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Council leans toward polling and outreach to prioritize budget options before any levy
Summary
Councilors proposed multiple public-engagement options — statistically valid polling plus open-access surveys, QR-code micro-surveys on utility bills, website prioritization tools, and a neighborhood working group — to test willingness to pay and prioritize staffing and projects before any proposed tax measure.
Councilors used the work session to discuss how to involve residents in prioritizing staffing and projects before advancing any funding proposal. Multiple methods were proposed so the city can both test willingness to pay and gather open feedback.
"Go to the community with that and ask them to prioritize. What are they willing what is most important to them, and what are they willing to pay for?" Councilor Groener said, recommending a staged approach starting with the budget committee and expanding to broader outreach. Members suggested a combination of a statistically valid survey and an open-access survey so staff can present both a representative sample and broader community sentiment.
Other ideas included short, rotating two-question surveys with QR codes on utility-bill envelopes, a website tool that lets residents indicate what they'd spend on prioritized items, and an advisory working group with neighborhood representation. City Manager Williams said staff can present polling costs, timing and sample questions and recommended a follow-up session in August or early September to give council options before pursuing any measure.
