Boulder’s City Council will have its 2024 retreat on Wednesday and Thursday. During the retreat, council members will discuss city issues and solidify key policy priorities for the next two years.
In Boulder, council retreats usually happen every two years. Deputy City Manager Chris Meschuk explained that they used to occur annually but it was found unnecessary. In addition to major retreats, the council holds “mini retreats” in the alternate years to review work plan items and make necessary adjustments.
Council retreats function differently from regular meetings. Specific policy decisions will not be made, but council members will begin addressing broader city issues. They will review the city staff’s work plan for the year and the city’s strategic goals for the next few years.
Each council member has been requested to prepare for the retreat by identifying issues they want the city to prioritize. Meschuk informed the Daily Camera that all ideas will be combined into one list and shared with the entire council. City staff might provide background on certain items to assist in the decision-making process.
“We might provide some context to help the council understand the amount of work involved or its relation to ongoing efforts if that's their priority,” he said.
On Wednesday, the first day of the retreat, council members will discuss their vision for the city, address how to streamline decision-making and improve processes, and preview the council members’ priorities.
On Thursday, day two, the council will explore effective communication with each other and staff, as well as the values driving each person’s views on community matters. Later, council members will work with facilitator Heather Bergman to narrow down the list of priorities to a few that are most important to the entire council.
“They may employ prioritization exercises, such as simple straw polling or more elaborate methods. … The aim is to have 10 priorities that all council members can support as the top ones to focus on,” said Meschuk.
Meschuk said using a facilitator allows all council members, including the mayor, to participate without needing one of them to oversee the meeting.
Mayor Aaron Brockett expressed a desire for the council to prioritize housing affordability, transportation safety, and services for unhoused residents. He also emphasized the importance of equity and climate action in city initiatives.
“I’m looking forward to the discussions with my colleagues. I’ve had individual conversations with everyone, and they have some very innovative ideas to contribute,” Brockett said.
He is excited to hear his colleagues' ideas and discuss them. The tough part will be to choose the best ideas to focus on in the next few years.
Brockett thinks there won't be any major disagreements among council members, although some individuals have different views on certain policy issues.
Mayor Pro Tem Nicole Speer is also looking forward to the retreat.
She believes it's a great chance for the council to come together, get to know each other, and have important discussions about topics that interest them the most.
Speer's priorities include making it easier for more people to serve on the City Council and streamlining processes to make the council more efficient. She also wants to explore increasing council members' pay.
Speer thinks that achieving both goals will lead to a more diverse group of perspectives and community leaders on the council.
The retreat is open to the public and will take place on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Municipal Services Center, 5050 Pearl St. The council has not been able to meet in the council chambers at the municipal building this month due to ongoing renovations and technical upgrades.
There is also an online option for those unable to attend the retreat in person. Agendas and virtual links are accessible at bouldercolorado.gov/events/city-council-retreat-1 for Wednesday’s meeting and bouldercolorado.gov/events/city-council-retreat-2 for Thursday’s meeting.
