saratoga communication assessment report - 7.30.2015
TRANSCRIPT
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City of Saratoga
Communications Assessment Report
July 2015
Submitted by Ryder Todd Smith
Shannon O’Hare
Version 2.1
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Table of Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 4
About Saratoga ............................................................................................................................................. 5
The Importance of Communications ........................................................................................................ 5
Engagement Approach Summary ............................................................................................................. 6
A Changing Communications Landscape ...................................................................................................... 6
Saratoga by the Numbers ............................................................................................................................. 7
Current Communication Methods ................................................................................................................ 8
Website ..................................................................................................................................................... 8
Social Media ............................................................................................................................................ 12
Median Banners ...................................................................................................................................... 15
Photography ............................................................................................................................................ 16
Community Newsletter – The Saratogan ............................................................................................... 16
Television/Video Assets .......................................................................................................................... 17
Radio Station ........................................................................................................................................... 19
Media Relations ...................................................................................................................................... 19
Department Communication Activities ...................................................................................................... 20
City Manager’s Office .............................................................................................................................. 20
Recreation and Facilities Department .................................................................................................... 21
Public Works Department ....................................................................................................................... 22
Community Development Department .................................................................................................. 23
Administrative Services Department ...................................................................................................... 24
Partner Agencies and Outside Perspectives ............................................................................................... 24
Santa Clara County Fire Department ...................................................................................................... 24
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office ......................................................................................................... 25
Santa Clara County Library District ......................................................................................................... 26
School Districts ........................................................................................................................................ 27
West Valley Community College ............................................................................................................. 29
Business Community and Chamber of Commerce ................................................................................. 29
Observations ............................................................................................................................................... 30
Saratoga’s Population ............................................................................................................................. 30
A Strong Foundation for Communications ............................................................................................. 30
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City Communications Are Not Reaching Their Full Potential.................................................................. 31
Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................... 32
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 39
Appendix A - Interview Participants ........................................................................................................... 40
Appendix B – City Website Email Notification Subscribers......................................................................... 42
Appendix C – Website Review .................................................................................................................... 43
Appendix D– Facebook Metrics .................................................................................................................. 44
Appendix E – Typical The Saratogan Production Schedule ........................................................................ 45
Appendix F – Granicus Viewership Rates .................................................................................................... 46
Appendix G – Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office Media Relations General Order ................................... 48
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Executive Summary The City of Saratoga engaged Tripepi Smith & Associates to assess the City's current communications
strategy and processes, with the long-term goal of strengthening the City's communications with its
citizens. To this end, Tripepi Smith conducted interviews with City Councilmembers, City staff,
representatives of partner agencies, and involved citizens in order to analyze the City's existing
communication platforms and determine how the City could improve and expand its current
communication methods.
City communications and citizen engagement are a critical aspect of city operations. Maintaining open
lines of communication with residents can avoid conflict, empower citizens to help improve their
community, and deliver on the myriad benefits of transparency. The City of Saratoga evidences a strong
foundation for communications in its practices and executes certain aspects of communications with
consistency and skill. The City staff also defines the communications experience as one of a strong
customer service experience where the small town experience allows staff to focus on individual
connections with community residents.
The City of Saratoga is a bedroom community of professionals known for its excellent school districts.
Consequently, the City's demographic largely consists of busy residents focused on work and family life
rather than on engaging in City matters. Assessment participants noted that Saratoga is a changing
community, with longer-term residents being more resistant to change, while families new to the area
were less resistant to change around the City’s small-town feel. Changes in the city are also evidenced
by increased ethnic diversity, due to growing Chinese and South Asian communities.
The City recognizes the benefits of having an educated population, while realizing the challenges of
reaching a demographic with so little free time to participate in civic engagement. Residents dedicate
the spare time they do have to participating in school-related matters. Seizing such opportunities to
reach residents through better communications would serve to strengthen the City’s ties to the
community.
Media coverage of Saratoga is consistent with the size and relative location to the much larger media
market of the Bay Area. The City receives relatively little media coverage outside of hyper-local
publications.
Over the years Saratoga has employed a largely centralized approach to communications. While
department heads are empowered to speak to the media, City communications usually flow through the
City Manager’s Office.
With a small staff concerned with doing their very best for the community, communications is often a
secondary consideration for staff outside of the City Manager’s Office in the hustle of day-to-day
operations. As a result, the City has not adopted the necessary processes and procedures required to
execute an effective and proactive communications strategy.
The City has a number of dedicated communications platforms in use, as well as a strong foundation of
processes in place to support communications. The City has a quarterly newsletter with strong content,
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regularly authors press releases1, and has a good foundation for developing social media assets. Tripepi
Smith’s recommendations generally center on improving existing processes, documenting and
formalizing certain policies and procedures, broadening into other platforms and leveraging existing
communication channels.
Additionally, Tripepi Smith identified specific areas for improvement in the area of communications with
action steps in each of those areas. The general theme in these areas was identifying how to improve
upon existing processes or to drive an evolution in strategy that could yield stronger communications for
the City.
About Saratoga The City of Saratoga is a suburban community of over 30,000 residents and roughly 11,000 households
nestled against the Santa Cruz Mountains in the heart of the Silicon Valley.2
The City’s population is highly educated with a median household income of $159,212.3 Nearly 78% of
the population holds a bachelor’s degree or higher.4 Saratoga is known for its excellent schools, safe
neighborhoods, and small-town feel. Relative to the surrounding communities in Santa Clara County,
Saratoga is historically politically conservative. 5
Saratoga’s two largest ethnic groups are Caucasian (54%) and Asian (41%). 35% of the population speaks
a language other than English at home, with 10.5% of the population speaking English less than “very
well.” The city has notable Chinese and South Asian populations, with 22% and 14% of the City's
population consisting of these two ethnic groups.
Prompted by concerns that the neighboring City of San Jose would annex the area, the City of Saratoga
was incorporated in 1956 to preserve its home rule. The City is run in a small and efficient manner, and
contracts out many services as a way to manage costs. Staff and Council often refer to the City as a
“minimal services” city.
The Importance of Communications Local government is the institution of government closest to the people. It is often a citizen’s only point
of civic engagement in any given year. It is also the most trusted form of government, in part, due to the
ability of residents to interact directly with elected leaders and staff in the course of everyday life.6
1 A full list of press releases from the City Manager’s Office can be found at http://www.saratoga.ca.us/whatsnew/press_releases.asp 2 According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Saratoga had 10,940 households from 2009-2013 http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0670280.html 3 http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0670280.html 4 http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0670280.html 5 City residents voted 63% for Governor Jerry Brown in the 2014 election where the Santa Clara County Voted 73% for Governor Jerry Brown. 6 http://www.gallup.com/poll/5392/trust-government.aspx
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Building and consistently executing a communications plan helps cities foster an engaged community. By
leveraging established communications platforms and creating new ones, cities can inform residents of
upcoming initiatives, alert citizens to community meetings, and organize the community in response to
emergencies. To see the most benefit from their communication efforts, cities must build trust. Times of
crisis are not the best time to begin a dialogue with the community. Reactionary communications on
controversial community issues can appear artificial and desperate. Regular communications are
essential to establishing trust with residents.
Saratoga is a small community with busy residents that is largely underserved by mainstream media
outlets. Consequently, the City cannot rely on conventional news outlets to adequately provide
information to residents. This report documents the City’s current processes, identifies successes and
suggests future goals for the City’s communication efforts.
Engagement Approach Summary In order to evaluate the City’s current communications strategy and processes, Tripepi Smith met with
leadership from departments within the City as well as outside agencies and community influencers that
either create or consume City communications. These interviews allowed Tripepi Smith to assess
existing communications from both internal and external viewpoints. For a full list of assessment
participants, see Appendix A.
Having completed the interview process outlined above, Tripepi Smith set about documenting existing
processes and platforms, identifying opportunities for improvement in City communications and
surfacing best practices that the City could most effectively integrate into existing processes.
Consideration was given to organizational culture and fiscal viability.
In addition to evaluating the City’s communications, Tripepi Smith was asked to identify and formulate
recommendations for electronic platforms to increase the reach of existing communications. The
observations and recommendations included in this document are intended to act as a starting point for
the City, and may change due to budgetary and staff considerations. Emphasis was placed on common
solutions like enhancing the existing website, leveraging social media more extensively or further
leveraging emails tools.
A Changing Communications Landscape During the course of the interview process, staff and community members repeatedly stated that
Saratogans largely get their information from word of mouth. The decline of the local newspaper across
America and concurrent rise of the Internet has diversified sources for local news. The situation is made
more complex by the consolidation of newspapers in the Bay Area and the rise of a highly saturated
market in remaining outlets. Saratoga’s conventional media market is dominated by San Francisco and
San Jose. As a result, conventional media can not be counted on to cover the local news that relates to
the City government and would be important to residents.
Additionally, residents have significantly evolved the tools they use to gather information. For large
numbers of residents, this is through the Internet and delivered on traditional computers or mobile
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phones. The information may come from social media, online newspaper sites, bloggers or the City’s
own platforms. The possible channels of communication have only increased, so delivering messages to
residents requires the dissemination of information across all available platforms to reach the widest
possible audience.
