Minutes 09-12-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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She began with point 1 in media relations on page 3 of the outline and asked for Board feedback. Commissioner Gordon asked if Carla Banks could go through her presentation starting at the beginning of the outline. She said she has general questions and she thought this would start with an overview, before getting into the details. Carla Banks said she is proposing the outline so she has a basis to create a working document based on Board input. She noted that the Board had requested the opportunity to be part of that process. She said the outline's purpose was to list the elements that should be in the plan and give an opportunity for things to be added. Commissioner Gordon said she would prefer starting at the beginning of the document. Carla Banks read the purpose as outlined on page 2 of the abstract. Commissioner Gordon said she wanted to start on the first page and discuss the overall issues. She referenced the original Strategic Communications Plan from 1999 which was on the blue sheets. She said that if you compare the wording of the abstract outline with the wording of the plan that is on the blue sheets, you will see a difference with respect to the role of the Board. She quoted two sections on the first page of the original plan to give examples of this difference. First, she read that the purpose was "to promote more effective communication between and among the County Commissioners and the citizens." Second, she read "staff will develop for Board approval a single, unified style for all County communications efforts to establish the County's "identity" in communication vehicles." She said a major difference is whether the Board of County Commissioners is even referenced in the outline as compared with the references concerning the Board's role stated in the 1999 plan. She feels that the Board of County Commissioner's oversight has been eliminated in the outline proposed by Carla Banks. Commissioner Gordon said the Board of County Commissioners would have approval for the overall communications vision in the original plan; and in this new plan the Board of County Commissioners is almost invisible. She referred to the pink sheets with the minutes from the May 21 st meeting, and said that the Commissioners requested a say in the branding, the logo and other areas. She feels this is a strategic piece that is different from the staff proposal and it is important to clarify the role of the Board. Carla Banks said she thought she was proposing a County-wide plan, rather than a plan that was focused specifically on the Board of County Commissioners. Commissioner Gordon said this is a County-wide plan, but she does not see a role for the Board of County Commissioners in this proposed outline. Commissioner McKee said his view of the role of the Board of County Commissioners, both as a whole and individual, is to provide policy and direction, not to be intimately involved in the design of a logo or choice of a media outlet. He does not feel comfortable discussing Board oversight of any department. He said it is easy to then move into micro-management. He said he is not being critical of Commissioner Gordon, but he is just trying to understand her position of their role. He sees his role as policy and oversight. Commissioner Gordon said she is talking about how the County communicates its brand and image in efforts to reach out to citizens. She said the details are technical and she is not talking about managing a department. She is talking about the Board of County Commissioners having some type of role, and in this new plan the Board does not seem to have a role. She said that the Board is responsible for how their image is projected. Commissioner Pelissier said she does not understand what Commissioner Gordon wants. She said her impression is that the Board has had a role, because the Board decided to hire a Public Affairs Officer that was not a Commissioner directed