Services Spotlight: Communications Consulting

For many VRSA members, fielding calls from reporters or managing comments on social media pages is an additional duty as assigned. 

That’s one reason VRSA provides communications consulting services to eligible members to assist in navigating the unique communications challenges of local governments. The services, provided by VRSA Director of Communications Hollie Cammarasana, include virtual engagements, in-person trainings, sample policies and procedures, and personalized assistance based on your entity’s needs.

“I’ve worked with a lot of members to develop talking points, press releases, and draft responses to inquiries they have received,” said Cammarasana, who is also Accredited in Public Relations by the Public Relations Society of America.

In addition to personalized consulting, Cammarasana hosts virtual engagements each quarter on a variety of subjects, including Crisis Communications, Strategic Communications Planning, Social Media: Supporting Strategic Goals, Telling Your Story on a Zero-Dollar Budget, and more.

Cammarasana has also provided members with assistance on ensuring their entity’s website complies with accessibility standards.

This spring, many local government websites and mobile applications will need to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II Web and Mobile Application Accessibility Rule. The rule is being enforced based on the state and local government size. Those with 50,000 or more persons must comply by April 24, 2026.

The rule requires that web content and mobile applications be accessible to people with disabilities, following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standard.

The rule applies to all web content that a local government provides or makes available, even when another provider creates and maintains the website. There are some exceptions to this rule, noted here.

Examples of WCAG 2.1, Level AA criteria include:

• Keyboard Accessibility: All interactive elements (buttons, links, form controls) must be reachable and operable using only the keyboard.

• Color Contrast: Text should have a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 against its background.

• Captions for Media: Live video should have captions, and audio content needs alternatives like transcripts.

• No Images of Text: Avoid using images for text unless it’s essential for branding or conveys a specific meaning.

• Identify Input Purpose: Form fields should use attributes that identify their purpose (like autocomplete), which helps assistive technologies understand user input.

More information on this rule can be found here.  Check with your web developer to ensure your site is compliant or is working to meet the compliance deadline. If your entity needs assistance, contact Cammarasana at 800-963-6800.