Charter review committee to build public PowerPoint and prioritize outreach

The Charter Review Committee voted to develop a concise public-facing PowerPoint to explain what a city charter is, outline how the committee operates and provide background for residents before soliciting feedback.

"Before you in the packet is a list of conceptual outline topics, for a future PowerPoint," staff member William Lampe told the committee, describing slides on charter basics, the form and structure of government, and possible amendment topics. Commissioners said brief, clear slides will help residents understand how potential changes could affect city services and leadership.

Committee members debated sequencing: some urged completing substantive proposal language before broad outreach, while others said residents need background to provide meaningful input. Chair Timothy Prince said public education should come first so the public's responses are informed rather than reactive. The committee tasked members with homework to draft slide content for specific subsections and agreed to post the PowerPoint online and consider televised and YouTube distribution.

The staff outlined a range of outreach tools: in-person town halls with QR-code Google surveys (low cost), neighborhood presentations and a paid water-bill insert option the staff estimated could cost around $5,000. The committee asked staff to explore low-cost digital survey options and to bring more detailed cost estimates at the next meeting.

Next steps: committee members will submit suggested slide content for sections 3b through 3h; staff will investigate presentation and survey options and return with recommendations.