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County communications staff outline appointments overhaul, crisis communications plan and website accessibility work
Summary
Communications Director Joy Alexander told the board April 15 that staff are overhauling the boards-and-commissions vacancy and appointment flow, developing a countywide crisis communications plan funded by ARPA, and preparing for a web redesign and compliance with upcoming DOJ accessibility requirements (deadline April 20, 2026).
Joy Alexander, Communications Director, told the Linn County Board of Supervisors on April 15 that the communications team is working on several projects to make county services easier to access and to improve crisis response.
Alexander said the county has redesigned the online appointment application flow so applications are routed to the appropriate department liaisons; the team will map the full process from vacancy to formal board appointment and will discuss cross-department handling when applicants apply to multiple boards. "If it—s a planning and zoning commission that will go to Planning and development staff... if they would also check something for community services... it would go to multiple departments," she said. She told the board a follow-up meeting is scheduled that will include department liaisons to firm up how multiple applications are shared and tracked.
Alexander said a countywide crisis communications plan is in development following an ARPA-funded contract with a consultant; the consultant will finalize a draft for board review in the coming weeks and will conduct in-person training. She said the plan's approval and implementation will determine who communicates what in incidents and how information flows to the public.
The communications office is also preparing for a website refresh later this summer and compliance with U.S. Department of Justice guidance on digital accessibility, which Alexander said has a compliance deadline of April 20, 2026. "PDFs are going to be a big accessibility piece," she said, noting training for staff who maintain website content and a public survey planned as part of the redesign.
Other work items Alexander mentioned included outreach around the FY26 budget, support for the treasurer—s planned move to appointment-based title transfers (while keeping walk-in options), communications for a special election, the property-fraud alert rollout, and a mental health access center outreach campaign coordinated with partner counties and providers.
Alexander said the communications office handled 28 "Contact Us" inquiries last month and that Linn County has maintained a website feedback form since 2018. The board asked staff to coordinate communications about embargoed roads with Public Works so affected farmers and other stakeholders receive timely notices.
