Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Governance Strategy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Palm Desert authorizes update to city strategic plan, approves optional statistically valid survey
Summary
Council approved a 10‑month contract to update the city’s strategic plan, approved optional funding for a statistically valid National Community Survey, and directed staff to extend the contract term through June 30, 2027, to allow final adoption after newly seated district-elected members.
The Palm Desert City Council on June 12 voted 5-0 to begin a citywide strategic-plan update and to pursue an optional statistically valid community survey. The council authorized staff to negotiate a contract with Barry Dunn & Associates for a 10‑month planning process and added a requested amendment to extend the agreement term through June 30, 2027, so the final adoption can take account of future directly elected district council members.
City Clerk Anthony Mejia described reasons for updating Envision Palm Desert Forward Together, adopted in 2014: governance changes moving the city to five single-member districts, revenue changes following redevelopment wind‑down and Measure G, infrastructure vulnerabilities exposed by storms, and rapid growth in the Palm North area. The consultant proposal includes document review, stakeholder engagement, a draft strategic plan, and implementation support. The initial contract cost shown in the packet was $128,900 plus a $12,890 contingency; the optional National Community Survey (NCS) — a statistically valid, randomized survey with regional and national benchmarking — would add roughly $25,000.
Councilmembers debated timing. Some members said it made sense to begin now and incorporate the new council members’ perspectives during the process; others recommended delaying final adoption until after fully seated district-elected representatives are in office. The council agreed on a compromise: start the work now, schedule public outreach and a future study session after kickoff, preserve the option to refine the timeline, and extend the contract term through mid‑2027.
Several councilmembers supported using the NCS option, noting the value of statistically valid benchmarking for long-term comparisons. Staff said the project would include an initial check of progress on prior plan goals and would produce a 10‑year horizon with a midterm update after five years. The motion passed unanimously with the council directing staff to negotiate final contract terms, proceed with outreach plans, and, if the council chooses, add the NCS survey.
