Date: July 30, 2007
Re: Kiner Communications Agency Efforts on
Behalf of CVMVCD
Kiner Communications was contacted by
Executive Director, Don Gomsi, on Monday, June 18 and asked if we
could provide strategic communications services for the CVMVCD. A meeting was
immediately set up at Kiner Communications to discuss the District’s needs, and
to begin discussions regarding determining a communications strategy.
Subsequent to that meeting, a two-month proposal for services, at $5,000 per
month, was submitted and approved by CVMVCD.
The following is a list of agency
services and activities performed from Monday, June 18 to Monday, July 30:
Monday, June 18: Meeting with Don Gomsi and the District’s attorney regarding their
concerns and needs.
Monday, June 18: Review Open Letter written by District staff;
begin research and preparation of CVMVCD Fact Sheet to counter misinformation
in recent Desert Sun articles; begin tracking all articles written about CVMVCD
and locate previous articles.
Monday, June 18 and Tuesday, June 19: Continue research; calls
to vector control districts in Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties for
information regarding their reserve budgets and square mileage responsibility;
discovered CV handles the largest square mileage in state and CV reserve is not
considered outlandish by other managers; Sacramento also said it’s hard to
compare vector agencies; discussion with Riverside County Department of Health
for West Nile information; Riverside County has only had one death from West
Nile; CVMVCD is considered extremely successful and pro-active in preventing
deaths.
Wednesday, June 20: Assist with final draft of Fact Sheet; attend
Indio City Council meeting for Mike Duran and Don Gomsi’s presentation before
Indio City Council; hand out Fact Sheet to media and assist coordinating
interviews after presentation with Don Gomsi and CBS and Keith Matheny.
Tuesday, June 26: Agency meeting with Don Gomsi and District’s
legal counsel.
Wednesday, June 27: Prepare news editor email list for District; advised by District’s
legal counsel on lawsuit filing; meeting to discuss news conference to announce
lawsuit, begin preparations for press conference; draft talking points; write
press conference announcement and send to District for distribution to local
media.
Wednesday, June 27: Scott Kiner met with community leader and
Desert Sun Editorial Board member, Bill Powers, to update him on District
operations and answer any questions or concerns that he may have as a result of
the Desert Sun’s articles on the District’s operations.
Wednesday, June 27: Arrange and coordinate meeting at
Thursday, June 28: Attend press conference; assist media with
one-on-one interviews with District President and Secretary/Treasurer and with
District legal counsel (City News Service, KESQ, KMIR, Steve Kelly, Keith
Matheny).
Friday, June 29: Coordinate and confirm Steve Kelly radio show
appearance for Monday, July 2 for Trustee Underwood and District legal counsel
Copeland.
Monday, July 2: Assist Trustee Underwood and legal counsel
with RR Broadcasting for Steve Kelly radio show interviews.
Tuesday, July 3: Offer direction for website screenshot upon
Don’s request; Desert Sun reference discouraged.
Tuesday, July 10: Attend CVMVCD board meeting to screen
District video about history of agency and Mir Mulla.
Tuesday, July 10: Arrange and coordinate meeting at Trilucca
Restaurant with Cathedral City Mayor, Kathy DeRosa, Don Gomsi and Scott Kiner.
Purpose of the meeting was to update Mayor DeRosa on the District’s operations
and to answer any questions or concerns that he may have as a result of the
Desert Sun’s articles on the District’s operations.
Thursday, July 12: Facilitate CBS and KESQ interviews regarding
West Nile virus in wake of CVMVCD’s discovery of mosquitoes testing positive in
Monday, July 16: Arrange and coordinate meeting with Indian
Wells Mayor, Rob Bernheimer, Erin Gilhuly and Scott Kiner. Purpose of the
meeting was to update Mayor Bernheimer on the District’s operations and to
answer any questions or concerns that he may have as a result of the Desert
Sun’s articles on the District’s operations.
Tuesday, July 24: Arrange and coordinate meeting with Desert
Hot Springs Mayor Pro Tem, Mary Stephens, Don Gomsi and Scott Kiner. Purpose of
the meeting was to update Mayor Pro Tem Stephens on the District’s operations
and to answer any questions or concerns that she may have as a result of the
Desert Sun’s articles on the District’s operations.
Thursday, July 26: Arrange and coordinate meeting with Riverside
County Supervisor, Roy Wilson, Don Gomsi and Scott Kiner. Purpose of the
meeting was to update Supervisor Wilson on the District’s operations and to
answer any questions or concerns that he may have as a result of the Desert
Sun’s articles on the District’s operations.
Friday, July 27: Coordinate and facilitate coverage of Green Pool Program and
mosquito fish story on CBS2 and KESQ (stories air multiple times Friday and
Saturday).
Friday, July 27: Review and publish CVMVCD mission and methods regarding
* * *
Kiner Communications has also requested meetings with Palm Springs Mayor, Ron Odon, Palm Desert Mayor, Richard Kelly and La Quinta Mayor, Don Adolph. A meeting with Coachella Mayor, Eduardo Garcia, has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 7th. In addition, Kiner Communications is coordinating a meeting with management of the Desert Sun in mid-to-late August.
Additional Activities
• Kiner Communications has submitted a proposal to re-design the CVMVCD
website
• Kiner Communications has acquired the services of Huell Howser to produce a
new 30-minute TV show on the District’s operations (pro bono). The show would
air locally on lease access cable and on the local KCET public television channel. Mr. Howser has also agreed to produce a series of new 30-second TV Public
Service Announcements. Kiner Communications will be submitting a detailed
estimate to coordinate production and purchase airtime.
· Ongoing public relations and publicity on CVMVCD’s operations
• Ongoing development of strategic communications
Agency Service Fees
CVMVCD’s agreement with Kiner Communications called for 64 hours of agency services. To date (Monday, July 30, 2007), Kiner Communications has over-performed the contract and delivered 102.5 hours of agency services, or 37.5 agency hours at no additional charge.