City council discussed the creation of a new corporate communications officer position during its Feb. 5 meeting at city hall.
During council’s Jan. 22 meeting, Mayor George Pirie requested a report be prepared on the subject and CAO Dave Landers presented that report to city council.
“Just to preface this report, we do know and the AMCTO (Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario) has told us previously, the single most important thing the taxpayer wants to see is transparency within their municipality,” he said.
“Communications in terms of relaying that transparency is the key to ensuring the public is aware of the decision making and how the city is responding to actions within its community.
“The city does have a number of policies related to communications, both internally and externally. The mayor, as you are aware, is the spokesperson for council.
“The chief administrative officer acts as the spokesperson for administrative matters and the department heads are the spokespeople for their specific subject matter expertise.
“Often, other staff members with a particular knowledge set are requested to offer information in relation to their areas of expertise in order to meet requests from the media or the community.
“A number of years ago, the city did an internal communications audit and that came to council in January of 2017. The results of that audit and where we are in the process are outlined in the report.”
The following have been implemented:
• Re-instate semi-annual non-union meetings with staff that fosters two-way candid dialogue-creating an organizational habit for communication. It is further recommended that all departments be mandated to present at least once during the year.
• Develop and produce a quarterly/seasonal bulletin to members of the public providing high- level information on departmental initiatives, success stories and links to additional information.
• Human resources to provide supervisor training and supervisor handbook, which should include some common criteria, templates, etc. for various activities such as attendance management and discipline.
• Develop a service philosophy and provide customer service and/or service
service excellence training and AODA standards to all front-line staff and new hires. Further explore the implementation of a Customer Service Centre.
• Support website redesign committee.
• Ensure all departments who regularly receive public feedback have an efficient way of tracking and maintaining a database. Broaden access to Timmins
MaintStar.
In addition, the following recommendations are currently underway:
• Develop a corporate social media strategy.
• Develop a more pro- active approach to communication with the public — possibly utilizing SOMUM (auto-dialer) for notices to residents, if feasible. Develop a ‘Communications and Advertising Calendar,’ listing events that require annual communication. Develop educational pieces and videos — explaining what/how/why.
As of the Feb. 5 meeting, the only recommendation not yet started was providing media training for corporate spokespeople.
“We are continuing to make good progress,” Landers said.
“Rolling out Service Timmins this past year, implementing the online identification with the transit system where people can actually see where things are going and the renewed City of Timmins website are all good steps in terms of improving our ability to communicate with the public.
“We are certainly working to exploit the website and expand its use. We have a business plan as we move forward on delivering on the promise of Service Timmins. We are already seeing some good success in responding to citizen enquiries and we will continue to do better and more over time as the system develops and becomes more robust.
“That being said, there are areas of communication where we do have challenges within the corporation and that’s at the strategic communication level.
“A lot of the outward facing communications to the community, the stakeholders and in particular in terms of issue management, it is a challenge.
“We don’t have dedicated staff or resources to take on issues and all too often we are playing a reactive role to issues that arise in the community, or comments that come up through different social media channels.
“It sometimes takes time to get back in front of the messaging or provide some clear messaging. Porcupine Lake is a good example. Establishing a liaison committee I think will help us in that respect, but far too many times incorrect messaging has been out there in front of us for too long.
“Some of that incorrect messaging then becomes the perceived wisdom, or truth and is in fact not correct.
“That becomes a challenge and takes away from staff and department heads in terms of the work within their areas.
“Furthermore, when we are trying to place issues in front of government, it becomes a question of whose job is it to pull together the information.
“We do make good presentations to government and argue our cases effectively, but it is not co-ordinated in an approach that would give us the best result. Far too often, it ends up with the mayor writing a report on the way in to a meeting with the standing committee on economic development, far too close to the time of delivery.
“Strategic leadership in terms of some of that communications and strategic leadership in terms of issue management is a weakness withing the corporation.
“It doesn’t do us the best in terms of getting our message across to government or more importantly to the community who are sometimes unsure or can’t quite follow where we are trying to be leading in the city.”
Prior to preparing his report, Landers spoke with representatives of a number of other communities, including Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury.
“All of the cities I spoke with have a greater communication staff than we do here at the City of Timmins,” he said.
“All of them have a focus on internal communications and external or corporate communications. You can see the links between the activities of council and the activities of administration.
“Every city seems to have a structure that fits its own corporate structure, but suffice it to say we are lagging compared to other communities in our ability to give responsive issues management related information quickly and to press our point with government.”
Mayor Pirie added, “The biggest shortfall we have is in the strategic portion of our communications. It is something I have said from the beginning, during my speech when I was sworn in.
“I think it is something the city has suffered from and I think it has affected our image, the way other communities in the North and governments see us.
“We are not controlling the communications agenda at all.
“It was very interesting at the recent ROMA (Rural Ontario Municipal Association) conference … anybody who listened to Brian Lambie … that’s exactly where we want to be, in front of issues — ensuring all of our strategies and all of our plans are out there.
“It was striking. He was saying we should be working on next year’s issues right now and I concur with that 100 per cent.
“I have talked to every individual around the table about the need for this type of officer and I would be looking for your support in the beginning of the recruitment process for such an officer.”
That raised a number of questions around the council table.
Ward 4 Coun. John Curley said, “So, obviously you are looking at a new position, a new hire, or is this something we can find within our present staffing?
“I believe we have a few people already in communications. I am not taking away from what you are saying, but with a new hire and the budget process, I am just wondering if this is something we can find within our organization, so we are not creating a new position within the organization.”
