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Council adopts engagement-plan framework from retreat, will pilot open public forum July 9
Summary
Council and staff summarized retreat outcomes, agreed on three engagement goals and the draft framework, and approved a trial open public forum at the July 9 meeting to test a meeting-structure change.
The council reviewed a retreat summary and an initial engagement-plan framework prepared by staff. Regina and Ashley presented a capture of retreat discussions and the staff'compiled engagement plan that lists suggested outreach items, roles for staff and council, and an event calendar of opportunities for council involvement.
Staff summarized three primary engagement goals that emerged from the retreat: increase resident awareness of council members and approachability; provide multiple channels for residents to interact with the council; and improve meeting structure. Ashley said the packet includes green-highlighted top priorities identified jointly by department heads and council members and a working event calendar to coordinate council attendance at community events.
Councilors supported standing up committees as a mechanism to pursue priorities identified at the retreat and asked that those priorities be incorporated into FY27 department work plans. The council also agreed to pilot a one-hour open public forum at the July 9 meeting (06:30'07:30 p.m.) where residents could speak on any topic without an agenda item; Regina asked for a quorum confirmation and the council consented to the trial.
Ashley and Regina said the engagement plan is an evolving working document; staff will return with a subsequent, more detailed draft. The council also noted local media's efforts: the Essex Reporter has begun a "Get to Know Your Council" series that will profile individual councilors and supplement outreach.
