香港三级片

As this newspaper and other news sites have noted recently, the past year has not been kind politically to St. 香港三级片 County Executive Sam Page.

A pair of Page鈥檚 preferred candidates lost primary races in August, and he now faces a County Council that tilts 6-1 in opposition to him. The animosity there is so real that the council has even mused about changing the County Charter so it could legislatively lop off his head.

Then in a recent bid to get his choice for St. 香港三级片 County prosecuting attorney into office, Page got skunked in the state circuit courts and had to watch as the Missouri governor appointed the new top prosecutor.

And those are just two recent headlines that have delighted Page detractors. He also has run into criticism on snow removal, senior property tax relief, sewer and street projects, and the demolition of derelict homes.

So what can an elected official do when the news skews heavily to the negative?

Hire more spin doctors, of course.

In a letter sent on an unknown date to an unknown number (more on 鈥渦nknowns鈥� later) of public relations/communications firms, Page鈥檚 office is asking for price quotes from companies to:

鈥�... develop and implement a proactive, comprehensive strategic communications plan aimed at advancing the goals of the Office, engaging the community, and highlighting departmental and initiative-based achievements.鈥�

In other (fewer) words, help the county executive鈥檚 office toot its own horn.

The gist of the request seems to suggest that the problems may not be in the office鈥檚 performance but in the perception of that performance.

The question of why Page鈥檚 office needs more communications specialists is interesting, given that there is a contingent of communicators already on his payroll.

County records for 2024 show that Page鈥檚 office paid about $400,000 to five people whose job titles included the word 鈥渃ommunications.鈥�

And that鈥檚 not counting the various communications people who work in other departments that fall under the county executive鈥檚 sway, such as public health and streets.

But apparently, Page鈥檚 office needs outside communicators who would:

鈥淒evelop a two-year plan鈥� to 鈥渇ocus on community engagement and effective dissemination of County achievements.鈥�

The company would be charged with developing strategies to support Page鈥檚 objectives, attend weekly strategy meetings and 鈥渃raft clear, impactful messaging aligned with the office鈥檚 priorities.鈥�

It also wants the company to 鈥渙ffer ongoing strategic advice to navigate political considerations and optimize decision-making.鈥�

鈥沦迟谤补迟别驳颈别蝉.鈥�

鈥淎肠丑颈别惫别尘别苍迟蝉.鈥�

鈥淢别蝉蝉补驳颈苍驳.鈥�

If this all sound a bit like campaigning, something Page will need to do if he seeks reelection in 2026, it would not be the first time such suspicions have surfaced in county government.

In August 2021, Page鈥檚 office spent almost $2 million with a New York-based public relations firm to provide COVID-19 awareness. The money was reimbursed through federal relief funds.

But some County Council members alleged that the project was meant more to enhance Page鈥檚 profile than to actually improve public health.

Noting that the 2021 proposal included plans to 鈥渆levate county leadership鈥� and 鈥渇urther amplify鈥� messaging from Page, then-Councilman Tim Fitch blasted the plan, saying it seemed like a campaign move.

鈥淚t looks to me like he鈥檚 using tax dollars to basically run a political campaign for his own benefit,鈥� Fitch said at the time.

But let鈥檚, at least for now, stipulate that Page鈥檚 office has done a lot of cool stuff and that the real problem is that no one knows about it.

Which brings us to the 鈥渦nknowns鈥� earlier in this dispatch.

On Thursday, this bureau asked for information about the request for public relations help because it did not seem to be entered into the county鈥檚 online database of requests for bids, proposals, services, etc.

This bureau sent an email asking for a few facts: When were the requests mailed; what companies were solicited; when is the deadline for applying; and how much money was earmarked for the endeavor?

Making matters simpler, so we thought, was the fact that the employee in Page鈥檚 office who is supposed to receive the replies 鈥� Kyle Klemp, deputy director of operations 鈥� also happens to be the office鈥檚 custodian of records.

But instead of replying with an email or picking up the phone (the bureau鈥檚 hotline number was included), Klemp entered the information request into the county鈥檚 Sunshine Law system, claiming it was a 鈥渞equest for records.鈥�

That system then sent out an email, informing this bureau that an answer would be delivered in six days, on Jan. 22.

Klemp explained he was simply following the office鈥檚 process used for all requests for records.

So another email was sent to Klemp, saying this matter could be handled in one phone call or email from Klemp 鈥� who, again, appears to be the point person on this plan and most likely has the basic facts right there on his own computer.

Alas, the wheels of government transparency grind slowly, and Klemp did not reply.

So soon, the Sunshine machine will crank out a response, and this bureau will share information later that could have been available sooner.

Come to think of it, this notion of a revved-up communications plan might work: Already, it鈥檚 generating more news stories.