Saratoga by the Numbers The City of Saratoga has a number of different means and methods for communicating with its
residents, and each channel allows for an opportunity to reach residents in a slightly different way. An
effective communications effort will focus on using the platforms that residents are most comfortable
with, and can include: websites, email campaigns, social media accounts, print advertising, and
television spots.
Understanding size and characteristics of the audience is important to setting goals and defining
engagement success. The chart below illustrates the various market metrics to evaluate the total
potential audience and existing audience for communications.
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7 Saratoga Residents- http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0670280.html Facebook Users numbers gathered from Facebook Business Manager Ad Service Number of Registered Voters and Voters in Local Election https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Statistics/Documents/sov/2014/E101_SOV_Final.xls Voters in November 2014 Election-
http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CA/Santa_Clara/54209/149818/Web01/en/summary.html Households - http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0670280.html Recreation Constant Contact mailing list and Business License numbers provided by staff Facebook Likes as of 6/29.2015
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5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000Saratoga by the Numbers
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Current Communication Methods
Website City websites can be one of the most powerful tools for communications with the public. The website
can serve as a platform for the latest news and developments in the City, a showcase for economic
development and tourism, and a place to download forms and conduct City business.
City staff and Council members identified the City website as a communications platform due for an
update in the near future. Each department has been empowered to add content to the City website
and multiple staff members can add to the City of Saratoga website home page, yet most content on the
home page is static and does not receive regular updates. There is no process for determining what
content is displayed on the home page, or when individual pages are reviewed for updates. The City
does not have a designated website editor or policy determining access rights to the City website.
Currently, Administrative Analyst Brian Babcock and City Clerk Crystal Bothelio manage the majority of
content on the home page.
Residents can subscribe for notifications regarding website updates and City communications. For
metrics of resident subscriptions, see Appendix B – City Email Notification Subscribers.8
Staff communicated a desire for increased search engine optimization (SEO) capabilities for the City of
Saratoga website. While a full SEO audit is beyond the scope of this assessment, Tripepi Smith noted
some basic SEO observations and best practices for the City to implement on the website. For additional
observations and critiques of the website, see Appendix C – Website Review.
Website Analytics
The City installed Google Analytics on the City’s website in November 2014. Google Analytics provides
an array of information about website visitors, content popularity, overall traffic volumes and visitor
platforms of choice used to access the website. Previously, the City had relied on Civica's proprietary
analytics program to collect information about website use.
Review of these website statistics is an important part of executing a website strategy. The City can
gauge the interest of the public in certain issues based on the relative traffic volume of certain pages.
The City does not regularly review its Google Analytics metrics, although staff in the City Manager’s
Office occasionally viewed Civica’s analytics. Tripepi Smith has executed a website metrics review as part
of its assessment process.
8 City website policy can be viewed here: http://www.saratoga.ca.us/about/website_policy.asp
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Top 10 Most-Visited Webpages
The ten most-visited webpages of the City of Saratoga website are listed below. The data is pulled from
looking back at all available activity (starting on November 8, 2014). Predictably, the most-visited page
on the website is the home page. However, the level of interest in the Recreation & Facilities page may
reflect, in part, the effectiveness of the Recreation Department’s email campaign efforts and online
registration process in addition to the community’s general interest in recreation programming.
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
Top 10 Most-Visited Pages
Page Views
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Website Traffic by Device
Visitors to the website are primarily using desktop computers, but roughly 20% of visitors use mobile
phones and 9% use tablet devices. Though the website is viewable on mobile devices, it is not optimized
for mobile users.
Website Traffic by Source
Like many websites, Google Search is the primary source of traffic to the City website. Google
Webmaster Tools has not been enabled on the City website. Consequently, it is not possible to see all
search terms visitors type into search engines to find the City website.
Website Traffic by Device
Desktop Mobile Tablet
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9 Large volume of direct traffic possibly caused by internal traffic by staff
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Website Traffic by Geography
Traffic to the website largely comes from Saratoga and its surrounding communities. This is expected
behavior, particularly given that Saratoga is a not significant tourist/travel destination.
Please note that geographic information could be inaccurate in some cases based upon technical issues
and best-guess geolocation by IP address. Additionally, residents who are working outside city limits
could be accessing the website. It should also be noted that Google Analytics is not currently set to
exclude traffic coming from within City Hall, so some data is a result of City staff using the website.
Social Media Social media is a powerful tool that is flexible, can target specific segments of the community, and is
cost-effective. Unlike traditional media, social media has the potential for enhanced connectivity and
ongoing direct engagement with residents, as it allows for two-way communication. According to Pew
Research Center, 80% of adults online use social networking sites. Although social media is still used at
higher rates by young adults, Facebook use by online adults age 65 and over is at 56% as of September
2014.10
10 Maeve Duggan, Nicole B. Ellison, Cliff Lampe, Amanda Lenhart and Mary Madden. Social Media Update 2014. Pew Research Center’s Internet Project, 9 Jan. 2015. http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/09/social-media-update-2014/
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
San Jose Saratoga San Francisco Cupertino Santa Clara
Traffic to Website - Top 5 Cities
Visits to Website
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The City has the following social media accounts:
City of Saratoga Social Media Accounts
Social Media Account Social Media Manager Number of Likes/Followers/Subscriptions11
City of Saratoga Nextdoor City Manager’s Office 2,394
City Hall Facebook Page City Manager’s Office 653
Saratoga Recreation Facebook Page
Saratoga Recreation Department 552
City of Saratoga Nextdoor Active Users12 City Manager’s Office 164
City of Saratoga LinkedIn Account Human Services Department 104
Saratoga City Hall YouTube Account City Manager’s Office 17
@CityofSaratoga Twitter Account City Manager’s Office 85
@SaratogaCM James Lindsay 39
The City Manager’s Office is responsible for all City Hall social media efforts, including producing content
for the City’s Facebook, Nextdoor.com and Twitter accounts as well as producing and filming video
content for the City’s YouTube and Vimeo accounts.
Social media metrics are not collected and documented on a regular basis, although staff reviews social
media metrics in passing. Staff views Nextdoor.com as driving more public comment and event
attendance, although Facebook receives a fair amount of public attention as well.
The City has a social media policy, and noted at one point that Nextdoor.com and Facebook were
underutilized.13 The City makes a point of posting information that will gain quality engagement from
residents who will have a continued interest in City affairs. The City does not monitor or contribute to
the City’s Yelp, Wikipedia, or other external digital assets. The City coordinates communications with the
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department when there are joint functions (neighborhood watch and public
safety forums) co-hosted by the City and the Department.
The City Manager’s Office experimented with “Boosting” Facebook posts to reach a wider audience14.
The City ran one Facebook Ad campaign to attract more “Likes” to the Page, but has not run ad
campaigns on Twitter, YouTube or Vimeo. The City started a hashtag (#SaratogaCA) for social media
accounts in an effort to provide residents with centralized conversation tracking.
11 Data sampled in May 2015 12 Defined as active users in the last 30 days as of the sampling. 13 For the City of Saratoga social media policy see: http://saratoga.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=9&clip_id=725&meta_id=29900 14 To date, the City Manager’s Office has spent $20.00 on a page advertising campaign and $65.00 Boosting posts
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The Recreation Department maintains a “Saratoga Recreation” Facebook Page. Multiple staff can
contribute content to the Page, but part-time employee Tiffany Hsia primarily manages the Page. Staff
has experimented with multiple approaches to the asset, but hasn’t observed the Page to be a powerful
tool for program participation. The Department has experimented with paying modest amounts to
“Boost” Facebook Page Posts to reach a wider audience, but did not observe tangible results from these
efforts. Staff also ran a contest to “Like” the Recreation Facebook Page by giving away a Starbucks gift
card, but did not experience an increase in activity due to this effort, either. To see comparison metrics
of City Facebook audiences, see Appendix D – Facebook Metrics.
The City Manager’s Office uses a Twitter account to share information with the public. The Manager’s
Office does not cross-post between Facebook and Twitter, preferring to play to the strengths of each
platform. The City regularly Retweets content from partner agencies, and incorporates pictures and
video in order to get the most mileage out of the platform. The City has not engaged with members of
the media via Twitter or run Twitter ads to build a larger following.
The Human Resources department currently maintains and contributes to the City’s LinkedIn account,
which is used almost exclusively for job recruitment purposes. HR previously had its own LinkedIn
account, but that account is no longer in use.
Nextdoor.com
Saratoga’s Nextdoor.com account consists of 34 active neighborhoods. City staff worked with Nextdoor
to create neighborhood boundaries based on physical divisions, characteristics and community interests.
Soon after Nextdoor launched, the first residents to sign up for Nextdoor in a neighborhood had the
ability to redefine neighborhood boundaries. Consequently, some neighborhood boundaries were reset
during the process. The platform has 3,294 registered members, with 165 of those members active
within the past 30 days. Staff noted that activity on Nextdoor.com is generally in line with the intention
of the platform and has little negative activity. Comments staff see (the City can only see responses to
City postings) on Nextdoor.com relating to City projects are sent to the department responsible for the
project and added to the project list’s comments section. For example, when a handful of people had
comments about a proposed noise ordinance update, public comments were added to the list of
comments.
