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THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH STORMONT
BY-LAW NO. 2020-089
BEING
a by-law to adopt a Communications Policy.
WHEREAS
the Municipa/Act, 2001, c. 25 s. 5 (1) provides that
the powers of a municipal corporation are to be
exercised by its council;
AND WHEREAS
the Municipa/Act, 2001, c. 25 s. 5 (3) provides that
the powers of every council are to be exercised by
by-law;
AND WHEREAS
Council
deems
it
advisable
to
adopt
a
Communications Policy for the Township of South
Stormont.
NOW THEREFORE
Council of the Township of South Stormont enacts
as follows:
1.
That the Communications Policy attached hereto as
Schedule "A" and forming part of this by-law be
adopted effective, November 25, 2020.
2.
That any other by-law inconsistent with this by-law
is hereby repealed.
READ AND PASSED in open Council signed and sealed this 25th day of
November, 2020.
/5' "
/
\
A)
May
ditto
Clerk
TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH STORMONT
_
SOUITI I T
5
Title: Communications Policy
'
Department: All Departments
' Date: November 25 2020
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Communications Policy is to provide guidelines for
external corporate communications to ensure that timely, accurate,
instructive and explanatory messages and information are
communicated to the public.
This policy will assist in making all external communications by the
Township of South Stormont consistent, transparent, effective and
encourage community participation and engagement.
POLICY STATEMENT
The Township of South Stormont recognizes the importance of
transparency in governance and keeping the public informed of
Township business. This policy establishes appropriate methods of
disseminating Township messages and information to the public that is
easily accessible, consistent, and informative.
SCOPE
This policy applies to all electronic and printed external corporate
communications from the Township of South Stormont.
This policy applies to members of Council and all Township employees.
SPOKESPERSONS
The Mayor is the official spokesperson on behalf of Council, and the
CAO is the official spokesperson for all operational matters.
VISUAL IDENTITY
A clear and consistent visual identity assists the public in recognizing
and accessing the policies, programs, services and initiatives of the
Township. To present a strong, unified identity, departments will
adhere to the guidelines as outlined in the current "Use of Corporate
Crest, Township Logo and/or Images" Policy.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
The Township of South Stormont utilizes a number of electronic
tools to share Township information. The Township's official website,
www.southstormont.ca is the primary source for official information,
supplemented by other online methods such as social media
platforms, electronic newsletters, and other online tools.
The Township will adhere to all required legislation in regards to
electronic communications, including Canada's Anti-Spam
Legislation (CASL).
The Township's current Social Media Policy should be referenced for
specific details of appropriate use of social media tools for Township
use.
See Appendix A for procedures for electronic communications.
MEDIA RELEASES
The media play an important role in providing information to the public
on matters of civic interest.
Stories and announcements for general interest and media distribution
will be sent to local media in the form of a formal media release.
Should the Township choose to send a formal media release, they will
be emailed to local print and local online media. A copy of the release
will also be circulated to all members of Council.
The Township of South Stormont does not take responsibility for
ensuring the media list is comprehensive but will add suitable parties
upon request. In certain situations, the staff, at their discretion, may
also send media releases to stakeholders. The media release list does
not reflect or impact any advertising decisions from the Township.
The issuance of a press release does not guarantee publication.
PRINT COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
Traditional forms of Communication are important, and The Township
of South Stormont publishes a number of print materials to
communicate with ratepayers on a semi-annual, annual or as needed
basis. This includes, but is not limited to:
South Stormont Community Guide
Tax Inserts
Event Posters
Business Cards
Brochures and Marketing Collateral
Newspaper Notices
Mail-Outs
When available, print media will also be posted on the website.
CORPORATE ADVERTISING
The Township uses corporate advertising for the purposes of informing
the public of Township business and notices of interest to the general
public, as well as a tool for advertising to more identified audiences,
such as sales and purchases, tender and employment opportunities,
etc.
The Township may place advertisements in any appropriate medium to
inform residents about their rights, responsibilities, municipal policies,
programs, services, initiatives, upcoming meetings, dangers or risks to
public safety.
Advertising for tenders, proposals, and other procurement
opportunities will be placed in appropriate media outlets in accordance
to the current Township Procurement Policy.
Recruitment advertisements are the responsibility of the CAO and/or
Department Head in accordance with any applicable Human Resources
Policies or Collective Agreement(s).
Public Notices will be prepared and posted in appropriate media outlets
through the Economic Development/Communications Coordinator in
coordination with the Director of the department wishing to post the
notice. The Township's "Public Notice Policy" and any additional
externally prescribed notification guidelines will be adhered to, as
applicable.
See Appendix B for Corporate Advertising procedures.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
The Township's "Public Engagement Guidelines" will be used to help
staff evaluate instances where communications with the public is
required and to determine the appropriate engagement and feedback
that is required.
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
Communications during emergency situations that have triggered the
use of the Township's Emergency Response Plan will adhere to the
"Emergency Public Information Plan" outlined in the Emergency
Response Plan.
ACCESSIBILE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
12.1 ACCESSIBILE FORMATS AND COMMUNICATION SUPPORTS
Communications that the Township produces, directly or indirectly
through contractual relationships, are available in accessible formats
upon request unless to do so would cause undue hardship.
When an accessible format or communication support is requested, the
Township will consult with the requesting person to determine which
format or support is required and provide the material in a reasonable
amount of time and at no additional cost.
This section does not apply to products, product labels, unconvertible
information or communications.
If information or communications are determined to be unconvertible,
the Township will provide the person making the request with the
reason why the material is unconvertible and a summary of the
unconvertible material in an accessible format
12.2 NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS
Notice of the availability of documents in alternative formats and with
communication supports will be posted on the Township's website and
by other methods as is reasonable in the circumstance.
