REPORTER
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EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE WITHOUT EXCEPTION
templetx.gov
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Guide MEET OUR PR TEAM ABOUT THE CITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CITY COUNCIL FACILITIES MAP STAY CONNECTED SOCIAL MEDIA TEMPLE POLICE DEPARTMENT TEMPLE FIRE & RESCUE MEDIA INQUIRIES INTERVIEW REQUESTS NEWSROOM & PRESSROOM CITY NEWSLETTER
Quick Links CITY WEBSITE templetx.gov
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS templetx.gov/council
EVENTS
CITY NEWSROOM templetx.gov/news
templetx.gov/events
MEET OUR PR TEAM For all City of Temple media inquiries please email pio@templetx.gov or directly contact one of our team members below:
Nohely Mackowiak PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR
nmackowiak@templetx.gov 254.654.5397
Lauren Spears PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST
lspears@templetx.gov 254.493.0335
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ABOUT THE CITY Twenty seven dollars for an acre of land seemed like a lot of money in 1881, but Jonathan Ewing Moore managed to sell 181 acres at that price to the railroad. The Santa Fe needed a central junction point for the hundreds of miles of track that were beginning to spread throughout the state. Trains brought prospective buyers from five different cities to the land auction held on June 29, 1881. In true Texas style, a party and a barbecue highlighted the event. Named after chief engineer Bernard M. Temple, the man responsible for building the tracks through Bell County, a town was born that day. The Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway became a major employer for Temple and in 1891 built the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Hospital. In early 1892, Dr. Arthur Carroll Scott & Dr. Raleigh R. White, Jr., arrived in Temple to work in the hospital. The doctors saw a need for medical services that reached beyond the railroad workers to the town residents. In 1904, the doctors opened the Temple Sanitarium, which gave rise to one of the fastest-growing healthcare systems in the 20th century, Baylor Scott & White Health. Temple is a city built on success stories like that of the two visionary doctors. The world headquarters of McLane Company and Wilsonart International are located here, because the founders of these
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located here, because the founders of these enterprises built their legacy in Temple. Baylor Scott & White Health continues its phenomenal growth today with a multi-million dollar expansion of the facility. Its alignment with Texas A&M University Health Science Center as a teaching hospital is an example of the unique educational opportunities offered in Temple. These organizations are just a part of Temple’s solid economic foundation. Diversity is the key to the thriving billion-dollar business sector, composed of a strong industrial base of manufacturing, medical services and education. Today, Temple still enjoys the distinction of being the demographic center of Texas. With the major cities of Dallas, Houston and San Antonio less than three hours away, it is the transportation center as well. In fact, 84 percent of the state’s population is within three hours of the Temple city limits. Temple uniquely offers the best aspects of two worlds: the conveniences of big-city dwelling with the atmosphere of a small town. A home to visionaries and dreamers who saw the fulfillment of their aspirations, Temple offers a bright future to those fortunate enough to live within this community of growth and opportunity.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES The City of Temple strives to be a high performing organization committed to exceptional service without exception. In doing so, the City Council has set forth a renewed focus on communications and collaboration. Furthermore, the City Council created the Communications & Marketing Department to assist in the implementation of these goals and initiatives that will ultimately enhance and elevate the City’s brand and overall communications. The Communications & Public Relations Division will distribute media releases 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays, as needed. The division will forward media inquiries to the respective City employees/departments and will get information as soon as reasonably possible. Because the Communications & PR Division works in coordination with other departments on gathering information for responses, if a media outlet sends an inquiry late in the day, after 5 p.m., or on a weekend, media may receive a response the next business day. Prior to any media interviews, the Communications & Public Relations Division will work with media contacts to determine the nature of the story and request interview questions. The Communications & Public Relations Division will be available to respond as needed to urgent or emergent media inquiries 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. If the request is not to fulfill an emergent need, the request may be answered on the next business day. The City’s Communications & Public Relations Division will clarify or correct any information released by the media, as needed, that contains inaccuracies regarding a City-related issue. Media outlets and City staff should contact the Communications & Public Relations Division regarding all inquiries, requests, scheduling, and arrangement of any interviews. The Communications & Marketing Department will ensure all local media outlets are treated fairly and provided with the same information.
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CITY COUNCIL Council meetings are scheduled the first and third Thursday of each month at 5 p.m., in the Municipal Building located at 2 North Main St. in Council Chambers on the 2nd floor. All members of the community and media are encouraged to attend and participate.
Tim Davis
Mike Emmons
Mayor
Councilmember District 3
Jessica Walker
Mike Pilkington
Mayor Pro Tem District 1
Councilmember District 4
Dr. Zoe Grant Councilmember District 2
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s g n i t e e il m c n u o C i ty C l e e r n i t n n a e h C e b View u T u o on ou r Y
CITY FACILITIES MAP
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STAY CONNECTED The Track Temple app was created to provide an easy way to report maintenance issues encountered around town. This tool helps in maintaining the visual standards and quality of life that City of Temple residents have come to expect. The app helps city staff properly track all requests, route them to the appropriate departments, and keeps staff accountable in responding to each request submitted.