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Figure 1 Map of Saratoga neighborhoods on Nexdoor.com
Median Banners Saratoga introduced a median banner program and corresponding policy in late 201315. There are seven
banner locations throughout the city in high-traffic areas deemed the most visible and safe for traffic.
Banner locations are available for City use and qualifying community organizations, as outlined in the
median banner policy. The City fully manages the Median Banner Program and maintains a priority on
banner location reservation. Due to concerns from the community regarding the aesthetics of
continuously displaying banners, some City banner locations are left unused at times. The City
Manager’s Office coordinates with the City’s Public Works Manager of Parks Maintenance on banner
rotation.
Community organization may request and use median banner locations to promote their events. Most
organizations use three to four banner locations at one time, though the City goes through times where
no banners locations are booked, and where the banner locations are fully booked. The fee is $30.00 per
15 Median Banner Policy can be found at: http://www.saratoga.ca.us/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=7874
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location for up to two weeks and the policy is first come, first served. The process requires a formal
application, payment for locations, and a mockup of what the draft banner looks like.
The City conducted a survey of community groups regarding the effectiveness of the banner program
and received positive feedback. City staff also generally affirmed that banners are one of the most
effective advertising platforms for City information and to support community programs.
Photography Saratoga does not have a dedicated staff photographer, though a 2014 summer photography intern
developed some photographic assets for the City. City Clerk Crystal Bothelio or Administrative Analyst
Brian Babcock takes photographs at City Council meetings, and the City Manager’s Office is investing in a
high-quality camera. Photographs are stored on a shared City directory folder accessible to all staff
members. All photographs from Saratoga’s 2014 summer intern are stored on that same drive and
accessible to all staff members. Although primarily used by the City Manager’s Office, other
Departments have used the photographs on occasion. When needed, the City Manager’s Department
uses Bing search to source royalty-free photography.
Recreation staff primarily gathers photographic assets via camera phone or solicits pictures of recreation
programming from class instructors. Occasionally, staff in other departments, such as Public Works, will
take pictures of projects in progress.
Community Newsletter – The Saratogan The Saratogan is a quarterly newsletter distributed to each resident as an insert in the City’s Recreation
Program Catalog. Each issue of The Saratogan has a loose theme centered on City functions and features
such as parks, public safety or upcoming projects. Additional copies of The Saratogan are available in
coffee shops, newspaper racks, the library, Chamber of Commerce, and the Book-go-Round.
Staff presents preliminary topics and story ideas for The Saratogan at City Council meetings. Council
members recommend topics for the upcoming issue. The Administrative Analyst is responsible for the
production process and writes all content for the publication. Content creation takes three to four days
per newsletter. Administrative Analyst Brian Babcock uses Adobe Creative Suite software for the layout
of The Saratogan. The budgeted expense for the newsletter is $7,000 per year for printing and insertion
into the Recreation Guide. The City prints approximately 12,500 units of each issue. For a typical
publication cycle for The Saratogan, see Appendix E.
Relative to many city publications Tripepi Smith has reviewed, The Saratogan contains features critical
to a strong newsletter. Specifically, the publication does a good job of featuring new hires, profiling key
staff and members of the community, featuring a Q&A section on City functions and procedures, and
weaving themes into each edition.
Readership is unknown, although staff rarely receives feedback on the publication. To save on postage
costs, the City distributes The Saratogan as an insert in the Recreation Catalog. However, members of
the community Tripepi Smith spoke with noted that, relative to the size of the population, few residents
participate in Recreation programming. Consequently, many residents discard the Catalog without
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reading the cover or noticing that a City newsletter is inside. City Staff also recognized that the
newsletter is discarded along with the Recreation Catalog. The City is in the process of considering
supplementing the print publication with an electronic edition or moving to a completely digital edition
of the newsletter.
Figure 2: Summer 2015 edition of The Saratogan
Television/Video Assets The City Manager’s Office is the primary content creator for the City’s video assets, YouTube and Vimeo.
When highlighting city projects, the City Manager’s Office will coordinate with other Departments to
create the script and film the footage. Generally, City Council members make suggestions for new video
content. Videos are shared with the City’s public and government access station, KSAR.
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Video YouTube Views16 Vimeo Views
Quarry Tour 915 587
Garbage, Recycling, and Green Waste 639
185
State of the City 2014 267 116
Introducing Captain Rick Sung 208 40
Village Enhancements - Stage II 191 71
Prospect Road Improvement Project 143
262
Quito Road PSA 116 22
State of the City 2013 63 312
Happy Holidays 62 N/A
Quito Bridges Replacement Projects 36
183
Candidate Forum 2014 8 4
KSAR
KSAR is the government and community access station for the City of Saratoga. KSAR is broadcast live
through Granicus, on channel 15 on Comcast, and Channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse (shared with other Bay
Area public access stations). KSAR was a joint venture between West Valley College and the City of
Saratoga and shares studio facilities with West Valley College. KSAR was moved to a nonprofit structure
in the mid-2000s after cuts to the budget supporting local government access. There have been talks
about how to scale KSAR’s efforts, including some discussions about collaborating with the Mid-
Peninsula Community Media Center cable access JPA. KSAR has one part-time program manager and
contracts all other videography staffing. KSAR’s bylaws require that the Board consist of a mix of
community volunteers and the following City-related positions:
A Saratoga City Council voting member
A representative voting member from the City government of Saratoga
One representative voting member from West Valley College
4-12 additional members, the majority being residents of Saratoga who are subscribers to the
Saratoga cable TV system
The City contracts with KSAR for filming City Council and Planning Commission meetings and indexing
video into the Granicus software solution ($700/meeting). KSAR also manages the public access station
for an annual amount of approximately $29,000 for Fiscal Years 2014/15 and 2015/16. The City will
occasionally contract with KSAR at a separate rate for additional programming or producing internal
video footage. KSAR is currently working with the City on the upcoming contract in 2016 to: provide an
annual amount with City Council Meetings and Planning Commission meetings; and itemize special
16 Views as of May 9, 2015
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events and other video services. At the time of this assessment, the City and KSAR are in the process of
putting together a proposal for KSAR to use approximately $100,000 of PEG funds (public access funds:
public, education and government) to buy new equipment that KSAR would own.
Meetings are available on the KSAR cable station, as well as hosted on the City’s website and KSAR’s
website via Granicus. KSAR programming is not available in high-definition due to a lack of an HD cable
line feeding the station, though programming is open to any community member that meets the KSAR
programming standards. KSAR volunteers recently started rebroadcasting Santa Clara County Board of
Supervisors Meetings by downloading meetings off the web.
A community bulletin board consisting of a mix of video, jpeg images and text runs on a loop when there
is available programming space. Items for the bulletin board are sent by community organizations to the
KSAR program manager. Volunteers from KSAR will also shoot footage for the bulletin board on a Canon
camera, but KSAR is rarely paid commission for additional video services.
No metrics or viewership rates are available for the KSAR station or KSAR website, though Granicus
provides metrics on digital viewership. 1,866 views of KSAR programming occurred through the live feed
in the previous 12 months. In the course of this assessment, Tripepi Smith informed staff that Granicus
metrics were available. For a full list of metrics associated with the Granicus platform, see Appendix F.
Staff noted that KSAR has seen a gradual decline in community participation in creating programming.
The KSAR station manager reaches out to students at West Valley College to recruit programming;
generally, these shows do not last longer than one school year cycle and there are no standing college
courses at West Valley College that give credit for producing a show on KSAR. Efforts to reach out to
local high schools to provide programming content have been similarly unsuccessful.
Radio Station Currently, the City does not develop material for the City’s radio station, 1610 AM. The City Manager’s
Office is responsible for developing all content on the radio station, which is recorded in a conference
room in City Hall. Content for the radio station is not regularly updated because other efforts are a
higher priority.
Previously, the City rotated material for the radio station a couple times a month, pulling from various
community events. The City does not currently promote the radio station or solicit material from
partner agencies to include in the radio station content.
Media Relations Located in the competitive Bay Area media market, Saratoga television outlets or radio stations rarely
cover City news, according to staff (Tripepi Smith did not execute a media audit as part of this
communications assessment). The City has one weekly publication that is, anecdotally, thought to be
widely read by the community: The Saratoga News (owned by the Bay Area News Group). Most staff
observed this is the only paper that will reliably cover City affairs, but noted that larger regional issues
(mainly related to school districts) will be picked up by the Mercury News or other regional news outlets.
The Saratoga News is delivered on an irregular basis to residents free of cost, or accompanying delivery
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of the Mercury News. Copies of the paper are also available for sale. Community members have
commented that The Saratoga News readership is thought to be declining. With the exception of
breaking news events, television and radio media rarely cover City affairs. The City Manager’s Office
does not currently cultivate relationships with reporters outside of staff at The Saratoga News.
The City does not have a media policy that identifies the protocol of handling media inquiries. Currently,
the City Manager’s Office acts as the central point of contact for press contact and press release
creation, but subject matter experts on staff are empowered to answer questions from the press. Other
Departments occasionally create and send their press releases, usually focusing on programming. Staff
notifies the City Manager of press inquiries, but press releases are not sent to internal stakeholders or
partner agencies.
