Ventura Water moves to extend communications contract and expand outreach as major projects proceed

The Ventura Water Commission voted unanimously April 27 to recommend that city council extend and increase the contract with the Bodwell Group (formerly Cats and Associates) through June 30, 2027 to continue strategic communications and outreach tied to rates, the Ventura Water Pure project and conservation programs.

Staff described a multi-part communications program launched in early 2025 that included key-opinion-leader interviews, a 400-response public survey, two focus groups, a suite of public-facing pages and a bill-impact calculator, facility tours and community presentations. "We developed the first version of the strategic communications and outreach plan and we incorporated plain language into our messaging," a staff presenter said.

Commissioners praised the work but asked for measurable performance indicators (web analytics, page views and campaign results) and requested clearer milestone messaging for major projects such as the membrane bioreactor and the ocean outfall pump installation. Commissioners also raised website navigation concerns. The staff report showed total consultant expenditures to date and a requested increase that would bring the total contract spending for communications work to approximately $627,000 for the consulting program across the two-year effort.

The commission approved a motion to recommend that staff present an amendment to city council to extend the Bodwell Group contract and increase the not-to-exceed amount by the requested supplemental sum; roll call recorded five yes votes. Staff said the goal is to complete consultant work, document lessons learned and build internal communications capacity over time, with a potential City PIO or permanent internal resource to be considered in future budget cycles.

Why it matters: the commission framed communications as vital to building public understanding of rate changes and large infrastructure investments; members said frequent milestone-driven outreach would help counter misinformation and build community support.

Next steps: the commission's recommendation will go to city council for final approval and staff will provide metrics and a plan for internalizing outreach capacity.