The City of Dubuque has updated names of three City departments to better reflect their duties, responsibilities, and services. The name changes take effect immediately.

The City’s finance and budget department is simplifying its name to the City of Dubuque Finance Department. Staff anticipate this will help dispel a perception of a distinction between their day-to-day duties and the annual budget process, with which many staff members also assist. The department’s duties and responsibilities also include accounting, payroll, utility billing, and purchasing.

The former leisure services department has been renamed the City of Dubuque Parks and Recreation Department. This name brings the City of Dubuque into alignment with the region’s other metro areas, which identify as the parks and recreation departments. Parks and recreation is commonly used terminology within municipal government, whereas leisure services is typically found more in academia. The department already divides staff into the parks and recreation divisions, which the new name will help reflect. Department staff will continue to oversee management contracts for the Five Flags Center, Grand River Center, and ImOn Ice Arena.

Staff also expect the name change to allow them to more effectively market the department’s programs and offerings. Past marketing efforts revealed that the general public was unfamiliar with the leisure services terminology. The updated name will provide residents and stakeholders with a more direct and intuitive description of the department’s services.

The former public information office has updated its name to the City of Dubuque Communications Office. The new name was chosen to more completely encompass the wide range of activities staff are responsible for, which includes advertising, marketing, brand management, graphic design, crisis communications, internal communications, media relations, website management, photography and video production, and social media.

Residents and stakeholders will not see significant changes to the services provided by these departments as they transition to their updated names. Updated terminology will soon be reflected on the City of Dubuque website, in City Council agenda items, and through external communications channels.