The City has no official policy dictating what news items warrant a press release, nor does the City track
press release coverage in the newspaper. Prior to hiring the Administrative Analyst Brian Babcock, the
City had an outdated press release list. The list is now updated regularly.
Department Communication Activities
City Manager’s Office The City Manager’s Office is the center of communications for the City of Saratoga. The City does not
employ a full-time Public Information Officer; instead, the City Manager serves as the central point of
contact for communications with partner agencies. Administrative Analyst Brian Babcock fulfills many of
the duties of a traditional Public Information Officer, along with his additional job responsibilities.
Currently, the Administrative Analyst’s communication responsibilities span a number of communication
items including:
Primary author of press release and media contact
Content provider for Saratoga website
Social media manager and primary content creator for City Hall Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and
Nextdoor accounts
Author of City Newsletter The Saratogan
Staff seat on KSAR board
Responsible for City content on 1610 AM
The City Manager’s Office also produces a weekly internal City Manager update memo with information
and department activities intended for Department heads and Councilmembers. The document serves
as a briefing to keep key parties apprised of City projects, initiatives and news. Some Department heads
forward on the memo to staff, while other staff reported they do not get that memo.
City Clerk’s Office
The level of transparency in a City is often most apparent when residents interact with the Office of the
City Clerk. The Clerk’s Office has the responsibility of maintaining the integrity of the City and the trust
of the residents by keeping and providing accurate and accessible records to the public, fulfilling Public
Information Act requests, and recruiting for all City Commission vacancies. Staff estimated that Council
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meetings generally have a handful of people in attendance, although many of the same community
members attend each meeting.
The City collects speaker slips from each speaker at Council meetings. Previously, speaker slips were only
scanned for the City’s internal document repository system. Recently, the City started publishing the
speaker slips online through the Granicus software. Although the City collects email addresses on each
speaker slip, the information is only used for individual follow-up items.
The City Clerk, Crystal Bothelio, currently shares website maintenance responsibilities with staff in
various departments. The City Clerk also has elevated access to the backend of the Civica Content
Management System.
Recreation and Facilities Department The Recreation and Facilities Department is responsible for the administration of City recreation
programs and facility rentals. The Recreation Department is often one of the most powerful public
points of contact for a City. Recreation programming can help solidify a sense of community and
increase the number of positive interactions with government services and servants. The Department
has 1,114 participants in programs in the past year, with 593 participants residing in Saratoga and the
remaining 521 participants residing in other communities.
The Recreation and Facilities Department is the only department Tripepi Smith observed as having an
online option for residents to conduct City business. Since 2003, the Department has used RecTrac
software (http://www.vermontsystems.com/web.wsc/index.htm?id=8) to manage online recreation
program registration and management.
The largest Communications platform the Department uses is the quarterly Recreation Activity Guide,
which is sent to all residents of Saratoga via mail and made available on the City’s website. Printing costs
on the Catalog are $22,000 each year plus mailing costs, which are a portion of the $18,000 the City
spends annually on postage for the joint catalog/Saratogan newsletter mailing.
The Department has a part-time employee, Tiffany Hsia, who creates the graphic design portion of the
Catalog in Adobe Creative Suite. Hsia also designs the majority of the flyers produced by the
Department. The Recreation and Facilities Department either distributes flyers along the community
wall at the recreation facility or through direct mail to prior participants of popular programs. Four times
a year, the Department distributes flyers to local schools, usually to advertise upcoming camps.
The Department has used the email marketing platform Constant Contact (www.constantcontact.com)
to publicize events since 2006—currently, the master list consists of 8,941 email contacts. Staff collects
emails through class registration, email sign-ups to Constant Contact, and sign-ups on the City website.
The Department sends monthly emails promoting upcoming programming, as well as additional email
campaigns when the Activity Guide has been published. The Department also uses the Survey feature in
Constant Contact to gain feedback on program offerings from customers. Staff noted that there is a
material connection between engagement/enrollment and the execution of email campaigns. Tripepi
Smith reviewed metrics on the Constant Contact account and observed a trailing three month Open
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Rate of 27% with a click rate of nearly 16% These are very high numbers and reflect a positively engaged
email audience for the Department. The email list represents the single most significant repository of
resident engagement and contact information that the City possesses.
The Department occasionally coordinates with the City Manager’s Office on joint messaging, but there is
no ongoing routine contact between the two Departments. Staff has not used the City radio station or
local public access station KSAR to promote any of its programming. However, Staff is looking for a
volunteer videographer to help publicize some of its programming.
Staff finds word of mouth personal interaction with residents to be one of the most powerful tools the
Department has to promote its programming. Staff also identified information tables at community
events as effective in recruiting for Recreation programming.
The Department has experimented or initiated other outreach measures. The Department maintained a
blog for about six months, but abandoned it due to the amount of time it required to keep fresh with
content. Department contractors or staff provide all photography for the Department, sometimes via
camera phone. The Department has set up a Yelp account but does not maintain it.
Staff identified confusion between the City of Saratoga Recreation Department and the Los Gatos-
Saratoga Recreation Department as an ongoing challenge. Staff and community interviewees noted that
the relatively large size of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation Department, its close relationship with the
school districts in the area, and its shared instructors with Saratoga Recreation lead to
challenges/competition in attracting program participants for the City programs. This competition has
also reportedly created confusion about which recreation agency is offering which classes.
Public Works Department The Saratoga Public Works Department oversees three divisions: Engineering, Streets and Park
Maintenance. The Department’s primary communications focus with residents centers on special
projects for the City. The Department sometimes sends full-page flyers directing residents to the City
website, some of which have full graphic design elements created by Management Analyst Mainini
Cabute. The Department coordinates press releases, social media posts, and additional communications
efforts with the City Manager’s Office. Staff also works with the City Manager’s Office on videos for the
City’s YouTube Channel. Management Analyst Mainini Cabute is the primary staff member responsible
for developing communications plans for Public Works projects, coordinating video content, and taking
pictures of larger projects for the Department. Staff observed that most contact with residents is done
on a one-on-one basis, and that community members in Saratoga expect this kind of communication.
Mainini Cabute uses Adobe Creative Suite to create flyers and sends electronic versions to the City
Manager’s Office to publicize via social media and press release. The Department finds that visually
interesting flyers reach further and provide more context than non-visual or text-only notices.
The Public Works Department collects emails and addresses at community meetings to generate
Interest Lists by specific projects. Interest Lists are stored in Excel documents and Administrative
Assistants in the Department are responsible for digitally maintaining this information. There is no
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standing communications list for the Public Works Department, or inter-departmental sharing of
Interest Lists. The lists of parties interested in specific projects are generally archived after the project is
complete.
Website access in the Public Works Department is managed by project. Producing timely information on
the website is generally a challenge due to time constraints. Staff does not review metrics on visits or
viewership of the website. The Department does not currently review sign ups for eNotifications for
certain pages on the Civica website. Staff estimates five employees have access to the Public Works
section of the website.
Years ago, staff designed ads in local newspapers promoting repaved streets, but has not done so in
recent years due to time constraints. Staff feels the greatest opportunity for communications with the
public comes through displaying information and visuals about in-process projects at the project site.
The Public Works Department does not receive media inquiries on a regular basis.
Community Development Department The Community Development Department is responsible for the Building Division, the Planning Division,
tree preservation, and code enforcement for the City. The Department Director handles
communications—there is no Management Analyst to handle communications. The Department
Director finds that discussing communications and outreach efforts with the City Manager’s Office is a
simple and ongoing process. Staff noted that some of the strongest communication with residents is
done on an individual basis, either via phone, email, or in-person visit.
Staff identified physically displaying project progress as one of the most effective ways to communicate
with the community. Specifically, the use of “story poles” seems to help the community conceptualize
and understand projects in progress.
Community Development Department staff recently began updating the Department’s webpages and
plans on including a list of pending projects and user-friendly links to the applicable municipal code
sections. For Code Enforcement contacts, most residents will usually call or fill out a complaint form to
initiate code enforcement service requests to address issues. Complaint forms can be downloaded on
the website, but residents must fill out a paper application.
Staff estimates that they send notices for at least 100 development application projects to residents per
year for notices of public hearings for specific projects. Most of these involve a 500-feet mailed notice of
the public hearings (Planning Commission and City Council). Several staff noted that residents often
ignore these notices. For larger items, such as the Housing Element or Safety Element Updates, the
Department advertises community meetings in the local newspaper, the website, and on social media
platforms.
The City uses TRAKiT (http://www.crw.com/land-management-software-building-permit-software-
permit-tracking-software/) for land use, inspection scheduling and permitting. There is currently a
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barebones implementation of an online ETRACKiT solution running on the City’s website
(http://trakit.saratoga.ca.us/etrakit/index.aspx).
Administrative Services Department The Administrative Services Department is responsible for the City’s Administrative, Finance, and
Information Technology departments. The Department also has a repository for most business licenses
in the City; however, this list is not used for any other purpose than business license renewal. Currently,
Finance does not offer online business license applications, although an online vendor registration form
is available for download on the website.
The Administrative Services Department leaves most outward communications to the City Manager’s
Office. The Department primarily shares Department-related news at the weekly Management Meeting
or through the internal City Manager update. The Department’s primary contribution to external
communications is a collaborative effort with the City Manager’s Office on the annual “Budget In Brief”
tri-fold brochure.
