Consider Outline for Public Education on Groundwater

The purpose of this case is to review a draft outline for an education campaign focusing on groundwater.  The primary vehicles that the City can and typically does use for education include: website, newsletter, utility bill insert, QCTV, and community events.  All or most of these would be helpful in the Board's efforts to ensure that information is readily available for the general public.  In reviewing the City's website, along with the websites of the DNR, MPCA, Metropolitan Council, and Anoka County, there is already a lot of information out there on groundwater.  One aspect of this campaign will be creating a 'clearinghouse' page on the City's website that has both information as well as external links to these other sites where broader information is available.

 

The demand on the water supply is going to hitting its peak (at least typically) in July and August.  Thus, for the most impact, it will be important get information in the next full issue of the Ramsey Resident newsletter, which would be the August/September issue.  The deadline for article submission will be approximately July 7.  If the Board is generally agreeable to the attached outline, Staff will begin to draft various articles addressing those aspects of groundwater.  The intent would be to essentially create a series of articles that would run in subsequent, consecutive issues.

Staff has also included a more generic outline for Stormwater, leaving out defined timeframes for the time being.  The purpose of this is to garner feedback from the Board on this outline also.  Additionally, with the advance notice, there is more opportunity for the Board to take a more hands on approach with developing articles/information on this topic.

This is a follow up to the discussion at the May meeting.  Content has not been developed yet (for either topic); Staff wants to verify that the topic(s) and outline are meeting the intent of the Board before proceeding. 

Direct Staff to proceed with content development for both the newsletter and website.