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Council weighs 18‑month Community Connectors contractor to boost outreach
Summary
Staff proposed an 18‑month contractor role to build staff capacity, expand outreach to hard-to-reach residents and recommend long-term structures. The position would cost $100,000/year (proposed $150,000 over 18 months); council sought clearer deliverables and sustainability plans before finalizing the scope.
City staff presented a revised Community Connectors proposal that would recruit a contractor for 18 months at a proposed rate of $100,000 per year (total $150,000) to train staff, evaluate current engagement practices, develop metrics, broaden partnerships with community organizations, and recommend continuity strategies.
The presentation emphasized a hands-on contractor role ‘‘working shoulder to shoulder’’ with staff and community organizations to increase outreach to historically underserved and hard-to-reach populations. Staff described potential deliverables including operationalized best practices for staff, a report on engagement methods and recommendations, and a network-building role to expand participation in provider and tenant groups.
Council members expressed broad support for the concept but asked for sharper, department‑level deliverables, measurable outcomes (e.g., training counts, new audiences reached), clarity about which activities the contractor should prioritize (gaps versus existing partnerships), and a plan for transferring responsibilities to staff or partners after the contract ends. Staff agreed to revise the scope and return a refined resolution and scope of work for consideration at the next meeting.