Mayor Pirie replied, “It is a new position. There may be somebody within the organization who can move up, but there will be a new position and there will be a recruitment process to find this individual.”
Ward 5 Coun. Noella Rinaldo got into the debate, saying, “A few years ago we made the big decision to put somebody into communications and we do have somebody, but as communications has grown in the past few years, I think we have tied their hands quite a bit.
“As we understand how social media works and want to get our message across, it might be time to look at that particular position and that person who is there and perhaps redefine that position.
“It has changed so dramatically in the last … I think they have been in that position now, if I remember correctly about four years … so it might be time to re-look at that.
“I do not have an appetite for a new position, or job. That is something that can be discussed during the budget process, but I do think we have somebody there and we should be trying to look at that position and seeing if it can be less restrictive and a little more defined.”
Mayor Pirie replied, “I don’t think we should be talking about the competencies of any individual right now. The process would be to go out for the recruitment process in a defined role and if that individual is capable of that position, they will fit into that position.
“I know what you are saying about a new position and if I didn’t think it was absolutely critical for the success of this city right now, given not only the opportunities we have in front of us but also the challenges we have in front of us, that things get out and communicated properly to all citizens, within the region and at all levels of government.
“A perfect example would be when you do a deep dive into Sault Ste. Marie and their communications. They do an absolutely wonderful job and they have an individual dedicated specifically for that role, as does Sudbury and to some extent North Bay.
“We have to do a far better job than we are currently doing in all aspects of our communications.”
Ward 5 Coun. Michelle Boileau said, “I am pleased we are even having this discussion, that we are delving into the communications structure of the corporation.
“From what I understand, when we say structure, there isn’t much structure presently. We have one position handling all communications. Mr. Landers’ report hit the nail on the head.
“There are two parts to communication: External and internal. Right now, we only have one position we are hoping can cover both of them.
“In today’s world, it is so important that we optimize our communications, especially when you are thinking about things like search-engine optimization. We want to make sure every time Timmins is searched, the right messages are coming up.
“It is important when we are talking about important issues at Queen’s Park, when we say Timmins, they know we are talking about a place that ends in ins, instead of ons.
“We need to develop a strategy and move away from the piecemeal approach we have been taking.
“If that means having to entertain a new position, I would likely be in support of it.”
Mayor Pirie said, “I was hoping to be able to act on this sooner, rather than later. Even, in fact, tonight, under the motions, to have council’s support to begin the recruitment process for this position before we lose a half a year discussing things.”
Not yet convinced, Coun. Rinaldo said, “This is a new position and we are going into budgets … well, we should have been started last week … so I really think this is something that’s a budget issue.
“I am very uncomfortable looking at a new position without starting that budget process. I really think it should be part of the budget process.
“We ran on fiscal responsibility and some of us were very adamant about that. A new position is a big deal.”
Coun. Curley got back into the debate by saying, “I have no problem going out for recruitment. That doesn’t mean we have hired anybody. At least getting out there and seeing what’s available, what they can offer and what we are actually looking for, we might have it internally.
“While doing that, we are still going to get into our budget process. Having the information at that time will allow us to make an easier decision. We will be well into our budget process before that person would be available.”
Mayor Pirie responded, “I do believe now is the proper time because it is budget time and recruiting is a process we can being. It is not mutually exclusive from budgeting.
“If we don’t do it now, six months from now we will be looking at it and saying it is not in our budget. It is critical that this is lock-step with the budget process.”
Ward 5 Coun. Andrew Marks interjected, “In my day job, I am a community relations guy, so I completely understand the importance of this. Sitting here, looking at our corporation, I absolutely think communication strategies are essential to us moving forward, as a community.
“When I reflect back to the communication positions previous councils took, I don’t know if it has fallen appropriately under the CAO. I am looking for direction from the mayor tonight about next steps because I have questions about where this person sits, who this person answers to, is it these bullet points that are the job description? Will the current position be an assistant, or do any of these duties?
“I have got questions, even about salary, but I absolutely see the need. I want to move forward on it and I want us to work together on it, because I know the importance of this to our community, but I want us to walk before we are running.
“I don’t even know where this position would fit into the corporate structure, but I really think we should be moving there.”
Mayor Pirie pointed out the new position would report to Landers.
“Given the overall objectives we are trying to accomplish with this position, it is not a minor-level position,” he said.
“When you talk about job description, if you think about the requirement to get our message out strategically, to all levels of government, not to mention our citizens, so we are in front of all topics …
“There have been a couple of painful instances already this council has been a part of and certainly it was painful to watch past communications that involved the council and citizens within the community.
“So, we want to move so we are in front of the conversation, in front of the communications, we are directing the communications.”
Ward 3 Coun. Joe Campbell said, “Listening to the conversation around the table, I see this level of communications announcing cold nights and stuff like that. Then, I see this job up here (using his hands for reference), involved more in strategic planning and preparing releases for various levels of government.
“I really think we have elevated the communications thing here quite a bit, so I think we would really have to have a hard look at it when it comes forward and I see tremendous benefits here, but we have to see how it fits in to the overall structure.”
A motion to add a resolution to recruit a corporate communications director to the agenda for the meeting go the two-thirds majority it required.
Later in the meeting, however, when it came time to vote on the resolution, Coun. Marks moved a motion to have it deferred but that was defeated.
At that point council voted to proceed with the recruitment of a corporate communications director.