Work is underway to update Mountain View County’s communication strategic plan, with councillors reviewing the results of a recent related internal survey during last week’s council meeting.
On May 22 council approved the 2019 county strategic plan, which initiated the process for administration to develop a strategic communications plan for Mountain View County.
“The initial phase of plan development was surveying councillors to help develop strategic priorities for the municipality’s communications business unit,” administration said in a briefing note to council.
Last month an internal survey was sent to councillors seeking views on the communication strategy for the county going forward.
The results of that survey include the following (quoted from note):
• An increased need for county communications to utilize as many tools as possible to engage with as wide an audience as possible going forward and to expand opportunities for two-way communications.
• In addition to the priority of external communications, responses also provided a strong endorsement for continued work on the two other pillars of internal communications and intergovernmental communications. With a strong focus on continuing to provide opportunities for internal communication activities and enhanced opportunities to provide messages to other municipal governments and other levels of government.
• A unanimous front in relaying the number one priority for any strategic communications plan is our external communication with residents, ratepayers and other stakeholders. Within that main pillar is council’s wish to see a greater effort made to engage all demographics, including the under-represented below 35 age bracket.
• Results showed the need for re-emphasis on clear, concise communications that reduced the amount of "government speak" while also providing clarity on what the municipality offers in terms of direct services and secondary services through funding to urban partners.
Administration is recommending that a public participation campaign be undertaken to consult the public on other priorities for the strategy, including how information is received and sent out.
“It is expected that this campaign will be undertaken over a number of weeks with a first draft strategy being generated for council consideration on Aug. 28.”
Councillors passed a motion accepting the report as information.
