, the event will be required to
provide COVID -19 safety plan
•Create enforcement provisions to address violations of COVID -19 safety
plan (both for event organizers and attendees)
Page 55 of 148
Alternatives for Lighting of the Square
1.Host typical event (not recommended)
2.“Experience the Lights” Campaign
•Nov. 27-29
•Music and Food Vendors around Courthouse
•Music, hot chocolate, kettle corn, etc
•Virtual lighting
3.Strictly virtual promotion
•Coordinated marketing to promote lights during entire holiday season
Page 56 of 148
Coordinated Downtown Promotion
•Series of events to be co-marketing with Chamber, DGA, Downtown
Businesses
•Jingle Mingle (fka Ladies Night Out) –Nov. 19
•Shop Small -Nov. 28
•Artist Sunday –Nov. 29
•Cyber Monday –Nov. 30
•Giving Tuesday –Dec. 1
•Expanded Market Days on 2nd Saturday
•Stroll cancelled
Page 57 of 148
City of Georgetown, Texas
City Council Workshop
O ctober 27, 2020
S UBJEC T:
P resentation and update regarding the accomplishments and next steps for the 2 01 9 Communications and Marketing
Assessment -- Aly Van Dyke, Director of Communications and P ublic Engagement
I T E M S UMMARY:
In 2019, the City engaged Cooksey Communications to perform an assessment of communication proc e sse s,
procedures, and resources (including public relations and crisis co mmunications). Audit work too k place J an. 22 through
April 23, 20 19 , and inc luded an invento ry of communication channe ls and outcome measures, reviewe d community
engagement efforts, and assessed the City’s relationship with other entities.
The resulting assessment laid the fo undation fo r a strategic c ommunications plan for the City and made 1 9
recommendatio ns, including guidance on branding and messaging, dire c tion o f measuring outco mes and successes, and
suggestions on re so urce allo cation and organizatio n.
The Communications and P ublic Engagement (C AP E) Department has made significant progress toward most o f tho se
recommendatio ns, even with significant resources being devo ted to C OVID-1 9 re spo nse thro ughout 2 02 0. The five-
member team has developed new internal processes to intake, prioritize , track, and analyze work; increased e mphasis and
content on social media, more than tripling our reach and engagement on Facebo ok alone; impro ved accessibility to City
information by increasing Spanish-language translation and oppo rtunities to engage and inte ract with the City; and he ld
our inaugural State o f the City event in J anuary 2 02 0.
Work to accomplish the 19 recommendations fro m the communications assessment continues this year, through updating
policies and procedures to fo rmalize and standardize co mmunications processes and best practices and comple te
communications visioning with departments to be tter understand their o verall goals and how communicatio ns can he lp.
The most impo rtant work completed this year will be co mpleting a branding analysis and style guide. Updating, refining,
and co mpleting the City’s brand will unify the City’s co mmunications pre sence across departments and help position the
City as a trusted, valued, recognized vo ice in our community. Having a co mpleted brand is essential to accomplish the
majority of remaining tasks from the communicatio ns assessment.
The City selected North Star to conduct the branding effort after a competitive bidding process, and we are in the final
stages of contract negotiations. North Star is a recognized leader in its field and helped our own Convention and Visito rs
Bureau in 2019 develop a strategic plan. One of the eleme nts o f North Star ’s proposal that sto od out among the firms
that applied was its robust community engagement process, which calls upo n City Co uncil, staff, and the co mmunity to be
involved in all stages of its development. The branding effort is estimate d to take about nine months, and will leave the
City with a clear understanding o f who we are and how we c an best communicate with o ur re side nts. Delive rables inc lude
logo update and positioning, brand voice and narrative, style guide, and implementation matrix, all of which will be used to
develop our co mmunications strategy on both a daily and strategic basis.
F I NANC I AL IMPAC T:
$44,000
S UBMI T T ED BY:
Aly Van Dyke
AT TAC HMENT S :
Description
2019 C o mmunic ations As s es s ment
P resentatio n
Page 58 of 148
COMMUNICATIONS
ASSESSMENT
Presented by
Cooksey Communications
April 23, 2019
Page 59 of 148
City of Georgetown Communications Assessment Page 2 of 77
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................3
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................4
Introduction and Background ....................................................................................10
Charge to the Consultant ......................................................................................10
Methodology ........................................................................................................11
Situational Analysis ...................................................................................................15
Situational Overview ...........................................................................................15
Resident Communications Survey Analysis ........................................................17
Key Interview Takeaways....................................................................................27
Opportunities and Challenges ..............................................................................30
Target Audiences ................................................................................................36
Key Messages ......................................................................................................37
Current Communications Activities ....................................................................38
Strategic Objectives and Recommendations ..............................................................45
Objective 1 ...........................................................................................................45
Objective 2 ...........................................................................................................58
Objective 3 ...........................................................................................................60
Objective 4 ...........................................................................................................64
Monitoring Trends and Looking Ahead ..............................................................69
Measurement of Results .......................................................................................70
Implementation Considerations ...........................................................................73
Conclusion .................................................................................................................76
Appendices .................................................................................................................77
Appendix A: Resident Communications Survey
Appendix B: Summary of Benchmarking Research
Appendix C: Interview Guides
Appendix D: City of Georgetown Logo Guidelines
Appendix E: City of Georgetown Public Communications Plan
Appendix F: City of Georgetown Social Media Policy
Appendix G: City of Georgetown Website Style Guidelines `
Appendix H: 2018 State of the City Presentation
Appendix I: Communications Department Organizational Chart
Page 60 of 148
City of Georgetown Communications Assessment Page 3 of 77
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Cooksey Communications would like to express its sincere appreciation to the City of
Georgetown for the opportunity to partner on this comprehensive communications and marketing
assessment.
We would like to acknowledge the tremendous investment of time and energy of City Manager
David Morgan, Assistant to the City Manager Jackson Daly, Communications Manager Keith
Hutchinson and the City’s Communications Department, and the numerous City staff members
and community partners who contributed their valuable input during interviews throughout the
process.
Special recognition is also due to the members of the Georgetown City Council for their
contributions to this plan and support of the communications audit.
Page 61 of 148
City of Georgetown Communications Assessment Page 4 of 77
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
For many years, Georgetown has been a quiet, small-town that is known nationally as a top
destination for retirees and as a regional tourist destination. Dynamic growth in the Central
Texas region is transforming the city. As Georgetown leaders welcome thousands of new
residents, they are working through the growing pains of trying to maintain a small-town
environment while also delivering the amenities and service that newcomers are used to
receiving from larger communities. At the same time, the City has struggled with recent
operational issues and media challenges that have resulted in a loss of trust from the same
community members.
As Georgetown looks toward its future, it is clear that this the right time to assess its
communications processes and tools. The Communications Department has been working with a
core staff of three – a communications manager, an information specialist and a videographer.
Additional communications or marketing positions have been hired directly into other
departments, and some staff positions have absorbed communications activities into their regular
duties. This decentralization of communications has limited the core team’s ability to be nimble
enough to support the City’s ongoing campaigns and departments’ needs while also dealing with
crises. The core team spends so much time dealing with urgent issues that it has not been able to
dedicate enough time to proactive, strategic communications, creating the impression that City
communications is always a step behind.
Georgetown is not the only city dealing with decentralization. Nearby, the City of Round Rock
has marketing/communications positions embedded into other departments but has been able to
establish a strong core team. Meanwhile, Pflugerville is in the process of restructuring its
department to bring all communications positions under a single umbrella.
It should be noted that during the timeframe this report was being researched and developed,
Georgetown was dealing with two major crises. At the time we conducted the resident
communications survey, individual interviews and focus groups, the Georgetown Utility Systems
(GUS) energy contract issue had come to light and the City announced the Power Cost
Adjustment (PCA) increase. It was impossible to have a discussion about City communications
that was not clouded by this issue, which gained national attention. As we complete the report,
the City is still dealing with the Atmos gas leak affecting a significant section of the community.
Page 62 of 148
City of Georgetown Communications Assessment Page 5 of 77
The mandatory evacuations associated with this gas leak have left some businesses closed for
more than a month and families unable to return to their homes.
Strong, proactive communications are essential to helping the City work though its growing
pains. This means that the City will have to take a more strategic approach, getting ahead of
issues before they become a challenge, and being intentional about building community and
media partnerships so that when a crisis does occur the City has a network of brand advocates
who can help carry a timely, accurate message and not only inform, but also engage, the
community. Similarly, the City needs to become better about proactively listening to and
engaging with its stakeholders rather than just communicating to/at them, and it needs to
consistently remind stakeholders that they have real, meaningful opportunities to provide input
that will be taken into consideration as important decisions are being made.
The City also needs to be more proactive about sharing positive messages. So much time and
effort is spent on addressing the City’s problems that residents forget about all the good things
that are happening, like the airport success story or the library’s national recognition. This can be
accomplished by adding staff resources, working from a comprehensive strategic
communications plan and adopting tools that will help the team be more efficient.
This communications audit outlines in detail our assessment of the current communications tools
being used by the City; feedback we received from City staff, City Council members, community
partners and residents; key strategies and recommendations; and suggested measurements for
evaluating the results. To place some of these items in better context, we have also included
information about how Georgetown’s communications processes, tools and results compare with
those of peer cities.
Through stakeholder feedback, City staff suggestions and abundant research, Cooksey has
identified the following actions as the most critical for achieving the City’s strategic
communications objectives.
1. Rebrand and Restructure the Communications Department. Renaming the
Communications Department as the Communications and Public Engagement
Department signifies the City’s commitment to increasing the amount of its
communications and engagement with stakeholders. The newly restructured department
should be led by a Director of Communications and Public Engagement, who will
provide strategic guidance and serve as a listener and bridge-builder to community
Page 63 of 148
City of Georgetown Communications Assessment Page 6 of 77
stakeholders. Under the restructured department, the title of Public Information Officer
will be added to Keith Hutchinson’s title, and Beth Wade will be shifted into a Marketing
and Social Media Coordinator role, positioning her as a central hub for citywide
marketing and communications. The restructured team also includes the addition of a
graphic designer to fill this skill gap and a video production assistant. A Neighborhood
Services Coordinator/Manager will also be added to support the departments increased
engagement with stakeholders. This role will be filled by shifting a marketing position
from another department. Additional support for the Communications Department will
come from a monthly retainer engagement with a full-service agency that can provide
expertise for several projects recommended in this report and support routine
communications and public engagement activities.
2. Create and implement processes for strategic and proactive planning, such a developing
an updated comprehensive annual or biannual strategic communication plan, establishing
regular touchpoints with department leaders, creating an internal system for prioritizing
projects and communicating estimated completion dates, and changing the format of the
Communications team meetings.
3. Leverage cost-effective communications tools to share the most relevant information with
audiences, in the ways they most prefer to receive information, including:
• Publishing a monthly two-page Community Impact ad
• Adjusting the content and distribution of the Georgetown Reporter
• Expanding and redesigning the Georgetown Weekly e-newsletter to more of a
digital magazine format
• Creating a social media calendar to ensure consistent postings
• Boosting social media posts for specific issues to increase reach
• Producing and distributing more direct mail pieces
• Repurposing GEM content
• Continuing to work with Mayor Ross on monthly editorial columns and finding
ways to repurpose them
• Subscribing to a media monitoring service
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4. Conduct a website analysis and make site adjustments based on the input. There are
mixed feelings about the website, and while a complete redesign is not necessary, it will
be worth the City’s time to identify specific areas where the website, including the
mobile/responsive version, may be improved. The City may also add a page to the
website to highlight awards and accolades reinforcing the idea that Georgetown’s
government is transparent and providing high quality amenities. Items to be included in
this list include top city rankings, receipt of the National Medal for Library and Museum
Services from the Institute of Library and Museum Services, receipt of the Bloomberg
grant and the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial
Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association, among others.
5. Develop crisis communications plans for issues and emergency events. The City’s Public
Communications Policy, which includes some crisis communications procedures for
emergency events, needs to be updated, expanded and developed into a complete crisis
communications plan. Having a plan in place for both events and issues will establish a
clear line of communications and enable the City to be nimble in its response.
6. Include a Communications Department member during initial discussions for major City
projects or events, and then develop proactive communications plans for each.
Communications has been an afterthought in most City projects. Including a
Communications Department member at the early planning stages will enable the team to
identify any potential issues and address them before they become a larger problem for
the City.
7. Conduct crisis media training for staff who may serve as a City spokesperson. Any City
staff who are likely to participate in a media interview should be trained for this situation.
It will help staff members better understand how to integrate key messages into responses
and create a sense of confidence, which will come across during the interview as being
more professional.
8. Engage an external communications consultant to assist with significant crises.
Sometimes it is best to get an outside opinion from a team that is not so closely involved
with an issue.
9. Establish quarterly meetings with key community partners and visit neighborhood groups
and HOAs annually. The community partners we spoke with all desire to have a stronger
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relationship with the City, but without a Neighborhood Services Director it has been
difficult to establish these ties. Communications can serve this role, working with
partners to reach their audiences and collaborate on new opportunities.
10. Increase participation and engagement at public meeting and town hall events by:
• Building on the success of the On the Table discussion
• Hosting informal opportunities to meet with the Mayor and their Councilmembers
• Conducting digital town hall meetings
• Using apps that enable participants to provide instant feedback
• Working with development partners and architects to integrate virtual reality
technology
11. Leverage community partnerships to provide resources for underserved communities
such as offering materials with Spanish translations, working with religious leaders to
share information that impacts their parishioners, producing a limited quantity of printed
materials for targeted distribution in low-income neighborhoods and becoming involved
with the Georgetown Independent School District’s Bilingual Services family night.
12. Develop a centralized inbound communications tool for residents to receive information
from the City. Having this system in place will enhance the City’s ability to respond to
stakeholder questions in a timely manner.
13. Host a State of the City event. The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce currently hosts
the State of the City breakfast, but it is limited to a business audience. The City has an
opportunity to make this event accessible to a broader audience and have more control
over the content by hosting it in the evening at a City-owned venue.
14. Update the City’s logo guidelines and conduct a review of the current logos being used
by individual departments. Several City departments are using individual logos that do
not have a strong tie to the City’s brand. This assessment will be opportunity for the City
to create new logo guidelines that specify when a new logo may be created and how
individual department logos may be used, and then determine whether the logos fit within
the new standards.
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15. Create City-branded templates for e-newsletters, ads, direct mailers, door hangers, flyers,
posters, social media banners and PowerPoints for community and City Council
presentations.
16. Adopt a distinctive brand voice on social media platforms by working with a third-party
consultant to identify a voice that aligns with the City’s culture and then use Sprout or a
similar tool to manage the City’s social media postings. Additionally, reduce the number
of City department managed social media accounts to one per department per platform to
streamline maintenance and increase reach.
17. Host a social media photo contest to secure much-needed photos of the city, generating
public engagement and inspiring civic pride. The Parks and Recreation Department has a
need for photos but no budget to pay a professional photographer. Hosting a social media
photo contest is a fun way to get residents, show off some of Georgetown’s best assets
and, perhaps, secure some high-quality images that may be used for future collaterals.
18. Turn City staff, elected officials and community partners into brand ambassadors by
providing them a toolkit with key messages, FAQs, press releases and other information
that will help them answer resident questions.
