Community Victory: Case Study of a Millage Campaign Lisa Hoenig, Jann Dagg & Polly Koenigsknecht MLA Annual Conference, October 28, 2015 In the November 2014 general election, Redford Township voters approved 1.4 mills of additional operating funds for the Library. The ballot proposal was approved by a 2 to 1 margin. It won in 24 of 25 precincts including absentee votes. This is a case study of the millage win. 1
Redford Township District Library Service population 48,362 and shrinking First ring suburb of Detroit economy hit hard Property tax revenues had declined 53% since 2008. Using fund balance to operate. 2014 15 Revenues Current Property Tax Penal Fine Revenue State Library Aid Fines Interest Earned Rents (Café) Contr from Private Source Miscellaneous Revenue Room Rental/Guest passes/fax Appropriation from Fund Balance Laying the Groundwork for a Millage Win: 1. Strategic plan determine the need 2. Build a network of support 3. Increase visibility through outreach and special events 4. Educate the community about the value of the library Connecting with the Community: Strategic planning committee Chamber of Commerce Children s Commission School Districts Senior Club Township offices 2
RTDL Geek the Library Campaign: March 2012 April 2013 3
RTDL Geek of the Week! 2013 Books & Bytes Benefit and Memorial Day Parade appearance 4
Making the Millage Decision September 2103 Board meeting Financial scenarios developed with Plante Moran: Do nothing Request additional 1 mill Request additional 1.4 mills Request additional 1.9 mills October Board meeting Polly invited to speak about millage strategy November Board meeting Board unanimously voted to go for 1.4 additional mills on the November 2014 ballot December 4 th Strategic plan meeting held to gauge reaction to millage proposal December Board meeting Board hires Polly as millage consultant The Route to Success Prerequisites for Success Understand what s important to your community, what it values, what it wants. Document the need this begins long before election day through visioning and community engagement processes. Your messages will come from these processes and what you identify as most important to your community. 5
Two Paths The library presents (compelling) information about its ballot proposal. Advocates ask residents to Vote YES! The two paths lead toward the same destination, travel parallel routes, but have distinct itineraries. The Library Informational Campaign Success = A Clear Vision + A Compelling Message + Effective Communication 6
A Clear Vision Articulate how the library will be different. Relate the vision to what your community values. Help people visualize the difference. Compelling Messages Explain how supporting the library proposal will: Improve the community s quality of life in tangible ways. Benefit individuals personally: children, teens, families, seniors everyone. Empower individuals and the community at large. 7
Develop talking points and answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Target your message. Effective Communication Choose the best media to reach target audiences Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Encourage Advocacy Encourage advocacy on the library s behalf through a Citizens Advocacy Campaign The citizens advocacy efforts (the Ballot Question Committee) are essential. The library director, staff and trustees can t be everywhere. You need advocates to speak on the library s behalf. And you need advocates who will ask residents to Vote YES! 8
Advocacy Committee Forming a Michigan Ballot Question Committee Michigan Campaign Finance Laws apply. If a group spends over $500 to influence a ballot proposal, a Ballot Question Committee must be formed. This committee must be independent from the library. The advocacy group needs to raise money for its activities. Library trustees can be members of the committee, but it s better if they aren t. The group needs a Treasurer as its official representative. The Treasurer is responsible for filing the Statement of Organization paperwork, tracking and reconciling campaign donations, filing reports and other duties. Advocates Major Mission Identify frequent voters who are likely to vote yes. Tell them the value and benefits of a yes vote. Ask them to vote yes. Get them out to the polls. 9
Life After Geek 2014 Quarterly Special Events Declaration for the Right to Libraries initiative clicked as the logical next step. President s Day 2014 signing ceremony had a patriotic theme. 2014 Books & Bytes Benefit School district s 1928 Model A Coupe on display for 3 months After hours event raised both money and awareness lots of photo opportunities and publicity Fun and memorable! 10
