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Oversight panel plans community outreach: Trident Cafe pop-ups, MLK event attendance and library partnerships
Summary
Panel members outlined outreach steps including informal monthly "circles" at local cafes, working with the city27s community engagement staff and targeting events such as the MLK program to invite public conversation about oversight and policing.
Panel members described a series of community engagement steps the oversight panel will pursue to invite public participation in oversight work and to keep institutional knowledge as members depart.
The outreach update, presented during the meeting, said panel staff and members will meet with Ryan Hanschen, the city27s community engagement coordinator, to coordinate outreach at existing city events and to explore monthly community "circles" at the Trident Cafe from 5 to 6 p.m. on select days. Panel members also discussed attending neighborhood spaces such as San Juan and working with local partners including the Boulder Housing Authority, the Human Relations Commission and the City of Boulder Housing and Human Services to share information about the panel27s role.
Panel members talked through two budget options for outreach: a low-cost option for snacks and water and a higher-cost option to support events held during dinner hours. The group noted library spaces are often booked and may require advance scheduling. The panel also agreed to do exit interviews with departing members to retain institutional knowledge; staff were asked to coordinate those interviews with the city manager.
Panel members encouraged attendance at upcoming community events; several said they planned to attend the Jan. 19 MLK event at the JCC between 3 and 5 p.m. Panel staff will also attend a boards-and-commissions open house at the Penfield Tate Building to promote a student panel-member recruitment drive (student recruitment is open through Jan. 31).
Why it matters: outreach is the panel27s principal channel to gather community feedback, recruit student members and make oversight work accessible to residents who might not attend regular meetings. The panel is exploring low-barrier, informal formats to attract participation and to test whether community members will show up for conversations about policing and oversight.
Next steps: staff will meet with city engagement staff, follow up on library availability, set a Trident Cafe date and circulate details of outreach events. The panel also scheduled an in-person February meeting for departing members and asked volunteers to staff the Penfield Tate Building open house.
The outreach discussion occurred during the open meeting and was not a formal vote item.