19. Continue measuring progress on all these fronts by repeating the resident
communications survey on an annual basis, with an enhanced methodology as described
below in the Resident Communications Survey Analysis section (Page 16) to increase the
response rate and more accurately measure external stakeholder perceptions and needs.
Performing regular measurements and benchmarking activities such as this survey is
important for the Communications Department as it will inform strategies for the
strategic communications plan, marketing campaigns and other initiatives.
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INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
Charge to the Consultant
In 2018, the City of Georgetown issued an RFP for bids to retain a strategic communications
consultant to conduct an audit of the City’s existing communications materials and processes.
The intended result was to generate a report offering a third-party, candid review of the City’s
communications resources, processes and outcomes and highlighting recommendations that may
ultimately be used as a roadmap for creating a long-term, strategic communications plan.
Of the six bids that were submitted, the City decided to engage Cooksey Communications to
perform the communications assessment. The agency was selected based on its proposed
approach, cost considerations, its strong reputation among municipal communications
professionals, and its deep bench of expertise in working with Texas municipalities and public
entities. Cooksey has consulted with dozens of cities that include Lewisville, Richardson, Wylie,
Cedar Park, Irving, Allen, Athens, Coppell, El Paso, Grapevine, Irving, Lubbock, Mesquite,
Plano, Sachse and Southlake. Its work with other public or quasi-governmental agencies includes
representations of or projects for the Port of Freeport, Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau,
Plano Economic Development, Richardson Economic Development Partnership, Region C
Water Planning Group and Upper Trinity Regional Water District, among many others.
Cooksey began its engagement with the City of Georgetown in January 2019 with a charge to
assess the current communications, processes, procedures and resources currently being utilized
throughout the City to communicate with its external audiences. As part of this process, Cooksey
was asked to analyze all public relations and crisis communications efforts, inventory the City’s
various communications channels, metrics and results, and review the City’s engagements and
relationships with community partners and other key audiences. Based on this information,
Cooksey was asked to develop a report highlighting its primary findings, identifying key
objectives and providing strategic recommendations to help the City better leverage its resources
to more effectively and efficiently communicate with its target audiences.
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Methodology
To initiate the communications audit process, Cooksey Communications first held a planning
meeting with Assistant to the City Manager Jackson Daly and Communications Manager Keith
Hutchinson at their offices in City Hall. This provided us with insight into the current processes,
resources and outcomes of the City’s communications initiatives. Following this initial meeting,
Cooksey conducted an in-depth review of the City’s communications tools and metrics and
participated in follow-up calls with Keith Hutchinson for more insight into the specific uses and
perceived effectiveness of these tools.
In order to gain additional insight from outside of the Communications Department, Cooksey
conducted interviews with City staff members, elected officials, community partners and
communications representatives from peer cities. The agency also worked with the City’s
Communications Department to develop and distribute a communications survey to get a better
sense of where residents are currently getting City information, how they prefer to be
communicated with, what type of information they want to receive, how often they want to
receive it and how they want to provide public input/feedback to the City on proposed initiatives
and community issues. A detailed analysis of this survey and its results begins on page 16.
Below is a more detailed list of the key activities performed during the communications
assessment:
• Initial planning meeting/interview with Jackson Daly and Keith Hutchinson
• One-on-one interviews with the following:
o Mayor Dale Ross
o Council Member Anna Eby
o Council Member Valerie Nicholson
o Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem John Hesser
o Council Member Steve Fought
o Council Member Kevin Pitts
o Council Member Rachael Jonrowe
o Council Member Tommy Gonzalez
o City of Georgetown Human Resources Director Tadd Phillips (via phone)
o City of Georgetown Parks & Recreation Director Kimberly Garrett (via phone)
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• Focus group interviews with the following City staff members:
o City Manager David Morgan
o Assistant City Manager Laurie Brewer
o Assistant City Manager Jim Briggs
o Assistant City Manager Wayne Reed
o Assistant to the City Manager Jackson Daly
o Communications Manager Keith Hutchinson
o Information Specialist Beth Wade
o Multimedia Specialist John Njagi
o City Attorney Charlie McNabb
o City Secretary Robyn Densmore
o IT Director Chris Bryce
o Municipal Court Administrator Cathy Leloux
o Purchasing Manager Rosemary Ledesma
o Fleet Services Manager Stan Hohman
o Budget Manager Paul Diaz
o Planning Director Sofia Nelson
o Economic Development Director Michaela Dollar
o Chief Building Official Glen Holcomb
o Parks & Recreation Special Events/Marketing Melissa Pecorino
o Library Director Eric Lashley
o Assistant Library Director Sally Miculek
o Fine Arts Librarian Dana Hendrix
o Library Marketing Coordinator Rachael Pattillo
o Tourism Manager Cari Miller
o CVB Marketing Coordinator Marcy Renneberg
o Police Chief Wayne Nero
o Assistant Police Chief Cory Tchida
o Fire Chief John Sullivan
o Assistant Fire Chief Clay Shell
o Chief Code Enforcement Officer Brad Hofmann
o Animal Services Manager April Haughey
o GUS Utility Director Glenn Dishong
o GUS Water Services Manager David Thomison
o GUS Electric Operations Manager Mike Westbrook
o GUS Customer Care Director Leticia Zavala
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o GUS Control Center Manager Chelsea Solomon
o GUS Marketing Program Coordinator Judie Mattocks
o Public Works Director Octavio Garza
o Streets and Drainage Superintendent Dan Southard
o Environmental Services Manager Teresa Chapman
o Systems Engineering Manager Wesley Wright
o CIP Manager Michael Hallmark
• Focus group interviews with the following external stakeholders:
o Williamson County Public Affairs Director Connie Odom
o Georgetown Chamber of Commerce Director of Marketing Allison McKee
o Downtown Georgetown Association President Lisa King
o Southeast Georgetown Community Council Executive Director Norma Perales
o Southeast Georgetown Community Council Board Member Chuck Collins
o Southeast Georgetown Community Council Community Liaison Alex Clark
• One-on-one phone interviews with the following external stakeholders:
o Georgetown ISD Executive Director Melinda Brasher
o Georgetown Health Foundation Vice President of Strategic Philanthropy Suzy
Pukys
o Southwestern University Chief Marketing Officer Tim Cobb
o Sun City Community Association Director Krystal Wilson
• Review of external and internal communications materials, including but not limited to:
o City of Georgetown website
o City of Georgetown social media channels
o City-produced materials
o Departmental communications materials
o Media outlets that cover or could potentially cover Georgetown news and events,
including Community Impact, Williamson County Sun, Georgetown Advocate
Profile and the Austin American-Statesman
o Review of comparable cities’ corporate communications department structures
and brand positioning materials; interviews with key personnel; comparison to
previous city communications plans and best practices evaluated by Cooksey
Communications
o Review of City organizational chart and budget
o Regular discussions with Jackson Daly and Keith Hutchinson
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• Benchmarking research, including a review of websites, social media or other relevant
information/materials, on the following “peer” or “aspirational” cities:
o Allen, Texas
o Cedar Park, Texas
o Flower Mound, Texas
o New Braunfels, Texas
o Pflugerville, Texas
o Sugar Land, Texas
o Round Rock, Texas
• In-depth benchmarking interviews with Communications representatives from the
following “peer” cities:
o Cedar Park, Texas
o Flower Mound, Texas
o New Braunfels, Texas (via written response to provided questions)
o Pflugerville, Texas
o Sugar Land, Texas
o Round Rock, Texas
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SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
Situational Overview
The City of Georgetown, Texas is quickly evolving into a dynamic city that is working to
preserve its small-town appeal while also providing world-class amenities and services to a
diverse community. Situated 30 miles north of Austin, and directly along the heavily traveled I-
35, the City serves as a gateway to Central Texas and the Hill Country.
As the county seat of Williamson County, Georgetown has adapted over the years to
accommodate its ever-changing audiences. The decision to locate I-35 though Georgetown
spurred new economic opportunities for the agricultural hub, eventually leading to the
development of the robust Sun City age-restricted community in 1995. Limited to individuals 55
and over, the 5,300-acre Sun City development offers more than 8,000 single-family dwellings
and duplexes for active seniors. The tremendous success of the project earned Georgetown a
national reputation as being a top retirement community, with a higher-than-average percentage
of residents over the age of 65. However, the perception of Georgetown as a retirement
community is changing. Georgetown, and Central Texas, are experiencing rapid growth from the
region’s booming economy. In fact, over the past decade the region has been identified by the
U.S. Census Bureau as among the fastest-growing in the nation. Major corporations from across
the nation have been moving to Austin and its surrounding cities, while longstanding tech
companies such as Apple in North Austin and Dell in Round Rock, are expanding their presence.
With such as heavy tech presence, Central Texas has also created an environment in which
startups are thriving.
The pace of this growth has stressed nearby Austin’s infrastructure, with housing become scarce
or relatively unaffordable. As families and young professionals seek out more affordable housing
options that include all their desired amenities, many are settling down in Georgetown. The
completion of the 130 Tollway made Georgetown even more accessible for Austin commuters.
Additionally, the presence of master-planned, mixed-use developments like Wolf Ranch and
Wolf Ranch Town Center are making it possible for residents to enjoy Georgetown’s small-town
charm and still have access to employment, modern homes and big-city amenities.
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Georgetown is also becoming a top tourist destination. Fitness-minded millennials have
discovered the scenic parks and trails, and the City’s “Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas”
campaign has been effective in attracting tourists to the local restaurants, boutiques and art
galleries.
This growth is visibly altering the demographic makeup of the city. As younger residents move
from the big city to a smaller town, they bring along their expectations for a high quality of life
and top-notch city services. At the same time, the sources from which they are getting their news
and information are different from the sources that have been effective with previous
generations.
In the midst of this growth, Georgetown is experiencing several communications challenges. The
City’s communications have become decentralized, with new marketing positions being hired
directly into specific departments that can absorb the salary rather than by the core team. This
decentralization has contributed to the core team’s limited ability to quickly and effectively
respond to several issues, such as the Georgetown Utility Systems (GUS) energy contract issue,
the Atmos Energy gas leak and other recent emergency events.
With Georgetown on the verge of its next evolution, this is an ideal time for the City to step back
and examine its communications tools and resources to ensure that all residents are receiving
timely, accurate information through their preferred channels.
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Resident Communications Survey Analysis
With the assistance of Cooksey Communications, the City of Georgetown developed and
administered a confidential online survey of community residents, distributing the survey
through the City’s weekly e-newsletter (“Georgetown Weekly”), sent to approximately 12,000
subscribers. The survey was embedded as a link within the e-newsletter, as part of a story
explaining the survey’s purposes. A copy of the e-newsletter text and the final survey appear in
the appendix to this report. The survey was distributed via the e-newsletter twice, on Feb. 15 and
22, and survey results were tabulated on March 6.
Survey questions were closely modeled after those used by other peer cities in Texas and
nationally, to allow for optimal “apples to apples” benchmarking of the results.
A total of 281 respondents participated in the survey, with most respondents completing all or
virtually all the survey’s seven questions. The response rate to the survey was 2.3%, based on the
e-newsletter database of 12,000. Future surveys should incorporate additional distribution and
collection methodologies, as well as a participation incentive (e.g., random gift card drawing for
survey respondents who agree to provide their contact information), to drive greater
participation.
Survey Reliability and Respondent Demographics
The survey’s reliability is good, though not as strong as it could be. With 281 respondents, we
can be 95% confident that responses are accurate to within about six percentage points (plus or
minus). To reduce that margin of error by half, to about three percentage points (plus or minus),
the City would need about 1,000 or more survey responses.
Since the survey was administered electronically only, the survey results may be skewed to
reflect the input of more digitally connected residents, perhaps underrepresenting populations
with less digital access. Future surveys should incorporate phone or mail sampling as part of
their methodology, both to increase the number of total responses (thus, reducing the margin of
error) and also to account for residents’ varying degrees of digital connectivity.
By administering the survey to residents who have self-selected themselves to receive the City’s
weekly e-newsletter or who follow the City’s social media accounts, or saw the Facebook
advertisements to take the survey, it is likely that the survey reached an audience who are more
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likely to be engaged and aware, than would otherwise be the case. This could, in turn, somewhat
skew the results to reflect greater awareness of the City’s communications efforts (in particular,
awareness of the e-newsletter and social media).
Since the survey did not require respondents to entire a unique code or other personal identifying
information, it is possible that the survey may include some duplicate responses. Future surveys
should also provide for this, to prevent purposeful efforts to skew the results.
Additionally, since the survey data is being evaluated in raw form, without any weighting (by
age, sex, race, zip code, or other factor) to reflect the city’s actual demographic breakdown, there
could be some skewing in the data as analyzed. In the future, the city should hire a professional
survey firm (or university research team) to weight the data based on key demographic factors.
Demographically, survey respondents who provided their age and gender were fairly
representative of the community’s overall adult 25-and-over population (using that age cutoff as
a measure since that is the vast majority of those who received and responded to the survey),
although survey respondents skewed slightly older than the general populace, largely due to an
especially high response rate among the age 65-74 sector. The male-female breakdown of
respondents was roughly in line with the community’s overall population.
Survey Respondents City Population
(of adults 25+) (of adults 25+)
Age 25-34 5.5% 13.1%
Age 35-44 11.0% 15.3%
Age 45-54 15.1% 14.1%
Age 55-64 15.1% 17.0%
Age 65-74 35.3% 21.8%
Age 75+ 18.0% 18.8%
Survey Respondents City Population
Male 43.8% 47.2%
Female 51.8% 52.8%
(4.4% prefer not to say)
Future surveys should also include an expressly stated deadline, to ensure respondents know by
when they must submit their responses in order to be counted.
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Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it is noteworthy that this survey was completed shortly
after the City announced plans to increase the power cost adjustment (PCA) on customers’
monthly electric bills – an announcement that was not received well by many in the community.
This prominent public issue directly hitting residents in the wallet right as they were receiving
this survey may have skewed the survey results downward – and perhaps did so significantly,
although this is hard to measure with any certainty.
Survey Responses and Question-by-Question Analysis
Quality and Effectiveness of Current Communications Tools and Strategies (question #1)
Survey respondents were asked their opinion of the quality and effectiveness of each major
communication tool or strategy currently in the City’s communications toolkit, or alternatively,
could indicate if they didn’t use or didn’t have an opinion about the tool or strategy’s
effectiveness. Based on this, we can easily see which tools or strategies are regarded most
favorably by respondents, and we can also roughly deduce which communications tools receive
the most and least usage (or at least which ones register in some way with respondents).
The most highly rated of the City’s communications tools and strategies were:
• Georgetown Weekly weekly e-newsletter (69% rated as either a 4 or 5)
• City communications through Nextdoor.com (66%)
• Georgetown Reporter utility bill insert (60%)
• City Facebook page (54%)
• GTV 10 public access TV channel (52%)
• City website (52%)
The lowest-rated of the City’s communications tools and strategies were as follows:
• City YouTube page (only 32% rated as either a 4 or 5)
• City Twitter account (35%)
• Town Hall meetings and/or City presentations (36%)
• Street banners/pole signs (51% - not far from the bottom end of the “highly rated” list
above)
Usage/Awareness of Current Communications Tools and Strategies (question #1)
Usage/awareness of the following was highest:
• Street banners/pole signs (only 18% don’t use or had no opinion)
• City website (19% don’t use/no opinion)
• City communications through Nextdoor.com (28% don’t use/no opinion)
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• Georgetown Reporter utility bill insert (34% don’t use/no opinion)
• Georgetown Weekly e-newsletter (38% don’t use/no opinion)
We have seen similar results in other cities, where street banners are noticed the most by city
residents. This may reflect the fact that these banners are used primarily for special events and
occasions, thus attracting significant notice from residents who travel around the city to areas
where the banners are displayed.
