City of Boulder · department
Communication & Engagement
“The Communication and Engagement Department is responsible for providing effective communication and engagement with community members, staff and council, working to increase the understanding of and support for city programs, policies and projects.” source as of 2026-10-30
Who runs it
AI-read · unreviewed read by a model from the city's pages, the Charter, the code and the budget books; every quote checked against its saved source; not reviewed by a person. Hover a source for its words.Researcher's note: Program names follow the 2026 budget book (Administration (Accessible & Connected), Communications, Community Engagement, Creative Services; a $547 City Manager's Office Administration & Operations line is also in the table). The about page lists the older function names: Media/external communication; Community engagement; Video services/Boulder 8TV; and Web content/Social media. No division heads are named here: the Boulder 8 TV page names a Video Services Manager, but no source says that person heads Creative Services.
- Head
- Sarah Huntley, Director of Communication and Engagement as of 2026-10-30 source
- Answers to
- City Manager. A department under the city manager, who appoints and supervises department directors; the department supports the City Manager's Office, City Council and the city's other departments. Head appointed by City Manager. source source source
- Legal basis
- Contact
- 303-441-3554 · citycommunication@bouldercolorado.gov · 1001 Arapahoe Ave. · Monday - Friday: 8:00 am-5:00 pm · contact page source source as of 2026-10-30
Boards and commissions it staffs
not applicable: No board or commission names this department as its staff. Checked: the staff_liaison field of every body file in governance/bodies/ (none names Communication & Engagement; the Tenant Advisory Committee's communications support is Housing and Human Services staff); the department's home, about and services pages (2026-10-30), which list no board; the January 2026 council committee assignments memo (Laserfiche 198611), which names the City Manager's Office's Intergovernmental Affairs Officer as staff contact for the Council Engagement Committee and other council committees; the 2026 budget book's department section, which describes video coverage of council and most boards and commissions meetings (a service to them, not staffing). source
Budget
from the city's approved budget books; each figure printed, to the dollar, in its source (hover a source for its words). A year may come from a different book or table than the next: the table says what each covers| Year | Basis | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | approved | $4,555,829 | All funds: department expenses total, FY2024 budget column of the 2026 book's Budget by Program & Expense Type table; the 2024 approved book prints the same figure. source source |
| 2025 | approved | $3,848,646 | All funds: department expenses total, FY2025 budget column of the 2026 book's Budget by Program & Expense Type table. source |
| 2026 | approved | $3,876,518 | All funds: department expenses total, FY2026 budget column of the 2026 book's Budget by Program & Expense Type table (the book's "Total 2026 Budget" for the department). source source |
Divisions
in the city's own words; heads only where an official source names them- Administration
“This program area supports general department-wide operations.” source - Communications
“The Communications program is responsible for sharing timely, accurate and relevant information both internally and externally.” source page - Community Engagement
“The Community Engagement program strengthens democracy by building capacity for engagement processes and opportunities that are meaningful, equitable, and inclusive.” source source page - Creative Services
“The Creative Services program, previously known as Multimedia/Video Services or Channel 8, is responsible for creating visually based information, content and stories through video production, podcasts, graphic design, animation, brand guidance, and other techniques that foster effective external and internal communications.” source page
What a resident can do here
services and programs, linked to the city's pages- Stay Informed “Whether it's print, TV or online, there are many ways to stay up to date on the latest City of Boulder news and information.” source source
- Public Participation “The Communication and Engagement Department is responsible for coordinating many of these opportunities for public input.” source source
- Media Relations “The Communication and Engagement Department provides timely, proactive and responsive public information to the news media.” source source
- Neighborhood Services “Neighborhood Services provides information to help you navigate city services, connect with city projects and build community in your neighborhood.” source
- Block Party Permits “The city's goal is to support neighborhood events and promote a safe and enjoyable atmosphere for all residents.” source source
- Community Connectors Program “Community Connectors empower the City of Boulder to make better decisions by elevating the experiences and voices of historically excluded communities.” source source
- Watch Boulder 8 TV “Boulder 8 TV is a local government television broadcasting station and multimedia video production facility operated by the City of Boulder Communication and Engagement Department.” source source
- Sign Up for City E-newsletters “The City of Boulder E-newsletter is a bimonthly roundup of city news, information and events.” source source