The City was the second city to launch the OpenGov platform, but after there was no feedback from the
community, the staff and Council decided to discontinue the service. Staff feels that the City does an
exceptional job of financial transparency.
Partner Agencies and Outside Perspectives Saratoga contracts for many of its services. Staff indicated that it has relationships with several service
providers, with the strongest coordination efforts related to communication about events. Tripepi Smith
has summarized the community communications activities and coordination efforts of these
complementary agencies.
Santa Clara County Fire Department The Santa Clara County Fire Department (SCCFD) is responsible for serving the Cities of Campbell,
Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga and some unincorporated
portions of Santa Clara County on the west side of the County. SCCFD also manages a contract with the
Saratoga Fire District and executes the City’s Office of Emergency Services.
Compared to other sister agencies, Fire Department staff have limited interaction with City staff.
Department personnel do not attend the weekly Management Meeting at the City of Saratoga. The
primary mode of communication with the City is the annual update to the City Council. The
Department’s other communications with the City Manager and Council consist of incident releases sent
to the City Manager, who is then responsible for sharing information with the City Council. The
Department does not produce its own newsletter or collaborate with the City on The Saratogan or other
community outreach efforts with the City.
New leadership in the Department, realizing the importance of community outreach and promotion of
Department programs, hired a full-time Public Information Officer, Stephanie Stuehler. Due to scarcity
of breaking news incidents in the area and negative media coverage of neighboring Fire Departments,
staff previously had a mentality that it was is best to “fly under the radar” rather than proactively
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engage with the media. That has changed. The Department is in the process of creating a cohesive
approach to communications. With the addition of the Public Information Officer, the Department has
started monitoring media via Google Alerts, leveraging social media in the Department, and working on
developing longer-term communications plans for the department. The Department currently uses
Facebook and Twitter.
Prior to hiring the PIO, Battalion Chiefs were responsible for managing media inquiries and public
inquiries during breaking incidents. However, due to the reluctance of Battalion Chiefs to speak with the
media because of their primary need to focus on the incident, the on-call Deputy Chief would often
handle public information inquiries while the incident was in progress. The Department does have a
media policy and social media policy to guide staff. Staff recalled the Department had media training in
the past, but could not recall media training within the last 15 years. Fire fighters on staff with previous
public information experience sporadically wrote press releases. In the past, the Department’s
Community Education Office staff handled social media and other public communications efforts.
The Department also has an “Alert SCC” platform to communicate with residents who opt-in to the
platform via phone, mobile device, email, or landline in cases of emergency. City staff can access and
program the platform, but are not currently trained on Alert SCC. Fire Department Staff did not identify
the Department as using a Nextdoor.com or Nixle.com account.
The Department does not have a resident photographer or have a central location for amateur staff
photography. However, a volunteer regularly takes high-quality photographs for the Department.
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office Captain Rick Sung serves as the Chief of Police for cities of
Saratoga and Cupertino, Town of Los Altos Hills, and surrounding unincorporated areas of Santa Clara
County. Staff from the Sheriff Office and the City noted a strong relationship and clear and responsive
communications between the two agencies. Captain Sung and City of Saratoga Administrative Analyst
Brian Babcock coordinate on communications, mainly at the City’s weekly Management Meeting. The
Sheriff’s Office will sometimes collaborate with the City on larger issues like crime prevention measures.
The City has coordinated with Sheriff’s staff for content on City platforms including featuring the
Sheriff’s Office in The Saratogan and on the City’s YouTube Channel.
During an incident, the Sheriff’s Office shares information with the City Manager and Sheriff’s Public
Information Officer, if necessary. The City Manager is responsible for communicating incident-related
information to the City Council. The Sheriff’s Office also has an additional staff member serve as a liaison
to share information with any other interested parties. Captain Sung determines which inquiries filter to
the Sheriff’s Headquarters PIO versus which inquiries stay with the Station. All media relations are
guided by the Media Relations General Order (See Appendix G)
The Sheriff’s Office has a Public Information Officer responsible for the entire County, as well as
deputies who receive media training from the PIO. Trained deputies serve as PIOs in the PIO’s absence.
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In 2014, the Office recommended that neighborhoods establish virtual “neighborhood watch” programs
through the local social network Nextdoor.com. Headquarters Patrol has a Community Liaison who
monitors what is on their respective Nextdoor.com account. Captain Sung, a Lieutenant, and an
Administrative Sergeant all have access to Nextdoor.com to ensure they are monitoring social media
and responding to questions in a timely manner. The Sheriff’s Office has three Nextdoor accounts: the
County Nextdoor.com, as well as the West Valley and Headquarters Nextdoor.com accounts, though
only the West Valley group and the County PIO update the West Valley’s account.
The Sheriff’s Office uses additional social networks to connect with the community, including Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Nixle.com. The Office notes that the Nixle account has not been used
recently. The Public Information Officer and two staff members monitor the social media accounts but
have not experimented with advertising on social media platforms.
Santa Clara County Library District The Santa Clara County Library District provides library services for the City of Saratoga. Allison Lew is
the Community Librarian for the Saratoga Branch of the Library and primary point of contact for the
City. Library staff noted a strong working relationship with the City. City Staff recently invited the Library
to use City video programming, and library information has been included in City materials. Library staff
and City staff exchange fliers, event details, and other information. The Library has also used the City’s
Median Banner Program to publicize programs. Library Commissioners, appointed by the City,
collaborate with library staff regularly on projects including ones related to communication. The Library
also has a wall inside the Library that features City leadership and information.
Each branch of the Library is empowered to contribute to local media relations, branch program
publicity, as well as contribute to the Library website and social media platforms.
The County Library System uses Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Nextdoor.com, Yelp,
and various other sites (social media and other non-social media sites) to communicate with residents.
All social media accounts are countywide with the exception of the Saratoga Branch Facebook Page
(which has a County page as well as a City-specific page), with multiple staff from both Library
Headquarters (the Services and Support Center) and the various County branches having access rights to
update content on the accounts. Staff identified existing social media and media policies for the Library
system.
Library Headquarters staff author press releases that apply to all of the branches, and branches are
allowed to customize press release content to fit the specifics of each branch. Branch staff are also able
to author programming press releases independent of Library Headquarters. Staff noted that local print
and television media is straightforward to work with and gives helpful coverage.
Library Headquarters staff maintains the library’s website. In addition to an active staff-maintained blog
and a monthly countywide digital newsletter, the Saratoga Library provides information to the Friends of
the Saratoga Libraries for its newsletter (digital and print). The Library website also includes a detailed
events calendar. Librarians at each branch may author blog posts independently, subject to review by a
supervisor. The Library regularly reviews website analytics.
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School Districts With seven different school districts and two private schools, Saratoga has a national reputation of
being home to some of the most rigorous and prestigious schools in the country. 17 During the
assessment, Tripepi Smith met with staff from the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District
and Saratoga Union School District. There was near-unanimous consensus that one of the primary draws
of new residents moving to the area was the strength of the schools. School district staff noted City staff
as responsive to district needs whenever collaboration was needed. Staff from both districts also noted
the busy nature of families in Saratoga and the reliance on electronic communication to distribute
information.
School districts have a huge advantage when it comes to engaging the public: schools are directly
connected to the family’s precious asset that is their child/children. As a result, adult family members
are generally much more heavily involved and interested in the activities of their school districts than in
the cities in which they reside. Additionally, the nature of the community around school districts tends
to create social connections among the district community that are not as prevalent among those in the
more generic geographic connectivity of those living within a city’s limits. Thus, comparisons to school
district communication successes do not directly translate to best practices for cities.
Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District
The Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District serves the cities of Saratoga and Los Gatos, with
roughly equal distributions of students in both communities. The school district rarely coordinates with
the City on specific items aside from a meeting once a year with staff and Council members. Staff did
note that the recent hiring of the new City Manager has led to a closer relationship with the district and
more positive communications.
The principals send weekly electronic newsletters to parents and students consisting of calendars,
activities, and accomplishments of the District. The School District uses social media as a specific
messaging campaign for the recent Measure E bond for facilities improvement: the bond has specific
Twitter and Facebook accounts. The School District almost exclusively uses electronic communications
for communication, based on parent feedback and cost concerns.
The School District uses learning management software Canvas as a school-specific social network and
online interactive platform for assignments and school news. The school regularly collects metrics on
the Canvas network, but does not regularly review District website statistics.
The City does not currently collaborate with the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District on
issues of The Saratogan or any social media platforms.
17 Public School Districts include: Saratoga Union School District, Campbell Union School District, Cupertino Union School District, Moreland School District, Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District, Fremont Union High School District and Campbell Union High School District. Private schools include Saint Andrew’s School and Sacred Heart School.
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The District regularly receives media inquiries; due to the high rankings of the School District, they
occasionally receive national coverage. The School District contracts with a public relations firm for as-
needed support. In all other instances, the Superintendent serves as the Public Information Officer,
although principals are empowered to answer media inquiries related to general point of information
stories.
When appropriate, the City occasionally coordinates with the School District on promoting City
programs and events.