Usage/awareness of the following was lowest:
• City YouTube page (83% don’t use/no opinion)
• City Twitter account (80% don’t use/no opinion)
• GTV 10 public access (71% don’t use/no opinion)
• City Facebook page (53% don’t use/no opinion)
• Town Hall meetings and/or city presentations (50% don’t use/no opinion)
These results are fairly consistent with what we see from other cities conducting similar surveys,
in terms of the limited audience using some communications platforms. This also speaks to the
growing issue of cities needing to reach out to audiences however they like to be communicated
with, which can vary significantly from person to person. However, communications channels
and platforms with significantly lower usage/awareness rates should be scrutinized closely, to
ensure the resources being applied specifically towards those channels are appropriate given the
return on investment.
Relative Importance of Current Communications Tools and Strategies (question #2)
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the tools and strategies that tended to score highest on the relative
importance question were:
• City website (highest composite score)
• Georgetown Weekly weekly e-newsletter
• Georgetown City Reporter utility bill insert
• City Facebook page
• Town Hall meetings
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Whereas the lowest-scoring tools and strategies for relative importance were:
• City YouTube page (lowest composite score
• GTV 10 public access
• City Twitter account
• City banners/pole signs
• City communications through Nextdoor.com
Satisfaction with the Overall Quality and Effectiveness of the City’s Communications (question
#3)
Overall, 42% of respondents gave top marks (a 4 or 5) for their satisfaction with the quality and
effectiveness of the City’s communications with them. This is arguably the most important
question in the survey, as it indicates how well stakeholders feel the City is doing, as a whole,
with its communications program.
Benchmarking of this measure is necessary to understand how this score compares with other
cities across Texas who have asked the same question, using the same 1-5 scale, on their own
communications surveys in the past few years.
Other cities’ scores are as follows (% reflects number of respondents giving the city a 4 or 5 on
this question):
• Sugar Land 79%
• Richardson 78%
• Cedar Hill 69%
• Round Rock 65%
• Pflugerville 63%
• Mesquite 55%
• Fort Worth 49%
• Tyler 45%
• Georgetown 42%
• Austin 35%
Again, we strongly suspect Georgetown would have scored more highly in the responses to this
question, had it not been asked immediately after the announcement of the PCA increase.
Repeating this survey next year should yield a better analysis – especially if the survey
methodology is enhanced to increase the survey data’s reliability.
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Non-City News Sources for Information About What’s Happening in Georgetown (question #4)
The most popular, non-City sources of local news and information were:
• Community Impact 79%
• Williamson County Sun 65%
• Nextdoor.com 56%
• Georgetown View 55%
• Friends/Word of Mouth 48%
• Local TV News 46%
• Austin American-Statesman 35%
• Facebook 31%
• Neighborhood Association 30%
• Local Radio 12%
• Other 9% (respondents cited sources such as Hello Georgetown)
• Advocate News 7%
• Twitter 7%
• Austin Business Journal 4%
This ranking is significant, as it tells the City’s Communications Department not only which
media outlets and communications channels to focus their efforts on, but also may suggest a new
strategy for ensuring a printed communication reaches every household in the City.
As noted elsewhere in this report, the monthly utility bill insert is a flawed vehicle for this for
two key reasons: (1) It’s significantly overbroad, by reaching many utility customers/households
who aren’t even in the City limits, meaning that the recipients have varying degrees of interest in
the City-specific news (as opposed to utility-related news) included therein; and (2) Since many
utility customers now receive their bill electronically, they do not even receive the printed
Georgetown City Reporter, unless they choose to download it electronically (a step most
recipients are unlikely to take).
However, since Community Impact is mailed to every household in the City, and since it has
extremely high readership/reliance rates (as indicated by this survey), the editorial content
included in the publication does effectively reach Georgetown residents. If the City wants to
further enhance its efforts to ensure content it controls reaches residents, then the City may also
wish to consider a paid monthly insert (full-page or a two-page spread) within the Community
Impact publication – and if it pursues this strategy, the utility bill insert could be refocused to
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concentrate on only utility-related communications, making it more apt/relevant to the recipients,
if not eliminated altogether.
Please see the Recommendations section of this report for further discussion of this option.
Satisfaction with Various Forms of City Communications (question #5)
When asked to rate their satisfaction with various types of City communications on a 1-5 scale,
respondents’ weighted scores were as follows, ranked from highest to lowest:
• Education/outreach about City special events (Cupid’s Chase, Red Poppy, etc.) 3.6
• The usefulness of information on the City’s website 3.2
• The availability of information about City programs/services 3.2
• Education/outreach efforts re: stormwater, roads and other infrastructure issues 3.1
• Awareness of opps. to be involved in City public meetings 2.9
& decision-making processes
• Efforts to keep residents informed about critical issues with which 2.9
the City’s involved
• Outreach efforts about City utilities (water, electricity, etc.) 2.7
• How well the City listens and responds to residents’ needs 2.6
Likely, frustrations with the City’s utility issues are playing a significant factor in the relatively
low score for this type of communications. It is perhaps more noteworthy that the City’s lowest
score for this question relates to how well the City listens and responds to residents’ needs – as
opposed to how well it informs residents (pushes information to them). This suggests the City
needs to make a concerted effort to improve its resident engagement, creating more opportunities
to foster two-way dialogue (as opposed to one-way communications at/to residents).
How Often Respondents Use Various Social Media Platforms (question #6)
When asked about their usage of social media platforms, survey respondents indicated the
following:
• Facebook: Over 35% of respondents use Facebook throughout the day, with another 17%
using Facebook 1-2 times per day and 13% using the platform 13% per week. Facebook
usage is clearly the highest, by far, of any platform among survey respondents.
• Twitter: This is one of the survey respondents’ least-used platforms, with 64% using it
never and another 8% using it only several times per year. However, there is a cohort of
intense users who are active on the platform daily, with a combined 15% of respondents
using Twitter either throughout the day or at least 1-2 times per day.
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• YouTube: This platform is also fairly lightly used by survey respondents, with 41% using
it never and another 14% who use it only several times per year. Only about 9% of survey
respondents combined are active on YouTube throughout the day or at least 1-2 times per
day.
• Instagram: Similar to Twitter, this is a lightly used platform by survey respondents, with
67% using it never. Also like Twitter, there is a noticeable cohort who use it intensely,
with 17% of respondents saying they are active on the platform every day, either
throughout the day or at least 1-2 times daily.
• Other Social Media Platforms: Nextdoor.com was by far the next most commonly cited
“other” social media platform used by survey respondents who filled in this blank.
Open-Ended Question: How the City of Georgetown Could Best Improve or Change Its
Communications With You (question #7)
Over 170 survey respondents submitted suggestions in response to this question, and the
common themes were as follows, with the most frequently expressed comments listed first and
the number of similarly themed comments noted in parentheses:
• Provide more transparency and openness (34)
o Provide more information rather than less, whenever possible
o Provide information earlier rather than later, whenever possible
o Frankly admit mistakes and clearly communicate about proposed fixes
o The electricity contracts and rodeo arena were specifically cited by some
respondents as examples of issues where transparency and openness were
perceived to be lacking
• Don’t change a thing/everything’s great (17)
• Improve the City website (16)
o Making it easier and more intuitive to navigate
o Improve the mobile/responsive version of the site to allow for similar
functionality and ease of finding materials as on the desktop site
o Make sure commonly needed materials and links are more prominently accessible
through one or two clicks (utility bills, City Council meeting
schedules/agendas/videos, City calendar of meetings/events, etc.)
o Add a new resident checklist page/section to the site (similarly, consider
developing a welcome packet for new community residents, to orient them to City
services and communications options)
o Improve the functionality of the search tool
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• Provide more/better recurring emails or e-newsletters (10)
o Simple emails are preferred, with links to obtain more information
o Focus on information related to public meetings, emergencies, proposed
infrastructure projects, project start/completion dates, festivals/events, etc.
o Make sure to highlight upcoming Council/Commission meetings and agendas,
where possible, and possibly also provide a brief summary of decisions made at
most recent Council/Commission meetings
• Make a better effort to listen to residents’ comments/concerns/needs and engage the
community before decisions are made (9)
o More and more easily accessible public meetings
o More surveys, online Q&As, suggestion boxes, etc. to get public input
• Provide more/better emails or text alerts related to specific time-sensitive issues such as
service schedule changes, emergencies, etc. (6)
o Push notifications are preferred to making residents go seek out information
themselves
o Make better use of the website homepage (top banner/scrolling news) to showcase
schedule changes and emergencies
o Find a way to alert neighborhoods about locally relevant road closures and other
neighborhood-specific/localized news (note: an app with geo-based notification
features could accomplish this)
• Use social media – especially Facebook – more (6)
• Make sure public meetings are scheduled later in the day, when more residents can
attend/participate (4)
• Better communicate about crises (gas leaks, SWAT situations, etc.) and do so in a more
timely manner (3)
• Make information more easily understandable by laypeople, with more graphics and
bullets, less jargon (3)
• Make better/more use of GTV Channel 10 (3)
• Improve overall responsiveness (3)
It is worth noting that virtually no respondents wanted less communication; rather, they all want
more and better communications. Thus, resources will need to be allocated appropriately to
ensure these needs are met, as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Several respondents’ suggestions also revealed a lack of awareness about the City’s current
communications channels and tools, as they recommended the City implement efforts that are
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already in place. Thus, it would benefit the City to better and more frequently/prominently cross-
promote its own communications tools across all channels – encouraging weekly e-newsletter
sign-ups, promoting the existing social media handles, better publicizing GTV’s options
(including online streaming of Council meetings), and so on.
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Key Interview Takeaways
Throughout the process of conducting individual interviews and focus group sessions with City
Council members, City staff and community partners, some key themes emerged related to the
City’s communications processes and results. These key takeaways included the following:
• For the most part, departments with an assigned marketing/communications person
are not clear about which tasks they should be handling internally, and which tasks
should be done by the Communications Department. As a result, they primarily work
with the Communications Department on developing press releases or videos.
• The Communications Department is trying to be more strategic about its video
production due to the large number of requests and limited bandwidth, but many
departments are circumventing this process by developing their own videos. In
several cases, the Communications Department has received and declined requests to
create videos on topics that they did not feel were good fits for this storytelling medium.
In other cases, the team simply cannot fulfill the request as quickly as it is needed. This
has resulted in several departments hiring their own videographers or creating their own
videos.
• Across the board, the City’s staff and community partners feel like the
Communications Department does not have enough bandwidth to accommodate all
its requests. They think the team is doing a great job, they just need more staff.
• The City has need of a graphic design resource. No one on the Communications
Department has graphic design training, nor do any of the marketing/communications
people in other departments. A few departments have been able to outsource some of
these services, but the majority of collaterals being produced for the City are created in-
house and may not be consistent with City branding.
• There are mixed feelings about how easy it is to access information on the City’s
website. Some think it’s a great resource, but others say it’s hard to find specific
information. Many staff members expressed concern about how difficult it is to update
their departmental pages on the website, and that they are unclear if they should be
working with Communications or IT for assistance. Approximately 40% of the
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communications survey respondents are satisfied with the website, and an additional 25%
are neutral. However, many survey respondents also commented that it is difficult to find
information.
• Several City staff members and community partners do not believe there is a strong
strategic direction within the Communications Department. Almost everyone agrees
that the Communications Department does a great job with the “meat and potatoes,” but
they do not see the Communications Department being proactive in anticipating issues
before they arise or taking a strategic approach to handling an issue once it has taken
root.
• City departments have been siloed in the past and are still adjusting to a new
culture in which there is greater cooperation and information sharing. This longtime
separation of departments has created confusion about who are the appropriate contacts
for various resident inquiries, as well as how empowered each department is to address
their specific communications needs and issues. While staff members feel like there is
more information being shared today than two years ago, they still don’t think it’s
enough. This is especially true for frontline employees who deal with the public daily and
often get questions that are unrelated to their departments.
• Recent issues and emergency events have created greater awareness of the City’s
need to create a crisis communications plan and to conduct media training. Elected
officials, community partners, residents and City staff members remarked on how long it
took the City to share information with the community. They also commented that the
language used in key messages and press releases is often too technical and needs to be
easier for people who are not familiar with the topic to understand. Many would like to
see the City develop a communications plan during the early stages of planning for
citywide projects or at the first sign of a potential issue. They would like to see the City
get ahead of issues with key messages and accurate information, rather than respond after
someone else has told the story.
• Community partners value their relationship with the City and want to be more
intentional about sharing information to leverage each other’s communications
channels. In some cases, the partners are not sure who is the appropriate contact within
the City for coordinating these efforts. In other cases, the partners appreciate the
information that is shared but would like more two-way interaction so they can better
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identify the information that is most important to their audiences and coordinate the
appropriate messaging. Some partners also expressed that they would like to better
coordinate the timing of information that is shared, giving their audiences an opportunity
to get involved in the early stages instead of after something has been voted on by the
City Council.
• The City is doing a great job reaching senior citizens but engaging with households
in disadvantaged neighborhoods remains a challenge. Spanish-speaking households
are being missed since the City does not translate most of its materials. As well, low-
income homes are less likely to have Internet access and therefore rely on printed pieces
for City information.
• There is a desire to approach citywide communications with the brand in mind.
Several departments have created separate logos and manage their own social media
accounts, which causes some concern about maintaining a consistent City brand when it’s
currently being represented by several different voices. There are some who would like to
see the City move away from its neutral tone and establish a definitive brand voice, like
what they have seen in Round Rock’s social media. Additionally, there are some City
staff and elected officials who would like to see the City’s vision statement be integrated
into more of the City’s marketing and communications materials.
Cooksey factored in these key takeaways, along with the resident communications survey and
benchmarking research, to identify the key objectives and develop the recommendations that are
outlined in the Objectives and Recommendations section of this report.
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Opportunities and Challenges
The City of Georgetown is a fast-growing community that is working to maintain its small-town
atmosphere while managing the rapid growth that is changing its traditional demographics.
Residents love their community, with an overwhelming 98% of respondents to the resident
satisfaction survey indicating that they have a good or excellent quality of life and 81%
indicating the value of City services is good or excellent.
Without a doubt, the city has many distinctive characteristics and amenities that are attracting
new opportunities. They include the following:
• Georgetown is the county seat of Williamson County and serves as a gateway to Central
Texas. Its location along I-35, and access to the 130 Tollway, make it highly accessible to
jobs in Austin and Round Rock.
• Inadequate transportation infrastructure and high housing prices in Austin are driving
newcomers to surrounding communities like Georgetown. The city provides these
families with small-town charm and still provides them access to Austin’s jobs, festivals
• For 20 years, the Red Poppy Festival has attracted some of the nation’s top performers
and thousands of guests to Georgetown’s famed town square. The annual weekend event
includes parades, a car show, family-friendly activities, artisans, food vendors and
musical performances.
• In addition to the Red Poppy Festival, the City hosts family-friendly events throughout
the year that include the 4th of July Celebration, Georgetown Swirl, Lighting of the
Square and the Christmas Stroll.
