The City of Round Rock's Communications and Marketing Department recently flexed its digital muscles, sweeping nine prestigious awards, including five first-place honors from the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers (TAMIO) conference in Fort Worth, as reported by Round Rock's official news site. Highlighted among their wins, the Round Rock Police Department's Public Information Office distinguished itself with two first-place awards, affirming its commitment to open communication channels and community outreach efforts.
Sara Bustilloz, Round Rock’s Director of Communications and Marketing, touted her team's mission: "Our goal is to make local government understandable and accessible, even when the issues are complex," she said in a statement that emphasizes the ongoing endeavor to demystify municipal workings for the common citizen. The awarded entries boast a variety of content from engaging video programs like "Hey, Downtown!" that spotlights local businesses, to a poignant photo series remembering 9/11 events, and they even crafted an innovative sports-themed budget video, which broke down the FY25 budget and tax rate.
Among the top accolades, the Round Rock Police Department earned praise for its adept handling of crisis communications following the Juneteenth shooting incident in June 2024. Their strategic use of social media updates, various press conferences, and commitment to detail and transparency provided crucial updates during a turbulent time for the community; this distinguished achievement was commemorated at the TAMIO awards.
Second-place Awards of Excellence recognized Round Rock's innovative approach to public safety messaging regarding fireworks safety by infusing humor and pop culture references into their digital outreach. The city's readiness to leverage trending topics for community engagement did not go unnoticed, as they were also acknowledged for their 2024 State of the City video, which succeeded in both encapsulating the city's ambitions and reaching thousands online, and their winter weather updates which utilized creative content and humor to communicate emergency information without succumbing to the typical communications fatigue.
Rounding out their list of honors, Round Rock also received an Award of Honor for their brochure that accompanied the Mayor's State of the City address. The informative brochure was designed as a visually appealing, succinct summary of the city’s strategic plans and has since been repurposed as an informational handout at other community events. Clearly, the City of Round Rock's innovative and adaptive approach to communications has not only garnered local appreciation but statewide acclaim from peers in the field.