We Sought Recommendations for Committee Leadership Looked for people who: Had sufficient time to plan and execute an advocacy strategy Knew and loved the community Could enthuse others to jump on the bandwagon Possessed strong written and oral communication skills and welldeveloped organizational sills Could interact well with all members of the community Would remain positive during campaign challenges We Focused on Identifying People for the Advocacy Team Recruited supporters who were long time Library patrons Contacted business owners who support the community Solicited involvement from parents of school aged children Publicized our project and needs to retirees and senior citizens Tapped people involved with other community initiatives Spread the word among educators and school administrators Connected with the Friends of the Library organization 11
We Identified Critical Roles and People to Fill Them Populated Operational Co Chair positions first Invited key community leaders to serve as Honorary Chairs Recruited our Treasurer from a local credit union Appointed an official campaign spokesdog Put together a fundraising team Enlisted people with experience to handle social media efforts Formed a group to handle our absentee ballot initiative Began a list of people interested in helping with yard signs General Skill Sets the Collective Team Needed to Possess Sufficient computer knowledge to manage electronic communications and maintain a master spreadsheet throughout the campaign Strong grasp of how to capitalize on the use of social media Basic finance or accounting background to track budget Prior experience with fundraising Knowledge of local government and community organizations Basic understanding of campaigns and elections 12
Summer 2014: Preparing to Launch the Campaign Library staff at Redford Farm Market two Sundays each month Citizens Supporting Redford Township Library fundraising, building volunteer base, collecting endorsements and planning strategy 2014 Memorial Day Parade appearance emphasized the value of the Library, promoted summer reading, and demonstrated community engagement 10 th Anniversary Celebration August 2014 Kick off for Millage campaign Sponsored by Township s largest employer Over 500 visitors in 3 hours Emphasized the Library s contributions to the community 13
Launch of Publicity Efforts Library value inserts in Township water bills Special issue newsletter Displays in the Library Bookmarks and fact sheets Launch of millage information on Library website Support of Redford Observer Support via Redford Connection Schools granted permission to distribute parent fact sheets Numerous presentations: Township Board, School Board, Chamber of Commerce, Senior Club, etc. Angel s Night appearance Citizens yard signs! Bibliotherapy dog/library mascot/ local celebrity! Parade and special event appearances Two photo shoots for FB campaign Article in Redford Observer about her role with Citizens Supporting Redford Township Library Molly, Our Amazing Spokesdog! 14
Newspaper Ad featuring Molly Citizens Supporting Redford Township Library Facebook Page Photos of Molly & other local canine supporters with Vote Yes messaging Library millage facts Quotes by famous people in support of libraries Testimonials from endorsement cards Articles about the benefits of libraries Lots of positive memes Used targeted Facebook ads in last 2 weeks of campaign About 400 likes and lots of conversation! 15
Activities that Everyone on the Team Helped With Attending meetings to plan campaign strategy Soliciting additional volunteers and Library testimonials Encouraging campaign donations Participating in community events throughout the campaign Educating the community about why the millage was necessary Reminding people about the value of the Library to the community Liking and sharing our posts on Facebook Examples of our Community Outreach and Publicity Efforts Attended community fairs, parades, festivals and events Met with the Firefighters Union to gain support Participated in meetings of our local Senior Citizens group Spoke at local government board meetings Wrote letters to local businesses explaining our campaign Disseminated information throughout the community Established a campaign specific email address 16
Examples of Advocacy Team Accomplishments Gathered enthusiastic testimonials from many library patrons Raised sufficient campaign funds and solicited in kind donations Sent personalized thank you notes to every donor Launched and managed a successful Facebook campaign Sent Vote YES postcards to 2,500 absentee voters Coordinated Letters to the Editor effort with local paper Distributed 300 yard signs and vehicle window signs Examples of our Advocacy Team Accomplishments Facilitated a friend to friend email campaign Distributed 4,000 flyers to strategic neighborhoods Disseminated information at 12 community events Placed campaign flyers in high traffic businesses Had a presence at most precincts on election day Enjoyed election night camaraderie while awaiting results Celebrated our victory! 17