• Georgetown is unique in that it owns a utility system that serves thousands of electric and
water customers outside of the city limits.
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• The City has a nationally recognized library system that was recognized last year with the
2018 National Medal for Museum and Library Service – the nation’s highest honor. Its
expanded services include a used book store, café, senior services, children’s storytelling
events, access to computers and meeting rooms. Unlike most libraries, it also has staff
who are specifically dedicated to planning arts and cultural events that include special
exhibits and displays, music concerts and poetry readings.
• New city facilities are creating opportunities for the City to produce higher-quality videos
and foster increased collaboration among City staff and with stakeholders. The new
police building offers state-of-the-art technology services, including a green screen room
for producing videos and hosting press conferences. The new City Hall building in the
City Center brings together City staff who previously worked in different office buildings
and offers a conference room that is available for use by community organizations.
• Georgetown has some compelling but untold stories that may be leveraged to increase
focus on the city’s successes. These stories include the regional airport, which had a
sizable list of capital needs with insufficient operational resources. The airport recouped
the investment in less time than expected, and today is operating a balanced budget.
• Georgetown has some of the most scenic parks and hiking trails in the region. There are
still opportunities to leverage stories related to Garey Park, a 525-acre former ranch that
was donated to the City by Jack and Cammy Garey in 2004.
• Master-planned, mixed-used developments such as Wolf Ranch are helping attract more
families to the City.
• Georgetown is home to Southwestern University, the oldest chartered university in Texas
and one of the top private liberal arts programs in the nation.
While the City has some great opportunities, it also faces some challenges that affect its ability
to consistently deliver a positive communications message to key stakeholders. These include:
• In recent years, there have been several complex issues that elected officials, community
partners and residents do not feel were adequately communicated. A recent, specific
example is the energy contract issue with Georgetown Utility Systems (GUS). Nearly
everyone we spoke with shared their concern about how long it took for the City to share
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any information about what the problem was and how the City was going to address it.
Once a press release was issued and key messages were being shared, many audiences
commented that the language was too technical and the key messages not simplistic
enough for the “average” person to understand, and that there was still a lack of clarity
and “owning up” to the issue.
• The City’s communications approach to recent issues has resulted in the loss of trust
among residents and other key audiences. While many of the individuals we interviewed
agreed that transparency and information sharing have greatly improved over the past few
years, they felt that the approach for the GUS issue and other recent incidents set-back
their growing sense of trust in City government. Getting ahead of future issues and
communicating in a strategic, timely manner could go a long way to repair the trust that
has been lost.
• Georgetown’s demographics are diversifying as it rapidly grows. No longer just a
retirement community, the city’s wide range of amenities, low tax rate and good service
value, availability of affordable housing options, and proximity to Austin-area job centers
are attracting more young professionals and families with young children. These various
audiences have different preferred forms of communications, creating a complex
challenge for the City as it tries to determine the most effective, cost-efficient way to
communicate with each group.
• There are limited third-party news options for sharing City information:
o The Williamson County Sun –It currently has an estimated circulation of about
6,000. Although it still seems to have a decent following among senior citizens
due to their preference for print materials, the growing number of younger
residents are using digital news sources.
o Community Impact – According to the 2018 resident satisfaction survey, and as
recently confirmed by the City’s 2019 communications survey, Community
Impact has become the top source of information for Georgetown residents. The
online version and its related social media platforms can be good sources for
breaking news, but the printed publication with expanded stories is distributed
only monthly.
o News sources traditionally associated with Austin, such as the Austin American-
Statesman, KLBJ-AM news radio, KUT-FM news radio and the television
broadcast stations (KVUE, CBS Austin, KXAN and Fox 7 Austin provide limited
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coverage of Georgetown. Newsroom resources are shrinking in all major markets,
meaning that mainstream media outlets have fewer staff available to cover the
news. Georgetown’s distance from Austin-based media outlets limits their ability
to cover more than major events and breaking news since editors must deploy
their resources as efficiently as possible.
• The City’s printed monthly newsletter, The Reporter, is distributed as a GUS bill insert,
reaching thousands of utility customers who may live as far as 20 miles away from
Georgetown. The integration of Georgetown-specific stories makes the insert a less
effective tool for GUS to reach its customers, while the restriction of City information to
stories that will be of interest to both residents and non-residents reduces the
effectiveness of this tool as a news resource for residents. While most of the cities we
spoke with currently use a utility bill insert to reach residents, Georgetown is the only
city in this group with a utility system that serves residents and non-residents in an
expanded area.
An added challenge to the use of a utility bill insert to communicate with residents is the
growing number of households that have registered for paperless or automatic billing
options. These households no longer receive a bill with the insert. This has become a
primary concern for cities such as Pflugerville, Round Rock and Sachse as they work to
identify ways to share the utility insert with customers digitally or find new resources to
replace this communications tool.
• The City’s communications efforts have become decentralized, with some marketing and
communications positions becoming embedded within other departments. In addition to
the three core Communications Department members, the City of Georgetown has
communications staff within the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Economic
Development, Parks and Recreation, and the Police Department. Additionally, the City’s
“webmaster” is within the IT department - a move that made it possible for the
Communications Department to add its third position. There are also roles within Animal
Services, the Fire Department, Public Works and GUS with partial responsibilities to
oversee marketing and public outreach activities.
Peer city research shows us that it’s not unusual for some cities to have a dedicated
marketing/communications team member within the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the
Economic Development Department, or the Police and Fire Departments. However,
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having a marketing staff position, or City staff whose partial role is communications,
dedicated to a specific department is otherwise uncommon.
The decentralization of communications has left the core team extremely lean and still
unable to accommodate growing demand from the City’s 45 departments. This practice
also reduces the effectiveness of citywide communications as there is no central
information hub to maintain the City’s preferred tone and key messages, ensure brand
consistency or identify opportunities for departments to collaborate.
• Several City departments have created their own logos that do not integrate the City’s
logo elements. The “G” logo, which was introduced in 2005, was launched with a set of
brand guidelines, but they only address the color, fonts and proper use/placement. The
brand guidelines do not outline the circumstances under which a department may create
its own logo.
Peer city research indicates that logos are tightly controlled branding tools with little
leeway for departments to create a separate identity. Round Rock, Pflugerville and Cedar
Park require all departments, other than Police and Fire, to adhere to use of the City’s
main logos. Allen, Texas recently created some brand guidelines with more flexibility for
departments to create their own emblems under certain conditions.
• Due to the tremendous success of Sun City, Georgetown is primarily known as a
retirement community. The expansion of Central Texas’ growth into Georgetown, the
development of mixed-use projects such as Wolf Ranch and more awareness of the
unpararallelled parks and trail systems have certainly attracted more families and young
professionals to Georgetown, but the City still has a higher than average population of
senior citizens at 30% (65 and older).
• Most of the residents who live in Georgetown work in Austin or its surrounding
communities. Rapid growth along the I-35 corridor and the addition of the 130 Tollway
has made Georgetown more accessible than ever to Austin workers. As Austin continues
to struggle with inadequate transportation infrastructure and rising home prices, families
will continue looking for a higher standard of living outside of the big city. Georgetown’s
offerings of affordable housing options, a safe community, a small-town atmosphere, a
walkable downtown area, scenic parks and trails and other amenities are highly attractive
to employees who work in Austin but want more for their money.
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This position is not unique to Georgetown. Surrounding communities such as Cedar Park,
Leander, Pflugerville and Round Rock have also experienced dynamic growth over the
past decade, while cities in the southern part of the region, such as Buda, Kyle and San
Marcos, are having similar growth experiences.
• Georgetown tends to be overshadowed by Austin from an economic development and
tourism standpoint. Over the past five years, Central Texas has been identified by the
U.S. Census Bureau as being among the fastest-growing regions in the nation. As the
state capitol and the 11th largest city in the nation, Austin is the heart of Central Texas.
Innovative technology companies such as Dell, Apple and Indeed have a significant
presence here, reinforcing Austin’s worldwide reputation as a tech hub. In recent years,
Austin has also become known for fostering an environment in which startups like
Kendra Scott and Yeti are thriving. From a tourism perspective, the eclectic music scene,
world-famous festivals like SXSW and Austin City Limits (ACL) and lakes, trails and
parks that offer some of the Hill County’s most stunning scenery make Austin a top
destination for global visitors.
It is not unusual for major cities to overshadow their surrounding communities from an
economic development or tourism perspective. Arlington, Texas taxpayers paid millions
of dollars to construct sports stadiums for the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers, yet
sports announcers and performers still attribute their location to Dallas instead of
Arlington. It’s simply a matter of people deferring to the larger, more well-known city to
create context. Economic developers in Central Texas and North Texas have realized that
there is power in working together to attract new business opportunities since big wins
benefit the entire region.
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Target Audiences
Based on Cooksey’s research and interviews, there are numerous audiences that are essential for
Georgetown to reach with consistent and effective communications efforts. These audiences
include the following:
• Residents
• Homeowners/neighborhood associations
• City staff
• City Councilmembers
• Civic groups and religious institutions in the community
• Georgetown businesses and their employees
• Prospective businesses (retail, restaurants, startups, ED targeted industries)
• Hotel developers
• Austin-area realtors and brokers
• Developers and home builders
• Media
• Visitors, tourists and outdoor enthusiasts
• Wedding and event planners
• Meeting and conference planners
• Georgetown Utility Systems customers
• Southwestern University students, prospective students and parents
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Key Messages
Below are some key messages that stood out during Cooksey’s interviews and research process:
• Georgetown is a small town with big amenities.
• Georgetown is a fast-growing, dynamic community.
• Residents love to live in Georgetown.
• Georgetown is an extremely safe city
• Georgetown offers the lowest property tax rate in the County, and residents get a wide
range of city services and amenities. The tax rate remains the same while the level of
service expands each year.
• Georgetown Utility Systems (GUS) offers the third lowest rate in the County, even with
the recent increase.
• The City offers award winning library services and recently received the National Medal
for Library and Museum Service.
• Residents can have all their needs met in Georgetown with a variety of residential
options, business opportunities, entertainment, shopping, dining and recreation choices.
• The City’s parks and trails system is among the best in the region.
• Georgetown is ideologically diverse.
• Georgetown is not just a retirement community; it is attracting a diverse group of people
and is a great place to raise a family.
• There are numerous opportunities for residents to get involved in Georgetown.
• As the County seat, and with several surrounding communities getting their electricity
and water from Georgetown Utility Systems, things that happen in the City affect other
communities.
• Georgetown prioritizes street maintenance; we take care of our roads and transportation
infrastructure.
• Different offering from our neighboring communities. Residents take pride in saying,
“We’re not Austin or Round Rock!”
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Current Communications Activities
Throughout our research process, Cooksey Communications identified and reviewed the various
communications vehicles that are currently being used by the City of Georgetown to
communicate with its wide range of audiences. These tools include the following:
Georgetown Weekly E-Newsletter
The Georgetown Weekly E-Newsletter is distributed every Friday to a current database of
approximately 12,000 email addresses. It includes about five news briefs summarizing upcoming
city events, information about roadway improvement projects and closures, citywide recycling
opportunities, City and department awards and accolades, and more. It also includes a sidebar
with additional information about upcoming events. The e-newsletter has a tagline indicating that
the information is from the City of Georgetown and GUS, and both logos are tagged at the
bottom of each issue. The format is created from a template provided by the emma E-Mail
Marketing System, which is also the distribution and monitoring platform.
The Weekly e-newsletter has been a highly effective tool for reaching Georgetown residents who
subscribe. It has a 98% delivery rate, indicating that the list has mostly current email addresses
and is not receiving a lot of bounce backs. It averages about a 40% open rate, with a general
range of 47% to 36%. In the resident communications survey, Georgetown Weekly was one of
the highest rated communications tools (see page 16), and it consistently ranks among the top
three city information news sources in the resident satisfaction survey that is conducted every
two years.
The Georgetown Reporter
The Reporter is a one-page, double-sided print newsletter that is distributed monthly as an insert
with the GUS bill. The publication is tagged as providing information from the City of
Georgetown and GUS, and both logos are included at the bottom of each page. It is mailed
thousands of GUS customers, who are composed of Georgetown residents and utility customers
living in surrounding communities that are served by the utility – some of whom may live up to
20 miles away from the city. Based on this composition of readers, the newsletter includes a mix
of news briefs that are relevant to utility customers, such as pipe maintenance and water
conservation strategies, along with stories about upcoming City events, accolades, new
developments and more. Some of the information may overlap with the Georgetown Weekly e-
newsletter.
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Georgetown residents who responded to the resident communications survey rated The Reporter
among the top sources for City information. The biannual City of Georgetown resident
satisfaction survey that is conducted every two years reports that 49% of the respondents use The
Reporter often or very often. In the resident communications survey taken in February and
March 2019, 60% of respondents ranked The Reporter as among their primary sources of City
news.
City of Georgetown Website
The City of Georgetown’s website (https://georgetown.org/ ) has an appealing, clean design,
with visual interest being created by a video banner at the top of the home page and colorful still
images at the top of subsequent pages. Large colored buttons to the right side of the home page
offer direct access to the most commonly accessed pages, such as Parks and Recreation, the
Library, Public Works road projects and GUS. Links to the most recent city news stories are also
easily accessible from the home page, while tabs at the top help direct residents, businesses,
tourists and others to more specific pages. Basic information for each page was accessible within
one-to-two clicks.
Like most communities, Georgetown offers a comprehensive website that is intended to provide
information for all its key audiences. Anything and everything residents, business owners,
developers, vendors or other target audiences need to live, work and play in Georgetown may be
found somewhere on the City’s website. In fact, the resident communications survey conducted
in February and March 2019 indicated that most respondents rely on the website to get
information about the City, although some expressed frustration with the ease of finding
commonly used information on both desktop and mobile versions of the site.
During our interviews with elected officials, City staff and community partners, feelings were
mixed about the website. Some think the City has a fantastic site, while others said that it’s
difficult for users to find information. Many staff members also said it was difficult for them to
update content. It’s possible that users who cannot immediately find very specific information or
forms, or users who are using incorrect references and search terms, may get frustrated with the
site and consider it hard to use.
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Since the website is such a comprehensive source of city information, it’s worth conducting a
website review to see how the user experience may be simplified. More specific comments and
recommendations about the website are provided in the Strategic Objectives and
Recommendations section of this report (Page 44).
Georgetown Essential Messages (the GEM)
Georgetown Essential Messages, more commonly known as the GEM, is a compilation of news
briefs that are sent to City staff every two weeks. It contains information that employees need to
know about payroll and HR processes, along with some City events and updates. The GEM is
accompanied by a video. Producing an internal video twice monthly requires a great deal of time,
limiting the videographer’s ability to work on other projects. Since this amount of time is being
invested in the GEM, we suggest that the City focus the videos on topics that can be repurposed
beyond internal use (see Strategic Objectives and Recommendations section, Page 44).
City of Georgetown Social Media
Only 20% of respondents to the 2018 resident satisfaction survey said they use social media as a
source for City news. While there are more effective tools being used by the Communications
Department, social media is still the place where most people look for breaking news stories.
Links to the City’s social media pages are included at the bottom of each website page, making
them easily accessible when people want information but are not following the City’s main
pages.
