Staff proposes staged public engagement on revenue options; councilors suggest targeted outreach and data tools

City staff presented a proposed public‑engagement process on revenue options and budgetary trends during the Aug. 6 study session and asked councilors how they wanted to proceed.

Staff proposed a staged approach: test draft messages with city leadership, then with staff, followed by the budget committee and community leaders, and finally hold public outreach events (town halls, neighborhood meetings and stakeholder sessions) before a larger public conversation. Staff also suggested targeted meetings (for example, Spanish‑language or youth‑focused sessions) to reach specific audiences.

Councilors recommended collecting data on how residents obtain information so the city can tailor outreach. Councilor Byers said a practical survey on information channels would be immediately useful; another councilor suggested involving Southern Oregon University students or other local resources for civic education and outreach work. Some members discussed survey platform tradeoffs: low‑cost tools (SurveyMonkey) may suffice for simple questions, while Qualtrics or similar platforms were recommended if the city needed a scientifically rigorous sample.

Several councilors emphasized frequent communication during the process to reduce the risk of misinformation and keep constituents informed. Staff will continue to develop outreach materials, test messages with internal and stakeholder groups, and return with a public engagement plan later this fall or early next year.