After 18 years with Mercy, Media Relations Director Cora Scott left the health care provider as it was transitioning to the Mercy name to take on what she considers the only position that could have dragged her away. Scott was named director of public information and civic engagement for the city of Springfield in December and started in mid-January. With just one interview, the one-time managing editor of Springfield Business Journal secured the multifaceted job.
Healthy Transition “It is a fast-paced job with a lot of plates spinning. I have a reporter’s background, and I just had a million questions for everybody because everything was so fascinating – from the city government side, to planning and development, from the parks, to the airport. There is such a huge variety of programs and services through the city that it is really exciting for a communicator because there is so much to learn and so much to talk about. … I loved Greg Burris’ vision, and what he hoped to accomplish with the city and what the team is doing here.”
Mercy Me “I was a print journalist by training with a communications degree from Drury University, and once I started doing (public relations) for then-St. John’s I realized how much I loved producing videos, staging events and writing speeches. (Then) this position came open. I had always thought if someone had asked if I could ever leave Mercy, ‘I’d love to work for the city of Springfield.’ This is my hometown. I grew up here. … It was literally one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. I had 18 years there. I have a family history there. My dad (and) his mom worked there. I will always have a place for Mercy in my heart. It was just the right time for me and where I am in my career.”
Civic Engagement “(Burris) and the team here added a layer to this job that hadn’t existed before, and that’s civic engagement. That ties into what the leaders here hope to see in the future – an even more transparent government where the public is encouraged and enabled to be more active and involved in things that affect their daily lives. That goes beyond voting, but certainly, voting is one of those things. We are trying to come up with other ways using technology, face-to-face meetings to get people engaged and active in the community.”
Work Orders “I answer a lot of questions from the news media. I attend council meetings and council luncheons and do updates after those to let the media and public know what’s going on. I’m doing strategic planning right now for communication and civic engagement, so I’m working with my staff and the leadership team to take what we’ve learned from the recent citizens’ survey and use that as a starting point to move forward. We are starting some exciting things, and working on a possible weekly television show that would be 30 minutes long. It would be a quick look at what’s going on in various (areas) of the city.”
E-Verify Implementation “We have an implementation plan, and we are working on those details now. It requires that any licensed or permitted business has to sign an affidavit form annually. … I am literally building the forms and working with the finance and legal department to do that. And since this is a complaint-based ordinance, we have to have complaint forms. Once a complaint comes in, the city has three days to respond, so we have to make sure we have that infrastructure in place, and we figure that’s going to require at least one full-time person. Then, when they investigate, that business has three days to respond or they will lose their license. … We have frequently asked questions answered on the Web site now, (as well as) the details on how this works for businesses. … We’ll also send out a stuffer in City Utilities’ bills to try and make sure we hit everybody.”
This installment of Springfield Business Journal’s Architects & Engineers Project Report showcases 26 endeavors by area design and engineering professionals.
