Writing Solutions

TV veteran spreads the word on Stagecoach Town USA

Stan Lim / The Press-Enterprise

Gail Paparian, the recently named

communications consultant for Banning, is

contracted for six months, during which she

will receive a $5,000-a-month retainer.

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BANNING - Gail Paparian got prizes for "The Gong Show," helped incorporate a beach

town and ran the League of Women Voters in the Coachella Valley.

Now she's spreading the word about Stagecoach Town USA as the city's new

communications consultant.

Paparian, 62, began about two weeks ago under a six-month contract that pays her a

$5,000 monthly retainer. About four years ago, she moved to Banning with her late

husband, Bill, who died in 2004.

Paparian won appointment to the Planning Commission and ran Writing Solutions, a

media consulting business. One of her chief clients was Gary Carlton, an eastside patiostore

owner and frequent City Hall critic.

To avoid any conflict of interest, she's resigned from the Planning Commission and no

longer represents Carlton. He has accused some at City Hall of being unfriendly to

developers.

Paparian is carving out a new role at City Hall in a long media career that had her

working with broadcast pioneer Ralph Edwards ("This Is Your Life" and "Truth or

Consequences"), game-show host Chuck Barris ("The Gong Show") and TV producers

Mark Goodson & Bill Todman ("I've Got a Secret," "What's My Line" and "The Price Is

Right").

"I am a consultant, and I do live here," she said of her new role in Banning. "But I don't

make decisions, and I don't have opinions."

With Banning growing and demands on staff time mounting, City Manager Randy

Anstine sought media help.

"We needed to get information out of City Hall and into the community quicker," he said.

"And Gail was my answer."

Paparian's contract calls for her to help with news releases, news conferences and work

on media strategy. She will also help the city manager with community presentations.

Her retainer calls for rates ranging from $75 to $100 per hour.

Paparian has several projects in the making.

They include supervising taping of "Around Banning," which features video of city

officials talking about everything from recycling to economic development.

Paparian will do a city newsletter and a short, step-by-step "How to Do Business With

Banning" folio with replaceable cards. She also e-mails the news media an item-by-item

rundown of actions at City Council meetings.

Paparian grew up on New York's Long Island and moved to New York City after college.

In 1967, she moved to Hollywood, where she wrote, produced and directed television

shows. In 1980, Paparian left for Solana Beach in San Diego County, where she created

CITI (an acronym for Citizens Intending to Incorporate).

Nine years later, she and her husband moved to Charleston, S.C., where they built their

dream home -- only to see Hurricane Hugo tear off the roof.

In 1996, they moved to Palm Desert, where Gail Paparian became active in promoting

that desert city. The couple spent summers in Carlsbad.

In 2002, Paparian and her husband moved to Sun Lakes Country Club in Banning, where

she says "we could live in one house and watch the seasons change."