City of Morgan Hill Communications Assessment

11. Evaluate a Changed Model for Staff Support of City Communications Maureen Tobin is the central figure responsible for overseeing the City’s communication efforts across multiple Departments, a role similar to a Public Information Officer in other cities. Tripepi Smith noted that, given her role, Maureen spends a large amount of her day-to- day hours on tasks and efforts that could just as easily be completed by a more junior resource. Previously, Maureen had a part-time temporary employee assisting her; the hours for this position are currently budgeted, but the position is unfilled at this time. Filling this position would better leverage Maureen’s experience and skills to bring a more uniform voice to the Morgan Hill is a thirteen-square-mile residential community in Santa Clara County, California. Morgan Hill is a General Law city with a Council/Manager form of government. The City Council consists of a directly elected Mayor and four Council Members. The City offers its residents a high quality of life, access to the outdoors, regional recreation amenities, and jobs in a number of industries, with a strong focus on manufacturing of electronic components, food and sports recreation. The Downtown area is burgeoning with exciting redevelopment. The City recognizes its roots as an agricultural center while also touting its transformation into a progressive residential community in ‘Silicon Valley.’ Morgan Hill is especially known for its Centennial Recreation Center, its “small-town” charm, “El Toro”/”Murphy’s Peak,” wineries, Gavilan College, and a growing swath of Downtown restaurants. The City was incorporated on November 10, 1906 as the Town of Morgan Hill. By the 1920s, the city was known for its agricultural products including prunes, apricots, peaches, pears, apples, walnuts, and almonds. In the 1950s, Morgan Hill experienced an economic transformation from an agricultural center to a suburban residential community. Growth began to accelerate rapidly in the 1970s as Silicon Valley developed and workers moved to Morgan Hill. By 1980, the population had increased to approximately 18,000 residents; by 2010, that number had more than doubled. 2 Morgan Hill residents have enjoyed numerous benefits from its voter approved Residential Development Control System (RDCS) since the 1970s. The community’s growth management system was recently extended until 2035 with the passage of Measure S in November 2016. Today, Morgan Hill is primarily a residential community for Silicon Valley, as well as the seat for several high-tech companies, such as Anritsu (telecommunications) and Flextronics (electronics manufacturing). 3 All the while, the City’s Downtown area continues to attract new eateries and shops, making it a prime destination for residents and Santa Clara County visitors alike. Per the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau, Morgan Hill had a population of 37,882 and the projected 2015 population was 42,948. 4 The current population is approximately 44,000. At the time of the 2010 Census, the ethnic makeup of Morgan Hill was: City’s communications. About Morgan Hill

2 http://www.morganhill.ca.gov/315/History 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Hill,_California 4 http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/06085,0649278

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