The City of Redmond is in the midst of hiring a new communications manger as it seeks to take a more proactive, coordinated approach to connecting with its residents, according to Mayor John Marchione.

The city has received 199 nationwide applications for the new position, with 134 meeting the city’s requirements, according to City of Redmond human resources director Kerry Sievers. The list of candidates has been narrowed down to 19, Sievers said.

The city just finished conducting phone interviews for the new top-level management position, which is built into the current budget, and “hopefully” the new communications manager will be in place by April, Marchione said.

Sievers said the city is looking for a candidate with “broad senior level management experience in communications and a strong customer service focus.”

“This position will develop and manage a city-wide strategic communications plan; advise and direct city leadership regarding communications issues and strategies; and develop and implement multi-faceted internal and external communication programs,” Sievers wrote in an email to the Reporter.

The mayor said he wants to see the city take a more “proactive approach” to communication.

“We’ve been too passive and we want to be proactive,” Marchione said. “This day and age, people expect us to be proactive.”

According to a recent survey of 400 registered Redmond voters, 68 percent said they feel that the city does a good job of keeping residents informed.

But Marchione said the city can improve its communication to residents, pointing to upgrades in the city’s social media resources. He said there have been requests from residents to upgrade “alternative ways to get information from the city,” using mediums such as Twitter, Facebook and online surveys.

Redmond City Council member John Stilin is a big proponent of improving the city’s communications and admits, “we could do a better job.”

“I think we could up our game,” said Stilin, who participated in the phone interview portion of the screening process. “I think we could be more succinct with how we do things. We have to focus on what we are asking the citizens and really drive home the idea that it is really a two-way game. We have to know what the citizens are thinking too.”

Many of the candidates said during the phone interviews that they were impressed with how Marchione and City Council work well together, according to Stilin.

“There’s a lot to communicate here in Redmond,” Stilin said. “It’s a goldmine of an opportunity. We just have to find a good miner. We have to find the person who sees all this opportunity and just runs with it.”

The city’s new communication manager will replace Marta Gronlund, the current communications manger who will be leaving the city March 15.