Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council directs staff to schedule 2–3 town halls and consider facilitator for strategic planning
Summary
Council members asked staff to arrange two to three town-hall meetings in short succession to inform a potential citywide strategic planning process, suggested locations including council chambers and local schools, and discussed hiring a professional facilitator; staff will return with dates and availability.
The council on Feb. 18 directed staff to begin scheduling two to three town-hall meetings in 2025 and discussed using those sessions to help kick off a formal strategic planning process.
Members suggested holding multiple town halls within a short time frame—one in council chambers and others at schools or community locations—to gather concentrated community input. Several councilmembers proposed dates in March or April and preferred sooner scheduling rather than delaying into the summer.
Councilmembers and the city’s legal counsel also discussed whether to engage a professional facilitator for a strategic-planning workshop. Counsel noted that some cities obtain facilitator services and that the council could solicit multiple quotes or follow a professional‑services procurement approach. One councilmember volunteered to serve as an internal lead if the council chose not to hire an external facilitator.
Staff was asked to identify potential locations, check existing commission meeting dates to host joint sessions where practical, and circulate a short availability survey to find dates that work for the majority. No formal vote was taken; council gave staff direction to return with dates, location options and facilitator recommendations or cost estimates.