12.3 ACCESSIBILE WEBSITES AND WEB CONTENT
The Township will make its website, and web content, conform to the
Worldwide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
2.1AA requirements on or before the Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act (AODA) compliance deadlines.
12.4 EMERGENCY PROCEDURE, PLANS, PUBLIC SAFETY
INFORMATION
If the Township prepares emergency procedures, plans or public safety
information and makes that information available to the public, the
Township will provide the information in an accessible format or with
appropriate communication supports as soon as possible, upon
request.
12.5 FEEDBACK
The Township has a process in place for receiving and responding to
feedback and will ensure that those processes are accessible for
persons with disabilities by providing, or arranging for, the provision of
accessible formats and communication supports upon request.
Appendix A: Electronic Communications Procedures
MUNICIPAL WEBSITE
The South Stormont website, herein known as "the website", is utilized to
access information written by administration and is a resource for searchable
reference material on the Township. This includes, but is not limited to:
Council Information, Staff Contacts, Calendar of Events, Tourist Information,
Departmental Information and more.
A variety of other tools, including but not limited to social media and
newsletters, are used to direct viewers to the South Stormont website,
which is considered to be the "home" for Township information online.
o
The website will maintain up-to-date information to assist citizens in
their business with the Township. The site will be informative to
facilitate communication between Council, Staff and the Public. A
calendar of Township meetings and events open to the public will
be kept up to date on the Municipal website.
o
The website is the primary source of official Council information. It
is neutral in focus and provides archived agendas and minutes of
official meetings.
o
The website is not a forum for commenting on municipal issues and
services. It is a tool to share information with audiences.
o
The website will maintain an updated "News and Notices" section.
Community Calendar of Events
Content will be included on the Community Calendar of Events; however, for
an event or activity to be included on the Community Calendar of Events, it
must:
o
Take place in the Township of South Stormont or be recognized as
a Municipally supported event;
o
Be open to the general public; this does not preclude
events/activities that have applicable entrance fees or
events/activities that are organized for a specific demographic or
interest group;
~
Be coordinated or sponsored by not-for-profit or charitable
organizations;
The Township of South Stormont does not take responsibility for ensuring
the Calendar of Events is comprehensive but will add suitable events upon
request.
Third Party Links
The website may contain links to other websites (e.g. government web
pages, community non-profit links). These may be placed and/or removed at
the discretion of the Township.
This type of link is provided for the convenience of the visitor. Inclusion of
the link does not imply endorsement by the Corporation and the Township.
DOCUlTl€fltS
Any document that is posted on the website will be posted in PDF or fillable
PDF format (except in special circumstances). This is to ensure that the
original document cannot be altered or edited and appears in a professional
format.
News and Notices
The Township of South Stormont shall post updates on the "News and
Notices" section found on the homepage of the website regarding municipal
announcements, services, policies, and/or other information deemed
acceptable by administration. News updates are not typically emailed to the
media.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Refer to Township's current Social Media Policy for Social Media Procedures
ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS
Electronic Newsletters may include items of general interest including
Council information, recreation news, new programs and policies, local
events, information from local clubs (as defined in the "Community
Calendar of Events") and more.
The South Stormont electronic newsletter will be emailed once a month to
those individuals who wish to subscribe. Citizens can subscribe on the
website, by clicking on the subscribe button on the newsletter itself, or by
emailing the Economic Development /Communications Coordinator.
All email addresses provided will remain confidential.
The Economic Development/Communications Coordinator shall maintain
editorial responsibility and issuance of the electronic newsletter.
Appendix B: Corporate Advertising Procedures
Corporate Advertising for Informing the Public
The Township may place advertisements in any appropriate medium to
inform residents about their rights, responsibilities, municipal policies,
programs, services, initiatives, upcoming meetings, dangers or risks to
public safety.
Corporate Advertising in media outlets will flow through the Economic
Development and Communications Coordinator from the Director of the
department wishing to advertise.
For the purposes of this policy, the term Advertising refers to the paid
placement using media outlets to inform, persuade and remind target
audiences about Township notices, services, programs, and products
designed to elicit a positive response. Examples of media outlets where
advertisements are placed include:
Newspaper
Broadcast (television and radio)
Digital/online (e.g. websites, social media)
Consumer and Business Magazines
Out of home and transit (e.g. billboards, transit shelter, bench
advertising)
Corporate Advertising for Tenders, Recruitment and Notices
Advertising for tenders, proposals, and other procurement opportunities will
be placed in appropriate media outlets in accordance to the current
Township Procurement Policy.
Recruitment advertisements are the responsibility of the CAO and/or
Department Head in accordance with any applicable Human Resources
Policies or Collective Agreement(s).
Public Notices will be prepared and posted in appropriate media outlets
through the Economic Development/Communications Coordinator using
information provided by the Director of the department wishing to post the
notice. The Township's "Public Notice Policy" and any additional externally
prescribed notification guidelines will be adhered to, as applicable.
General External Print Marketing and Advertising Criteria
The Township shall place advertisements in any appropriate medium,
however the following eligibility criteria should be met in order to be
considered:
o
Be published on a regular, pre-determined basis for a period of at
least one year
o
Be published in a format consistent with general industry
practices such as:
o
The publication must contain a minimum of eight pages,
and they must be numbered; and,
0
The name of the publication and the issue date must
appear on each page.
o
Ensure that editorial content be of a nature and intent not to:
o
Incite racial hatred;
o
Incite discrimination of any kind; and,
o
Incite the subversion of Canada's democratic system of
government
o
Sufficient circulation to effectively reach the target audience.
These may include publications with a specialized circulation
and/or format specific to recruitment, economic development or
tender advertisements.
o
Professional, credible and provide return on investment