During some interviews, the question of whether the City has too many social media accounts
came up multiple times. Georgetown does have several accounts managed by various
departments:
• Facebook -13 accounts
• Twitter - 4 accounts
• Instagram – 8 accounts
• YouTube - 1 account
The logic in creating supplemental accounts is sound. Residents who are interested in keeping up
with concerts and art exhibits at the Library or the latest youth athletic programs from Parks and
Recreation don’t want to filter through the City’s other updates. Likewise, residents following
City issues may not be interested that Garey House is hosting weddings, and most people are
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first going to look for the Georgetown Police or Fire accounts for updates on emergency events.
From this perspective, it makes sense to have so many accounts.
The challenge to having so many accounts is that it can be difficult to coordinate messaging and
maintain a distinctive brand voice.
In speaking with other cities and reviewing their social media accounts, it appears that other
cities are also allowing individual departments to create and maintain their own social media
accounts. In Round Rock, there are 30 different social media accounts associated with the City,
with the core Communications Department focused on managing the main accounts and
providing assistance and coaching to the others when needed. Pflugerville has 15 social media
accounts that are managed through Sprout, which allows the page managers to submit copy for
review and approval by the Communications Department before being posted.
In some instances, the City has done some search engine marketing for social media posts more
directly tied to specific issues, such as the renewal of a sales tax on road maintenance. However,
this is not a common occurrence.
Posting to the City website is primarily based on opportunity and not planning. There is a social
media calendar associated with specific City campaigns, but not for most of the year.
In addition to maintaining the City’s primary social media accounts, the team is using Hootsuite
to monitor for any mentions of the City in discussion groups or on other accounts. While it’s
natural for there to be some negative discussion in other social media platforms, it does not
appear that there are any groups that are overly antagonistic to the City.
GTV Channel 10
Through the local Suddenlink cable carrier, Georgetown has the GTV Channel 10 public access
televisions station. The station is only used to air City Council workshops and meetings. Based
on the resident communications survey, few respondents are using this service. Since the station
is only offered through Suddenlink, it is not accessible to households without cable, which
dramatically reduces its reach.
Content aired on GTV Channel 10 is also available as streaming video on the City’s website,
along with a small selection of specialty videos that have not been updated since 2015. The
station’s site is very easy to access from a link on the City’s home page, but once the user lands
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on the page it is uninteresting. The main image on the landing page is a screen with a live feed.
Two links above the screen allow the user to access City Council meeting archives and specialty
videos, but they don’t appear as tabs and clicking on them may not be intuitive.
We do not recommend investing any additional funds into the GTV Channel 10 station.
However, considering how much time the Communications Department is dedicating to
producing video content, the GTV site seems like an ideal opportunity to post the content for
viewers to access. The landing page needs a more interesting design and there should be a more
direct menu of videos to make this a tool that is more valuable to residents.
Sun City Sun Rays Magazine and Directory Ad
The City is placing monthly full-page color ads in the Sun City Sun Rays Magazine and
Directory for $3,700 per year. The ad series is themed “Play Dates” and features the Daytripper
television program host, Chet Garner, and his family as they participate in activities, dine and
shop in Georgetown’s town square. The lifestyle publication has a circulation of more than
15,000 and is distributed to residents of Sun City. It spotlights upcoming events, human interest
stories about residents and other lifestyle articles targeted for active seniors.
Annual Report
For the past five years, the Communications Department produced an annual report. It is
available to residents as a pdf on the City’s website, and about 500 print copies are produced and
made available at the library. The goal of this piece is unclear, so it is difficult to say whether or
not it’s effective. There has not been a great demand for the long-form piece. Cooksey believes
there is an opportunity to create a short annual report that may be handed out at a State of the
City event. This report would include the 10 top accomplishments over the past year, using more
images than copy to tell the story.
Direct Mailers
On occasion, the City will print and distribute direct mail pieces. These are usually tied directly
to City issues, such as encouraging residents to participate in the Historical Architectural Review
survey, conservation messages or the new GUS billing software launch. The pieces are well-
designed and produced, with colorful graphics and the City logo clearly imprinted. Since there is
no clear way to measure the response rate for these direct mail pieces, it is hard to specify how
effective they are. However, in some cases it appears that direct mailers are attributed to high
attendance rates or resulted in emails to the City or Letter to the Editor.
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The Williamson County Sun Ad
The City publishes a monthly ad called the City Update in the Williamson County Sun. The ad
design is simplistic, with block headers and footers and 3-4 news briefs accompanied with
images in the body to highlight upcoming city events. Georgetown’s logo is featured at the top,
with contact information and the City website at the bottom. The ad is clean and easy to read,
though there is nothing distinctive about the design.
The ad is 30 column inches (3 columns by 10 inches) and costs $314 per issue. Since the
publication remains a top source of information, despite declining circulation, we recommend
continuing with the ads for the remainder of this year and then reviewing the cost again during
the next budget cycle.
Press Releases
The City does an excellent job developing and distributing press releases on routine issues and
events, such as awards, the Red Poppy Festival and town halls. They are extremely well-written
and effective in relating simple messages to key audiences. In addition to sharing press releases
with media, they are also distributed to contacts with community partners so they are aware of
the announcement and can share it with their audiences, as appropriate. Sun City uses the press
releases to include information to its residents on a regular basis.
However, when it comes to releases for more complex issues, such as the GUS energy contract,
the language was too technical and not direct enough for people to fully understand the City’s
position.
The team may consider looking at the processes for approving press releases, especially in a
crisis. While most people have nothing but good things to say about the general releases, there
were many concerns shared about the amount of time it took to distribute a press release
regarding the GUS issue, and about the level of control that non-Communications Department
members were given over the language.
Video Production
As with the press releases, the quality of Georgetown’s video production is extremely high. The
stories are interesting and relevant. Once produced, they are posted to the City’s website and
social media accounts, in addition to being used for presentations. The core Communications
Department is looking for ways to repurpose the videos. We suggest that they tag relevant
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reporters or send links to relevant reporters and social media influencers to gain additional
interest and reach.
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STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS
Objective #1: Adopt a More Proactive and Strategic Approach to
Communications (Structural/Resource Enhancements)
Recommendation 1 – Rebrand and Restructure the Communications Department
The Georgetown Communications Department includes three members of the Communications
Department and has been led by Jackson Daly, Assistant to the City Manager in the City
Manager’s Office for the past 15 months. Additional positions are embedded within other
departments. Georgetown is not the only city of its size to have decentralized communications.
New Braunfels has a single Public Information Officer, with an additional role in the police
department and two positions associated with Parks and Recreation (Marketing Coordinator and
a Recreation Center Guest Services/Marketing Coordinator). The City’s golf course contracts out
its initiatives.
Until recently, Pflugerville had a decentralized Communications Department with dedicated
marketing positions within the library and parks and recreation departments. The City is
currently undergoing a department restructuring, bringing these individuals back under the
Communications Department and elevating them to assist PIOs so that everyone in the
department is cross-trained.
Neighboring Round Rock is significantly larger than Georgetown, Pflugerville and New
Braunfels in population, budgets and core Communications Department, but it also has
decentralized communications with a position in the Convention and Visitors Bureau, two
positions in Parks and Recreation, a PIO for the Police Department and a Marketing Specialist
with the utility.
In broad comparison, peer cities and communities slightly larger than Georgetown range from 1
– 8 core communications positions (more for larger cities). This places Georgetown’s team on
the lean side of this spectrum. The chart below outlines some comparative statistics for cities
referenced throughout this report.
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City 2018
Population*
2019 Citywide
Budget
2019 Communications
Budget (includes
salaries)
Communications Staff Positions
Pflugerville 58,013 $142,759,192 $770,443 (includes
special events
• Director of Communications
• Digital Content Web Specialist
• Videographer/Multimedia
Specialist
• Part-Time Communications
Assistant
• Police Public Information Officer
• Library Marketing Specialist
• Parks and Recreation Special
Events Coordinator (About to come
back to Communications)
• Restructuring the team – turning
Library and Parks and Recreation
roles into City PIOs
Georgetown 63,062 $354,000,000 $400,137 • Communications Manager
• Information Specialist
• Videographer
• Additional positions report to
individual departments
New
Braunfels
70,317 $186,109,351 $70,000; additional
expenses incorporated
into all non-departmental
funds managed by City
Manager’s office
• Public Information Officer
• Additional positions report to
individual departments.
Flower
Mound
71,575 $174,810,257 $499,331 • Communications Director
• Communications Specialist
• Senior Video Producer
• Video Production Specialist
Cedar Park 75,704 $141,600,000 $543,000 • Director of Community Affairs
• Graphic Design and
Communications Specialist
• Neighborhood Services Coordinator
• Media and Communications
Manager
• Multimedia Specialist
Sugar Land 86,886 $247,350,000 $267,594 (2018) • Director of Public Affairs
• 2 CMO Executive Assistants
• Public Affairs Executive Assistant
• Public Affairs Assistant
• Public Affairs Administrative
Manager
• Content Strategist
• 2 Assistant Communications
Directors
• Digital Communications Manager -
Web Branding
• Graphic Designer and Branding
Specialist
• Digital Communications Manager
– Production
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• Digital Journalist
• Digital Communications Manager
– Social Media
• Community Engagement Manager
• Community Engagement
Coordinator
• 311 Customer Service Manager
• Customer Service Supervisor
• 5 311 Ambassadors
• 4 Receptionists
Allen 100,685 $220,725,510 $840,752 • Public and Media Relations
Director
• Marketing and Content Manager
• Senior Marketing Specialist
• Digital Marketing Coordinator
• ACTV Executive Producer
• 2 ACTV Video Producers
Round Rock 116,369 $356,900,000 $969,767 • Communications Director
• Assistant Director
• Videographer/Part Time Video
Specialist for City Council
Meetings
• Social Media Information Specialist
• Public Information Specialist
• Digital Designer
• Arts Director
• Part Time Arts Assistant
• Additional positions report to
individual departments
*Population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
In addition to researching the numbers highlighted in the above chart, Cooksey conducted in-
depth interviews with cities that were comparable in size to Georgetown (Cedar Park, Flower
Mound, New Braunfels and Pflugerville). We also conducted interviews with some slightly
larger cities, including Round Rock, to gauge how Georgetown’s communications may evolve as
the City’s population and budget increase.
More information about the peer cities we interviewed for the purpose of this report, including a
summary of their communications tools, is available in Appendix B.
Georgetown’s decentralization of communications puts the small core team at a disadvantage, as
it is not adequately staffed to address all the City’s communications needs. At the same time, the
communications survey indicates that residents want more communications and engagement. To
fulfill this request, the City will need to restructure the Communications Department to centralize
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its activities, as well as add strategic staff members to fill skill gaps and support the additional
workload generated by increased stakeholder communications and engagement. Cooksey
recommends that the City of Georgetown consider strengthening and restructuring the
Communications Department as outlined below. A revised organizational chart is included as
Appendix I.
1. Rename the Communications Department the Communications and Public
Engagement Department. The communications survey and community partner
interviews indicate there is a clear desire for more communication and for more
engagement by the City. Adding Public Engagement to the department title signals
the City’s commitment to increasing its level of engagement, especially from a
communication’s standpoint.
2. Add a Director of Communications and Public Engagement to the team. The
Director of Communications and Public Engagement is an executive level staff
member whose primary responsibility is to provide long-term and short-term strategic
vision and guidance to the Communications and Public Engagement Department.
This position will be responsible for developing and overseeing the deployment of an
updated citywide comprehensive strategic communications plan. The Director will
coordinate with the internal Director team on key messages and will also provide
strategic vision and guidance to marketing/communications staff members who are
embedded in other departments, ensuring that everyone is working toward the same
goals, delivering a consistent message and portraying the same brand image. The
Director will be expected to work directly with department leaders, engaging with
them on a regular basis to proactively identify communications opportunities and
strategies that support their work. This position will also serve as a primary contact
for community partners that include neighborhood associations and HOAs, Chamber
of Commerce, Downtown Georgetown, Sun City, Georgetown Health Foundation,
Southwestern University, Georgetown ISD, Georgetown Southeast Community
Council and others. The Director will meet with their representatives on a regular
basis to proactively inform them about City issues impacting their key audiences and
to identify ways to share or leverage communications tools, resources and
opportunities. As appropriate, the Director will deliver presentations to these
community partners and will provide guidance on creating key messages and content
for town hall meetings and other public events. To further enhance community
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engagement and communications, the Director will convene meetings with
community influencers.
In peer cities, the Director reports to the City Manager or to an Assistant City
Manager. Cooksey recommends that the Georgetown structure have this position
report to an Assistant City Manager.
The ideal candidate for the Director position must have a minimum of five years of
experience working with a government entity (city, county, schools district or
similar), as well as experience managing a communications team. The candidate must
be able to develop and manage a long-term strategic plan, while also creating project-
specific campaigns, key messages and public outreach strategies. A demonstrated
ability to establish and maintain relationships with department leaders, key
community partners and influencers is required. Monitoring the latest municipal
communications trends and ways that cities can leverage new forms of advanced
technology is preferred.
The addition of a Director is one of Cooksey’s highest priority recommendations, and
we encourage the City to do this as soon as it’s financially possible. An expected
starting salary range for this type of position is from $95,000 - $115,000.
3. Add Public Information Officer (PIO) to Keith Hutchinson’s title. Keith
Hutchinson is a great asset to the City of Georgetown’s Communications Department.
With 17 years as a city staff member, his knowledge of the local history,
demographics, city issues and more is simply invaluable. Everyone we spoke with
thinks Keith is doing a wonderful job in his role as Communications Manager, and
they expressed nothing but appreciation for the work he does, at all times of day and
night, to support each department. It was clear to the Cooksey team that Keith also
takes an interest in providing the Communications Department with professional
development opportunities that will broaden their skills sets, enabling them to
personally grow and better serve the City. He has solid relationship with local
reporters and knows exactly where to go for answers the media need in a timely
manner.
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Cooksey suggests leveraging Keith’s media and internal relationships by adding
Public Information Officer (PIO) to his title, making him the official spokesperson for
the City of Georgetown. At the same time, he will continue overseeing daily
operations of the Communications Department, working with the Director of
Communications and Public Engagement to deploy the strategic plan tactics and
creating the associated content while maintaining a sense of continuity among the
communications and other city staff members. He will continue drafting and
distributing press releases, handling media inquiries and enhancing his relationships
with the media.
4. Shift Beth Wade into a Marketing and Social Media Coordinator position. The
purpose of the Marketing and Social Media Coordinator position is to manage and
coordinate marketing and social media efforts across all department and platforms.
Cooksey recommends shifting Beth Wade, currently the City’s Information
Specialist, into this new role. She will become a central hub for marketing and
communications by maintaining a citywide master social media calendar for all
departments, creating, maintaining and deploying a social media calendar for
platforms managed by the Communications and Public Engagement Department,
working with marketing positions in other departments to create and support
marketing plans, and maintaining a master marketing and communications plan for
the City. Positioning Beth in this role is the City’s first step toward centralizing its
communications processes.
The Marketing and Social Media Coordinator will report to the Communications
Manager/PIO. This role will continue supporting the Communications Manager with
development of press releases and content for the City’s various communications
channels.
5. Create a Neighborhood Services Coordinator/Manager position and shift an
existing marketing position into this role. The Communications and Public
Engagement Department’s focus on increasing community engagement requires the
creation of a role within this department that is fully dedicated to neighborhood
services. Shifting an existing marketing position into a Neighborhood Services
Coordinator/Manager position leverages the community relationships already
established by the person in that position. Transferring an existing position to the
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Communications and Public Engagement Department means that the City will not
have to make a new hire and fund an additional salary.
