Council opts for a single Zoom town hall; staff to add brief state‑of‑the‑city element

Todd Barnes, staff member, presented two formats for a public town hall: a Zoom meeting where council members answer presubmitted questions and a staged "talk show" in the council chambers with a short state‑of‑the‑city and ward recaps.

Todd described logistics for each format (timing, staffing and accessibility) and proposed possible Wednesdays in late April or early May for the event. He said either format could include a short state‑of‑the‑city presentation at the outset and that staff would promote the meeting through the city’s usual channels.

Dustin, a council member, said simply: "what people want is they wanna ask us questions and hear the answers." He and several other council members favored a straightforward Zoom meeting to maximize participation and limit costs and staff time. Other members said they valued the in‑person talk‑show idea for accessibility but agreed a Zoom option would reach a wider audience.

Council settled on a single citywide Zoom town hall rather than multiple ward‑specific sessions. Staff suggested a mid‑April date and will circulate scheduling options to council for final selection; council also asked that the town hall permit residents to submit questions in advance so officials can prepare answers. Todd said the meeting would be recorded and available for replay.

Ending

Staff will schedule a single Zoom town hall (with an initial short state‑of‑the‑city summary), develop a question‑submission process and publicize the event through the city’s communication channels. Council directed staff to share available dates and questionnaire deadlines for member review.