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Resident urges clearer budget outreach; councilors discuss making budget calendar more accessible
Summary
A Casper resident pressed the council to make the city’s budget calendar and public-notice information more accessible; councilors asked staff to make budget checkpoints easier to find on the city website.
A Casper resident, identified in the record as Mr. Shriffman, used the April 1 public-comment period to urge clearer public outreach around city meetings and budget engagement and to note a website message that limits in-person capacity at council meetings and gives media priority seating.
Mr. Shriffman said he often looks at the council webpage but was unsure how best to find which meetings are the substantive budget checkpoints. He announced he will host a public town hall on April 24 and said he had arranged security and protocols to ensure orderly participation.
Mayor and several councilors acknowledged the point and directed city staff to consider making the budget calendar and the key public checkpoints more accessible and easier to find. Councilor Pollock and Councilor Sweeney said the budget process is spread across multiple work sessions over several months and suggested flagging the substantive, budget-intensive work sessions (capital work session, priority-based budgeting sessions) so members of the public know where to participate.
City staff noted an already-published budget calendar that outlines the timeline and stops leading up to the May work session and offered to make it more visible on the website. Councilor Gamroth asked staff to identify where the calendar lives on the city website and make it easier to locate.
Separate from Mr. Shriffman’s comments, the council chair announced that mailed notices for the Westridge Local Improvement District (LID) Phase 2 public hearing had been sent in error; as a result the public hearing will occur on May 6, 2025. The chair told residents present they could comment that evening about the LID but encouraged them to return on May 6 or file a written complaint if they wished.
Why it matters
Councilors said clearer public-facing messaging about which meetings are the substantive budget checkpoints would make it easier for residents to participate in budget decisions. The change could affect how and when residents attend work sessions and public hearings related to funding and capital projects.
What’s next
City staff said they will review the website placement of the budget calendar and consider clearer signposting of major budget meetings; Mr. Shriffman’s town hall is scheduled for April 24, and the Westridge LID public hearing is rescheduled to May 6, 2025.