The Neighborhood Services Manager role will work to build and maintain
relationships with homeowners, neighborhood associations and community partners.
The position will coordinate efforts with the Conservation Department, Housing
Coordinator, Code Enforcement and Solid Waste regarding neighborhood clean-ups,
rebate programs, water conservation and other campaigns, and will work directly with
the Communications and Public Engagement Department Director to determine the
best strategies for engaging the community in these efforts. The Neighborhood
Services Coordinator will also be responsible for attending events to generate
awareness of the City of Georgetown’s services.
6. Add a Graphic Design and Communications Specialist to the Communications
and Public Engagement Department within the next year. Across the board, there
is a need for graphic design services. Currently, individuals are teaching themselves
how to use graphic design programs to create the collateral that supports their public
interactions. Cooksey suggests that Georgetown add a core Communications
Department member who can be a central person within the City for print and digital
graphic design services, as well assist with creating website content, blogs, social
media posts and other public outreach tasks. The addition of this team member will
fill out some skill gaps and round out the core team to a number that is consistent
with similar sized cities. This role will report to the Communications Manager/PIO.
Most peer cities, like Cedar Park, outsource graphic design services until the City has
grown large enough to afford dedicated resources for this role. New Braunfels
indicated that if they could hire an additional position it would be a graphic designer
to make public education, marketing, social media and cable channel graphic look
more professional, and Round Rock recently brought the service in-house.
7. Add a Video Production Assistant to the Communications and Public
Engagement Department within the next two years. There is a high demand for
video production services among the City departments, and not enough resources to
meet this demand. The addition of a Video Production Assistant will reduce the
amount of time departments must wait for a video to be produced and will enable the
team to increase production. This role will report to the City’s Videographer and will
assist with production, video shoots, editing and other duties.
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8. Retain a full-service communications firm to provide expertise and additional
support. Restructuring the Communications and Public Engagement Department
inherently creates additional work as the City increases its level of outreach and
engagement. There will be an increased volume of presentations, content generation
and other items as the Department enhances stakeholder communication and
engagement.
Cooksey recommends that the City identify and retain the monthly services of a full-
service communications firm to support these efforts. Having a monthly retainer with
a full-service agency is cost effective since it provides the City with access to the
agency’s full array of services and expertise. Based on the number of hours
negotiated in a monthly retainer, having a streamlined agency relationship provides
the City with additional support for creating content, proactive pitching and other
routine activities that would not be included in a project fee. It also eliminates the
learning curve since, once onboarded, an agency on retainer will already be familiar
with the City and its processes. Access to crisis communications consultation may
also be included in this retainer or may be on a case-by-case basis, depending on the
agency. A typical monthly retainer ranges from $5,000 - $7,000 per month, totaling
$60,000 - $84,000 annually.
Recommendation 2 – Create and implement processes for strategic and proactive planning.
1. Develop a comprehensive, strategic communications plan. The City does not have an
up-to-date comprehensive, strategic communications plan to provide a roadmap for the
team’s efforts. Tasks are prioritized based on the level of urgency, with little time
available for proactive efforts. Working without this plan is inefficient since neither the
core Communications Department nor the marketing/communications team members in
other departments have any shared goals or a strategic direction. They don’t know what
they are working toward, much less how to measure success and determine if their efforts
are effective.
There are few, if any, peer cities without some sort of a strategic communications plan.
Georgetown’s rapid growth, the complexity of its issues, and decentralized
communications structure make it critical for the City to develop a comprehensive,
updated strategic communications plan as soon as possible. This task should be the
highest priority for the Communications Director position. If the City does not hire a
Communications Director within the first quarter of 2020, Cooksey recommends that a
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third-party resource be engaged to develop the initial plan. Once created, the
Communications Manager should work with the team monthly to make any necessary
adjustments, and the plan should be revisited annually.
2. Establish regular touchpoints with department leaders. In an effort to get ahead of
any potential issues, the Director or Communications and Public Engagement, or another
designated representative from the core Communications Department, should have
quarterly (depending on how much public facing activity is taking place within the
department) touchpoint meetings with each of the department leaders. These meetings do
not need to last more than 30 minutes, but should include updates on current department
projects, upcoming events, resident feedback from the field and opportunities for
communications support. These brief meetings will provide the core Communications
Department with an opportunity to anticipate any potential issues that could become
bigger problems for the city if they are left unaddressed, as well as enable the team to
better allocate resources and prioritize requests.
3. Create an internal system for prioritizing projects and communicating estimated
completion dates. Contacts from Pflugerville, Round Rock and Cedar Park all shared
that prioritizing projects is their team’s greatest challenge. While there is widespread
recognition that Georgetown’s core Communications Department is spread thin dealing
with urgent issues, it remains difficult to pursue proactive opportunities because there is
not an effective strategy in place for prioritizing projects.
The Communications Department may consider using some free or low-cost project
management tools, such as Trello, Teamwork Projects or TeamGnatt, to prioritize
projects and communicate with department contacts about the project status and
estimated completion date. Many of these programs are easy to use and are customizable,
allowing users to set-up individual project groups with everyone who is involved with the
project.
An “old-school” form of project management is creating a master spreadsheet listing all
of the team’s projects, along with corresponding tasks and deadlines. Ongoing projects
should be updated weekly, while new projects should be entered immediately. The
spreadsheet should be kept in a location where everyone may access it, such as Google
Drive.
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4. Change the format and outcome of Communications meetings. There is a general
feeling that the monthly communications meeting is ineffective. In comparison, Round
Rock’s communications meetings are a forum for open discussion about current
communications efforts, resident feedback, collaboration, sharing resources and event
planning, and Cedar Park meets weekly to discuss story ideas and priorities.
During its communications retreat, the team began discussing a new format for this
meeting, changing it to a quarterly meeting that will focus on marketing best practices
topics rather than communications. There will also be monthly small group meetings
focused on reviewing and adjusting individual department marketing calendars and
discussing metrics. The new initiative will commence with one-on-one meetings with the
Communications Manager to discuss marketing calendars.
Cooksey agrees with the new format for this, as it increases engagement and
collaboration. We do suggest that once the individual marketing calendars are created
that they be submitted to the core Communications Department for creation of a master
calendar. Any updated discussed during the monthly small group meetings should also be
reflected in the master calendar.
Recommendation 3 – Leverage cost-effective communications tools to share the most relevant
information to key audiences
1. Create a Community Impact monthly ad. Both the resident satisfaction survey taken in
2018 and the resident communications survey taken in February and March 2019
demonstrate that Community Impact is the top source of city information. We believe
there is an opportunity for Georgetown to leverage the mass appeal of this publication by
placing a monthly ad highlighting news and updates for residents.
The City should consider placing a monthly, two-page ad to share the most current and
relevant city information with residents. The estimated cost for this ad is $7,000 monthly.
To reduce this cost, the City may consider a one-page ad, but we do not feel it will have
the same impact as the two-page spread. Reducing the print volume of The Reporter
could also offset this cost, and more details about this part of the recommendation are
discussed later in this section.
Since Community Impact is mailed to every household, we believe this is an efficient
way to get a printed City newsletter into the hands of every Georgetown resident – even
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those who don’t have access to a computer or who have signed up for GUS autopay or
paperless billing and no longer receive the mailed insert. Round Rock has placed full-
page ads in Community Impact to reinforce key messages associated with specific issues
with great success.
In Georgetown, we suggest using the space to repurpose content from the Reporter, the
Weekly and the GEM. When appropriate, the space may be used to accurately convey the
city’s key messages for complex issues, such as the Atmos Energy gas leak or the GUS
energy contract issue.
2. Adjust the content and distribution of the Reporter. As a leading source of city news,
the Reporter still ranks toward the top of the list. However, as a greater number of tech-
savvy young professionals and families move to Georgetown and sign up for paperless
billing and autopay services, fewer households will receive the printed insert.
Additionally, there are thousands of households who are GUS customers but have little
interest in the insert because they live far outside the city limits. This year is a good time
to make adjustments to the Reporter that will sustain its relevance and reach new readers.
This can be accomplished as follows:
a. Limit monthly printing and distribution of the Reporter utility bill insert to
households located directly in the City of Georgetown.
b. Develop a quarterly print insert for all customers that includes a utility-focused
message rather than a city-focused message.
c. Allow GUS customers to opt-in or sign-up for the monthly Reporter when they
register for autopay or paperless billing. Utility customers should also be able to
opt-in to the Weekly when the sign-up for service.
3. Expand and redesign the Georgetown Weekly e-newsletter. Like the Reporter, the
Georgetown Weekly e-newsletter is credited as a preferred information source. Cooksey
believes this is an opportunity to expand the content and refresh the design by
transforming the Weekly into a digital publication offering in-depth features, with the
Reporter being used for the “quick hits.”
Depending on any limitations with the Emma E-mail Marketing program, Cooksey
recommends working with a third-party graphic designer to give the newsletter template
a more sophisticated look, differentiating it from the Reporter. Editorials being developed
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for the Williamson County Sun and some GEM articles or videos may also be repurposed
through the Weekly.
4. Create a social media calendar to ensure consistent postings. At present, social media
posting is not consistent. On some days there are multiple posts and on others there may
be only one post. Creating and maintaining a social media calendar will ensure that a
minimum number of topics will be posted each day.
5. Produce more direct mail pieces. Results of the resident communications survey
indicate that people want the city to send the information more often. While costly, direct
mail remains one of the most effective ways to reach all households, despite age, income
or digital experience. Cooksey suggests testing a quarterly direct mail piece with
residents. An increased stream of communication, especially in the form of a direct mail
piece, will reinforce the City’s efforts to be more transparent with resident issues that
directly impact them. Direct mailers could be an FAQ on the Atmos gas leak issue, a
teaser for a citywide event, a tutorial on the budget process or a calendar of events for the
library or parks and recreation department.
6. Consider boosting some media posts related to specific issues to increase reach of
key messages. For a very small cost, the City may boost specific Facebook posts to
increase its effectiveness. Cooksey suggests doing this sparingly, using it to get public
input or convey key messages during a crisis.
7. Repurpose GEM content. A great deal of time is being spent producing videos for the
GEM, and often these stories seem just as appealing to residents as they are to city staff.
We suggest identifying GEM stories with wider appeal and repurposing them as stories
for The Reporter or The Weekly. The content may also be posted to the City’s social
media channels or, as appropriate, shared with local reporters. With fewer reporters in the
newsrooms and greater demand for digital content, chances are good that Community
Impact may repost some of these stories to the publication’s website or on their own
social media platforms.
8. Continue working with Mayor Ross to publish monthly editorials in The Williamson
County Sun and repurpose content for other City communications channels. Despite
declining circulation, The Williamson County Sun is still being read by many residents in
Sun City. Cooksey recommends that Mayor Ross, and any of his successors, continue to
provide the publication with editorials about complex city issues. Combined with the
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Community Impact ad, the editorials in The Williamson County Sun ensure the City has
a voice in both local news sources serving Georgetown.
The editorial content may be adjusted to that it may be repurposed for the Reporter and
the Weekly, as well as reposted to the website.
9. Subscribe to a media monitoring service. Georgetown is dealing with several media
challenges that have been making regional and national headlines. While it may normally
be sufficient to have the team focus on monitoring local media, it has become necessary
for them to monitor beyond the local news. A media monitoring service can identify
stories early so the team can share them with appropriate city staff and elected officials,
develop responses, anticipate additional inquiries and get ahead of any issues.
Recommendation 4 – Conduct a website analysis and make tweaks based on the input.
We don’t believe the website needs an overhaul, as was suggested by several interview subjects.
However, comments about difficulties accessing information were frequent enough that Cooksey
recommends conducting a website review to identify any adjustments that will make the site
even more user friendly. We suggest getting input from a group of residents differing in age,
ethnicity, internet experience level and gender to provide feedback on their use of the City’s
website and of any changes that will improve it. This feedback could be in the form of focus
group interviews, an electronic survey, or both. Additionally, the website review should include
a few focus groups with city staff who are primarily responsible for maintaining their department
websites to identify some solutions for making it easier to create and upload new content.
Conducting a website review is something that will enhance the user experience, but we do not
consider it to be a top priority for the City. It may wait until a Communications Director is in
place who can lead this review internally, or the City may assign a point person to work with an
outside resource.
When making adjustments to the website, Cooksey suggests adding an Awards and Honors page
to better highlight the City’s accolades.
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Objective #2: Position the City to Better Anticipate and Respond to Crises and
Emerging Issues
Recommendation 5 – Develop crisis communications plans for issues and emergency events.
The city currently has a Public Communications Plan that was developed in 2001 and revised in
2010. It appears to be part of the City staff handbook (see Appendix E). The document is
outdated, identifying a Public Communications Director as the official City spokesperson. It
outlines steps for city staff to take when approached by the media, discusses the circumstances
for press release distribution and review, explains the process for review of printed and online
materials, identifies what information may or may not be shared with media, provides
information for responding to open records requests, and outlines a list of situations that may be
deemed emergency events.
Cooksey recommends that the City of Georgetown work with a third-party consultant to develop
two crisis communications plans – one that specifically addresses common emergency events,
such as police and fire incidents, and another for crisis issues such as the Atmos gas leak or the
GUS energy contract. The plan should provide a clear chain of communication, identify
designated spokespersons, outline specific communications tools to be used in each situation
(press releases, texts and email messages, social media postings, community presentations, etc.),
provide timelines for deploying communication tools, and include template language for any
anticipated issues and events. Having this plan in place will enable the city to be nimble in its
response and, in most cases, to get in front of an issue so that accurate information is being
shared from the onset of the issue.
Recommendation 6 - Include a Communications Department representative during initial
discussions for major city projects or events, and then develop proactive communications
plans for each.
A common theme Cooksey heard throughout the interview process what that when a project was
being planned or an issue was coming to light, communications was an afterthought. In
comparison, cities like Cedar Park create a communications plan in conjunction with the
planning stages for major projects, ensuring that residents are aware of what is happening and
have an opportunity to provide input before the project even comes up for a vote.
Creating a project-specific or issue-specific communications plan should be part of the planning
stage for each major city project or bond election. It not only gives the Communications
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Department a roadmap to work from for the duration of the project, but it also allows the team to
identify and mitigate any potential community or media issues.
In order to create this plan, Cooksey suggests that someone from the Communications core team
participate in early discussions about the project. Using that information, the Communications
Department can build out a project plan that includes creation of key messages, a project-specific
micro-site, a handout for use during community meetings and town halls, a community
presentation and script, door hangars, direct mailers, press releases timed with project milestones
and social media posts. This plan may be updated as the project progresses.
Recommendation 7 - Conduct crisis media training for City staff members who may serve as a
City spokesperson. It is critical that the City Manager and Assistant City Managers, the
Communications Director, the Communications Manager and appropriate department leaders
participate in a half-day media training session. These sessions should provide selected city staff
with the skills necessary to effectively communicate key messages during a media interview, as
well as provide interview strategies and media “do’s and don’ts.” Cooksey suggests these
sessions last about four hours and include 3-4 interactive, real-life scenarios. The media training
initiative may need to be phased, with no more than 4-5 participants per session. The City may
have the Communications Director conduct media training, depending on the candidate’s related
experience, or have a third party facilitate the sessions. If possible, Cooksey recommends having
a third-party facilitator for media training since it’s easier for an “outsider” to ask hard questions.
