HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 03/11/2025 - Memorandum from Rupa Venkatesh re Civic Assembly Update #2
City Manager’s Office
300 Laporte Avenue
PO Box 580, Fort Collins, CO 80522
970-221-6684
rvenkatesh@fcgov.com
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MEMORANDUM
Date: March 6, 2025
To: Mayor and City Councilmembers
Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
From: Rupa Venkatesh, Assistant City Manager
Subject: Civic Assembly Update #2
PURPOSE
The purpose of this memo is to provide City Council with an update on the civic assembly
process for the Hughes site. Council approved this method of engagement through an
appropriation to Healthy Democracy (HD) in August 2024.
TIMELINE
Community Guide Work through CSU’s Center for Public Deliberation (CPD)
• Application closed Jan. 22 and trainings occurred Feb. 5 and 12
• 26 total guides were engaged
• Work concluded on March 5 and theming memo from the CPD will be available to the
public and to the Information Committee by March 17
Assembly Selection Process
• On Feb. 14, Hughes Civic Assembly postcard invitations were mailed to 15,000
households and distributed to five social service agencies that serve clients without
residential addresses. The interest form closed on March 1.
• Lottery Selection event takes place on March 18 where 20 individuals or “delegates” will
be selected
Docusign Envelope ID: 0463AE8B-3F86-40B9-A7CA-7655B45DA75D
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• A re-selection will take place during the week of March 24 to replace any delegates who
decide not to or unable to participate
• 20 alternates are selected during the week of March 31
Additional Outreach and Details
• Our City Survey closed March 5
• Tribal conversation with tribal governments occurred on March 5
• Information Committee meets the week of March 17. Their purpose is to analyze a
series of community inputs, identify equity and information gaps, prioritize resources,
and identify presenters for the Assembly’s first weekend
• Planning for three virtual open office hours sessions with HD and City staff to be held
throughout March
• First weekend of the Assembly occurs April 12-13
• Second weekend of the Assembly occurs May 2-3
• Assembly presents their recommendations to Council during the May 27 Work Session
PROCESS HIGHLIGHTS
The Community Guides work, facilitated by CPD, was designed to gather a wide range of
community viewpoints and for the Assembly to be able to hear and understand those
viewpoints. The focus was on engaging a wide breadth of the community and not on the volume
of responses.
Simultaneously, a survey featuring identical questions as those used by the Community Guides
during their group conversations was offered to the wider community. The purpose of the survey
was to help gain a balanced understanding of community perspectives and to provide another
method of feedback for those interested but not a part of the Community Guide conversations.
Over 850 people have responded to the survey, likely due in part to promotion among some
advocacy groups. Analysis of the survey results will take this into account. The survey closed
March 5.
Docusign Envelope ID: 0463AE8B-3F86-40B9-A7CA-7655B45DA75D
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To date, 276 responses have been received from the postcard invitations. Healthy Democracy
indicates this is a good response rate from their experience.
The Assembly sessions and deliberations will be open for public observation and the plenary
sessions will be ‘broadcast’ on the City’s YouTube channel. Agendas and details will be shared
as they become available on the project page at: https://ourcity.fcgov.com/future-of-hughes.
CC: Ginny Sawyer, Lead Project Manager
William Bevil, Communications/Engagement Manager
Sylvia Tatum-Burgess, Senior Project Manager
Docusign Envelope ID: 0463AE8B-3F86-40B9-A7CA-7655B45DA75D