Village of La Grange Digital Technology and Communications Task Force met February 26.
Here is the minutes as provided by the committee:
1. Call to Order
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Assistant Village Manager Creer called the meeting to order at 6:02 PM. He explained that
President Livingston appointed Marcy Larson Chairperson but that she was unable to
attend this meeting. The Village President asked that he act as the Chairperson. Given the
time constraints, he stated they would be rearranging the agenda to move to the
presentations by Village Departments as quickly as possible. Mr. Creer called the roll as
follows:
Present: Chris Augustine
Cordelia Coppleson
John J. Janowski
Sally Nauss
Jeff Phillips
Kevin Sabapathy
Timothy Sheldon
Lara Taylor
Lisa Marie Thomas
Absent: Patrick M. Beeman
Marcy Larson
Carrie Jenke
Others: Assistant Village Manager Zachery Creer
Village Manager Andrianna Peterson
Director of Public Works Ryan Gillingham
Finance Director Lou Cipparonne
Community Development Director Charity Jones
Police Chief Kurt Bluder
Fire Chief Don Gay
2. Approval of the Minutes from January 22nd
Consideration of the minutes was relocated to the end of the agenda. Assistant Village
Manager Creer asked if there were any revisions to the provided minutes, and if there was
a motion for approval. Ms. Taylor made a motion to approve the minutes. Ms. Coppleson
seconded, and the minutes passed by a voice vote.
3. Business at Hand
A. Memo for the Village President re: Direction and Appointment of a Chair
Assistant Village Manager Creer provided a summary of the direction given by
President Livingston. The memo appointed Marcy Larson as Chair of the Task Force
and provided other suggested areas for the Task Force to focus on. Given the time
constraints for the Task Force, the Village President asked the Commission to focus
specifically on communications from the Village to residents. Areas that he would like
to see explored include: Emergency Communications, Social Media, greater use of the
Village’s cable station, and use of Village owned property.
B. Presentation by Village Departments
Assistant Village Manager Creer started the presentation by asking each Department
Head to introduce themselves. Mr. Creer provided objectives for the presentation,
including focusing on external communications. Mr. Creer shared the importance of
equal access, transparency, civic participation and customer service in all Village
communications. Mr. Creer gave an overview of communications in the Administration
Department. The Administration Department’s major tools include the website, the bimonthly
newsletter, the Village’s cable station, Village Board agendas, public
meetings, public hearings, public documents, strategic plan and minutes. The website
serves as both an active and passive tool. The active components of the website include
the ability to push out notifications through email, social media, and text to all
subscribed residents. The passive communications include the website acting as an
archive of all Village documents featuring agendas, board reports, budgets, financial
statements and minutes. These documents provide background for all Village Policy
decisions. The Village also actively engages its residents through its six standing
volunteer committees. Transparency and Civic Engagement are priorities of the
Village. These committees provide continuous feedback and recommendations to the
Village Board. Additionally, the Administration Department ensures that the Village
complies with the Open Meetings Act and responds to Freedom of Information
Requests. The website and the Village’s partnership with the LGBA will be explored
further at the next meeting.
Lou Cipparrone, Finance Director, introduced communication tools in his Department.
The Finance Department concentrates on online services through the website including
the new online parking permit program and online bill pay for water billing. Other
tools that are used by the Finance Department include the water bill note section that is
used by the Department to advertise events and the Village Budget which provides
information about the Village’s priorities for the next fiscal year. Upcoming projects
from the Finance Department include the updating of the Village’s phone system to a
Voice Over IP system which will save costs and increase reliability as one of the
Village’s most important communications tools.
Chief Kurt Bluder discussed the Police Department’s communications tools. The
Police Department uses its own Facebook page for crime alerts and public service
announcements. Digital signs are used around town for safety reminders and
construction notices. Similar to other Departments, the website plays an important role
in the communications of the department; residents can sign up for notifications about
Police Department news through “Notify Me” or go to the website to see information
about ongoing police operations. The primary communication point for the Police
Department is through LTACC the Village’s 9-1-1 dispatch service. In terms of
upcoming projects, the Police Department will be launching an online portal for
overnight parking and vacation notifications. The Police Department also engages with
the community through direct outreach including the Citizen Police Academy and an
upcoming event called “National Night Out” which the Village of La Grange will
participate in for the first time in 2018. Chief Bluder stated the need to balance the
need for timely public communications with accuracy.
Chief Don Gay presented the Fire Department’s communications tools. Chief Gay
emphasized that his communications were more traditional, in part because of the
sensitive nature of much of the Department’s work including confidential medical
information from EMS calls. The Fire Department does engage in outreach, however,
for the purposes of public awareness and information including appearing at block
parties and hosting an annual fire prevention open house. The Fire Department’s major
communication tool is its monthly report which provides information about the Fire
Service, information about ongoing activities, and helpful fire prevention tips.
Charity Jones, Director of Community Development, presented communications tools
in her department. Her department focuses on communications with businesses and
potential businesses including providing information about available properties,
economic demographics, events communications in conjunction with or partnership
with the LGBA, and one-on-one outreach with businesses. Major communications
tools include the four citizen committees staffed by her Department (Community and
Economic Development Commission, Plan Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals,
and Downtown Design Review Commission). These act as advisory boards and
provide residents an opportunity to serve on a commission or provide public feedback
at any of the meetings. Community Development also uses the website to provide
forms, policies, zoning information, comprehensive plan information and the materials
associated with the four commissions. She also presented about the upcoming Branding
Study which will incorporate community and business input in creating a unique brand
for Village marketing, communications, and services. Her department also maintains
a number of guides for building projects, and permits.