Saratoga Union School District
The Saratoga Union School District primarily serves students within the City of Saratoga. The School
District noted a positive relationship with City staff and Councilmembers. The District notes that the
strength of the relationship between the schools and the City largely relies on how proactive the current
City Council is at including school personnel in City functions and events. Staff also cites the City’s Youth
Commission and City Hall’s Open House as additional points of contact with the school system.
One of the primary forms of coordination with outside agencies happens through the distribution of
flyers. The District curates flyers from outside agencies, which then have to be approved by the District
Office before being posted on the District website and sent via the City eNews. Staff estimates that the
City requests distribution of information a couple times per month, and includes program flyers and
other items the City sends the District when appropriate.
The Saratoga Union School District uses the SchoolMessenger program to send most communications,
especially notices to parents. The District also maintains a Facebook Page, and the Superintendent has a
professional Twitter account. Staff notes that 88% of parents prefer electronic/digital communication. In
order to meet these preferences, the District recently developed an app and redesigned the District
website. Electronic messages include board meeting agendas sent out on the Friday prior to the
meeting, and brief summaries of the agenda on the Friday after the board meeting. Each school is
responsible for sending a weekly eNewsletter to students and a monthly letter from the principal. When
necessary, the Superintendent sends specific critical information to parents. The School District employs
a District Information Coordinator but does not have a dedicated Public Information Officer.
There are a number of Facebook Groups for Saratoga Union School District parents. The Superintendent
occasionally uses Nextdoor.com to connect with new residents or correct misstated information. Staff
notes that the Superintendent, principal, and board member Office Hours are one of the most powerful
communications methods with parents. The Saratoga Union School District has an open door policy and
an ethos of staying in close contact with engaged parents.
The City does not currently collaborate with the Saratoga Union School District on issues of The
Saratogan or any social media platforms.
The District continues to attempt to develop relationships with local media, but generally does not
receive positive, accurate or reliable coverage by local news outlets. The Superintendent sends all press
releases and media package to local media. Staff notes that local media is widely read enough to where
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inaccurate coverage can spread misinformation in the community. Unlike the City, the District
occasionally receives news coverage for both positive and negative stories by television media, although
on an infrequent basis.
West Valley Community College City staff and members of West Valley Community College have a strong relationship according to West
Valley Community College staff. West Valley Community College has a student population of roughly
8,000. Of these students, approximately 750 are Saratoga residents, although this population is growing.
The College employs a four-person marketing and communications team. This team, in coordination
with the College president, handles all press releases and media inquiries. The communication team
manages the social media presence for the College, which includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and
YouTube. The College also has an email newsletter, but finds that students do not use email
communications frequently.
Staff notes that the City is a strong partner in working on issues related to the College, and elected
officials make a good effort to be present at College events. However, the City does not currently
collaborate with the College on issues of The Saratogan or any of the City or College’s social media
platforms.
West Valley receives regular coverage in The Saratoga News and occasional coverage by television
media. Staff considers the digital billboard outside of the College one of the West Valley’s strongest
forms of communication.
Business Community and Chamber of Commerce Based on what Tripepi Smith heard in our interviews, the City of Saratoga is not seen as a center for new
business or significant tourism. The Chamber of Commerce noted that the City has a positive
relationship with the business community and City staff is viewed as a helpful collaborator on projects
and events. The Chamber maintains a Constant Contact newsletter as well as Twitter and Facebook
accounts, but does not regularly collaborate with the City on cross-promotion on either platform.
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Observations
Tripepi Smith made the following observations about the community, City Staff and City operations
during our discovery process for this engagement.
Saratoga’s Population Assessment participants noted Saratogans are generally sophisticated and satisfied with the small local
government in Saratoga. Representatives from the City and partner agencies observed many families in
Saratoga consist of professionals who work long hours and spend much of their free time dedicated to
family life. Tripepi Smith also found:
o Saratogans are perceived as leading busy lives with little time to participate in civic affairs
o Long-time residents are more attached to Saratoga’s current image (notably the Saratoga
Village) versus newly arrived families who are less compelled by the heritage of the area and
more compelled by the schools
o The primary points of contact many residents have with City Hall are related to home
improvements and building and permitting regulations
o Staff from school districts noted electronic communication and face-to-face conversations were
the most effective ways to engage and reach busy parents
o Saratoga is a diverse city with many ethnic communities within the City and an evolving
demographic mix
o The City does not have a substantial population whose fluency in English requires translation of
City materials into additional languages
A Strong Foundation for Communications The City’s current communications efforts are on the right track. Staff managing social media have a firm
understanding of how different social media platforms operate and how information should be
conveyed differently on each platform. Furthermore, Tripepi Smith found a level of technological
sophistication that is uncommon among City staff Tripepi Smith has worked with. Additionally, the City
Staff’s ability to consistently produce a thoughtful and well-received quarterly newsletter evidences a
communications capacity that some similarly sized cities are not able to execute.
Areas where City Staff and existing processes excel include:
o Communications content produced by the City is generally of excellent quality
o City videos feature solid production concepts, including council member involvement, an
explanatory tone, reasonable editing and pacing, appropriate video and audio quality, and City
Branding
o Department staff indicated they have a strong working relationship with the City Manager’s
Office in relation to communication activities
o Communications are regularly discussed at the executive level
o Routine media inquiries are regularly answered by Council Members and subject matter experts
within City Hall
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o The City has a number of official policies and de facto operating procedures for communications
o City staff identified that the strength of the City’s communications with the public was in its
dedication to resident support and high-touch customer service
There are also areas where process and platforms are not ideal, and the following were noted:
o City initiatives, issues, and meetings are not analyzed from a communications perspective after
the fact in an instructive debrief
o City staff universally acknowledged that a lack of frequency and consistency was a main
weakness in current City communications
o The City staff feel the website is not fulfilling its potential
o The City enjoys strong relationships with user groups and external agencies, but does not
currently send communications items to stakeholders. Groups and external agencies do a good
job of communicating information with executive staff and elected officials, but do not include
Administrative Analyst Brian Babcock on press release materials.
City Communications Are Not Reaching Their Full Potential Although Saratoga has a variety of communications efforts with quality content, there is little evidence
that these efforts are reaching a significant audience. Given the fractured nature of communications,
this is not a situation unique to Saratoga. Tripepi Smith noted that:
o City staff and community members observed that The Saratogan is not a widely read publication
due to the fact that it is hidden as an insert in the Recreation Activity Guide
o YouTube views of City created video content averages viewership in the low hundreds
o There is significant dead time on the local cable access station and the radio station is nearly
abandoned
o The City’s presence at community events is helpful to their ethos of high touch customer
service, but significant planning and coordination is not invested in these efforts
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Recommendations Based on the observations above, Tripepi Smith formulated the following recommendations to help the
City enhance its communications, as well as create or expand platforms to engage its residents.
Continue Assigning a Staff Member to Focus on Communications
An Administrative Analyst in the City Manager’s Office is currently responsible for content production
and managing communications and public information. Based on reviewing the content and quality of
communications, Tripepi Smith recommends continuing this structure. Tripepi Smith also recommends
that this resource work closely with staff across departments to create a comprehensive
communications plan based on critical projects in that department. Department staff has the technical
expertise and background in project specifics, but often do not have the time to dedicate to
communication efforts or background to package communications in a way that is understandable and
compelling to a larger audience.
Communication Objective(s)
o Ensure deliberate thought and resources are dedicated to City communications
o Create communications material that is easily understandable to residents
Action Steps
o Assign staff to work closely with leadership on specific projects so high-profile initiatives are being communicated effectively to the public in a proactive and transparent manner
o Have the Administrative Analyst review communication efforts and public outreach for effectiveness and lessons learned. Share outcomes of communication efforts with leadership staff in order to revise and improve future outreach strategies.
o The staff member should proactively connect with media contacts commonly covering City news to increase rate of media coverage
o This staff member should connect with sister agencies to seek out communications partnership opportunities that yield a stronger community message
o Involve Administrative Analyst early in major City projects and improvements to create project-specific communication plans that can be incorporated into broader City communications by leveraging all City platforms
Create a 12-Month Content Calendar for the City’s Communications
City staff is already pre-planning communication items. However, many city platforms are underutilized
due to limited staff time. Establishing a 12-month calendar for communications can more effectively
allocate staff resources.
Communication Objective(s)
o Create a culture of communication that wraps all departments into proactive communication
efforts
o Document communications efforts so staff can efficiently plan and anticipate potential staff
time for projects
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Action Steps
o Create a communications calendar to more efficiently identify and generate content that tells the City’s overall story
o Have staff members identify City activities that are “story-worthy” events as far in advance as possible and add them to the calendar
o Involve all department leadership in a holistic review of upcoming City activities and cyclical processes to identify where communications can be leveraged to help the success of the project or better tell the story of the City
o Decide how to incorporate the City radio station into this communications calendar
Change the Distribution Method for The Saratogan
The Saratogan is a solid publication and powerful tool for telling the City’s story. However, because it is
hidden as an insert in the Recreation Catalog, its reach and impact is diminished. Consider also that the
City invests significant time and resource into content production and planning for the newsletter (not
directly accounted for in budget costs), and that investment should be leveraged as much as possible.
