Council backs City staff to proceed with Community Connectors plan and NLC technical assistance

City staff briefed the council on the Community Connectors initiative, an effort to build a network and systems for engaging hard‑to‑reach residents and improving two‑way communication. Staff described the goals as increasing awareness of city resources, improving access to social services, and building trust for greater civic participation.

The presentation outlined a proposed framework: collect data to understand communication needs, develop a network of trusted community organizations, create internal infrastructure and information‑sharing tools, and measure outputs and outcomes (people reached, participation in programs, materials distributed, website metrics). Staff also explained the city's selection for the National League of Cities (NLC) Community Engagement Academy, which will provide technical assistance to help shape the work plan.

Council members supported moving forward with the NLC process, while asking staff to build baseline measurements, capture demographic representativeness, and ensure the program emphasizes two‑way listening rather than one‑way information pushes. Members asked staff to consider short‑term, practical outreach (multi‑family apartment engagement, stopgap measures) while NLC work proceeds. Staff confirmed they will return to council with updates from the NLC process and a refined work plan in Jan/Feb 2026.

Ending: Staff will proceed with the NLC engagement, refine measures and program details, and present a follow‑up report and recommended next steps in early 2026.