City manager pivots communications assessment, recommends skipping broad survey

City Manager Heather Guyire updated council on the communications and marketing assessment led by consultant Joy Riot and said she was concerned the consultant’s initial presentation lacked context and used a slide ('empowerment sentiment') that she said did not tie back to the assessment purpose.

Guyire told council she asked the consultant to accelerate its timeline and to provide early findings; she recommended that the city proceed without the proposed community survey — a change she said would save approximately $5,000 — because she did not believe the five‑question alternative would yield meaningful additional insight. She said Joy Riot represented that it could complete recommendations and findings without a survey and that staff would meet with the firm for an initial read next week, with draft findings expected in late August and final recommendations by mid‑September.

Guyire also described internal steps taken during the interim, including standing up a cross‑functional internal marketing committee and a special events committee, and said the hiring of a permanent communications director would follow once council and staff have vetted the consultant recommendations and strategy.

Council members asked for clarity about the role of the consultant, whether community voices would be missed without a survey, and how consultant recommendations would translate into staffing and budget needs; Guyire said the consultant will still provide best‑practice benchmarks, messaging and recommended operational changes without the survey and staff will iterate with council on the findings before adopting a plan.