Communication Objective(s)
o Grow readership and impact of The Saratogan
Action Steps
o Change the packaging of The Saratogan. Explore publishing the Recreation Catalog as a double-sided publication with The Saratogan on one side
o Alternatively, move to a completely electronic distribution method for The Saratogan and supplement with all email sources from across the organization
o Consider revising the graphic design layout of the publication from block formatting to a more visually interesting design
o Consider linking stories on The Saratogan to online versions on the City’s website that are more expansive versions of the printed stories
o Consider dedicating one issue of The Saratogan to just the budget and how the budget relates to Council goals
Focus on Physical Assets as a Key Tool for Communication
Interviews indicated many residents are busy and take little effort to proactively find City news. Tripepi
Smith also heard from several sources that the new City Median Banner Program is one of the most
effective advertisement platforms for the City. Additionally, we heard the physical displays of signs
related to programs and projects throughout town are effective tools at informing the public of progress
or change.
Communication Objective(s)
o Reach less engaged residents with a cost-effective platform
o Promote progress and improvements in the community
Action Steps
o Where possible, physically display project plans and progress at the site; this can include project plans or a rendering of park improvements
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o Develop key messages for median banners throughout the City and leverage them as much as possible
o Test the limits of frequency in pushing City information on median banners and having median banners erected
o Use median banners to drive attention to City online resources and registration so that extensive communications can continue with registered/engaged residents
Expand Direct Electronic Communications with Residents
Direct electronic communication is a timely, cost-effective way to reach a large audience. It is also the
mode of information gathering the more and more residents prefer to use to learn about new and
information. Examples include email campaigns, text alert systems and broadcast media. The
demographics of the community and comments heard throughout the interview process suggest the
Saratoga residents are willing to receive regular City communications and prefer electronic forms of
communication.
Communication Objective(s)
o Reach residents in their preferred mode of communications
o Provide a starting point for transition to more electronic and fewer print communications
Action Steps
o Combine emails from Public Works, council meeting name cards, existing registered email addresses and the Recreation and Facilities Constant Contact lists to generate a list for a City email campaign effort
o Explore using Constant Contact or an alternative email marketing solution to send digital communications, including editions of The Saratogan
o Track open rates, opt-out rates, and other key metrics to determine if information is effectively reaching residents
o Add e-newsletter registration to the homepage of the website and clarify what residents get for signing up
o Use City phone system on-hold recording as an opportunity to communicate to residents regarding important City messages or to advertise ways to stay engaged with the City/community
o Consider developing a list of ‘evergreen’ public information messages to broadcast on the City radio station
o Consider use of a customer relationship management software package to track interactions and work supporting residents that can also house contact information and data about those residents so as to maintain or improve customer service
Promote City Communication Platforms
One of the realities of today's communications is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to build and
reach a larger audience. In order to do so, a promotional budget is necessary. Facebook, while a free
platform for cities to use, is continually moving towards a model where “Page” entities need to pay in
order for their content to display in News Feeds of Facebook users. Similarly, video is a powerful tool;
but without the audience to view the material, the City is not getting the potential return on investment
considering the time and effort put into developing these assets.
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Communication Objective(s)
o Increase communication platforms impact by reaching a larger audience
Action Steps
o Establish a budget for social media marketing on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube with the
specific advertising goal of gaining followers or engagement on the various platforms
o Review returns on advertisements and determine if further advertising is worth the investment
Routinely Collect and Report on Metrics Related to Communications
Tripepi Smith’s review uncovered no evidence the City is currently routinely gathering or analyzing
available metrics for the website or other communications. Although City staff members passively view
some metrics associated with the website and social media, these numbers are not documented or
shared with the larger organization. Nor are they considered in a longitudinal progression that looks at
change or evolution of the City’s platforms. Measuring communications efforts is important, and the
adage holds true: measure what matters.
Google Analytics was added to the City website in November 2014, but the feature is not currently being
reviewed to understand how the website is used by visitors, what drives traffic to the site, or where
visitors are coming from. Furthermore, the City does not use an email marketing solution that provides
metrics nor does staff track social media to metrics such as residents reached and who shares City
content.
Communication Objective(s)
o Measure resident use of City platforms to determine interest in City services and initiatives
o Track use of City platforms to determine if communications efforts are reaching desired
audience size
o Benchmark reach over time and adjust processes and communication investments as necessary
Action Steps
o On a quarterly basis, collect and review website statistics (visits, unique visitors, traffic source, geographic origin, platform used, frequently accessed content, click-throughs to other content)
o Collect and review metrics on all email correspondence when possible, including open rates and click-through rates
o Collect and review metrics on social media platforms, such as the number of shares, likes, post reach, and video views
o Review email counts available from the Recreation database o Exclude metrics that source from the City’s IP address in order to remove staff engagement data
pollution o Identify key metrics for communications and define goals for success related to those metrics o Share results with leadership, review successes, and assess room for improvement or additional
channels that may need to be used to reach residents o Clarify metrics from Granicus to better explain suspicious consistency in certain viewership
metrics
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Revisit Website Design
The City is looking to redesign the current website. Although a full website redesign is beyond the scope
of this engagement, Tripepi Smith noted the City could leverage several basic functions seen on other
City websites.
Communication Objective(s)
o Increase the functionality of the website to match resident’s experience with other online
experiences.
o Ensure the City website experience does not bias resident perceptions of the City government
Action Steps
o Draft a vision paper for what the City website should achieve and define specific user scenarios
that would evidence success with the new website features (i.e. things you want to do that
you cannot do now)
o Exclude City Hall sourced traffic form the Google Analytics results to get a less “polluted” view of
the analytics on the public’s use of the website
o Using a prioritized communications calendar, establish key communications goals that the
website can support, and execute a wireframe layout that allocates screen real estate to achieve
these objectives
o Create a version of the website that is responsive to mobile devices to better serve users who are
visiting the site with their smartphones and tablets. Creating a website with a responsive design
has many of the advantages of creating a City app, but without the additional cost, and does not
require an opt-in to an application.
o Review metrics on current website traffic to determine how website is currently used and any key
trends that should drive a future website redesign.
o Register and deploy a user-friendly URL, such as cityofsaratoga.org or saratogaca.org
o Consider rolling the new URL promotion out simultaneously with the rollout of a new website to
build brand identification around the new URL
o Create a governance policy to define roles and responsibilities for staff regarding management
of the site, content refresh goals, approval processes and homepage content editorial decisions
o Place an emphasis on a highly effective search tool on any new site that will accurately find
content throughout the pages and uploaded documents
Improve Website SEO Functionality
Creating quality content is imperative in creating an effective and successful website. However, the
quality of the content matters little if no one can find it. City staff requested Tripepi Smith provide some
basic recommendations to improve Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for the City of Saratoga website.
Communication Objective(s)
o Make information for residents easier to find on the website through either the search engine
on the website or through use of common external search engines like Google or Bing.
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Action Steps:
o Leverage Google and Bing Webmaster Tools to help these respective search engines properly
index content on the website
o Provide alt text on each image on the website to enable search engines to “read” visual content
o Install an XML sitemap for the City website so that search engines can easily find new content
o Create meta descriptions for each page of the website to help search engines determine content
of each page
o Upgrade the website to use https protocol for communications. Https shows search engines that
websites use secure communications, and helps with page rankings in search engine results
o Ensure the website design is mobile- and tablet-friendly. “Responsive design” is now favored in
search engine rankings
o Consider installing Google Site Search function so that Google can easily find/index content, and
in order to view what terms are searched for within the site in Google Analytics
Coordinate with City Stakeholders and Partner Organizations
Tripepi Smith found word of mouth was one of the primary ways Saratogans receive their news. While
direct citizen engagement is an ideal form of communication, prominent citizens and community
organizations are among the most powerful coordinators of news. The City has strong working
relationships with partner organizations, but does not routinely send these organizations City press
releases or City news on a regular basis.
Communication Objective(s)
o Leverage opportunities for joint messaging where appropriate to strengthen communications
Action Steps o Assemble a list of community stakeholders, including members of commissions, school boards,
and leadership at the Chamber of Commerce
o Send City news and press releases to that internal stakeholder list to inform the community
o Approach partner agencies with opportunities for regularly scheduled times to cross-coordinate
with agencies. For example, make it a routine lunch event spearheaded by the City but that
invites communication professionals from all sister agencies to gather and chat informally.
Consider inviting press to this gathering upon occasion.
Develop Relationships with Regional Media
Although developing relationships with local media takes staff time and effort, media relationships can
be critical in crisis situations and useful to publicize major city accomplishments. There is no way to
know whether these relationships will bring measurable results. Therefore, rather than a full-scale
media engagement plan, Tripepi Smith recommends the City take some basic steps to engage local
media.
Communication Objective
o Expand media coverage of Saratoga and invest in relationships that could prove helpful in the
future.