Ryan Gillingham, Director of Public Works, presented an overview of communications
tools in his department. Public Works relies on both new communication systems such
as Geographic Information System (GIS) and more traditional forms of
communications such as letters and written notices. GIS allows residents to access a
vast amount of information about properties in the Village and will eventually integrate
information from all of the Village’s departments in a single location. The website also
acts as a main hub for the Public Works Department by providing information and
reminders, as well as the ability to submit online service requests. Traditional
communications still remain the most used and often the most effective forms of
communication. Public Works still gets most of its service requests through email and
by phone. Events such as water main breaks and boil orders still require the Public
Works Department to knock on doors because not all residents are online or have home
phones.
C. Background Resources
Staff provided requested background materials including an excerpt from LG 2020 and
information regarding a previous workshop of the Village Board regarding
communications.
D. Discussion, Questions and Planning
At the end of the presentation, the floor was opened for questions from the Task Force.
Mr. Phillips asked timing for the implementation of the branding study. Ms. Jones
stated that many of the outcomes will be rolled out through the next fiscal year. Mr.
Creer stated that the branding study components will be coordinated with the
anticipated new website refresh scheduled for January 2019.
Mr. Janowski asked if Code Red could be sent out to RSS Feeds. Chief Bluder stated
he would look into the question and provide information to the Task Force at the next
meeting.
Mr. Augustine asked if text to 9-1-1 was available. Chief Bluder stated that technology
was not available yet but is an identified future initiative.
Mr. Janowski asked if the parking app could be integrated with sensors to provide a
real time parking map. Mr. Cipparrone stated that these is technology available but
that the Village does not currently have that capability.
Mr. Janowski asked about the Village’s fiber infrastructure. Public Works Director
Gillingham explained that almost all Village facilities were connected by dedicated
dark fiber, at no cost to the Village as part of a right-of-way permit.
Mr. Phillips asked if there was some sort of application that merged all the Village’s
communications. Mr. Creer answered that the website acted as the resource. The
website is planned to be updated this year to be mobile friendly and part of the
optimization could advertise the different types of communication.
Mr. Augustine asked if QR codes could be added to the Spokesman. Staff responded
that could be considered for future issues.
Ms. Coppleson stated the Village needs to keep seniors and residents who do not
embrace technology informed. Ms. Taylor asked if there was a way to opt-out of a
newsletter. Finance Director Cipparrone answered that since the letter is bulk mailed,
we do not have the ability to mail only to certain addresses.
Ms. Nauss asked if all of the building department forms could be made fillable and
submittable online. Community Development Director Jones responded that they are
in the process of updating forms online to be fillable. That being said, the building
industry is still paper focused and large plans must still be submitted in person. This
also gives the applicant and staff an opportunity to discuss process and answer
questions.
Ms. Taylor asked how residents find out about “Notify Me”. Staff answered that
information is posted in every newsletter.
Ms. Taylor asked if any forms of communication have been discontinued. Public
Works Director Ryan Gillingham answered as an example that Block Parties are now
entirely handled online, and that Public Works discontinued use of its fax machine.
Mr. Augustine asked how many of the Village’s website visitors were unique visitors
and what parts of the website are not getting much traffic but should. Mr. Creer stated
he would provide more information at the next meeting. Public Works Director
Gillingham answered that the GIS “Community Portal” is probably not fully utilized,
despite the wealth of information it provides. The Task Force discussed branding and
advertising the portal.
Mr. Phillips asked how often email lists were used by the Village, and if they could be
integrated. Mr. Creer responded that they were not a commonly used tool by the
Village; the Village website pushes out information through text messages, email, and
Notify Me.
Ms. Coppleson asked if there were other tools besides water bills that could have
additional notifications. Finance Director Cipparrone answered that currently the
Spokesman newsletter was the only other written document that goes to each home.
Ms. Coppleson asked the Police Chief how he felt the communications with LTHS, in
reference to recent incidents, were coordinated. Police Chief Bluder stated it went
extremely well and that he was in contact with the school superintendent immediately
to plan joint communication efforts. Information was provided on website, Facebook
and community wide notifications.
Ms. Coppleson asked if information could be added to CodeRed about individual
households and how that information is distributed to first responders. Chief Gay
answered that information could be added into the Computer Aided Dispatch software
by residents contacting the Dispatch Center.
Ms. Taylor stated that there are a lot of tools in use by the Village, and perhaps there
are ways to better advertise the them. For example, community events, or through
realtors. Staff advised that the Village provides a new resident packet when residents
set up new water accounts.
Mr. Augustine asked if the Village had something similar to Chicago’s 3-1-1 system.
Ms. Jones answered the website functioned in that regard. Chief Bluder stated that the
non-emergency police phone number provided that service along with dispatch after
hours.
Ms. Coppleson asked if the Village ever considered electronic downtown kiosks or
television information screens. Ms. Jones stated that the existing kiosks would need to
be retrofitted. Mr. Creer stated that, if the Task Force made a recommendation, than
staff could explore electronic kiosks as an option.
Mr. Janowski asked if the Board meetings were live-streamed on the website. Mr.
Creer answered that they currently are not, but that meeting videos are placed on the
website soon after each meeting and archived videos are available “on demand”.
Meetings are videotaped through an arrangement the Village has with LTHS.
Mr. Creer ended the question session due to time constraints.
3. Old Business
There was no old business.
4. New Business
There was no new business.
5. Next Meeting
The next meeting was scheduled for March 12th, 2018 at 6 pm.
6. Adjournment
At 7:16 p.m. the meeting was adjourned.
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