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City presents business-plan updates including Spanish agenda translation, video series, neighborhood outreach and little libraries
Summary
DeSoto department directors gave brief updates March 17 on a portfolio of business-plan items intended to improve public access to city information and community programs.
DeSoto department directors gave brief updates March 17 on a portfolio of business-plan items intended to improve public access to city information and community programs.
City Secretary Alicia Thomas reported the city completed phase one of a project with Granicus to prepare agenda templates and workflows for Spanish translation and is moving into phase two — implementation and testing — with a targeted go‑live in June or July. Thomas said the annual cost for the agenda-management system is about $24,325.38.
Communications staff outlined a regular video series of short operational messages. The first city video with the mayor and city manager is complete; the next video on water and utility billing is scheduled for March, followed by videos on the library and the SWRCC. Staff said the series will post to departmental web pages and the city’s social channels and that they will consider FAQs and AI‑assisted chat features to handle follow-up questions.
On neighborhood engagement the city’s community-relations team said a neighborhood-collaboration workshop is planned for August to connect residents with local businesses. Staff also reported work to make an HOA/non‑HOA form easier to update, so organizations can edit specific fields without re‑submitting full records.
Library staff said they are partnering with Parks and Recreation to place a third “Little Free Library” at Kiva Park; the city already has little libraries at Briarwood and Ernie Roberts parks. Library staff said they will look into signage or recognition for community sponsors who “adopt” a little library and will continue partnership work with local schools and nonprofits on mentoring, mental‑health and workforce programs.
Officials said the Nance Farm redevelopment procurement is advancing: construction‑related documents were under final review and staff expects a fuller update next month; an RFP for the Nance Farm sculpture piece was posted recently. The city also said it is cataloging financial-literacy resources via the library, with printed materials and digital resources planned for distribution this year.
Speakers: Alicia Thomas, Lakita Sutton, Heather McIntee, and other department directors were part of the presentations.