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Action Steps
o Identify a major City accomplishment or upcoming event and pitch the story to local media
outside the normal media coverage channels
o Twitter is a powerful tool that can help the City develop relationships with reporters—
strategically pick a few television reporters who cover the area and share information with them
via Twitter
o Consider holding a “Meet the Press” day at City Hall where regional reporters can meet City
leadership
o Consider holding a single-stop experience for media to get familiar with regional entities and key
communicators by organizing a joint “Meet the Press” day with other agencies and entities
Develop a Marketing Plan for Recreation Programming Recreation programming is often one of the single most powerful points of positive contact with
residents. In many cities, it can be used as a tool to generate citizen engagement or happy consumers of
City services. In Saratoga, Recreation programming efforts are complicated by the competing Los Gatos
– Saratoga Recreation (LGS Recreation), and related brand confusion undermines the total potential
goodwill generated by the City’s programming. Effort needs to be put into defining the identity of
Saratoga Recreation as City-related.
Communication Objective(s)
o Elevate the goodwill generated by the City’s investment in the Recreation Department
Action Steps o Establish consistent branding for recreation programming
o Identify the relationship the City Manager’s Office will have relative to the Recreation
Department regarding promotion of programming
o Identify opportunities to distinguish Saratoga Recreation programs from Los Gatos – Saratoga
Recreation Department
o Share results with leadership, review successes and assess room for improvement
Improve KSAR’s Deliverables and Strategic Role During the assessment process, staff and representatives from KSAR noted that the upcoming contract
renewal in 2016 would likely bring a number of changes. Tripepi Smith agreed with these proposed
changes as well as noting additional items for consideration.
Communication Objective(s)
o Increase KSAR’s capability as a partners to the City’s communication efforts
Action Steps o Identify a set number of community events and additional content KSAR will film each year as
part of the contract
o Invest in upgraded equipment with high-definition capability for use on Granicus and cable feed
o Consider looping content during available times in programming instead of feeding a community
bulletin board
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o Consider merits of handing ownership of assets over to KSAR versus retaining City ownership
o Review plans of Mid-Peninsula and the possibility of partnering with this JPA for content or
support (http://midpenmedia.org/)
Develop a Crisis Communications Plan for the City Even the best-run cities can experience a crisis. Preparing for non-natural disaster crisis communications
is an important activity for a mature communications process to undertake. During crises, the public
needs accurate information quickly, as well as assurance that steps are being taken to rectify the
situation. These are also opportune times to build trust with the community to transparently
demonstrate how leadership resolves crises.
Communication Objective(s)
o Prepare for worst-case scenarios where starting from scratch on communications can be
avoided
Action Steps
o Create a crisis communications plan that clearly distinguishes the role of the City PIO in relation
to the EOC and notes when one or the other or both are activated
o Write holding press releases and statements for various scenarios
o Create a media and resident outreach plan
o List stakeholder contact information
o Train City Staff on the Alert SCC application
Conclusion Saratoga is a great place to live. Surrounded by natural beauty, Saratoga’s proximity to centers of
business in the Silicon Valley make it an ideal home for those who have successfully retired, as well as
those who have professional careers. The school districts are nationally recognized, which is great for
busy families who value education. As a result of all these positive features, property values are well
above average and the population trends well-educated, higher income and technologically adept.
Even with limited resources, the City is producing content on a number of different platforms with great
discernment for all of the facets and components that go into the City's communications. The next step
in enhancing City communications is to better plan and measure the City's communications with the
public. Without measurement, evaluating the effectiveness of communications is a difficult - if not
impossible - task.
The City has a strong foundation for communications and internal talent on which it can build even more
effective engagement strategies.
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Appendix A - Interview Participants City Council & Staff
Brian Babcock, Administrative Analyst 1
Mary-Lynne Bernald, City Council Member
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk
Mainini Cabute, Public Works Management Analyst
John Cherbone, Public Works Director
Manny Cappello, Vice Mayor, City Council
Cassie Findley, Recreation Coordinator
Mary Furey, Administrative Services Director
Adam Henig, Recreation Supervisor
Rishi Kumar, City Council Member
Emily Lo, City Council Member
James Lindsay, City Manager
Emily Lo, City Council Member
Tony McFarlane, Finance Manager
Howard Miller, Mayor, City Council
Erwin Ordonez, Community Development Director
Outside Viewpoints
Leonard Almalech, Planning Commissioner
Bradley Davis, President, West Valley Community College
Allison Lew, Community Librarian, Saratoga Library
Ping Li, Parks and Recreation Commissioner
Pat Martell, President, Chamber of Commerce
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Bob Mistelle, Superintendent, Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District
Tom Moran, President of KSAR
Arati Nagaraj, Saratoga Union School District School Board Member
Steve Prziborowski, Deputy Chief Administration, Santa Clara County Fire Department
Khalida Sarwari, Reporter, Saratoga News
Annette Stransky, Heritage Preservation Commissioner, President of Saratoga Historical
Foundation
Rick Sung, Captain, Santa Clara Sheriff's Office
Lane Weiss, Saratoga Union School District Superintendent
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Appendix B – City Website Email Notification Subscribers
List Subscribers Total Unique Email Subscribers 319
City of Saratoga News 106
City Council Agendas 104 Saratoga Community Events 91 Sheriff's Weekly Reports 90 Planning Commission Agendas & Minutes 89 The Saratogan 86 Parks & Recreation Commission Agendas & Minutes 53 City Council Public Notices 52 Planning Commission Public Notices 48 Traffic Safety Commission Agendas/Minutes 48 Pedestrian, Equestrian, and Bicycle Trails Advisory Committee Agendas/Minutes 47 Library Commission Agendas/Minutes 42 Heritage Preservation Commission Agendas/Minutes 42 Press Releases 35 Youth Commission Agendas/Minutes 30 Environmental/CEQA Documents & Notices 22 Commission Recruitments 13
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Appendix C – Website Review Good Elements of the Website:
o Strong visual space used for news and current events
o Video integration on homepage
o Direct and easy access to staff via the staff directory, including phone numbers and email
addresses
o Dropdown menu provides easier navigation to website content
Areas that Need Improvement:
o Optimize the site design for mobile or tablet devices (responsive design)
o Add a sitemap and integrate Google Webmaster Tools and Bing Webmaster Tools to ensure
proper search engine site indexing
o Improve the iconography and overall design to make the site more visually pleasing
o Add prominent invitation on the homepage for subscription to electronic
newsletter/communications
o Consolidate information on Department pages
o Rely less on PDFs to manage the content for significant components of the site, and try to put
more of the content into actual HTML code. This will make finding and consuming content much
easier.
o “Current Projects” portion of the website appears to link to outdated/broken webpages
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Appendix D– Facebook Metrics Recreation Facebook Insights
Gender of Fans Recreation Page All of Facebook
Women 75% 46%
Male 22% 54%
Age of Page Fans 13-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Women 0.92% 2% 8% 14% 20% 10% 5%
Male 0.70% 4% 4% 9% 10% 8% 5%
Page Fans by City
Saratoga 153
San Jose 119
Los Gatos 31
Campbell 23
San Francisco 17
All Others 206
Total 549
City Hall Facebook Insights
Gender of Fans City Hall Page
Women 60%
Male 40%
Age of Page Fans 13-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Women 0.90% 4% 13% 24% 21% 7% 5%
Male 0.70% 2% 4% 6% 4% 4% 2%
Page Fans by City
Saratoga 258
San Jose 117
Los Gatos 25
Santa Clara 16
Campbell 14
All Others 220
Total 650
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Appendix E – Typical The Saratogan Production Schedule Staff begins outlining potential topics and content 2 months before due to printer
Topics brought to Councilmembers for suggestions
1 month before due to printer
Writing and Layout 3 weeks before due to printer
Review and Edits 2 days to 1 week before due to printer
Layout Proof Sent to Printer 1 day
Proof Reviewed, Edited and Sent to Print 1 to 3 hours
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Appendix F – Granicus Viewership Rates For Period: May 1, 2015- May 1, 2015
Video Number of Views
Saratoga Live Feed 1866
City Council - Feb 18th, 2015 1504 CITY COUNCIL 439 CITY COUNCIL 329 CITY COUNCIL - Nov 19th, 2014 302 Planning Commission 302 Live Planning Commission Link - Apr 22nd, 2015 243 Planning Commission - Oct 22nd, 2014 220 Planning Commission 137 CITY COUNCIL 110 CITY COUNCIL 110 CITY COUNCIL 110 CITY COUNCIL 110 CITY COUNCIL 108 CITY COUNCIL 82 CITY COUNCIL 82 CITY COUNCIL 82 Planning Commission 82 CITY COUNCIL 55 City Council Reorganization 55 Planning Commission 55 CITY COUNCIL 54 CITY COUNCIL 54 Planning Commission 54 CITY COUNCIL 27 Planning Commission 27 CITY COUNCIL 27 CITY COUNCIL 27 CITY COUNCIL 27 CITY COUNCIL 27 Planning Commission 27 CITY COUNCIL 27 CITY COUNCIL 27 Planning Commission 27 Planning Commission 27 CITY COUNCIL 27 CITY COUNCIL 27 Planning Commission 27 CITY COUNCIL 27
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New Event - Feb 19th, 2015 27
Name Page Views
*Granicus Analytics eliminates traffic from City Hall IP addresses. Exploring discrepancies in view rates, including the large number of meetings with 27 views and some meetings receiving disproportionately higher views would involve a full review of metrics with Granicus, and was not within the scope of this assessment.
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Appendix G – Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office Media Relations
General Order
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