Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Council Retreat topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
OSAC outlines council-retreat agenda framework, schedules Feb. 20 at UPS Tahoma Room
Summary
Staff presented a retreat framework emphasizing a Tacoma-2025 synopsis, a 'theory of action' discussion, priority-setting tied to budget realities, and suggested facilitation and measurement work; committee asked staff for a template to help council prepare.
Staff presented a draft framework for a council retreat and asked the Operational Strategy and Administrative Committee for feedback on logistics, content and pre-work. Jacques Colon, director of the Center for Strategic Priorities, told the committee staff had secured the Tahoma Room at the University of Puget Sound for the Feb. 20 retreat.
Colon outlined three main retreat components: context-setting (including a 2025 highlights review or a 10-year Tacoma-2025 synopsis), a 'theory of action' segment to identify levers for change, and a priority-setting session aimed at naming a small number of shared priorities tied to the budget cycle. He said the Tacoma-2025 synopsis “will have measures,” but cautioned the level of disaggregation and depth would depend on council expectations and staff capacity.
Councilmembers supported a short, high-level 10-minute synopsis rather than a heavy analytic lift, and several asked that staff prepare a simple worksheet or template to help members frame their top priorities in a consistent way before the retreat. Committee members emphasized that the retreat should include accountability steps: once priorities are identified, staff should outline next steps, timelines and what successful completion would look like.
Logistics discussed included providing local food and coffee, possible use of local vendors, attire (a light suggestion to wear Tacoma-branded items), small-group work during the day, and evening public-facing candidate presentations tied to the city-manager recruitment process. Staff said facilitation materials and manipulatives would be provided and that the retreat would run roughly 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a rolling breakfast start.
Committee members also raised the related topic of reimagining the community forum: whether it should be held once a month or remain twice monthly, whether it should be oriented toward dialogue rather than speeches, and whether off-site forums with childcare and food might increase accessibility and participation. Staff committed to slot follow-up items on Feb. agendas for deeper discussion.
The committee approved a motion directing staff to develop a proposed retreat agenda for finalization at the Jan. 23 OSAC meeting; that motion passed by voice vote.