The Stay Safe Temple page provides emergency management and safety information. The Emergency Management Office is responsible for the planning, coordination and preparedness of available resources for the alleviation of, response to and recovery from all-hazards involving storm or natural disasters, technological or man-made catastrophes and other emergencies. For more information visit staysafetemple.com
Emergency alert notifications are available through the city's Code Red program. Visit templetx.gov/alerttemple to sign up!
The Let's Talk Temple webpage is designed to help keep you informed about various projects, including but to limited to: Capital Improvement Projects, Unified Development Code Update, Outer Loop Project, Mobility Master Plan, Downtown Projects, Public Meetings, and the Love Where You Live Initiative. Visit letstalktemple.com for more information.
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SOCIAL MEDIA City of Temple: @cityoftempletx Temple Police Department: @TempleTXPolice Temple Fire & Rescue: @TempleFireRescue Temple Parks & Recreation: @TempleParksandRec City of Temple Events: @CityOfTempleEvents Discover Downtown Temple: @DiscoverDowntownTemple Discover Temple: @discovertemple Temple Public Library: @templepubliclibrary Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum: @templerrhm Lions Junction Family Water Park: @LionsJunction City of Temple: @cityoftempletx Temple Police Department: @TempleTXPolice Temple Parks & Recreation: @cityoftempleparks City of Temple Events: @cityoftempleevents Downtown Temple: @downtowntemple Discover Temple: @discovertemple City of Temple: @temple_tx Temple Police Department: @TempleTXPolice Temple Parks & Recreation: @cityoftempleparks Downtown Temple: @downtowntemple Discover Temple: @discovertemple
City of Temple, TX
@CityofTemple
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TEMPLE POLICE DEPARTMENT Protecting, Serving, and Working, in Partnership with Our Community, to Prevent, Reduce, and Solve Crime with Integrity, Honor, and Dedication
Sydney McBride PR COORDINATOR
smcbride@templetx.gov 254.298.5PIO
Media Relations The purpose and function of the Public Information Office is to serve as a liaison between the Temple Police Department, the community, and the news media. The police department recognizes the need to communicate openly with the public and the media; therefore, the PIO staff strives to provide accurate and factual information in a timely and impartial manner while protecting both the prosecution’s case and the rights of the accused from possible prejudicial publicity.
Open Records Requests TPD PIO staff does not handle open records requests. Citizens or media wishing to submit open record requests should send their request to the City of Temple Secretary’s Office at 254.298.5301 or visit cityoftempletx.nextrequest.com
News Releases
Looking for a mugshot?
Visit templetx.gov/news
Visit the Bell County Jail Inmate Inquiry Portal: nwweb.co.bell.tx.us
templetx.gov/police Page 8
TEMPLE FIRE & RESCUE To protect lives and property while providing excellent service to our community through prevention, education, and emergency response
Santos Soto TEMPLE FIRE & RESCUE PIO
ssoto@templetx.gov 254.913.6844
Media Relations The purpose and function of the Public Information Officer is to serve as a liaison between Temple Fire & Rescue, the community, and the news media.
Fire Stations Fire Station 1 - 210 N 3rd St. Fire Station 2 - 1710 E Ave. H Fire Station 3 - 3606 Midway Dr. Fire Station 4 - 411 Waters Dairy Rd. Fire Station 5 - 510 N Apache Fire Station 6 - 3620 Range Rd. Fire Station 7 - 8420 W Adams Ave. Fire Station 8/Training Center/EOC - 7268 Airport Rd.
templetx.gov/fire Page 9
MEDIA INQUIRIES For all media inquiries please email pio@templetx.gov
To better help us meet your deadline, when submitting an inquiry to the City of Temple, please include the following information: What news outlet you are with Questions you would like answered (see page 11) Deadline (time and date) Whether you are requesting information, a quote, or an interview
Our team will take the information submitted and send responses as soon as possible. Please note: Unless the information is readily available, inquiries submitted after hours and on weekends will be responded to the next business day.
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INTERVIEW REQUESTS When requesting an interview, the City of Temple Communications and Public Relations Division asks that you send questions in advance. Our aim is to ensure that the information we provide is both accurate and beneficial to your audience. Sending questions in advance also streamlines the interview process and provides the most comprehensive and insightful responses. Ensuring Accuracy: By receiving questions in advance, we can thoroughly research and prepare to provide precise, up-to-date, and well-informed responses to your inquiries. Efficiency: Advance questions allow us to gather the necessary information and data, ensuring that the interview is a more efficient and informative exchange of information. Enhancing Collaboration: This practice promotes a collaborative approach to storytelling, fostering a stronger partnership between your media organization and the City of Temple. It enables us to work together to create more compelling, wellinformed content.
US
YOU
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CITY NEWSROOM templetx.gov/news
Don
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CITY NEWSLETTER Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss an upcoming event, program or important information from the City of Temple!
templetx.gov/newsletter Page 13