Des Moines city leaders approved a professional services agreement with consulting firm Raftelis on July 10 to lead a strategic‑planning process designed to set city priorities, strengthen community engagement and produce an accountability framework for implementation.

Why it matters: Council members said they want a community‑informed, actionable plan to guide capital and operating decisions — particularly after recent budget votes — and to tie strategic priorities into the long‑range financial plan and future budgets.

City Manager Catherine Caffrey said the scope covers six to seven months of work, confidential individual interviews with council members and key staff, targeted outreach (focus groups, a town hall, an online survey and pop‑up events), staff engagement, facilitation of council workshops and a final implementation accountability matrix. Caffrey said the recommended budget for the contract is $74,900 and staff proposed using funds previously reserved in the 2025 budget for contract services; she said the schedule is intended to inform the 2027–28 budget cycle.

Council members stressed broad outreach: workshops, multilingual materials and targeted outreach to under‑represented groups, and some asked that new council members (after the November election) be briefed so they can engage meaningfully with the final plan. Caffrey said consultants would bring draft options for council discussion rather than ask members to write a plan from a blank page.

Ending: Council approved the Raftelis agreement unanimously. Staff will coordinate a public engagement schedule and return draft materials for council workshop sessions.