DuPont council weighs clearer city communications, separate mayoral message

Councilors and staff at a DuPont retreat reviewed how the city communicates with residents and each other and proposed a shorter, policy‑focused message distinct from the longer weekly 'Bits and Bytes' newsletter.

Council members said advance briefings with the mayor and city administrator and roundtable study sessions have improved preparedness and shortened formal meetings. “The biweekly meetings with Keith and Ron have definitely been helpful,” said Council Member Tom Margo, praising the advance exchange of information that lets department staff prepare for questions.

Several members argued that the city’s current weekly newsletter mixes recreation and policy content so extensively that important city business can be hard to find. “On certain subjects or on policy subjects, a letter from the mayor or the city administrator that’s separate from Bits and Bytes might be appropriate,” Council Member Beth Elliott said during the communications check.

Staff acknowledged the value of the existing newsletter for outreach but agreed a distinct channel could improve visibility for decisions and initiatives. Finance Director Karma Oakesmith described existing practices for issuing topical items and said staff can work with council leadership to test a separate short bulletin or a mayor’s column.

Councilors also discussed which routine reports to restore in meetings, with some urging more frequent department‑head presentations to allow public questions and recognition of staff achievements. Legal counsel reminded members to be mindful of Open Public Meetings Act rules when communicating outside formal meetings.

Next steps: staff and council requested written recommendations about format, frequency and audience targeting for any new mayor/administrator message and a short test run of a separate policy bulletin before the council sets a formal schedule.