Having a third-party facilitator may also create a more realistic media interview scenario than
working with a city colleague.
Recommendation 8 – Engage a third party to assist with significant crisis communications
incidents. Whether or not there is a Communications Department member who has the
experience to develop a strategic approach to a crisis, it will benefit the City to engage a third-
party consultant to support with City with major crises, such as the GUS issue. A third party can
provide a different perspective regarding key messages and the public outreach approach since
they have not been as involved from the ground level and will be less distracted with the daily
operations of the Communications Department, placing them in a better position to monitor and
respond. These are just a few of the reasons it’s become common practice for cities. Pflugerville
worked with a crisis communications consultant during the Austin bomber situation. Round
Rock, Cedar Park and others also bring in consultants when there is a major issue to be
addressed, even though they have a crisis communications plan developed.
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Crisis Communications consultation is among the services that may be provided as part of the
agency retainer suggested as part of Recommendation 1, depending on the agency.
Objective #3: Foster a Stronger Sense of Community Partnership and
Engagement
Many cities have been able to successfully foster community partnerships with neighborhood
associations, HOAs, school districts, the business community, civic organizations other local
influencers though a neighborhood services department or position, However, the City of
Georgetown does not have such as position. Community partners indicated that they value their
relationship with the City and would like to strengthen those ties. The recommendations outlined
below will help the City better foster local partnerships, which will ultimately help expand its
communications reach.
Recommendation 9 - Establish quarterly meetings with key community partners and visit
neighborhoods and HOAs annually.
Cooksey recommends that once a new Communications Director is hired that he or she conduct
introductory meetings with all the key neighborhood associations, HOAs, civic and business
partners and educational partners within the first six months of joining team. These introductory
meetings would be with the full membership and may include just an introduction or a
presentation of things that are happening in the City.
Following this introduction, Cooksey suggests quarterly one-on-one meetings with the
communications contact for each key community partner. These meetings are intended to serve
as an opportunity for the Communications Director to proactively share information and key
messages that are most relevant to the partner’s key audiences, identify opportunities for the City
and partners to leverage resources, and for partners to share feedback from members about the
City.
Georgetown has very strong relationships with the Chamber of Commerce, Sun City and
Downtown Georgetown. Cooksey suggests that during the first few years the Communications
Director focus on strengthening ties with the neighborhood associations and HOAs, Georgetown
ISD, Georgetown Southeast Community Council and Southwestern University.
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Recommendation 10 – Increase participation and engagement at public meetings and town
halls.
With the exception of the On the Table events, which were created to provide small-group
opportunities to discuss the Georgetown 2030 Comprehensive Plan, town hall meetings and
public meetings traditionally attract little attention. Below are some strategies the City may test
to try and create greater participation and engagement for public meetings.
1. Host an annual On the Table event to provide residents with an opportunity to discuss
and get information about citywide issues. In October 2018, the City of Georgetown
invited residents to participate in an On the Table event to get public input for the 2030
Georgetown 2030 Comprehensive Plan. This unique event encouraged residents to host a
small-group conversation on Oct. 2 by inviting up to 12 of their friends and
neighborhoods to any desired location (homes, restaurant, coffee shops, schools, libraries,
offices, parks, churches, etc.). The event was highly successful. It not only generated
discussion during the event, but participants went home and had additional discussions
with contacts who did not attend.
2. Host informal opportunities for residents to talk with the Mayor and their Councilmember
at a quarterly town hall. The event should take place in early evening to attract a wider
audience and include drinks and snacks. Pflugerville has started a similar practice, Coffee
with a Cop, to strengthen ties between residents and the Police Department.
3. Conduct a digital town hall to provide updates on the Georgetown 2030 Comprehensive
Plan. With many young professionals commuting from Austin and a growing number of
families with young children moving to Georgetown, it can be difficult to attend daytime
or early evening town hall meetings in person. Cooksey recommends that Georgetown
consider testing a digital town hall meeting format that will allow individuals to
participate from the comfort of home. A link to an electronic survey should pop up at the
end of the meeting, inviting viewers to ask additional questions or provide feedback
about the content or format.
Candidates have been using the digital town hall format for several years to more directly
reach voters, but we are also seeing more cities and government agencies adopt the
format to make government more accessible. Sugar Land is among the Texas cities using
this technology.
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4. Provide tools that allow attendees to provide instant feedback during public meetings.
Apps such as MyVote and VoteUp allow meeting facilitators to get real-time rankings,
ratings and votes from meeting participants during the event. Additionally, integrating
questions and opportunities for the audience to respond throughout the meeting increases
the sense of engagement.
5. Partner with developers or architects to provide a virtual realty experience. It’s becoming
a standard practice for construction companies and architects to use virtual reality
technology at public meetings and presentations to help residents visualize a project and
to gain a better sense of what it will be like to inhabit the space. When possible, the City
of Georgetown should work with vendors to provide a virtual reality tour of major
projects during community events and public meetings. This may include street or bridge
projects, new parks, new mixed-use developments or renovated city buildings.
When possible, the City should partner with Georgetown Independent School District to
bring this virtual reality software to the classroom environment, using it as an opportunity
to educate them about local issues, about the technology and about the project.
Recommendation 11 – Leverage community partnerships to provide resources for underserved
communities.
Due to budget constraints, most communications materials produced by the City are inaccessible
to residents in low-income communities. More specifically, materials that are not translated into
Spanish will have limited use in households where Spanish is the primary language spoken, and
low-income households have less access to computers or the internet, reducing their
opportunities to access communications like the Weekly.
The cost of printing and postage has resulted in reduce us of direct mail pieces, and Spanish
translations further adds to the cost.
Despite the cost constraints, low-income residents need to be aware of what is happening in the
City. Below are some strategies for increasing the City’s reach into these communities.
• With 10% - 13% of the Georgetown population speaking Spanish, it is necessary for the
City to provide some form of translated materials. There are some cost-effective ways to
provide this much-needed service. One option is for the City to include a Spanish
translation on everything the City produces. The City may hire a translator or work with
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community partners serving Spanish-speaking communities, such as Southeast
Georgetown Community Council, to identify sources Spanish translation services. If the
City does not want to include the Spanish on all materials, the team could create a limited
number of printed Spanish materials and work with community partners to distribute
them in the appropriate areas.
• Work with religious leaders in African-American and Hispanic communities to open the
lines of communication with parishioners. This could be asking them to announce a
public meeting about an issue that directly impacts the church or community, providing a
limited number of printed materials for attendees to pick-up on Sunday, or inserting an
announcement into the church bulletin. The Communications Director should also
include regular touchpoints with these leaders to discuss ways the City can better serve
low-income residents.
• Work with individual departments to identify opportunities for producing limited
quantities of printed materials, and leverage community partners to help distribute them
in disadvantaged communities in which households may not have access to digital
information sources.
• Regularly attend the Georgetown ISD bilingual services monthly family night event to
network with community members and answer questions about city services, projects,
etc. The potluck family event takes place on the last Thursday evening of each month and
usually includes a presentation.
Recommendation 12 – Develop a centralized inbound communications tool for residents to
receive information from the City. At present, the only tools available for residents to search for
information are the website and a customer care line, which is only available during business
hours. After-hours calls go to GUS, which may not have time to answer and respond to calls if
there is a heavy call volume and is not a resource for citywide information.
Cooksey recommends the City expand its inbound communications tools. Some options include
a text and email alert system similar to what is being used by Sun City. Residents can opt-in to
the system and identify whether they want to receive a text message or an email notification
during an emergency situation.
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Another option is to establish a 311-call center that is available to residents 24 hours, seven days
a week, 365 days a year. This call center may be used for residents to report non-emergency
issues, ask questions about city services or get updates on urgent situations such as electricity or
water outages.
Another tool to consider is the use of a Chatbot for the City’s website. Many brands have been
using AI in the form of chatbots to help customers on their websites, but now cities are also
looking for ways to use this advanced technology. A Chatbot may be an option for enhancing the
city’s website, especially to help users find specific information more easily or to get answers to
questions after hours. Use of AI is certainly something that Cedar Park is watching.
Pflugerville is opting to go with a live form of the Chatbot with a program called ChatNow. The
program allows users to interface with a live person to get information about afterhours
incidents. The user may enter a designated hashtag or keyword and get a live response.
Some cities have launched apps to provide a convenient tool for residents to access information,
ask questions or make requests. However, our research indicates that there are mixed results.
Allen and Flower Mound have also introduced apps. On the flip side of the coin, Pflugerville
launched an app and cancelled after three years later with only 280 users. While researching the
cost of developing apps for other municipal clients, we’ve found estimates in the range of
$25,000 - $35,000.
Objective #4: Establish a More Distinctive Brand Voice That Highlights
Georgetown’s Unique Position
Recommendation 13 – Host a State of the City event (or partner with the Chamber on
expanding the event to include different audiences)
For the past three years, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce has hosted an annual State of
the City breakfast. Each January, they invite the Mayor to talk about the previous year’s
accomplishments and look ahead to big projects in the new year. During the presentation, a video
highlighting the top 10 stories of the previous year is shared, and then posted to social media
platforms and to the City’s website.
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The Georgetown Chamber State of the City program is well attended, with more than 125 guests
at the 2019 breakfast. However, since the event is hosted by the Chamber and takes place in the
morning, it attracts primarily a business audience.
It is not unusual for cities to partner with the Chamber of Commerce to host a State of the City
event. For instance, Sachse, Kyle and Cedar Park are a few cities that rely on the Chamber to
host the event. Other cities, however, have decided to host their own event to have more control
over the logistics and content, as well as make it more accessible to different audiences.
We recommend that Georgetown host its own State of the City event, or else partner with the
Chamber to produce an event that will attract more than the business community. In order to
make the event accessible to the greatest number of people, Cooksey recommends hosting the
event at the Georgetown Community Center, which accommodates up to 440 guests, and doing
so in the early evening. Drinks and snacks could be served instead of a meal to further reduce
costs. The event would consist of an hour- long program that recognizes the City Council and
key city staff and includes videos and a presentation or Q&A with the Mayor. As with the
Chamber breakfast, the focus of the event will be on looking at the past year’s accomplishments
and looking ahead toward at what’s next.
Prior the event, departments may be invited to set up tables in the entry area to hand out
marketing collateral and answer resident questions. During the main event, guests will be
provided with a 4-page “Annual Report” that summarizes the year’s highlights. The “Annual
Report” should be visually interesting, featuring photos, infographics and very little copy.
Recommendation 14 – Update the City’s logo guidelines.
The City of Georgetown adopted a new logo in 2005. The logo features a large “G” in a script
font and is accompanied by stacked lettering of “Est. 1848 Georgetown, Texas.” Several of the
departments consider the logo to be too simple and have since created their own. In most cases,
the logos do not integrate the City logos.
Most cities have strict guidelines about how the brand may be used, and they do not allow
individual departments, other than fire and police, to have their own logo. For instance, Cedar
Park, New Braunfels and Pflugerville will only allow their departments to use the city logos or
certain elements of the city logo, while Round Rock outright restricts the use of individual
department logos.
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The City of Allen, which is in North Texas, found itself in a situation like Georgetown with
several departments creating individual logos. The city assessed each of the logos and worked
with individual departments to either eliminate the logo or add elements that would create a
strong tie to the City logo.
Cooksey highly recommends that Georgetown work with its departments to create stronger ties
between the city brand and separate department logos. The current guidelines (see Appendix D)
provide information on how to use the City logo, what colors and fonts to use and how the logo
is to be applied. However, it does not address the creation of individual logos, or circumstances
for which “The Most Beautiful Downtown” logos should be used. As a result, Cooksey believes
there is an opportunity to expand on these guidelines to address the gaps.
Working with a third-party consultant, Georgetown’s Communications Department should
update the current brand guide to include guidelines for use of “The Most Beautiful Downtown”
logos. As part of the process, it should also assess each department logo and determine whether
the logo should be discontinued or if it should be altered with integration of Georgetown’s “G”
treatment. The new guide should also provide instructions for use of all logos that are not
discontinued.
Recommendation 15 – Provide graphic design templates for consistency.
With so many individuals creating or outsourcing graphic design work, the collection of citywide
pieces has an inconsistent look. Part of this issue with be resolved by hiring a graphic designer,
but to streamline the process we also suggest, once a graphic designer is in place, creating a
series of templates for communications tools that are most commonly used among the
department. This may include the creation of templates for flyers, direct mailers, door hangars or
social media banners in an easily accessible graphic program such as Canva, or an e-newsletter
template for programs such as emma, MailChimp or Constant Contact.
In particular, Cooksey noticed that PowerPoint presentations do not include the City’s brand.
More specifically, the Mayor’s State of the City presentation and City Council presentations
were missing the logo. This can be addressed by creating a Citywide template to be used for all
City Council and community presentations that include the “G” logo on each slide, ensuring that
all City presentations have a consistent look and are branded.
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Recommendation 16 – Adopt a distinctive brand voice on social media platforms and reduce
the number of City-managed pages.
Traditionally, cities have taken a neutral tone when posting items to social media. This is
certainly the case for Georgetown. However, as users become bombarded with social media
messages on multiple platforms, we are starting to see some cities try to distinguish themselves
by establishing a distinctive brand voice. For example, Round Rock has successfully leveraged
opportunities to take on a more lighthearted tone across all of its platforms.
Cooksey recommends that Georgetown work with a third-party consultant to identify and
develop a social media brand voice that is distinctive and aligns with the City’s vision and
culture. The engagement would also include updating the City’s social media policy (see
Appendix F) integrate the new voice into postings. This project may be among the services
provided as part of the agency retainer suggested as part of Recommendation 1.
Cooksey recommends that the City consider using Sprout to manager the city’s multiple
accounts. Each page manager enters a post, which is sent to the Communications Department for
review and approval before being posted. This ensures that nothing inappropriate is being posted
to the City’s site and that posts have a consistent message and brand voice.
Additionally, the City should limit its social media accounts to one page per platform per
department. This will more directly tie programs to the City department hosting the activities and
expand the reach of these posts. For example, Facebook pages for the Georgetown Adventure
Program and the Challenge Course have less than 400 followers apiece, compared to the 6,787
followers for the Parks and Recreation account. While these specific programs may not appeal to
all Parks and Recreation social media followers at all times, posting to the department account
will create greater awareness than limiting posts to the program pages. With limited resources, it
also reduces maintenance. This guideline applies to the Fire Department, Police Department,
Parks and Recreation Department, Library, Arts & Culture, Downtown Georgetown and the
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Recommendation 17 – Host a social media photo contest to generate citywide photos and
inspire civic pride. The Parks and Recreation Department has a need for photos but no budget
for a photographer. The City may test a social media photo contact encouraging people to get
scenic images of Georgetown’s parks and submitting for a prize. Contestants will be encouraged
to post their images to the parks and recreation site, with the understanding that they may be used
by the City for promotional purposes. The winners will be posted to social media and the City’s
website. It will also be featured in the Weekly, the Reporter and the Community Impact ad. Free
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Garey Park admission or complimentary registration, a family pack of tickets to a city event or
registration for a parks and recreation activity may be offered to encourage participation. In
addition to providing some much-needed photos, the contest will provide additional content and
an opportunity to enhance the City’s social media postings with light-hearted postings.
