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Blackduck council approves placing local sales-tax question on November ballot and hires Pinnacle for outreach
Summary
City staff moved and the council unanimously approved a resolution to place a local sales-tax question on the November general-election ballot and authorized a marketing push, opting to work with Pinnacle and a direct-mail campaign targeted to the precinct.
Blackduck city staff on Monday night moved — and the council approved — a resolution reaffirming support to place a local sales-tax question on the November general-election ballot and cleared funding and vendor direction for voter outreach.
Christina presented the resolution and said the language mirrors the version approved by the council last year before it went to the Legislature. "This is the final draft," she told the council, and she asked members to approve so staff could continue with the marketing plan.
Why it matters: the sales-tax question would give voters the authority to impose a local sales levy if the measure passes and would fund city priorities discussed in upcoming feasibility work. Council members said they wanted clear ballot language and a robust outreach plan so precinct voters understand the proposal before the election.
The council discussed two marketing proposals — one from Pinnacle and another firm — and settled on direct mailers aimed at precinct voters. Christina and several council members said they favored Pinnacle because the firm already manages the city website and local social-media accounts and can coordinate a targeted mail campaign. "I'm more for the direct mailers because I think that's going to reach the most voters," Christina said.
Council members raised minor operational questions about mail-duplicate addresses and whether to extend outreach slightly beyond the municipality to business owners who live outside town but influence voters; members agreed twice as many mailings would increase the chance the message is seen. The council moved to proceed with Pinnacle for the direct-mail outreach and the motion carried with no opposition.
Next steps: staff will finalize the ballot language and begin the marketing work after certification steps. The council also noted related deadlines for the general election and candidate filing periods that staff will publish.