Common Obstacles to Millage Campaigns Not starting soon enough the library and/or the advocates Confusion or ineffective articulation about the need and/or the ballot proposal Lack of credibility and trust in the library and/or its message Potential opposition and No voters A library board that is not unified in support of the proposal Low levels of participation and ownership from community members Idea that an advocacy effort isn t necessary Leaving it all up to the library director Misperceptions the Library Faced The Library is part of the Township government. The Library doesn t need money. Can t the Library just use volunteers? The Library building is so nice, the Library must have lots of money. The Library serves Detroit patrons for free. Why should our taxes support that? Why do we need a Library when we have Google? The Library won t actually get the money the ballot language gives the money to the DDA and Wayne County Land Bank. 18
Examples of Advocacy Committee Challenges Due to election timing, most campaign efforts had to occur during the summer months and at the start of the school year There was a notion that a campaign wasn t really necessary Fundraising was a struggle throughout the campaign Volunteer support was inconsistent at times Despite planning, we underestimated how much effort it would take to distribute 300 yard signs Wording on the ballot about the tax capture requirement was not well understood and caused concern with some citizens Campaign on a Shoestring an Overview of our Budget Total funds raised = $3,243.82 Expenditures: Yard signs $1,147.50 Postage $ 761.00 Flyer Dist. $ 460.00 Print ads $ 450.00 Online ads $ 150.00 Facebook $ 150.00 Office sup. $ 87.47 Voter list $ 35.00 In kind donations valued at approximately $800: printing, office supplies, reduced advertising costs 19
Why be Part of it? The Rewards are Many! It is a phenomenal learning experience There is a wonderful feeling of giving back It is a great opportunity to meet new people It fosters an enhanced appreciation of the community and how it operates It provides behind the scenes insight into how elections work It has a long lasting, positive impact on all who use the library and on the quality of life in the community! Election Day and Beyond! Supporters stood outside selected polling places to show support for the Library millage. Some staff did the same after their work hours in the rain! We gathered at a local restaurant across the street from Town Hall. Polly texted results as they were posted. Incredible relief and joy as our win became apparent! Victory celebration after hours at the Library the following Friday. We recognized hard work, thanked our good friends and toasted our success! 20
Promises Kept Special Board meeting November 6 to approve a revised L 4029 form New millage appeared on December 2014 tax bills In early 2015 the Library: Restored hours Hired additional part time staff Added Zinio Added Overdrive Advantage Added more collection and programming dollars to the budget Expanded shelving in the Teen space Granted modest raises to staff the first in eight years Any Questions? Thank you for listening. We hope our story will inspire other libraries to begin laying groundwork and working toward their own success stories. We d also like to introduce a very special guest Contact Us: Lisa Hoenig, Director Ypsilanti District Library 734 879 1300 ~ lisa@ypsilibrary.org Polly Koenigsknecht Library Marketing Group 269 408 8356 ~ koenigcomm@comcast.net Jann Dagg, Trustee Redford Township District Library 313 794 1293 ~ janndagg@msn.com Thank You! 21
Redford Township District Library 2014 Millage Timeline November 29, 2011 Library releases RFP for strategic planning consultant February, 2012 Strategic planning consultant hired March 31, 2012 RTDL holds Geek the Library kick off event April, 2012 Strategic planning committee formed May, 2012 Professional telephone survey conducted May, 2012 Demographic data presented May 23, 2012 First strategic planning committee meeting held June, 2012 Library staff appear in Memorial Day Parade June 13, 2012 First strategic plan community focus group meeting held June October, 2012 Library staffs table twice per month at Redford Farmer's Market July 10, 2012 Second strategic planning committee meeting held September 12, 2012 Third and final strategic planning committee meeting held September 26, 2012 Second strategic plan community focus group meeting held October 15, 2012 Strategic plan adopted by Library Board December, 2012 Lisa makes Geek and strategic plan presentation to Township Board April 19, 2013 First Annual Books & Bytes Benefit held, Geek the Library campaign finale June 2, 2013 Library staff appear in Memorial Day Parade June October, 2013 Library staffs table twice per month at Redford Farmer's Market October 1, 2013 Financial projections and scenarios developed with auditors from Plante Moran October 21, 2013 Polly speaks to the Library Board about millage strategy November December, 2013 Lisa, Board and Staff brainstorm initial list of potential citizen advocates November 18, 2013 Board unanimously votes to pursue 1.4 additional mills in November 2014 December 4, 2013 Jann attends community meeting regarding proposed millage approach January March, 2014 Polly & Lisa develop core messages, talking points and communication plan January 14, 2014 Lisa arranges to host September Chamber of Commerce meeting