Communications director: website hub, ADA fixes and signage plan part of push to 'get Lamar back on track'

Colleen Chilco, the city’s communications lead, on June 8 presented a multi-part update on the city’s digital platforms, public information operations and a long-standing wayfinding/signage plan.

Key points from the presentation: - Systems stabilization: Chilco said upon returning to staff she found administrative access lost across multiple platforms and spent months restoring super-admin accounts and retraining users for the crisis communications system and the city website. - Metrics: Social-media engagement is stable, the website has shown a spike in new users and alert registrations, and request-tracker reporting is being printed and reviewed by departments. Chilco said she is pulling regular analytics to measure progress. - ADA and website-first approach: Chilco emphasized federal accessibility requirements and said the city’s 2027 website refresh will accelerate ADA compliance work (screen-reader labeling, PDF accessibility and contrast controls). She demonstrated the site’s accessibility contrast control in council chambers. - Wayfinding and parks signage: Chilco reviewed prior design work for monument and wayfinding signs and estimated roughly $10,000 per monument sign (plus $3,000 for lighting). She flagged funding sources — grants, donation campaigns and hotel-occupancy tax — and noted TxDOT and Texas Parks & Wildlife grant possibilities for several park locations. - I-45 branding: Chilco reviewed the Clark Conlan branding work already paid in part through an advanced funding agreement with TxDOT; she said the city has paid $71,000 under prior AFAs and that some infrastructure (pavers, irrigation stub-ins) is already in place. Additional costs for lights, maintenance and irrigation beyond the TxDOT one-year watering commitment will be the city’s responsibility.

Chilco said she wants a website-first communications policy (post to city site before social media or text alerts) and proposed a mix of in-house and contracted approaches for large events. Council asked for follow-up materials, including cost estimates and grant prospects, and staff committed to returning with more details during future meetings.

Why it matters: The communications upgrades affect emergency notifications, resident access to city news and the long-term presentation of the I-45 corridor — a prominent local infrastructure project with visible branding impacts.

What’s next: Staff to continue work on ADA compliance and a 2027 site refresh; council will be updated on Channel 16 access, wayfinding budgets and RFPs for large events.