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Communications department cites big digital reach gains, requests ongoing cultural-media funding
Summary
Interim Communications Director Michael Vlachovich told the Budget Committee the city's paid-digital work produced tens of millions of impressions year-to-date and asked for $25,000 in ongoing funding to continue cultural-media programming that had been paid for with ARPA funds.
Michael Vlachovich, interim director of the city's Communications Department, told the Budget Committee on Sept. 12 that the department's priorities are equitable, timely access to city information and more proactive messaging across internal and external platforms. "Our overarching mission is to ensure that people in Minneapolis have the information they need when they need it," Vlachovich said.
Vlachovich highlighted a dramatic increase in paid-digital reach: "a tenfold increase in the number of people reached through our paid advertising work," he said, citing a jump to 42,600,000 impressions year-to-date from 5,600,000 the prior year and nearly 300,000 link clicks compared with 46,000 in 2023. He also noted the multimedia team supported 117 department-driven projects last year and handled nearly 300 live government broadcasts.
On public access television, Vlachovich said the city has allocated roughly $472,000 annually for the program and partners with vendor Speak Minneapolis to operate community-driven studios and training. He requested $25,000 in ongoing funding to continue expanded cultural-media programming that was previously supported by ARPA; he said the program requires no additional FTEs and will help sustain language- and culture-specific content for audience groups.
Vice Chair Koski and budget analysts asked about a near-10% fringe increase in the department's 2025 budget; analysts explained the change reflected employee health-coverage selections (from no coverage to single or family) and enterprise-wide personal-cost growth. Justin Carlson, principal budget and evaluation analyst supporting the department, said that after correcting for fringe-allocation shifts, salary growth for 2025 would be under 5%.
Councilmembers praised the department's reach and cultural programming. Councilmember Palmisano said he was "really pleased to see the budget item for cultural media programming switched to ongoing," and Councilmember Choudhury encouraged further partnership on public-service announcements and outreach.
The committee concluded the Communications presentation and adjourned; the Budget Committee will continue with additional departmental presentations on Sept. 13.
