COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Colorado Springs’ mayor is questioning why the city-owned utility spent more than $8.3 million over the past five years on outside marketing and public relations firms when it has its own in-house staff.
The Gazette reported Monday () that Colorado Springs Utilities spent that amount since 2008 on communications firms despite having its own communications staff. The Gazette obtained the information by filing an open records request.
Mayor Steve Bach noted the utility has 21 public affairs employees.
“It is hard to understand why Colorado Springs Utilities would have to spend so much money on public service announcement material,” Bach said in a statement. “Why would they require so much outside assistance?”
The utility said that employing outside firms allows it to trim operating costs. Those costs include using social media to answer customer questions—and reduce the expense of handling call volumes. The utility said it can better educate residents about water conservation and the proper disposal of household waste, among other services.
Outside contractors also provide updates to the public about such projects as the Southern Delivery System water pipeline.
Bach brought up the spending at a utility board meeting Nov. 19.
“You know, it would be wonderful to have as many staff members as peer utilities or other parts of the city organization,” responded Sherri Newell, the utility’s chief public relations officer. “But we feel like we’ve been very effective in our messaging with results measured nationally.”
The City Council serves as the utility’s board. Critics say council members don’t have the time or expertise to effectively oversee the utility. But council president and board chairman Scott Hente called the utility’s spending on communications “reasonable.”
VI Marketing and Branding, with offices in Colorado Springs, Oklahoma and Missouri, was paid more than $7.2 million since 2008. The utility said VI Marketing’s work includes purchasing advertising in local media.
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Information from: The Gazette,
