INC NEWS - $400k for PR campaign on water

[Mike Woodard]

I don't know who Melissa's source is, but it is not accurate to suggest that no Council member has raised concerns about this proposal...either today or in meetings with City administration. I met with Public Affairs Director Beverly Thompson Tuesday afternoon and had conversations with Water Department staff over the past two weeks since receiving this proposal. I  am aware that other Council members also had similar conversations.

Melissa's either/or question is fallacious. We will both repair leaky pipes and meters, as well as engage in an aggressive community education program. Her suggestion that we use citizen volunteers to "come up with an ad, arrange posting on billboards, bus boards" is also fallacious. It is often difficult to hold volunteers accountable and to find volunteers who have the expertise ICF has, particularly given the complexity of the project and the time in which we would like to act. ICF already has a plan, and our expectation is to begin implementing the plan within two weeks of the contract's approval (that is one of the "concerns" raised today).

I invite all of you to read the proposal for yourselves and draw your own conclusions:
http://www.durhamnc.gov/agendas/2008/cws20080421/124457_4904_159961.pdf

As you will see, this is far more than just a "PR campaign."

The City/County Sustainability Manager began her work just this past Monday. She already has a full plate working on a number of initiatives. Her first priority is the implementation of the City/County Greenhouse Gas Plan. As the City Council and County Commissioners look at their budgets in the coming months, they will consider the funding for programs and support. As for the water conservation plan, this work will be coordinated jointly by the Public Affairs and Water Department since these two departments have the infrastructure and knowledge in place to carry it out.

I would welcome your comments.

Mike Woodard
City Council


> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Melissa Rooney" <mmr121570 at yahoo.com>
> To: inc-list at rtpnet.org, durhamenviro at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: INC NEWS - $400k for PR campaign on water
> Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:27:56 -0700 (PDT)
> 
> 
> I was just told that, at today's City Council work
> session, no council member raised any concern about a
> $400,000 contract to ICF for a public relations
> program on conserving water. The contract proposes
> that the first task of ICF is to develop a plan. The
> goal is to create advertising that is simple and
> focuses on one simple message per ad. About half of
> the money would go to buy media placements of the ads
> developed by ICF.
> 
> A friend and concerned citizen offered this
> perspective: "...there are few service contracts for
> this much money. Contracts in this price range are
> usually for construction or to buy equipment. For even
> more perspective, there is one Joint City/County
> Sustainability Manager, just hired, and to just keep
> the $50k each from City and County government for this
> was a major struggle last year. The Sustainability
> Manager has no budget, no staff, no money for capital
> improvements."
> 
> I am interested in what INC and PA folks think about
> all this. Would this money be better spent on true
> ACTION to help save water -- not sure what that action
> will be, but having money on hand to quickly repair
> and maintain current water pipes would be a start (the
> one feeding Creekside Elementary burst today).
> 
> At first thought, it seems to me that we don't need to
> hire a contractor to market ads asking people to save
> water. Couldn't this money be given to the
> sustainability coordinator and a position be created
> through that department for marketing our need to
> conserve water? Heck, there are enough citizens to
> come up with an ad...and how hard is it to arrange
> posting on billboards, bus boards, in
> hospitals/doctor's offices, hotels and shopping
> centers?
> 
> Very interested in your replies,
> Melissa
> 



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mike Woodard
Email: mike at mikewoodard.com
Web site: www.mikewoodard.com
Office: 919.668.0817; Mobile: 919.599.5143