at the Library January 31, 2014 Polly & Lisa present millage information at Staff In Service Day February 1, 2014 Lisa researches deadlines for submission of ballot language February 15, 2014 Library holds public Declaration for the Right to Libraries signing ceremony March May 2014 Lisa & Polly solicit feedback on talking points and millage FAQ and revise for clarity April 1, 2014 Library asks attorney to draft ballot language April 11, 2014 Second Annual Books & Bytes Benefit held May July, 2014 Polly & Lisa draft content for flyers, bookmarks and special issue newsletter using talking points May 12, 2014 Lisa & Polly meet with Jann to discuss citizen's committee role May, 2014 Villages of Redford senior residential community offers to lend meeting space to the Committee May 20, 2014 Lisa & Polly meet with Tim to discuss Treasurer role; Citizens committee meets May August 2014 Lisa & Jann recruit honorary co chairs for citizen's committee May September 2014 Jann recruits advocacy volunteers May, 2014 Jann creates database to track citizens committee volunteers, budget and activities May September 2014 Citizen's committee plans strategies/tactics for absentee & poll voters May October 2014 Citizen's committee asks for endorsements from library supporters May 28, 2014 Ballot language submitted to Wayne County Elections Division June 1, 2014 Library staff appear in Memorial Day Parade June, 2014 Treasurer submits Statement of Organization to form Ballot Question Committee June, 2014 Treasurer opens a checking account for the Committee June 18, 2014 Endorsement cards printed and ready for distribution June 18, 2014 Citizens Committee meets June October, 2014 Library staffs table twice per month at Redford Farmer's Market July 10, 2014 Fundraising request letter mailed to Friends of the Library July 21, 2014 Citizens Committee representatives attend Redford Jaycees Meet the Candidates Night July 23, 2014 Citizens Committee meets July August, 2014 Fundraising request letter mailed and delivered to local businesses August 13, 2014 Citizens Committee meets August 23, 2014 Library holds 10th Anniversary Celebration, millage campaign & Facebook kick off August 27, 2014 Library and Citizens Committee attend Redford Union School District community fair August 29, 2014 First photos taken with Molly the bibliotherapy dog August, 2014 Lisa requests permission from schools to distribute parent fact sheet September, 2014 Millage information posted to Library website following legal review September October 2014 Library card sign up month/library value card inserted in Township water bills September October 2014 Letters to Editor submitted to Redford Observer September 2, 2014 Display about library card sign up month, library value & millage goes up September 3, 2014 Presentation made to Redford Senior Club September 9, 2014 Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting held at the Library September 12, 2014 Citizens Committee ad appears in program for a major charitable event September 14, 2014 Millage mentioned in Redford Connection September 15, 2014 Jann presents progress report to Library Board September 17, 2014 Jann requests support at Redford Firefighters Union meeting September 17, 2014 Redford Observer article featuring Molly, the millage campaign Spokesdog, appears September 24, 2014 First of three millage information meetings held at the Library September 26 27, 2014 Citizens Committee members attend Redford Township Oktoberfest celebration September 30, 2014 Volunteers gather to prepare Absentee Voter mailing October 6, 2014 Lisa meets with editor of local newspaper, article and letters to editor follow October 10, 2014 Second photo shoot with Molly and community dogs conducted October 12, 2014 Citizens Committee ad appears in Redford Connection October 14, 2014 Lisa makes presentation at Township Board meeting October 14, 2014 Yard signs start going up around the Township October 15, 2014 Second millage information meeting held at the Library Late October, 2014 Targeted Facebook ads and online Redford Observer ad October 22, 2014 Special millage issue newsletter hits mailboxes October 23, 2014 Campaign Treasurer files Pre General Campaign Statement October 25, 2014 Third millage information meeting held at the Library October 27, 2014 Lisa makes a presentation at South Redford School District Board meeting October 29 30, 2014 Flyers distributed door to door in strategic precincts October 30, 2014 Library staff & Citizens hand out information at Redford Jaycees Angels' Night November 4, 2014 Election Day! Members of Citizens Committee stationed at selected polling places November 6, 2014 Special Board meeting to approve revised L 4029 Tax Rate Request form November 7, 2014 Victory celebration held at the Library! December 4, 2014 Campaign Treasurer files Post General Campaign Statement December, 2014 New millage appears on local tax bills January, 2015 Library newsletter thanks voters, announces restoration of hours & enhanced services February 2, 2015 Library restores hours to 2011 levels