Communications Advisory Committee

 

February 23rd, 2009, 7:00 pm

 

Audrey P. Beck Building, Conference Room B

 

AGENDA

 

I.                    Call to order

 

II.                  Approval of Minutes

 

III.                 Public Comment

 

IV.               Old Business

A.   Mission (See Attached “Mansfield Communications Advisory Committee Goals” for this agenda item)

B.   Budget process

C.   School projects (Mansfield & Region 19) communications efforts

D.   Comparable towns / programs; review materials from Windsor if received

E.   Television broadcast of Council Meetings

F.   Membership Issues

 

V.                 New Business

 

VI.               Reports

 

VII.             Communications

 

VIII.            Agenda for the Next Meeting

 

IX.               Adjournment

 

 

ATTACHMENT (for Item IV. A. in the agenda):

 

APPROVED 11/3/08:

Mansfield Communications Advisory Committee Mission Statement:

 

Our mission is to promote successful communications which will facilitate good governance in Mansfield.

 

Governance refers to the way the Town manages and governs itself.  Governance requires a dialogue among Mansfield town government, departments, Town Council, committees, citizens and community organizations.  Effective communications is the timely and ongoing activity of transferring information and ideas back and forth among all parties, using a variety of available communications channels.

 

 

APPROVED 11/3/08:

Mansfield Communications Advisory Committee Values Statement:
"We encourage, engage and empower."


PROPOSED 12/15/08 FOR 2/23/09 MEETING DISCUSSION:

Mansfield Communications Advisory Committee Goals:

1. Identify education opportunities, and propose improvements in making town government operations more understandable to citizens

Objectives:
            Identify current level of knowledge of the governance process
            Identify gaps in knowledge and educational opportunities
            Propose instruction (curricula) to citizens and employees            
            Review and comment on Town Budget documentation
            Review and comment on referendum process regarding communications

2. Identify communications methods and propose best practices

Objectives:

            Determine current channels, that is modes, of communication used

            Evaluate effectiveness of current channel use

Identify opportunities to improve communications effectiveness by altering the mix and use of channels through which we communicate

Propose best practices for each channel to maximize effectiveness


3. Evaluate and optimize communications efforts and effectiveness

Objectives:

            Identify ways to evaluate effectiveness of communications efforts
            Identify data points, that is measurable points of information
            Prioritize data points to collect for evaluation
            Identify baseline evaluation methods
            Execute baseline survey(s)
            Recommend opportunities for improvement

4. Review (create) communications strategies for the Town

 

Objectives:

            Draft and adopt mission statement

            Confirm proposed goals and objectives are clearly understood

            Research comparable towns

            Propose Town-wide communications strategy

            Propose communication policies and procedures

           

List of Communications Channels to Review (including, but not limited to)