REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Recommendation from Governance & Ethics Committee on City Council District Communication Options to be Memorialized in New Council Policy 054 - City Council District Communications
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency
BACKGROUND
City Hall News started as a monthly digital publication featuring City news, initiatives, events, and a message from the City Manager. In 2021, District Councilmembers expressed an interest in sending regular communications to their District constituents. To that end, the publication was rebranded to include a message from the Mayor instead of the City Manager, and Councilmembers were given the option of including a message with the same City Hall News monthly content. On any given month, if a Councilmember submitted a City Hall News message, that message was included in the digital publication for that month.
City Hall News is sent via the GovDelivery platform to approximately 50,000 eNews subscribers each month and is archived on the City website where it is viewable in both Flipbook and PDF formats. Currently, each version of City Hall News with Councilmember messages are also promoted on the City’s social media channels.
The Governance and Ethics Committee took up the issue of possible modifications to how the citywide digital newsletter is prepared and circulated, along with the possibility for separate District representative communications, as part of its 2024 Work Plan. This item presents their recommendation on these topics for full Council consideration in the form of new City Council Policy 054.
DISCUSSION
The Governance and Ethics Committee included the topic of District Communication options as part of its 2024 work plan. Through the review of the City’s current communication options, staff presented options for consideration (Attachment 1) to the Governance and Ethics Committee meeting on December 2, 2024.
In summary, staff proposed an option to decouple City Hall News from the Mayor and City Councilmember messages to the community and alternatively to provide each City Councilmember the option to send messages to subscribers in their respective districts. As part of the options presented, the Mayor, as the ceremonial head of the City, would continue to utilize the citywide distribution list to send the Mayor’s message to the community. To manage workload, staff provided guidelines on frequency, length, and timing of messages. After review and discussion, the Governance and Ethics Committee provided direction to staff to consider the alternative options and bring forth the options to the full City Council for consideration. The Governance and Ethics Committee recommended the following:
1. City Hall News would continue to be issued as the City’s monthly newsletter. The Mayor and City Councilmembers would have the option to submit a monthly message which would be linked following the City news content section.
2. To establish Councilmember subscription lists, the City would begin by using the existing list with roughly 50,000subscribers. Subscribers would need to unsubscribe to no longer receive the specific Mayor or district news.
3. City Councilmembers have the option to send separate, additional communications to their respective District subscribers. Such messages would also be sent using the citywide subscriber list and, again, include an option to unsubscribe. As Councilmembers develop their own content, best practices should be adhered to. Please refer to the Guidelines for Council Communications Using City Platforms attachment (Attachment 1).
4. Councilmember messages would not be limited on length of message, images submitted, and frequency.
5. A disclaimer would be added to the Councilmember messages that their views do not necessarily represent the official views of the City.
6. City staff would continue to revisit the process and workload. If necessary, staff would return to the Committee if any modifications were needed.
Based on the Governance and Ethics Committee’s recommendation, staff has developed the proposed Council Policy 054 titled Council District Communications (Attachment 3) which outlines the following process for implementing the Mayor and District communication options.
Monthly Messages in City Newsletter
1. City Councilmembers submit content to staff by the third week of the month or by deadlines established by staff.
2. Staff will review the content and format it in a template.
3. Staff’s review will be limited to typographical/grammar corrections and compliance with the Guidelines for Council Communications Using City Platforms.
4. The Councilmember’s communication will be included as a link in the monthly City Newsletter.
Separate City Councilmember Messages
City Councilmembers shall also have the option to send direct messages to constituents more frequently than monthly as follows:
1. City Councilmembers submit content to staff with an indication of their desired publication date; the proposed publication date should be no sooner than three (3) business days after the submittal date.
2. Staff will review content and format it in a template.
3. Staff’s review will be limited to typographical/grammar corrections and compliance with the Guidelines for Council Communications Using City Platforms.
4. If workload creates negative impacts to staff, the City Manager will go back to Council with recommended adjustments.
District eSubscriber Lists
The City utilizes an eNews subscription service to send email notifications to currently over 50,000 subscribers. Each District subscriber list will be comprised of the subscribers on the Citywide distribution list. Subscribers will have the option to unsubscribe or remain on the subscriber list, as indicated by the “unsubscribe” hyperlink in the footer of each District message.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact other than staff time.
COORDINATION
This report was coordinated by the City Manager’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve Committee’s Recommendation; or
2. Amend Recommendation and reconsider distribution list approach. Best practice for good customer service would be having each Councilmember grow their own subscriber lists organically rather than automatically sending Councilmember messages to all 50,000 subscribers. That approach may frustrate subscribers and lead them to unsubscribe to City Hall News and all messaging. If Council chooses this alternative recommendation, staff would help promote subscribing to each councilmember message on the City’s communication channels.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution approving Council Policy 054 (“City Councilmember District Communications”) based on the recommendation from the Governance and Ethics Committee, with amendments if any, provided by the City Council.
Staff
Reviewed by: Janine De la Vega, Public Information Officer, City Manager’s Office
Approved by: Jovan D. Grogan, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. RTC 24-772 Report to the Government and Ethics Committee 12/2/24
2. Guidelines for Council Communication Using City Platforms
3. Policy 054 Council District Communications
4. Draft Resolution