Recommendation 18 – Turn City staff, elected officials and community partners into city
brand ambassadors
While the core Communications Department is responsible for oversight of citywide
communications efforts, ultimately all city staff members who work with the general public have
a communications role as they represent the City. Several front-line city staff members, and
some community partners, indicated they would like to have more information available to them
about city services, events and issues so they may answer questions or direct residents to the
appropriate city resource. For example, library staff often get questions that should be directed to
GUS, Convention and Visitors Bureau or Parks and Recreation, but the staff member is not clear
on which department they should reference or who is the appropriate contact within the
department.
In order to empower City staff members to better serve their audiences, Cooksey recommends
the following strategies for turning them into City brand ambassadors:
1. Create an ambassador toolkit for city staff, elected officials and community partners
that will help them provide accurate and timely information about the City. This
toolkit would include a one-pager answering FAQs about the City, an updated list of
City contacts that links them to common questions or issues, and a one-pager with
key general messages about the City. The tools should be available in digital and print
formats so that city staff who do not work with computers may still be able to access
the information when needed.
2. Update the toolkit with the media tools created for major projects, event campaigns or
issues. For instance, the toolkit may be updated with a one-sheeter or press release
about the Red Poppy Festival, the Austin Avenue Bridge project, or updates on the
Georgetown 2030 comprehensive plan.
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Recommendation 19 – Continue the resident communications survey. The best way to measure
impact and ensure the City is both sharing information and engaging with stakeholders in a
meaningful way is to conduct and analyze the resident communications survey annually, and by
incorporating questions measuring the effectiveness implemented as a result of this plan’s
recommendations. The information should be taken into account while developing or updating
the strategic communications plan, marketing plan and during the annual Communications
Department strategic retreat.
Monitoring Trends and Looking Ahead
While these recommendations provide a roadmap for the City of Georgetown’s communications
over the next few years, it’s important to continue monitoring trends with an eye toward adopting
new communications tools, as budget and resources allow. Throughout the State of Texas, cities
of all sizes are using innovative solutions to engage with their residents.
While not specifically using new technology, several small-to-mid-sized cities have indicated
that, if funds were available, they would add a full-time photographer to their staff. We heard
this from Georgetown’s Parks and Recreation Department, and it was reinforced by Round Rock.
As media becomes more visual, there is certainly a greater need for both still images and video.
Cities are also looking at ways to use virtual reality and augmented reality technology. We’ve
already seen architects and construction companies using this technology to help key audiences
visualize what a project will look like upon completion, as well as for quality assurance
inspections. Additionally, some police and fire departments are already using virtual reality for
training. Eventually, cities may use this technology to help residents visualize comprehensive
plans for a community or get a better sense of what a proposed new park will look like.
Convention and Visitors Bureaus may use virtual reality to help people visualize a community’s
top attractions, while an Economic Development Department may customize a program to help
prospects experience a 360- degree view what their project would look like on a specific site.
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Measurement of Results
While the success of some communications strategies may be difficult to quantify, other
communications strategies lend themselves to objective measures of success – including the
mere fact of having been implemented. Suggested measurements are listed below, broken down
by each of the four objectives in the plan.
Most importantly, key messages will improve the scores achieved on the annual resident
communications survey. In particular, it can be measured by improvement on Question 3
regarding perceptions of the overall effectiveness and resident satisfaction with the City’s
communications.
Measures for Objective #1: Adopt a More Proactive and Strategic Approach to
Communications (Structural/Resource Enhancements)
• Rebrand the Communications Department as the Communications and Public
Engagement Department in early 2020
• Hire a Communications Director during the first half of 2020
• Develop a strategic plan by the end of 2020
• Add Public Information Officer to Keith Hutchinson’s title in 2020
• Shift Beth Wade into a Marketing and Social Media Coordinator position in 2020
• Hire a graphic designer by the end of 2020
• Hire a video production assistant by end of 2021
• Retain a full-service communications agency by mid-2020
• Create a Neighborhood Services Coordinator/Manager position in 2020
• Participate in 2-4 media source meetings during the first half of 2020
• Participate in at least 3-4 meetings with department leaders by the end of 2020, and six
meetings with department leaders by the end of 2021
• Begin using a project management program to prioritize and manage project by the end
of 2020
• Subscribe to a media monitoring service in 2020
• Create marketing plans for each department by the end of 2019
• Create and deploy a social media calendar by the end of 2019
• Reduce number of department social media accounts to one per department per platform
by mid-2020
• Increase boosted social media posts for the 2030 Comprehensive Plan by the end of 2019
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• Design and publish 4-6 two-page spreads in Community Impact by the end of 2019
• Reduce print volume and limit distribution of the Reporter by the end of 2020
• Launch a newly designed Weekly e-newsletter in early 2020
• Increased number or email addresses in the Weekly e-newsletter be end of 2021
• Distribute the communications survey to residents annually
• Higher open rates for the Weekly newsletter by end of 2021
• Monitor fewer comments about the City’s lack to transparency by the end of 2022
Measures for Objective #2: Position the City to Better Anticipate and Respond to Crises and
Emerging Issues
• Develop a crisis communications plan for common emergency events by the end of 2020
• Develop a crisis communications plan for issue-related events by the end of 2020
• Participate in 2-3 planning meetings for major city projects by mid-2020
• Conduct an initial media training session by mid-2021
• Fewer negative comments regarding the City’s handling of crises in social media forums
• Fewer negative comments regarding the City’s handling of crises in open survey
responses
• Fewer media articles with inaccurate information
• Experiment with inexpensive CRM tools by mid-2020
Measures for Objective #3: Foster a Stronger Sense of Community Partnership and
Engagement
• Participate in introductory meetings with all community partners by mid-2021
• Host one On the Table Event in 2019
• Expand the use of one voting apps at a public meeting by the end of 2020
• Include a virtual reality demonstration at one meeting, community presentation or event
by the end of 2021
• Test a digital town hall meeting by the end of 2020
• Provide Spanish translations for most city-produced collaterals by the end of 2021
• Attend 2-3 GISD Bilingual Services family events by the end of 2020
• Provide printed pieces to community partners serving low-income areas for 2-3 city
campaigns by mid-2021
• Monitor a larger number of participants at public meetings or town hall events by the end
of 2020, especially among Spanish-speaking and low-income communities
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Measures for Objective #4: Establish a More Distinctive Brand Voice That Highlights
Georgetown’s Unique Position
• Host a State of the City event in January 2020
• Create and distribute an annual report to share at the Chamber’s State of the City event in
2019 (highlighting 2019 stories)
• Launch updated City logo guidelines by end of 2020
• Launch city-branded templates by end of 2021
• Monitor fewer city collaterals that don’t have the City logo by end of 2021
• Eliminate individual department logos that do not incorporate the City’s logo
• Launch a new brand voice by end of 2022
• Distribute two direct mail pieces by the end of 2020
• Distribute the resident communications survey annually
• Monitor an increased level or resident satisfaction with communications
• Monitor an increased level of government transparency
• Monitor an increased use of city communications tools
• Increased number of posts on City’s Facebook page by end of 2022
• Increased number of followers on City’s Facebook page by end of 2022
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Implementation Considerations
A number of strategic recommendations previously outlined above have budgetary implications
for the City, many of which still need to be assessed in detail by the City Manager, based on a
review of currently available resources and an assessment of other City priorities. Below is
suggested timeline for implementing the suggested strategies, along with estimated budgetary
implications:
2019
Create job description for Director of Communications and Public
Engagement
$250 (est. job posting
costs)
Launch Sprout Social (social media management program)
Est. – 6 months
$594 – $1,494
($99-$249/month)
Begin publishing Community Impact two-page ads (4-6 ads by
end of the year)
$28,000 – $42,000
($7,000/month)
Create Annual Report for distribution at Chamber’s State of the
City event in early 2020
TBD – pending print
qty., type of press,
paper quality, etc.
Estimated Budget Impact for 2019 $28,844 – $43,744
First Half of 2020
Launch Director of Communications and Public Engagement
candidate search and hire for the position
$95,000 - $115,000
annual salary
Host three informal town hall events TBD – depends on
location and other
resource the City
contributes to
supporting the event
Media monitoring subscription $4,500 annual (est.
from Cision)
Begin investigating options for reducing print volume of the
Reporter and launch digital version
Cost savings TBD
Engage agency for crisis communications plan development (issue
and event plans)
$30,000-$40,000 for
two plans
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Distribute one direct mail piece TBD – pending on
quantity, quote from
preferred printer,
postage
Begin planning an On the Table event TBD – depending on
any paid resources
are necessary to
support the event
Produce an Annual Report for State of the City TBD – depending on
quantity
Host State of the City in January TBD- depending on
site and logistics
Estimated Budget Impact for First Half of 2020 $129,500 – $159,500
Second Half of 2020
Test more boosted social media posts TBD
Distribute a direct mail piece TBD – pending
quantity, quote from
preferred printer,
postage
Retain a full-service communications agency ($5,000 - $7,000
monthly)
$30,000 - $42,000 for
half the year
Engage third-party to update logo guidelines and implement
among departments
$7,000 - $9,000
Hire a graphic designer $55,000 - $65,000
salary
Estimated Budget Impact for Second Half of 2020 $92,000 - $116,000,
plus - boosted social
media posts
First Half of 2021
Engage a third-party resource for media training and conduct first
session
$7,500 - $10,000 per
session
Host a digital town hall meeting TBD – pending
logistics
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Begin including Spanish translations on all city materials TBD – pending
volume of translation
Test inexpensive CRM tools to manage inbound communications TBD
Retain a full-service communications agency ($5,000 - $7,000
monthly)
$30,000 - $42,000 for
half the year
Hire a video production assistant $45,000 - $55,000
Estimated Budget Impact for First Half of 2021 $82,500 - $107,000,
plus Spanish
translation, CRM
test and digital town
hall meeting
Second Half of 2021
Work with third-party to identify City brand voice TBD
Estimated Budget Impact for Second Half of 2021 TBD
2022
Distribute four direct mail pieces TBD – pending qty.,
printer quote, postage
Estimated Budget Impact for 2022 TBD
2023
Retain a full-service communications agency ($5,000 - $7,000
monthly)
$60,000 - $84,000
Draft scoping document and secure vendor for enterprise level
CRM tool
TBD
Estimated Budget Impact for 2024 $60,000 - $84,000,
plus CRM tool
Funding Note: Sources for funding increased resources for the Communications and Public
Engagement Department may come from the General Fund, Hotel Occupancy Tax and
Georgetown Utility Systems.
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City of Georgetown Communications Assessment Page 76 of 77
CONCLUSION
Georgetown’s residents want more types of communications shared with them more often, and
they want more opportunities to provide feedback and feel that their concerns and needs are
being heard. This message was clear from the results of the communications survey. The City is
working with a Communications budget and a core Communications Department that is smaller
than its peer cities, making it difficult for the Communications Department to deliver on
frequently pushing out information. Limited resources and ongoing media challenges have
placed the core Communications Department in a position of constantly addressing immediate
needs without having time to adopt a strategic, proactive approach to communications.
At the same time, media challenges that have become the Communications Department’s main
focus are also resulting in the loss of resident trust in City government. At the very time the City
needs to be getting positive messages to key stakeholders, its attention is focused on putting out
fires. Georgetown can earn back the trust of its residents by providing them with the very thing
they want – more communication, and more engagement. In order to accomplish this, the City
must restructure the team by adding staff and financial resources.
Cooksey Communications has outlined some fairly ambitious recommendations for
communications strategies to better inform and engage the City’s target audiences. However, we
believe that the implementation of these recommendations is feasible with the application of
appropriate resources. This is an exciting time for Georgetown, and we applaud the City’s
leadership for taking on this effort to assess its communications and to act on the stakeholder
input and Cooksey Communications’ recommendations.
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City of Georgetown Communications Assessment Page 77 of 77
Page 135 of 148
COMMUNICATIONS
ASSESSMENT UPDATE
OCT. 27, 2020
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OVERVIEW
•ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
•PROGRESS REPORT
•BRANDING ANALYSIS
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ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
Page 138 of 148
•City issued RFP for communications
audit in 2018, six bids
•Hired Cooksey Communications
•Conducted review of current state,
interviews, peer cities, and
community survey
•Presented recommendations to
Council April 23, 2019
BACKGROUND
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•Timing
•Four primary objectives
•Adopt a more proactive and strategic approach
•Position the City to better anticipate and respond to emerging
issues
•Foster stronger sense of community partnership and engagement
•Establish more distinctive brand voice
•19 recommendations
HIGHLIGHTS
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PROGRESS REPORT
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19 RECOMMENDATIONS
1.Rebrand and Restructure the
Communications Department
2.Create and implement processes for
strategic and proactive planning
3.Leverage cost-effective tools
4.Conduct a website analysis and make site
adjustments based on the input
5.Develop crisis communications plans for
issues and emergency events
6.Include a Communications Department
member during initial discussions
7.Conduct crisis media training for staff who
may serve as a City spokesperson
8.Engage an external communications
consultant to assist with significant crises
9.Establish quarterly meetings with key
community partners
10.Increase participation and engagement at
public events
11.Leverage community partnerships to
provide resources for underserved
communities
12.Develop a centralized inbound
communications tool for residents
13.Host a State of the City event
14.Update the City’s logo guidelines
15.Create City -branded templates
16.Adopt a distinctive brand voice
17.Host a social media photo contest
18.Turn City staff, elected officials and
community partners into brand
ambassadors
19.Repeat the resident communications
survey annually
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•The new Communications and
Public Engagement Department
(CAPE)
•Increased emphasis and content
on social media
•Improving accessibility to City
information
•Held first State of the City event
ACCOMPLISHMENT HIGHLIGHTS
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CITY SERVICE GUIDE
Page 144 of 148
•Policy and SOP updates and
creation
•Communications visioning
•Use and refine new metrics
•Social media tool
•Branding analysis
NEXT STEPS
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•What is a brand?
•Consultant: North Star
•27 weeks, starts with research
•Robust community and Council
engagement
BRANDING ANALYSIS
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•Deliverables include logo
positioning and update, brand
voice and narrative, style guide,
and implementation matrix
•Will use daily, strategically, and
not just for communications
BRANDING ANALYSIS
Connecting the soul of your
community to the heart of
your consumers.
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City of Georgetown, Texas
City Council Workshop
O ctober 27, 2020
S UBJEC T:
Sec. 551.071: Consul tati on w i th Attorney
Advice from attorney about pending or contemplated litigation and other matters on which the attorney has a duty to
advise the City Council, including agenda items
- Litigation Update
Sec. 551.072: De l i berati o ns about Real P roperty
- Rivehaven -- Travis Baird, Real Estate Services Manager
- Berry Creek Inte rc epto r, P arcels 1, 2, and 3 -- Travis Baird, Real Estate Services manager
Sec. 551.074: P ersonnel M atters
- City M anager Work P lan
Sec. 551.086: Ce r tai n P ubl i c P ower Uti l i ti es: Co mpeti ti ve M atters
- P urchased P o wer Update
Sec. 551.087: De l i berati o ns Regardi ng Economi c Devel opment
- P roject Woods
- P roject Wafer
- P roject Farm
I T E M S UMMARY:
F I NANC I AL IMPAC T:
n/a
S UBMI T T ED BY:
Robyn Densmo re , City Secretary
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