Executive committee pushes to finalize SOPs and highlights new PIO, Council Connect upgrades

Members heard a progress report on standard operating procedures and several communications updates at the July 22 meeting. Miss Hayes Shacklet said many SOPs are drafted and in regular use but not finalized; staff plan to finalize them, post them to SharePoint, and include them in orientation materials for the next council term so roles and responsibilities are clearer.

"They're in somewhat complete form; we're following them, but they're not actually finally approved," Hayes Shacklet said. The SOPs targeted for publication include internal operational documents such as a proclamation policy and parade SOPs; staff said documents will note ownership, update dates, and a versioning trail.

Separately, the vice mayor and staff introduced Justin Bradford as the new public information officer, who began around June 1 and will expand the council office’s social-media and public-engagement presence. The committee also learned that Council Connect will gain rich-text posting and (in September) comment hyperlinking so members and residents can link sources and resources directly to posts. Members praised the improvements and asked IT to continue coordinating with Granicus and other platform vendors.