By Hub City Times staff

MARSHFIELD – Marshfield aldermen are being asked to hire a full-time communications coordinator to oversee the city’s online presence, all press releases, and the public access cable television channels.

A special Communication Committee made that recommendation to the common council at the Aug. 28 meeting.

Mayor Bob McManus put the group together, and told the council a communications coordinator would be cheaper than the current system of contracting with a private media group to operate Marshfield Community Television, or MCTV.

“We are currently budgeted, and we are currently planning on spending $276,073.52,” he said. “We could actually go down to $203,850; thereby, saving  $72,000 a year – 26. 5 percent savings – and yet, we are adding service.”

Besides overseeing MCTV, McManus said the communications coordinator would serve as the city’s webmaster and would oversee the city’s Facebook page, provide weekly city updates, write, edit, and distribute news releases for local and area media outlets, and develop a city mobile app.

City Administrator Steve Barg reminded the Council that the position would not be funded with tax dollars. The position would utilize the current franchise fee paid to the city by Charter Spectrum, which currently goes to Tri-Media to operate MCTV.

With Aldermen Peter Hendler and Rebecca Spiros absent, the common council voted 8-0 to send the recommendation of hiring a communications coordinator to the city’s Finance, Budget, and Personnel Committee for further fiscal analysis.