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Port Orchard council fine-tunes town-hall format and topics after first round
Summary
Council members praised the town-hall format (presentations plus breakouts), asked for more visuals and evaluation forms, and assigned topics and presenters for upcoming downtown and neighborhood town halls.
City council members used the May 19 work study to debrief the city’s recent town-hall pilot and to plan the next session in downtown Port Orchard.
Council members said the structure — short presentations followed by breakout sessions and visible informational cards — worked well and encouraged deeper resident engagement. “I thought the flow went really well and the audience seemed engaging,” Council Member Fenton said.
Members asked staff to compile presentation slides so displays can be printed or displayed on site, to provide clear breakout-room signage, and to include sign-in and evaluation forms for attendees. The body debated whether to repeat core topics across all three town-hall locations for consistency or to tailor content to neighborhood interests; they agreed to finalize topics quickly so staff can prepare visuals and handouts. Topics assigned include utilities, comprehensive plan and parks, downtown grants and improvements, the Bay Street lift and community center, and non-motorized pathway projects.
Next steps: Council asked presenters to submit slide content to staff within the week, and directed staff to assemble slides and advise on printing and AV capability ahead of the next town hall. Council also agreed to reserve 15–20 minutes at the start of future sessions as an informal open-house period for displays and one-on-one conversations with staff and council members.
